Vintage Collection: 1970's

The 1970s began with the bell bottomed trousers and mini skirts of the late 1960s hippie movement, around this time mid length midi dresses, maxi dresses and hot pants were also popular. However, soon the 1970s took on its own iconic trends, notably skin tight flares and platform shoes, inspired by the renowned 1970s film Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta. The film also saw the beginning of the ‘disco look’ which was characteristically three piece suits for men and wrap-around jersey dresses for women. Eventually the ‘disco look’ was succeeded by the ‘punk’ trend with straight leg jeans, ankle boots and mules.

Day-to-day:

After the hippie look had faded out in the early decade women in Britain and inner-city America were wearing satin hot pants, high-waisted flares, sequin bras, metallic and velvet dresses and lurex halter tops that were usually cropped to show the waist. The look was glam rock and the inspiration came in the form of rock stars like David Bowie. Actress Bianca Jagger, wife of Mick Jagger, was also a major fashion influence wearing sheer blouses, sequin shoes and cloche hats adorned with peacock feathers. The cloche hat was one of many 70s fashions inspired by the 1930s and 1940s look that had a revival in this decade. A notable fashion staple of the 70s was the leotard which began to emerge in 1974 and remained popular throughout the layered trend and the disco craze. The leotard was pioneered by several famous celebrities such as Joni Mitchell, Cher and Rod Stewart and further grew with the substantial advertising campaign of designer dancewear brand Danskin in the late 1970s. Jersey wrap dresses designed by Diane von Fürstenberg were widely worn as was the fitted blazer which came in a variety of fabrics, both were fashion staples throughout the 1970s. Later in the 1970s the jumpsuit was en vogue with both sexes along with silk shirts and a brief appearance was made by transparent plastic trousers worn over leotards. With the fleeting decline of disco at the very end of the decade straight legged ‘cigarette’ jeans and painters pants were widely worn.

Couture:

Yves Saint Laurent launched the peasant look in 1976, heavily inspired by fashions worn in the 17th century, which grew into a highly popular trend. The look included loose fitting, graceful clothes like gathered skirts and camisole tops with dropped shoulders, many were embroidered and floral. Punk fashion was uncovered by Vivienne Westwood and her partner Malcolm McLaren in the mid to late 1970s after being suggested in recent years by New York artist like Andy Warhol and American rock band Velvet Underground. As manager of The Sex Pistols McLaren dressed his band in ripped jeans, torn t-shirts and distressed leather jackets from his wife’s King’s Road clothes store, Let It Rock, to create their distinctive image for the release of their 1976 album Anarchy in the UK. The look incorporated an expressive, chaotic mood with safety pin jewellery, rubber, and sometimes violent imagery.

Beauty and Accessories:

Girls often wore ostrich – feather boas around their shoulder and turbans over softly layered, long hair. Hair throughout the decade remained much in this style, until the ‘punk’ look, with a centre or side parting and either wavy, layered or flicked at the temples in the style of Farrah Fawcett. In 1977 hair styles took a different style with a platinum blonde, shoulder length cut with a long straight fringe made popular by Blondie singer Debbie Harry. Make up was worn either bold and glittery or natural and girls plucked their eyebrows to pencil thin lines. Platform shoes with soles often reaching four inches think were worn at the beginning of the decade but a few years later these were taken over by 1940s inspired mule with a high heeled lower platform. During the YSL peasant look chokers and hair combs were often worn adorned with fake flowers. Neck scarves were popular.