1970s Womens Fashion

The 70's started as the 60's fashion style ended with psychedelia prints on mini skirts and dresses, flares and bell bottoms jeans.

Also dresses became longer with the "midis" which came down to mid-calf-length and "maxis" which came right down to the ankles.

Like the other decades fashion was influenced by Rock and Pop stars. Glam Rock was big and the performers wore very loud and glamorous costumes.

Women wanting this kind of look wore denim jeans or tight high waisted satin trousers which were flared from the knees teamed with flowing flared sleeve blouses.

When Abba won the Euro-vision song contest they went on to become another band typifying the look of the 70s. A lot of fancy dress outfits emulate their stage wear with jumpsuits which have frills on the sleeves and trouser hems.

Platform shoes were a common sight during the 1970's with soles up to 4 inches thick!

Disco Fever

The popularity of the discotheque brought with it it's own style of fashion. girls wore satin hotpants, cropped tie front tops, sparkly lurex fabrics and afro hair styles. Also commonly seen were boob tubes and tight stretchy skinny rib tops. Saturday night fever was the 1977 film which starred John Travolta promoting the "disco look", complete with three-piece suits for men and jersey wrap dresses for women.

Charity Shop Chic

The oil crisis of 1973 threw the Western world into recession. Second hand clothing became popular and developed its own style ‘charity shop chic’. Logos and trademarks decorate everything from T shirts to shoes.

Punk Rock

In 1976 punk band The Sex Pistols were dressed by their manager Malcolm McLaren. His partner Vivienne Westwood owned a clothes store called "Let It Rock" in the Kings Road, Chelsea area of London.

This movement was a direct reaction to the economic situation during the economic depression of the period. Punk had at its heart a manifesto of creation through disorder. Safety pins became nose and ear jewellery, rubber fetish wear was subverted to become day wear, and images of mass murderers, rapists, and criminals were elevated to iconographic status.

Girls wore tartan or leather mini skirts, studded belts and gloves and slashed wide neck tops.