A Decade by Decade view of Women’s Fashion in the 20th Century. This 10-part series covers the styles and changes in women’s fashion from 1900 to the year 2000. We discuss everything from designers to fabrics, hem lengths to sleeves. This week we look at vintage fashion from 1970 to 1980. Follow along with us each week as we delve into another decade.
In the 1970s, the colors of nature, eastern cultures, and a newly found sense of human rights and ecology all affected what we wore. Along with our freshly found Earth Mother look, we adopted more muted colors. Natural shades of brown, gold, and green flooded the market and gave us a more subtle palette.
Recycling fashion from previous generations and mixing eras brought about a new look. Young people were mixing grandma’s hats, grandpa’s suit coats, mom’s pearls, and newly purchased bell-bottom jeans and leather moccasins. Flowing sleeves and fuller hemlines, wooden jewelry, natural leather, and suede clothing balanced out the look.
Platform shoes, wide bell-bottom pants, long fringe tie-dye, scarves, and feathers became ways to stand out from the crowd. By mid-decade Disco had taken hold and the glitz and sparkle of the dance floor spilled out into the streets. Sequins, glitter, and fringe added to the eclectic bohemian look that took hold in the 70s. We wore dashikis, large floppy hats, safari jackets, and paisley prints. We crocheted hats and long flowing vests, embroidered our jeans, and added lace to our hems and collars. 1970s fashion was all over the place.
We grew our hair long and instead of ironing it flat we left it natural. Women weren’t the only ones who grew out their hair. Men sported long locks right along with women.
Cher brought us big bold over-the-top clothes and Joni Mitchell made us feel as if we were all earth mamas.
Designers of the day produced fashion that ran the gamut from sophisticated and glitzy to deconstructed punk clothing. Diane Von Furstenberg brought us the jersey wrap dress designed to be worn by a variety of body shapes. Jessica McClintock with Gunne Sack and Laura Ashley gave us a softer more romantic look.
Both Yves Saint Laurent and Halston took cues from the 1930s and 40s as well as men’s wear. Tailored suits and exotic looks borrowed from foreign cultures helped to define each designer’s style. With the rise of punk offsetting disco, Vivienne Westwood‘s ripped and torn shocking looks jumped to the forefront of British fashion.
Outrage at the war in Vietnam led to a different look, one punctuated by oversized army jackets, custom-printed t-shirts, and lace-up boots. Long flowy prairie dresses, mix-and-match separates, and clothing designed for comfort took over.
The 1970s were a time of transition and experimentation. Jeans moved from the working man’s wardrobe to the closets of everyday students. Somewhere between ABBA and Led Zeppelin, we found our new look.
Wear the Look of the 1970s
Explore the other decades by clicking here.
2 comments
That took me back. I can testify- as someone who was young in those days- that you’ve done a great job of recapping popular fashions of that era.
Thank you, Julie. Much appreciated.