The period of 70s fashion was a burst of creativity and a new wave for the fashion industry. The decade saw the rise of individualism, which was reflected in their vibrant styles that emerged during this era. Fashion was heavily influenced by music, film, and social movements, resulting in a diverse range of clothing. These trends symbolized the rise of various issues such as equality, music and cultural influence of that time. In this article, we will learn all about 70sw fashion, its key trends, key aspects and more.
Introduction to 70s fashion

The 70s fashion was characterized by bold colors, patterns, and a funky style. Women’s fashion in the early 1970s saw a continuation of the hippie look from the 1960s, with bright colors, floral patterns, and ethnic influences. Popular items included tie-dye shirts, peasant blouses, bell-bottoms, midi skirts, and maxi dresses. Women’s accessories included chokers, dog collars, and handcrafted neck ornaments. Men had a variety of suits to choose from, and often favored colorful plaids. Children’s fashion followed adult fashion, with bold plaids and bright colors. Polyester was a popular fabric in the 1970s, and was used to make chic suiting and minidresses. Polyester was low-maintenance and iron-free, which freed women from ironing their clothes. Popular shoes included suede shoes and Birkenstocks. Popular accessories included headbands, floppy hats, balumba balls, flowing scarves, and sandals.
Origin of 70s Fashion

The 70s fashion first marked a liberation march for the women and symbolised the period of their equality. More than 50,000 women participated in the equality march that time. 70s fashion for women was as such that no one has ever seen before. It was a period to embrace the natural beauty and figure of women. They chose to wear pants, designer denims and what not. Men’s fashion was not affected as much but saw a major cultural change in terms of fashion and cultural roots.
The bold prints and patterns, platform shoes, big sunglasses, patterned knitwear and more. Some other key elements were Tie-dye, Hippie chic, Headbands, Clogs, Crochet, Bucket hats, Caftan dresses, and Extended collars.
Key Trends of 70s fashion

70s fashion was symbolized with various fashion trends such as disco, music, film and social movements and more. Here are some of the key trends of this era, give a look at them:
- Bell bottoms: A flared bottom trend that was popularize by hippies at Woodstock. Bell bottoms were ofen make from denim
- Disco: A fashion craze that emerged in the mid- to late 1970s, For women, this included jersey wrap dresses, tube tops, sequined halter neck shirts, and spandex short shorts. For men, this included disco flares and exaggerated lapels.
- Bold colors and patterns: A key trend in 70s fashion, with bright colors and patterns taking center stage.
- Corduroy: A popular fabric trend in the 1970s that hugged the skin.
- Platform shoes: A key trend in 1970s fashion.
- Big sunglasses: A key trend in 1970s fashion.
- Patterned knitwear: A key trend in 1970s fashion.
- Other trends from the 1970s include: Tie-dye, Hippie chic, Headbands, Clogs, Crochet, Bucket hats, Caftan dresses, and Extended collars.
Top Fashion Designers of of 70s
Here are some of the top fashion designers from the 1970s:
- Kenzo Takada: A Parisian fashion star who drew inspiration from around the world, mixing Western and Oriental influences. His designs included fluid lines, unusual prints, and clever accessories.
- Sonia Rykiel: The queen of figure-hugging knits, Rykiel create a range of clothes that were individual yet could worn almost anywhere. Her style included dark blacks, rhinestones, long scarves, and crocheted hats.
- Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren: The designers behind much of the punk fashion from the late 1970s. Punk fashion included ripped clothes, leather jackets, and Doc Martens.
- Levi Strauss: In 1973, Neiman Marcus named Levi Strauss the “single most important American contribution to worldwide fashion”.
- Calvin Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, Peter Golding, and Fiorucci: These designers began branding blue jeans with their names and initials, making it possible to buy into a designer’s brand at a low cost.
- Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Emanuel Ungaro, and Pierre Cardin: These French couturiers ruled over fashion in the 1970s
Makeup and cosmetics
Cosmetics in the 1970s reflected the contradictory roles ascribed for the modern woman.For the first time since 1900, make-up was chosen situationally, rather than in response to monolithic trends. The era’s two primary visions were the daytime “natural look” presented by American designers and Cosmopolitan magazine, and the evening aesthetic of sexualized glamour presented by European designers and fashion photographers. In the periphery, punk and glam were also influential. The struggling cosmetics industry attempted to make a comeback, using new marketing and manufacturing practices.
What Influenced the 70s Fashion?
Fashion in the 1970s was influence by many factors, including:
- Social and political climate: The 1970s was a time of social and political change, including the women’s movement, civil rights advances, and antiwar protests. Fashion became a political statement, with bell bottoms, jumpsuits, and other items representing the rebellious, peace-loving attitudes of the time.
- Synthetic fabrics: The invention of polyester and other synthetic fabrics made fashionable clothing more affordable and accessible. These fabrics were low-maintenance and iron-free, and were use to create a variety of styles, including sweater-y suits, clingy separates, and modish minidresses.
- Hippie style: The 1970s began with a continuation of the hippie style of the late 1960s, which emphasized handmade materials and decorations. Designers incorporated these details into their high fashion collections, and prairie dresses influenced by hippie fashion were popular.
- Disco and glam rock: The androgynous glam rock and disco styles of the 1970s introduced platform shoes, bright colors, glitter, and satin. Style icons like Jane Birkin and Bianca Jagger helped popularize these styles.
- Tailored silhouettes: The 1970s saw an emphasis on tailored silhouettes and ease in style.
- Designer Halston: The legendary designer Halston created dresses known for their simplicity and use of languid fabrics like cashmere and ultra-suede.
Conclusion
70s fashion is a very wide landscape, we have discussed in this article about its key elements, top designers of that time, what influenced people to monitor the styles of that time. 70s fashion was a symbol of liberation especially for women and cultural dignity for men. The accessories of that time also became very popular. You can even do the fusion of other trends to make it even more beautiful.
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