“The year 1970 was a year with no predominant look. Walk a block or so on any big city street, you’de see women wearing Indian block-print bedspread dresses, tight tie-dye T-shirts and hip hugger jeans, afros, boots that hooked up the front, long calico dresses, rose-printed black-challis dirndl skirts, maxi coats, and microminis.”
1970
The 1960s fashion style was still in effect with rebellious hippies and unconventional mods fighting it out in department stores. Short skirts paired with long coats and long skirts paired with short vests. The decade couldn’t decide what direction to take or what past decade to emulate.The mods were reviving the 20s flapper look with cloche hats and shift dresses. The hippies turned back to the Victorian age of handmade modest LiveOff-the-Land peasant clothes. Mature women favored ’40s and ’50s classics. Seventies fashion was a mish-mash, a bit of everything for anyone who had an opinion about fashion.In the end, comfort and casualness won the 70s fashion battle. All looks fought it out over the decade adapting the mod style into a less plastic, simple ease and the hippie look into a tailored chic. Both turned to the use of color; brights for the mods and earth tones for the hippies. As well as bold patterns. Paisley? Lots of paisleys!The idea that 1970s fashion was an expression of one’s personality replaced the everyone-follow-the-famous trend of the ’50s and ’60s. Clothes were made to mix and match with each other as well as across gender guidelines. Whether the combinations made any sense was another matter. While most fashion history books and online articles focus on 70s fashion sub-cultures (luxury, punk, cowboy, hippie, exotica, soul) this one explores what the typical women wore in the 1970s. The housewives and working women in small towns and urban cities had fashion trends that looked a little different than what mainstream media displayed
Granny dresses, hippie dresses – midi and maxi length Edwardian inspired lace trim prairie dresses Shift dresses – short mod dresses to knee length shirtdresses Peasant blouses, tunic tops, funny t-shirts/ band shirts Bell bottom pants and jeans called flares or loons, wide-leg palazzo pants Homemade and decorated clothing – patches, fringe, embroidery Pantsuits with silk bow blouses and blazers worn to the office Jumpsuits could be worn as casual wear, eveningwear, or for disco dancing Denim everything- pants, jumpsuits, dresses, skirts, jacketsLong knit vests layered over tops and pants Vintage 1920s jewelry and accessories revival
70S JACKETS, COATS, CAPES
Women’s coats started out with big plaids in long or knee-length trench styles. The trench coat and wrap coat remained in style most of the decade but in lighter pastel and ivory colors. Heavy tweeds, boucle, and tapestry came into fashion and the beginning and end of the decade too. Lengths shorted up to double-breasted pea coat or blazer jacket. The midlength leather wrap jacket was a trendy favorite as well as the teddy coat, a faux fur-pile boxy half coat. The vinal plastic raincoat or slicker with matching bubble umbrellas in bright mod colors or clear plastic continued into the decades as well. Many 70s coats are back in style for 2018-2019. Long suede jackets with fur trim. Shearling lined denim jackets. Teddy coats, embroidered coats, and fringe trim coats are all part of the hippie boho revival. There are also many vintage style long coats in rich earthy tone making a comeback this year
shoes
The early 70s fad was for clunky platforms shoes. They were first seen in the late 1930s but revived in the ’70s quest for nostalgia. At first, the platform was a modest 1 inch sole similar to late 40s shoes. Soon the sole grew to 2 or 3 inches with a 5 inch heel. The platform found their way onto oxfords, sandals, and boots. These clodhoppers look the wiggle out of walking in mini skirts making them feel a little less obscene. They looked best with flared jeans or pants.Shoe designers personalized platforms for different fashion audiences. Decorated with studs or rhinestones they made Pop stars pop on stage. Mainstream designs featured patchwork, embroidery, leather or painted art. With high ankle straps and fruity colors- peach, yellow, pistachioeven plain platform shoes were a pop of color against a neutral outfit.
Clogs Wedgé heels Chunky square heeled shoes Vintage dancing shoes Boots Birkenstock sandals Granny boots