The history of one of the most famous groups began in 1966 when Bjorn Ulvaeus met Benny Andersson. Though they came from different music genres, they became great partners in composing songs. Bjorn was a member of the Hootenanny singers and their records were on the Polar Music record label owned by Stig Anderson. Stig went on to become ABBAs manager and contributed lyrics in the first few years as well. In the spring of 1969, Bjorn and Benny met the two women who became their fiancés and the other half of ABBA. Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad both had their own solo recording careers before they became a part of ABBA and ABBA costumes wear. Agnetha and Bjorn married in 1971 while Benny and Frida waited till 1978 to tie the knot.

Most singers had their own trademark styles of dressing up and were the fashion police of their own times. This is of vital importance as it is the main reason why youngsters then and now loved dressing up like them. It is a common psyche; we love to dress up like our idols or performers whom we simply love. This also explains the huge sales of Gene Simmons costumes, wigs and masks. Halloween is a time when you see an entire brigade of young people dressed up like Gene Simmons with his big silver shoes, heavily accented jackets and a mask with the famous tongue sticking out!

The ABBA costumes from the 70s are one craze that will never end, just like their everlasting music. The band were the epitome of sweet love, couples making music and singing together were revered in Sweden! Mini skirts and bootlegs with ruffles below the knees, loose fitting shirts with bells and shiny men’s shirts with ruffles. Broad belts and blonde wigs became big fashion since Frida and Agneta featured them on their tours and album covers. The ABBA look is still such a rage with the disco loving rage that the number of costumes bought despite them not being exactly cheap is staggering.

By 1970 Bjorn and Agnetha, Benny and Frida were in love and were living together while maintaining their solo careers. Polar Music was headed by Stig Anderson, a well known Swedish music business entrepreneur who had contributed more than 2000 songs in the 60s and 70s. When Stig’s partner died, he invited Bjorn to be a replacement who bought Benny along.

Meanwhile, Bjorn and Agnetha moved into theatre and gave a massive hit “don’t know how to love him” in the Lloyd Webber musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1972, Bjorn and Benny gave a big hit in Japan in the way of “People need love”. Owing to their great popularity and their Abba costumes, they were invited to the Eurovision song contest in the 1973 Swedish heat, the band was then named Benny &Bjorn, Agnetha & Frida and they entered with the famous “Ring Ring”. The audience loved the song, though the judges placed it at number 3. Due to the following public outcry, Swedish Eurovision entries began to be chosen through public voting since then.