THE 1970S
Figure 1: The power suit from Biba Boutiques (Leafer, 2016)
WORD COUNT : 2824 WORDS
BY LOTTI MARTIN-FULLER 201038548
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“A TIME OF FREEDOM AND EXPRESSION” The 1970s was a pivotal era for social changes, once called the “me decade” by Tom Wolfe (Herald, 2007) – many social groups broke out and fought for attention. The 1970s look can be epitomized by styles such as flares, afros and leather to name a few which all came from different social groups at the time. Although the punk-rock, funk and disco trends epitomise the 1970s fashion, there were many more minor trends that occurred in this era such as the trash culture and the rebirth of nostalgic retro clothes passed down from generations. The 1970s were truly a time of freedom and expression due to world events, technological developments and even influential people changing the fashions of not only the youth and the elderly, but blurring the gender divisions such as David Bowie dressing as showgirls on stage and in the media. 1970s fashions were so influential that even today, in the 21st century the style is still reproduced more so than any other era in history.
Figure 2: A 70s couple adorning bright colours and patterns (Vintage Everyday, 2015)
Figure 3: John Travola’s disco attire in the 1977 movie Saurday Night Fever (Leaper, 2016) 2
WORLD EVENTS – SOCIAL AND POLITICAL With the Vietnam war ending in 1975, the beginning of the era was surrounded by an attitude of peace and equality which was previously looked down on as radicalism in the 60s (Hayden, 2016). There were many antiwar demonstrations and protests which led to the adoption of the late 60s style of hippies, with loose layered clothing (often suede), peace symbol encrusted jewellery and patterns such as patchwork. The end of the war also provoked a ‘DIY’ craft at home clothing trend, with the youth adorning their second hand garments with tie-dye. Tshirts with patches and beads were often paired with long hair and jeans for both sexes, there was a “nostalgiawave” (Palmer and Clark, 2005). Cotton t-shirts were a uniform platform for activists and protestors to promote the anti-war movement with slogans such as ‘make love, not war’ – this links to the free-living casual style that the 70s brought upon both men and women. Another popular style that emerged from the anti-war demonstrations was adopted straight from the battlefields – military and combat clothing took off with green camouflage, army pants and lace up boots for both men and women. The 1970s brought a new wave of independent and free women, led by Germaine Greer, this second wave of feminism was influential on the changing fashions for both women and men. In a society where women were gaining more rights and going into the workplace, it was only natural for women’s fashions to change alongside this. Germaine had previously stated that “bras are a ludicrous invention” (Worsley, 2011) and so many women embraced their bodies with styles such as the hot pant (moved on from the miniskirt). Sex appeal was no longer taboo with porn films becoming mainstream (Bergeron, 2015) and so
Figure 4: Joni Mitchell’s hippie aesthetic was iconic (Leaper, 2016). women dressed to show off their bodies in stark contrasts to eras before. Radical feminists at the time didn’t follow high fashion to make a statement, often rallying in t-shirts with slogans and jeans with minimal effort made to their appearance.
Figure 5: Women’s strike for equality (Napikoski, 2016). 3
Figure 6: Members of the Village People portraying macho images (Herald, 2007). The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) adopted the macho image of lumberjacks and cowboys (a fashion trend taken by storm in the seventies) and paired it with a policeman, a construction worker, a biker and an air force worker to create ‘The Village People’, a very popular gay band. After the tumultuous 60s where segregation was of upmost importance, the 1970s were in stark contrast, welcoming integration and acceptance of black people in society. For the first time ever, the 70s saw the rise of black women in fashion, in 1974 Beverly Johnson was featured on the cover of Vogue which was said to be a “gamechanging fashion moment” (Okwodu, 2016). Funk music and the fashions that followed came from AfricanAmericans in ghettos who dressed flamboyantly to advertise their success and wealth – their belongings and style was the only way to show their status in society. Flares, close-fitting shirts, hats, and gold chains were all evocative
of their style – these fashion followers oozed sex appeal and money and often drew attention to their crotch in tight fitting trousers to do this (for example, James Brown). The white adaptation of their afros (mainly in wig form) and platform shoes were seen to be ostentatious and the sex appeal lost – however the glittery makeup did go on to inspire artist and fashionista David Bowie’s glam rock looks.
“GAMECHANGING FASHION MOMENT” 4
DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE ECONOMY The 1970s was hit with recession and inflation, and therefore rising numbers of unemployment especially amongst the youth. The teenagers of this era were more radical than ever before and with the economy in disarray, next came the birth of the skinhead. These teens paid a large amount of attention on what they wore and how it defined them – even down to the brand of jean they wore. Skinheads were a subculture moved on from the mods in the 1960s, they were working-class and in revolt to the middle-class hippies of the time – “they looked neat yet aggressive” (Herald, 2007). Skinheads wore bleached Levis, Doc Martens, threequarter woollen coats (crombes) and button up shirts – both sexes adorned this look.
Figure 7: Skinhead females (Ridgers, 2016)
Figure 8: Group of male skinheads (Ridgers, 2016) 5
MUSIC, ART AND FILM
Figure 9: John Lydon (Johnny Rotton of the Sex Pistols) in his punk attire (Herald, 2007). Music was arguably one of the most influential factors in the changing fashions throughout the 70s, starting with the hippy folk sounds of Joni Mitchell going into Elton John’s pop and the many subgenres of rock. The 1970s saw artists and singers as influential fashion icons like never before, with “music inspired-fashions” making the youths “subcultural loyalties clear” for many (Gibson, 2013). Yet another subculture of the 1970s youths were punks who were “the product of disaffected youth” (Watson, 2000). Punks were a sociological group on its own with spending power – unlike any other groups of teens before, their style was “a rude salute
to conformity” (Watson, 2000). The punk style was taken directly from punk rock bands at the time, such as the Sex Pistols and the Ramones – in fact Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols was the first to sport the short spiky haircut that embodies the style which was in direct contrast to the long hair of the hippies. The Mohawk was also an iconic hairstyle of the punk youth, derived from the character Travis Bickle in the film ‘Taxi Driver’ in 1976, they overturned the meaning of it which added to the shock factor of their fashion statement. Their style reflected the music, sharp and rebellious – punks were draped in “super tight jeans, leather jackets, ripped tees, sweat and anger” (Marie Claire, 2015) and often customized with chains, safety pins and rips. Punk rock also involved women majorly, with influential figures such as Debbie Harry who wore frumpy dresses with big boots and often men’s shirts, she wasn’t afraid to break the mould and so the youthful punk subculture followed in her footsteps. Female punks wore outfits put together from charity shops, acting like “little girls playing dress up” (Herald, 2007) wearing tutus and applying makeup wrongly was key to the look.
Figure 10: The Bromley Contingent (Marie Claire, 2015) 6
Pop artists of the 70s such as Elton John and Cher paved the way for the colourful patterned flares and jumpsuits that epitomize the era. Many seventies clothes were not flattering such as brightly knitted materials laced with pom-poms or suits made of satin, Herald argues that “the technicolor world of The Wizard of Oz came alive” (2007) with the tacky trash culture style that Elton embodied. The teenyboppers of the era were mesmerized with the Osmonds and Bay City Rollers, imitating their lurex trousers, large platforms and perms.
Glam rock introduced glamour and glitz into the world of pop, “style carried a high price” however the androgynous style was copied by many working-class fans across the UK. Freddie Mercury of Queen also took inspiration from the glam rock stars often wearing garments made by designer Zandra Rhodes, flamboyant jumpsuits and tights paired with nail varnish and eyeliner would be his go to outfits. These glam rock stars wore unusual garments such as frills, spandex and feather boas and successfully merged them into to everyday wear for fans who rejected conformity and wanted to stand out in the crowd. Bowie’s act was exactly what the feminists rejected, feminism shunned glamour and glitz wanting women to be plain and not dressing for men – however Bowie flaunted this and more, and in turn encouraged both men and women to do the same.
Figure 11: Elton John and his fashion statement of wacky glasses (Bodnar, 2015). Glam rock peaked in the middle of the era with unemployment being sky high and trade unions beginning to take hold, “this subculture was a way to leave the normal world behind” (Bateman, 2015) and to delve into one covered with glitter. Not only did glam rock break down gender divisions, it also encouraged people to accept homosexuality with stars like David Bowie or his alter ego Ziggy Stardust wearing effeminate clothing and makeup.
Figure 12: David Bowie’s alter ego Ziggy Stardust (Borders, 2016) 7
The 1970s disco style was born out of the sportswear fad, women wore leotards and hot pants for working out in the gym or dancing under a glitter ball. Often these clothes were brightly coloured and embossed with frills or rhinestones. Other clothes often worn to attend the infamous Studio 54 nightclub – which is known for its celebrity guest list – is the wrap dress, invented in 1974 it allowed women to be comfy yet stylish (Leaper, 2016). Clothes had to not only be comfy, but had to shine and attract others, “girls
flamboyantly colourful shirts and a bell-bottomed suits, this “feverish discomania” (Herald, 2007) allowed men to obsess about fashion (a traditionally female pastime) like never before. Disco reflected feminism, gay liberation and sexual revolution (Mankowski, 2016) - however the disco look did remain masculine due as they competed for women’s attention on the dancefloor. Travolta’s next film, Grease, didn’t quite change the clothing in the seventies, but it did bring back the slick hair gelled look for men.
Figure 13: Roller disco outfits (Vintage Everyday, 2016) wanted to shimmer and shine like exotic fish under the flashing lights and spinning mirror balls” (Worsley, 2011). This was hit with a backlash from feminists who saw the sexy fashions as returning to gender stereotypes, whilst designers defended the disco fashions as an outgrowth of feminism – women were in control of their bodies, not men (Mankowski, 2016). Men on the other hand took inspiration from the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, with
Nostalgia in films also played on the fashion trends in the 1970s, ‘The Great Gatsby’ was released in 1974 and many people rushed to emulate the 1920s Hollywood art deco flapper trends. This romantic 1920s revival was only the start, with designers such as Laura Ashley taking inspiration from old Edwardian and Victorian necklines on cheap cotton dresses with seventies touches such as ruffles, she created a rustic free flowing style. 8
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE The designer Vivienne Westwood was monumentally influential on the punk subculture and the social norms towards sex and the body. Vivienne Westwood and her partner Malcolm McLaren hand-delivered anarchy in the 1970s with her ‘rocker’ shop SEX in Chelsea, London. Westwood and McLaren hated the hippie aesthetic so created an angry style that “spoke for a more aggressive time and a more beleaguered generation” (Wilson, 2015). The motto was ‘craft must have clothes, but truth loves to go naked’, Westwood’s anti-fashion philosophy defined the punk movement. (Marie Claire, 2015). Westwood’s boutique was successful, sex was selling which was unprecedented in eras previously – “prostitutes rubbed shoulders with the chelsea elite” (Marie Claire, 2015). Celebrities like the Sex Pistols, Adam Ant and Siouxsie Sioux shopped there, dressing themselves in rubber negligees and stockings for the punk ‘shock factor’. Vivienne Westwood took rebellious fashion to a new level and was worshipped by the punk community always being at the epicentre of controversy. “Fashions sublime paradox” (Worsley, 2011) occurred as she defaced the ‘God save the Queen’ t-shirt with a safety pin through her nose as an antiestablishment gesture.
Figure 14: Bianca Jagger riding in to Studio 54 on a horse (Worsley, 2011).
Figure 15: Vivienne Westwood and Malcom Mclaren with friends in their shop SEX (Marie Claire, 2016).
“PROSTITUTES RUBBED SHOULDERS WITH THE CHELSEA ELITE” Bianca Jagger was another influential person upon the 70s, being a famous socialite she donned all the high fashions that were revolutionary in Studio 54. Bianca contributed to the rebirth of style, often being dressed by designer Halston she wore designer haute-couture clothing unlike the youth subcultures (ie punks). Bianca was the first to wear Yves Saint Laurent’s trouser suit in 1972 which prompted the rise of women in menswear, and furthermore making it sexy. 9
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS The 1970s brought the arrival of affordable airlines which in turn allowed for fashion influences from abroad. Patchwork, tie-dye and paisley prints were just a few patterns influenced by the far East. Yves Saint Laurent used these exotic new prints in the 1976 Russian collection, with peasant boots, shawls and swinging shirts – there was a “luxury hippie aesthetic” (Worsley, 2011). Traditional clothing from other cultures started to become the norm in Britain, knitted Peruvian ponchos and Japanese kimonos were infiltrating fashion society, “Western dress was infused and enlivened with Middle Eastern influences” (Wilson, 2015). Men also adapted these new found exotic styles, wearing kerchiefs or bandanas knotted around the neck or head, mimicking pirates. (Herald, 2007). The adoption of CAD and CAM commercially helped to automate the cutting and grading of clothes into specific sizes, knitting and weaving came next. Up-and-coming designers used new technologies to create their clothing, such as Clovis Ruffin who created clothing without zippers. Ruffinwear was made from new synthetic jersey fabrics and so the clothing could be pulled on and used for daywear or eveningwear. There were also breakthroughs in polymer fabrics which brought new types of plastic that were easily manipulated and wearable (Herald, 1992). There was a growing concern for endangered animals around the world, with anti-fur lobby’s taking place
Figure 16: Males wore colourful silks and styles from the far East (Herald, 2007). throughout Western society. However, the 1970s only saw the start of this debate and the growing concern wasn’t too influential with big stars and the higher classes with wealth were still wearing fur and using skins of animals for handbags and other accessories. Although debates in ecology were gaining political status, the fashion trend of animal fur was still very common as it was used to show the affluence of its wearer. Although Americans celebrated their first Earth Day in 1970, and the oil crisis later in decade brought attention to the issue of conservation, the fashion industry didn’t change. 10
In conclusion, the 1970s was an era of change, bringing freedom for the many minority groups at the time who fought for a voice in the political arena and used fashion to implement it. By the end of the era Vogue dubbed it as the decade of “onion dressing” (Reed, 2012) due to the many layers and facades the subcultures adopted for protection and escapism. The style changed so much during the 70s that in the early years the body was hidden under voluminous shapes which was
in stark contrast to the acceptance of tight fitting clothes deemed fashionable in the later years– “a supple body became the ultimate accessory” (Watson, 2000). It is a mixture of these defining factors that created the sensational styles of the 1970s, however the most influential push over the fashion trends was arguably the music and art scene that broke the mould like never before and kept the 70s style living into the 21st Century.
Figure 17: Women wearing flares and suits – two big fashion trends in the 70s (M, 2016).
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Affaticati, A. and Marsh, J. 2005. Icons of fashion: The 20th century (Prestel’s icons). Buxbaum, G. ed. New York: Prestel Publishing. Tuck, S. 2008. Introduction: Reconsidering the 1970s — the 1960s to a disco beat? Journal of Contemporary History. [Online]. 43(4), pp.617–620. [Accessed 1 December 2016]. Available from: http://0www.jstor.org.wam.leeds.ac.uk/stable/4 0543225?pqorigsite=summon&seq=4#fndtnpage_scan_tab_contents.
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REFERENCES Bateman, E. 2015. Glam rock: A British Subculture. [Accessed 2 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.impactnottingham.com/2015/11/glam-rock-abritish-subculture/. Bergeron, R. 2015. ‘The Seventies’: Feminism makes waves. CNN. [Accessed 3 December 2016]. Available from: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/22/living/theseventies-feminism-womens-lib/. Bodnar, C. 2015. Elton John’s crazy glasses collection. [Accessed 29 November 2016]. Available from: http://www.alux.com/elton-johns-crazy-glassescollection/. Borders, M. 2016. Press Your Space Face Close To Mine, Love: The Influences Behind Ziggy Stardust. [Accessed 30 November 2016]. Available from: http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/01/13/press-your-space-face-close-to-minelove-the-influences-behind-ziggy-stardu. Gibson, P.C. 2013. Fashion and Celebrity Culture. [Online]. First ed. London: Berg. [Accessed 3 December 2016]. Available from: https://0www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/products/berg-fashionlibrary/book/fashion-and-celebrity-culture/music-and-fashion-forge-links. Hayden, N. 2016. What influenced fashion in the 70s? | LEAFtv. [Accessed 1 December 2016]. Available from: https://www.leaf.tv/articles/what-influencedfashion-in-the-70s/. Herald, J. 2007. 1970’s (fashions of a decade). [Online]. Tasheck, K. ed. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. Leaper, C. 2016. 1970s fashion: The moments that defined seventies style. [Accessed 2 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/1970s-fashion-moments-that-definedseventies-style-96107. M, S. 2016. 70s fashion – key looks of the decade. [Accessed 5 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.blue17.co.uk/70s-fashion-key-looks-of-the-decade/. Mankowski, D. 2016. Disco fashion: That’s the way they liked it. [Accessed 3 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.ultimatehistoryproject.com/discofashion.html. Marie Claire. 2015a. Anarchy in the UK: A brief history of punk fashion. [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/a-brief-history-of-punk-fashion-79145.
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Napikoski, L. 2016. Women’s strike for equality ‘don’t iron while the strike is hot!’ [Accessed 2 December 2016]. Available from: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/feminism/a/strike_for_equality.htm. Okwodu, J. 2016. How Beverly Johnson Broke fashion’s glass ceiling. [Accessed 4 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/13465691/beverly-johnson-vogue-cover-changedfashion/. Palmer, A. and Clark, H. 2005. Old clothes, new looks: Second-Hand fashion (dress, body, culture series). [Online]. First Edition ed. Oxford: Berg Publishers. [Accessed 19 November 2016]. Available from: https://0www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/products/berg-fashionlibrary/book/old-clothes-new-looks-second-hand-fashion. Reed, P. 2012. Fifty fashion looks that changed the 1970s: Design museum Fifty. [Online]. Anderson, R. ed. London: Conran Octopus. [Accessed 5 December 2016]. Available from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jGprtOC6k6wC&pg=PT10&lpg=PT10&dq =vogue+this+was+the+decade+of+onion+dressing&source=bl&ots=398yH3DA kD&sig=38seSmo2Nz2bC_pYg1TPQ7m2nIU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwid gc2m3uTQAhVrDMAKHVOtB_YQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=vogue%20this% 20was%20the%20decade%20of%20onion%20dressing&f=false. Ridgers, D. 2016. Gallery II. [Accessed 6 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.derekridgers.com/gallery2/2016/4/27/brighton-1980. Vintage Everyday. 2015b. 50 awesome and colorful Photoshoots of the 1970s fashion and style trends. [Accessed 5 December 2016]. Available from: http://www.vintag.es/2015/04/50-awesome-and-colorful-photoshoots-of.html. Watson, L.R. 2000. Vogue fashion: 100 years of style by decade and designer. Dyer, L., Mattocks, Z. and Whately, A. eds. London: Carlton Books. Wilson, E. 2015. Thea Porter: 1970s bohemian chic. Fashion Theory. [Online]. 19(4), pp.505–507. Worsley, H. 2011. 100 ideas that changed fashion. London: Laurence King Publishing.
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1: The power suit from Biba Boutiques (Leafer, 2016) Figure 2: A 70s couple adorning bright colours and patterns (Vintage Everyday, 2015) Figure 3: John Travola’s disco attire in the 1977 movie Saurday Night Fever (Leaper, 2016) Figure 4: Joni Mitchell’s hippie aesthetic was iconic (Leaper, 2016). Figure 5: Women’s strike for equality (Napikoski, 2016). Figure 6: Members of the Village People portraying macho images (Herald, 2007). Figure 7: Skinhead females (Ridgers, 2016) Figure 8: Group of male skinheads (Ridgers, 2016) Figure 9: John Lydon (Johnny Rotton of the Sex Pistols) in his punk attire (Herald, 2007). Figure 10: The Bromley Contingent (Marie Claire, 2015) Figure 11: Elton John and his fashion statement of wacky glasses (Bodnar, 2015). Figure 12: David Bowie’s alter ego Ziggy Stardust (Borders, 2016) Figure 13: Roller disco outfits (Vintage Everyday, 2016) Figure 14: Bianca Jagger riding in to Studio 54 on a horse (Worsley, 2011). Figure 15: Vivienne Westwood and Malcom Mclaren with friends in their shop SEX (Marie Claire, 2016). Figure 16: Males wore colourful silks and styles from the far East (Herald, 2007). Figure 17: Women wearing flares and suits – two big fashion trends in the 70s (M, 2016).
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