The 1970s had plenty of trends that seemed to show up everywhere. A style would catch on, and suddenly you’d see it in clothing stores, magazines, on television, and out on the street. Fashion changed quickly during the decade, but music, hairstyles, and pop culture had just as much influence on what people wanted to wear and try.
Some of these trends might look a little wild now, but they made perfect sense at the time. From huge collars and platform shoes to colorful tie-dye and feathered hair, these 12 trends were hard to miss during the ’70s.
Bell-Bottoms
Bell-bottoms may be one of the first things that come to mind when you picture 1970s fashion. The pants were usually fitted through the hips and thighs before flaring out dramatically below the knee, giving them a look that was hard to confuse with anything from another decade.
The style had earlier ties to naval uniforms, but by the ’70s it had become everyday clothing. Bell-bottoms were worn with fitted tops, patterned shirts, and denim jackets, and they showed up everywhere from casual outings to concerts.
High-Waisted Jeans
High-waisted jeans were another common sight during the decade. The higher waist worked well with tucked-in shirts and blouses, and the jeans could be dressed up or kept casual depending on what you paired them with.
Celebrities and television stars helped keep the style in the public eye, but high-waisted denim was also a regular choice for everyday wardrobes. The style has made plenty of comebacks since then, which says a lot about how long it has stayed popular.
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Tie-Dye
Tie-dye fit right in with the colorful, laid-back side of 1970s culture. The swirling patterns were closely associated with music festivals, the counterculture movement, and the handmade look that many people embraced during the era.
Part of the fun was that you didn’t have to buy an expensive shirt to get the look. A plain T-shirt, some fabric dye, and a little creativity were enough to make something completely different from anything hanging in a store.
The Afro
The afro became one of the most recognizable hairstyles of the 1970s. For many Black Americans, natural hair became an important expression of identity and pride during a period when cultural and political movements were having a major influence on everyday life.
Public figures such as Angela Davis helped bring the style into the public eye, while musicians and entertainers also wore it prominently. The look became much more than a hairstyle and remains closely associated with the era.
Corduroy Everything
Corduroy seemed to make its way into just about every part of the wardrobe. You could find the ribbed fabric in pants, jackets, skirts, shirts, and suits, with both casual and dressier versions available.
Brown, rust, mustard, and other warm shades were especially popular. The fabric was comfortable and fairly durable, which made it an easy choice for clothing people could wear regularly.
Round Sunglasses
Round sunglasses were a favorite accessory during the ’70s, particularly among people influenced by music and counterculture styles. Some frames were small and simple, while others were oversized with tinted lenses that made a much bigger statement.
John Lennon became strongly associated with round glasses, helping turn the style into one of the decade’s most recognizable accessories. Plenty of people who had no connection to the music scene adopted the look too.
Platform Shoes
Platform shoes were hard to miss. The thick soles added several inches of height and gave even a simple outfit a much more dramatic look. Both men and women wore platforms, especially as disco became a major part of popular culture.
Musicians such as David Bowie and Elton John made platform shoes a memorable part of their stage wardrobes. For everyday wear, people paired them with everything from flared pants to dresses.
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Oversized Disco Collars
If there was one decade that wasn’t afraid of a big collar, it was the 1970s. Wide, pointed collars became a familiar feature of men’s shirts, particularly during the disco era, and were often paired with colorful prints or shiny fabrics.
Some shirts were worn with suits, while others were left open over a T-shirt or tank top. The bigger the collar, the more unmistakably ’70s the outfit seemed.
Puka Shell Necklaces
Puka shell necklaces became associated with surf culture, beach trips, and casual summer clothing. The simple necklaces were made from small pieces of shell and gave outfits a relaxed look with minimal effort.
They were popular with surfers and people who spent time around the beach, but the trend eventually traveled well beyond coastal communities. By the ’70s, puka shells could be seen as an everyday accessory in plenty of places.
Feathered Hair
Feathered hair was one of the hairstyles people kept asking their hairdressers for again and again. The cut used layers around the face and was styled outward to create that soft, flipped look.
Farrah Fawcett became one of the biggest names associated with the hairstyle, and her famous feathered waves inspired countless people to try a similar look. Photos of the look are still instantly recognizable as 1970s fashion.
Hot Pants
Hot pants were extremely short shorts that became a major fashion trend during the 1970s. They were especially common in nightlife, concerts, fashion magazines, and other places where people were more willing to experiment with clothing.
The look was certainly more daring than many everyday styles of the time. Some people loved the confidence of it, while others thought the shorts went a little too far, but either way, they became one of the decade’s most memorable fashion trends.
Punk Rock Style
By the end of the 1970s, punk brought a completely different look to the fashion scene. Instead of the polished clothes and flashy disco styles that had dominated earlier in the decade, punk leaned into ripped shirts, leather jackets, safety pins, boots, and deliberately rough-looking clothing.
Bands such as The Ramones and The Sex Pistols became closely associated with the movement. Fans often made or altered their own clothes, giving punk fashion a homemade quality that stood apart from the more polished trends of the decade.
