Up Your Culture IQ: The Best Vintage-Inspired Looks from the CFDA Awards

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1. The '20s: Rihanna in Adam Selman

Ah, Paris nightlife in the '20s — it was a magical time. No one was more prolific on the after-hours scene than Josephine Baker. The triple-threat performer was famous for her exotic beauty, audacious dancing, and opulent head-to-toe ensembles. In many ways, Rihanna is a modern day iteration of the brazen beauty. On the 2014 CFDA Awards red carpet, RiRi channeled Baker in a custom creation by Adam Selman: A Swarovoski crystal-encrusted fishnet dress with a matching headscarf and gloves. She topped off the look with a sumptuous pink fur stole. The get-up was not only dripping in glamour, but completely see-through. While it's a sight that would turn heads regardless of the date, Baker helped pave the way for that kind of state of undress. During her heyday, she'd often hit the stage dripping in sparkle and, to the shock (and delight!) of many, semi-nude.

2. The '60s: Blake Lively in Michael Kors

During the Swinging Sixties in London, Twiggywas the poster girl for the youthful movement. As the most in-demand model of the era, the gamine stunner she was at the helm of every trend liberating young women, from short hemlines to statement hairstyles. Today, there isn't a star with a more famous head of hair than Blake Lively. Much like Twiggy, her coif has the power to ignite a craze, which could very well be the case after Lively's look from last night. The actress was practically snapped up from Carnaby Street in 1968 wearing a Michael Kors Resort 2015 scalloped mini-dress and bouffant hairdo complete with a sleek headband. Lively's updated take on the sprightly trends of yore is proof that with her keen sense of style, she can take on any decade with ease.

3. The '70s: Solange in Calvin Klein Collection

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As soon as Solange hit the red carpet, Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out," began playing in our heads — and not just because it's her first major appearance post-elevatorgate. The younger Knowles sister was the spitting image of our favorite '70s Disco queen wearing a ravishing gold silk Calvin Klein Collection dress and her hair in a voluminous 'fro. During Ross' golden age (pun very much intended), she was always the brightest star in the room with her no-holds-barred approach to dressing up, high-as-the-heavens hair, and penchant for shimmer. Solange's choice ensemble is proof that if you've got the right amount of moxie for a gilded look, it's always the right choice.

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Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.