1970s' Fashion Trends

What was it about fashion in the seventies that makes it one of the most talked about fashion periods? Was it the the move away from conservative dressing? Was it the explosion of color and prints? Was it the declaration of independent style?

Whatever the reason, the decade remains a fashion favorite for most people. The influence of the hippies remained but was worked upon. The trends became an indication of what a regular person on the streets would wear and therein lay the biggest victory of the decade.

Seventies fashion has been constantly revisited. It is a decade we keep turning to when we need inspiration. It is an era from which trends are constantly picked, reworked, and introduced.

There is always something that you probably missed out on, that you can look at again. The decade may be often criticized but it is also heralded for being harbinger of some brilliant trends. Let us look at some of the biggest fads of the seventies.

Fashion Fads Seventies' Style

Skirting all Lengths



Hippie couture remained in vogue. Women experimented with flowing, flower-child era skirts of varying lengths (minis, midis, and ankle length). Tie and dye shirts, peasant blouses and patchwork vests were also quite popular.

A Short Affair



Fashion trends started revolting against the conformity to conservatism in the seventies. This was the era in which hot pants (tiny, tight shorts) became a craze for young women and girls. These shorts accentuated tiny waists and showed off long, taut legs.

Loony Tales



Balloon pants or loon pants as they were popularly known were a type of bell-bottomed trousers that flared from the knee and were tight and revealing above that. These pants were popular amongst both men and women.

Wrap it Up



A symbol of women's liberation in the 1970s, the wrap dress designed by Diane von Frstenberg is a popular silhouette even today. Made of jersey, long sleeved, and knee-length, this dress was a rage with women of all ages.

Jumpin' Dazzle



Towards the mid-seventies came another unisex fashion trend - the jumpsuit. These outfits were tailored from fabrics that shone and glittered. Bright colors, shimmer, sequins, etc were all a necessity with these one-piece wonders. The style was often the same and it focused on highlighting your assets.

Ethnically Inspired



Men embraced the casual style of the hippie era with as much vivacity as women did. Loose shirts inspired by ethnic prints of Mexico, India, the Far East, and other places on the hippie trail were quite popular.

Print Mania



Paisley, polka dots, stripes, checks; all sorts of prints spread their magic in the seventies. While women took to the fad enthusiastically, men weren't too far behind. It was quite commonplace to see men wearing printed shirts and pants.

Suit Up



Men went back to wearing three piece suits with matching vests and jackets. The shirts worn underneath had a wide collar. Ties were often skipped. While plain colored suits were still worn, men also experiment with bright colors and prints.

T-shirt Story



T-shirts became very popular in the 1970s with baseball jerseys (white t-shirts with colored sleeves) becoming a vogue. Often these t-shirts would have pictures or words on them. Short-sleeved t-shirts with personalized messages were also quite popular with teenaged boys.

Vibrant, extravagant, colorful, and stylish, fashion in the 1970s was about all these and more. In the recent past, several of these trends have become a part of our wardrobe, albeit in a restyled form. Maybe revisiting these styles will give you a fashion inspiration.