Graphic Tees or Button-Up Shirts: Look for colorful prints, or shirts with bold collars. Denim Jackets: A classic piece that pairs well with almost anything. Platform Shoes or Loafers: Go for shoes with a bit of height. Accessories: Wide-brimmed hats, aviator sunglasses, and chunky bracelets. General Tips:
Popular early 1970s fashions for women included Tie dye shirts, Mexican 'peasant' blouses, folk-embroidered Hungarian blouses, ponchos, capes, and military surplus clothing. Bottom attire for women during this time included bell-bottoms, gauchos, frayed jeans, midi skirts, and ankle-length maxi dresses.
Popular 70s outfits often included staples like high-waisted flare pants, peasant blouses, and suede shoes. When night fell, disco outfits hit the dance floor, wowing onlookers with glimmering sequins, eye-popping hues, and platform shoes.
- Clothing Styles: The 70s were characterized by bold colors and patterns. Bell-bottom jeans, maxi dresses, and platform shoes were popular. Tie-dye shirts and peasant blouses reflected the counterculture movement. - Influences: Disco culture influenced fashion, leading to shiny fabrics, jumpsuits, and wide lapels.
In the 1970s, the slender, flat-chested look was still popular, and women could often be seen wearing bellbottoms and jumpsuits which accentuated their willowy figures. The ideal physique resembled that of an adolescent's, with a flat stomach and chest, slender legs, and slim hips.
The 1970s: Bell-bottoms, cowl-neck sweaters and boogie shoes
In the early 1970s, back-to-school fashions for elementary school-aged girls featured some design hold-overs from the '60s, including ruffled collars, mini-skirt lengths and paisley prints.
Cultivate a high-end look through minimalist shapes, neutral colors, and quality fabrics. Look for clothing or accessories crafted from luxurious natural materials. Opt for simple yet classic designs with earth tones and neutrals like black, white, beige, and navy. Make your style exude sophistication and class.
While wedges (arguably the most popular women's shoe of the mid-seventies) or high platform shoes with chunky heels were also initially worn at discos, dancers soon demanded more comfortable footwear, so strappy sandals became the choice of millions of women worldwide.
When dressing for the disco, 70s beauties would dial up their eye makeup with earthy gold tones, sparkling copper eyeshadows and smokey black eyeliner, sometimes adding playful pops of colour like gorgeous greens or powder blues.
No single look encompassed the 70s, which was an eclectic mix of style influences that evolved quickly in the span of a decade such as hippie, disco and punk. Hot pants, tight shorts in eye catching colours and fabrics epitomised the limited impact of the women's liberation movement on fashion.
For a colorful and easy way to achieve a '70s eye makeup look, try putting a matte nude-brown eyeshadow all over your eye, a shimmery golden yellow on the inner corner of your eye, bright blue eyeshadow in your crease, and smudge a forest green eyeshadow under your lower lashes.
For women, it meant spandex and slinky jerseys that hugged every curve, cut into halter-neck tops, hot pants (new to the scene in the 1970s), pleated midi-dresses, and more. Even better if a shimmer and gleam could get caught by the lights of the disco ball; Lurex was the preferred metallic.
Satin Slip Dresses
Popular disco clothing styles include shiny satin slips, spandex leotards and bodysuits, sequin dresses and jumpsuits, hot pants, and fur coats. Diana Ross' glamorous silk maxi dresses, lavish jewelry, and oversized fur coats were the epitome of 70s disco chic.
As the 1970s unfolded, most of the major jeans manufacturers–Levi, Lee, Wrangler–diversified wildly, producing plaid shirts, corduroys, polyester slacks and more. It was Lee that first introduced the “leisure suit” to the market.
Wearing pants to school was not an option for girls until the late '60s – early '70s. I remember during the winter we could wear snowpants under our dresses that had to taken off before school. Starting in 1971 we could wear pants, but only if they were pantsuits.
Early 1970s fashion
Popular styles included bell bottom pants, frayed jeans, midi skirts, maxi dresses, tie-dye, peasant blouses, and ponchos. Some accessories that will help pull together your early '70s Hippie outfits are chokers, headbands, scarves, and jewelry made of wood, stones, feathers, and beads.
Flared trousers are often the most prominent garment associated with the decade, but miniskirts, crop tops, shearling coats, and the rise of the bell sleeve are of equal importance. They're made all the more enjoyable when they feature psychedelic colouring and prints, or have been printed with a tie-dye blend.
Cut and Style
“If you want to wear them with heels, look to wear more of a straight leg or oversized fit. If you want to wear them with a boot, go for more of a skinny fit.” While trendy wide-leg jeans are definitely having a resurgence, classic straight and slim cuts are a timeless choice.
Leggings are definitely a fantastic choice for fabulous 70-year-old women. If you're wondering how to wear leggings over 70, it's a perfect choice filled with comfort and confidence.