Then & Now

Then

& Now

The 70s Style Comeback



for my mom:

Thanks for teaching me how to dress
myself, and giving me the fashion
confidence I have today.



Intro

The 70s fashion trend is back (again!) and Just when it seemed pants couldn’t
the most stylistically full-on decade has flare any more (bell bottoms, anyone?),
never looked better. Flares, platforms, the flare was almost gone. By the late
fringe and suede dominated the runways 1970s the pant suit, leisure suit and track
once again at the latest round of shows, suit was what the average person was
as modern-day designers were inspired sporting. Every woman had a cowl neck
by the original icons of the era; Joni sweater in her closet and every man had
Mitchell, Cher, Bianca Jagger and more. a few striped v-neck velour shirts.

Early 1970s fashion was a fun era. It Chest hair, medallions, polyester,
culminated some of the best elements of butterfly collars, bell bottoms, skin-tight
the 60s and perfected and/or exaggerated t-shirts, sandals, leisure suits, flower
them. Some of the best clothing produced patterned dress shirts, sideburns and,
in the 1970s perfectly blended the mods yes, tennis headbands.
with the hippies.
There is one common theme throughout
fashion in the 1970s: pants were tight
fitting. And it is probably the first full
decade in which women could be seen
wearing pants in every walk of life.

It’s also hard to miss the fact that color
almost completely disappeared by 1979.
Earth tones, grays, whites and blacks
were back in full force, as people had
apparently tired of the super bright tones
of the early 1970s.

03

1971

In 1971 there was a huge impasse between what designers made and
what people wanted to wear. It seemed at times the two were fighting
each other like siblings.

Designers declared the hemline would be at the knee in 1971, but
the public had other plans. Skirts that grazed the ankle, that were
intended to be evening gowns, were being worn out on the town.
Another, more extreme, backlash were “hot pants”, which had nothing
to do with the so-called fashion world.

A taste for nostalgia brought back people’s desire for nautical insignia
and 1940s movie star glamour. Another trend that popped up among
the wealthy was Chinese-inspired evening gowns.

Sporting a tailored look, young couples liked to dress in similar, if not
identical clothing. A quick glance through a 1971 catalog backs this up,
for it is hard to miss the countless pages of his & hers matching sets.

Yves Saint Laurent instigated the 1940s revival in his spring Paris
collection that was widely panned by critics but embraced by
young trendsetters.

Men’s fashion started to shed the flamboyant styles of recent years,
but they retained a sense of fun and freedom. Clothes were snugly fit,
tailored and double knit. Plaid was a popular choice for a day at the
office or on the farm and pants remained flared.

The fashion world was saddened by the passing of legendary designer,
Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, better known as “Coco,” at age 87. Her
rigorous discipline to the very end helped her maintain an unheard
of 50+ years of relevancy and influence on the fashion world. She
remains to this day one of the most important fashion designers
in history.

04

05

Knitwear

& 1973

There were sweater coats, sweater dresses and even sweater suits.
Many of them were trimmed with fur, especially fox. Floor-length
sweaters came with or without sparkle. The chunky, shawl-collared,
belted cardigan, often in brown and white, replaced 1972’s shrink tops.

The new sentiment among designers was that the outfits had to work
harder and longer and to be able to change with simple addition of a
shirt, pants or accessory.

Accessories were subdued. Golden chains, gold-button earrings and
rhinestone clips were finding their way back into the wild after having
been stashed away in favor of homemade jewelry for a few years.

Perhaps the biggest change in women’s
fashion in 1973 wasn’t an article of
clothing at all: it was her hair. A shorter,
polished, shoulder-length page boy or a
close crop with upturned bangs framing
face were the hairstyles of the new.
Shorter hair prompted a call for hats. A
chic evening choice was the little black
veiled hat, often accompanied by boas in
fur or feathers.

06

If you think the DIY movement “ The key
is strong now, it was even more to fashion
prevalent in the early ‘70s, when in 1973
it seemed everyone embraced was the
their crafty side. “Crochet knitting
seemed to evolve from the hippie needle.”
movement of the late ‘60s.

It was a step back into the craft
movement, which was a reaction
to the Cold War, the commer-
cialization of America, and the
mass market that happened
after WWII,” Helms says. “A lot
of people were into making their
own clothes, evoking simpler
times. Then, it became more of a
trend.” Bring this trend to 2015
by wearing crocheted details
in an interesting shape, like an
airy, side-slit tank that ties in
the back.





1974

In 1974, fashion designers tried to change tight fitting, body hugging
clothing styles into something a bit looser. Like, a lot looser.

Frankly, people were finding their trusty sweater, t-shirt and pair of
jeans and they wore them nearly every day. This did not help the fashion
industry prosper.

In fact, the t-shirt, once considered underwear only, was now being
blazoned with slogans, sports teams and anything else you could
imagine, making it one of the hottest fashion items worn by casual men
and women alike.

Typical of The Big Look was a circular cape, tossed over a bulky sweater
and shirt hanging around the knee. Coats were full and tentlike.
Standouts were the steamer coat, raglan-sleeved, as well as cardigans
or kimonos of dressing gown proportions with yokes, smockings and
drop-shoulders.

Berets, muffling scarves and high-heeled,
baggily crushed boots were essential in
1974. Leather belts, slender neck chains,
delicate rhinestone ropes, lace-edged
chiffon kerchiefs, silk flowers all proved
to be worthy ornaments.

The wavering line between sportswear
and tailored suits blurred further with
the introduction of the leisure suit. While
they were intended for the country, they
appeared everywhere — just short of the
office. Men still loved their flannel.

11

The Ribbed Top

“Ribbed tops were huge tops with baggy pants was about revealing your body
in the ‘70s,” Helms says. a big trend in both both through the cuts,” Helms
“I think it had a lot to do men and women’s fashion. explains. To achieve a
with manufacturing and “The ‘70s was a time when similar, updated look, pull
the ability to make knit people were highlighting up a pair of wide-legged
tops at a mass-market the fit, healthy, athletic jeans, but pair them with
level. Knitting machines but curvy body, and the a slightly looser-fitting,
became more prevalent clothes emphasized that. ribbed collared shirt to
in the ‘60s — before that, The jeans were tight over give yourself a bit more
they were mostly woven. the hips but would flare wiggle room on top.
This was a time when out, and the tops were also
things were switching quite tight. It wasn’t about
over.” Also, pairing tight showing much skin; it was

13

Bell Bottoms

“Women hadn’t been wearing pants for that long at
this point. It became a lot more acceptable in the ‘70s,”
Helms says of the billowing silhouette, which was often
paired with a tucked-in, tight-fitting top.

“The ‘70s pants really hugged the butt, the thighs, and
had that lean leg. Bellbottoms really showed those off
in a flattering way.” To keep the flared trend looking
modern, replace the tight tops for something more
relaxed and oversized.

15





1975

18

“ Life’s too short to
wear boring clothes.”
­— Carlu Cushnie and Michell e Ochs

Fashion in 1975 touched on everything jewelry, smudgy-pink georgette dresses
from loose peasant garments to tailored and the wispy undergarments of the
blazer suits. Many of these outfits were 1930s.
made from quality fabrics like Harris
tweed, wool flannel, cashmere, camel’s The jumpsuit was a huge success in 1975.
hair, pure cotton and pure silk. It came in hard-working fabrics like
twill, drill, duck, baby-wale corduroy
1975 fashion was not a time for major and seersucker. Uniform components
upheavals. New shapes leaned toward included parachute pants, painter’s
the body and their fullness was tamed. pants, clam-diggers, culottes, butcher
Calvin Klein’s reefer coats and Yves apron wraps, military fatigues pushed
Saint Laurent’s tube dresses were in into combat boots, naval-inspired dresses
high demand. and a whole battalion of epaulets, zip-up
pockets and webbing belts.
Layering added a rich look in 1975.
Double blouses, multiple sweaters, Menswear came closer to translating the
pants under tunic dresses, jumpers over high European tailoring tradition into
dresses, hoods under hats and shawls comfortable clothes. The new look, called
over everything. The triangular scarf was the quasi-European suit, had slightly
the ultimate layer. padded shoulders, higher arm holes, a
more prominent waist suppression, open
Old clothes, meticulously made of castoff patch pockets and a light flare to both
finery, once the special domain of eccen- jacket and pants.
trics, became the rage. Young people
flocked to antique shops swooping up 19
hand-me-down evening bags. Art Deco

Suede & Biker

Suede was the fabric of the ‘70s, used in
all sorts of silhouettes including dresses,
capes, and skirts. “It was a material that
could look put-together for work — it
was the era that women were really
working in the office, and they weren’t
just secretaries. They were moving up
in companies,” Helms explains. “And,
the way women dressed for work started
to shift along with that. Suede held the
shape and wouldn’t get crumpled, so
[suede pieces] were appealing for the new
woman on the go.”

The decade’s color palette was dominated
by rich earth tones like dusty rose, teal,
browns, and mustard. To bring this
element of ‘70s style to your everyday, go
for suede shorts or trousers with pleated
details that keep the bottoms structured,
even as the leather wears in.

If you’re wondering how your favorite moto jacket
came to be, you have the ‘70s to thank. “Motorcycle and
scooter culture really started in the ‘50s, and became
more popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s,” Helms says.

“The zipper became a prominent design detail of the
scooter jacket. It’s funny how a subcultural style could
become a part of fashion over a 15 to 20-year period,
and become something acceptable you could wear to
the office.” Best of all, it doesn’t matter if you prefer a
denim zip-up or a leather outer — the jacket layer is one
you can throw on over any outfit, regardless of which
decade you’re channeling.

21







The
Hippie
Girl

“The dress over jeans is a look that was
leftover from the ‘60s, when people just
wore what they had,” Helms says of the
hippie era. “Young kids were traveling
around collecting things. So, it was
about layering all these pieces, because
it was what all they had.” For example,
this layered look of a floral print dress,
distressed jeans, and a studded belt could
easily have been worn in the 1970s, but it
would have been purely non-intentional.
“Throwing together random things from
your closet wasn’t acceptable before the
late ‘60s,” Helms adds. “The ‘70s was
a time when fashion conventions truly
broke down.” And, since we’re on the
side of fashion having no boundaries, we
definitely encourage you to get creative
with layering different textures, patterns,
and materials.

1977

26

In 1977, fashion took on a softer, looser attitude. Designers let clothes
fall where they fell and instead chose to twist, tie and gather fabrics
instead.

The importance of the soft textile in 1977 cannot be understated.
In winter, almost all clothing was made of sensuous fibers such as
chenille, challis, chamois, cashmere and mohair.

The baggy style wasn’t popular with everyone. Women with good
figures lamented not being able to show them off while those who
were slightly heavier complained that loose clothes made them look
even bigger.

That didn’t stop design houses from running with the style, however.
Gianni Versace and Giorgio Armani brought glamour and attention
back to Italy with high fashion success. But the most wearable of
the new fashions came from Calvin Klein and Bill Blass, whose
drawstring tops perfectly complemented a full dirndl skirt.

Bold gold, shiny satin and bareness of skin made up for the lack of
body hugging clothing. Shirts were left unbuttoned, sleeves were
rolled up and tops were often lacy, see-through and strapless.

The scarf was the accessory of the year, but it was not used to cover
the hair. Women would adorn their heads with colorful flowers or
golden combs.

Men’s shirts had smaller collars in 1977 and quilted-down ski vests
were worn over almost anything, anywhere. It was fashionable to
fasten only the lowest button on a double-breasted suit.

“ It’s not about age. It’s
about taste, and it’s
about lifestyle.”
­— Ralph Laure n





Accessories

To understand the importance of acces-
sories during the ‘70s, Helms takes us
back a bit further. “In the ‘40s and ‘50s,
you had to wear accessories that matched
and coordinated with your outfits. You
bought one very special bag and shoes,
and that’s all you wore for the season.
You had to wear the white gloves, you
had to wear a hat. Those rules were
broken down in the late ‘60s with the
social and cultural revolution,” Helms
explains. “So, in the ‘70s I think there
was this idea that you were still expected
to have that scarf and handkerchief,
because people grew up with it and had
that in their minds.” While you could tie
a scarf around your head, as many young
people did during that decade, adding
a touch of retro can be as simple as
knotting one around a purse.

31

Fashion took a dramatic turn midway Also revived in 1978 were strapless tops,
through 1978. The casually loose, bust darts, midriff seams, cummerbunds,
free-flowing silhouettes suddenly waist cinchers, obi wraps as designers
trimmed down. The lack of volume zoomed in on the body.
meant a clearer definition of the figure.
Many retailers were cool on the new
Broad shoulders loomed above belted curvier clothes, but the fashion industry
waists, hip-rounding skirts and pegged was convinced that the narrow, sensuous
pants. Shoulder pads were resurrected silhouette was the next direction because
as were the tailored suits and tilted of womens’ renewed interest in exercise.
hats of the 1940s. Sultry black worn
with elaborately rolled upswept hairdos, In Italy, Giorgio Armani and Gianni
silver-fox boas, braceleted gloves and Versace sent models marching down
spike-heeled sandals summed up the runways in militaristic, bold-shouldered
mood of nostalgic glamour. outfits of leather and khaki. The fervent
customer acceptance of pencil-slim
The “Retro Look” was best pulled off separates by Perry Ellis and Calvin Klein
with a touch of humor by young people pointed the way back to the body.
dressed for disco dancing.
32

1978

A new selection of handsome coats
included reefers, reversibles and three-
quarter or seven-eights length garments
tailored in melton, alpaca and tweed.
Textures were mixed with wreckless
abandon — the more the merrier. Several
neutral shades were jolted with an
electric streak of color. Gold chiffons,
whipser-weight lames, sequins and bugle
beads added dazzle.
The feeling was more relaxed for men.
Tweeds dominated suits, jackets and
coats. The raglan-sleeve coat gained new
adherence as opposed to the fitted coat.
Trousers were much less flared than
before and in some cases not flared at all.
Lapels, ties and shirt collars narrowed.

34

Colophon

TEXT

Refinery 29

http://www.refinery29.com/70s-retro-style

Retro Waste

http://www.retrowaste.com/1970s/fashion-in-the-1970s/

Marie Claire

h tt p : / /w w w. m a r i ecl a i re . c o .u k/ fa s h i o n/197 0 s

IMAGERY

Fifty Fashion Looks that Changed the 1970’s

by Paula Reed

70s Style and Design

by Kirsty Hislop

Self Photography

Kathryn Winkle

35

Now that this season's '70s revival is here, every day
is pretty much a throwback to decades-old silhouettes
(flares, maxis), detailing (fringe, embroidery), and
fabrics (denim, suede). And with the movement aimed
to span two seasons, it's in your best interest to invest in
fashion's groovy past.
But how do today's '70s-style trends compare with when
they actually happened the first time around? We took
our favorite '70s style icons and pitted them against
the '70s-inspired designs on the spring/summer 2015
runways. And other than modern tweaks, new stylistic
mixes, and fresh color combos, the similarities are
immensely striking. Fashion is cyclical, after all.

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