1970's Fashion
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Transcript of 1970's Fashion
1970S IN FASHION – DISCO DECADE1970S IN FASHION – DISCO DECADE
1970s fashion, which began with a continuation of the mini skirts, bell-bottoms and
the androgynous hippie look from the late 1960s, was soon sharply characterized by several
distinct fashion trends that have left an indelible image of the decade commemorated in
popular culture. These include platform shoes which appeared on the fashion scene in 1971
and often had soles two to four inches thick. Both men and women wore them. Wide-legged,
flared jeans and trousers were another fashion mainstay for both men and women throughout
most of the decade, and this style has been immortalised in the 1977 film Saturday Night
Fever, which starred John Travolta. The "disco look", complete with three-piece suits for
men and rayon or jersey wrap dresses for women, which the film further popularized, lasted
until it was gradually replaced by punk fashion and straight, cigarette-legged jeans. Platform
shoes gave way to mules and ankle-strapped shoes, both reminiscent of the 1940s, at the very
end of the decade.
EARLY TO MID-1970S
The decade began with a continuation of the hippie look from the 1960s. Jeans
remained frayed, and the Tie dye shirts and Mexican peasant blouses were still popular. In
addition to the mini skirt, mid-calf-length dresses called "midis" and ankle-length dresses
called "maxis" were also worn in 1970 and 1971, thus offering women three different skirt
lengths.
By the early 1970s, miniskirts had reached an all-time popularity. This young English
woman is wearing a fringed suede miniskirt
Teenage couple in California, 1975. The girl is wearing a crop top and high-waisted
trousers. The boy is dressed in the classic t-shirt and jeans, popular male attire in the
1970s
This photo taken in 1974, shows a girl inspired by the British glam rock craze which had a
brief influence on fashion. Her glitter-adorned dress comes from Granny Takes a Trip
boutique
In 1971, extremely brief, tight-fitting shorts, called hot pants, were a fashion craze for
girls and young women. Throughout the period, trousers for both sexes, though flared at leg
bottoms, were very tight and revealing from the lower thighs up. Another trend for both
sexes was the fitted blazer, which flared slightly at the hip. It came in a variety of fabrics,
including wool, velvet, suede, and leather. The buttons were covered and the lapels wide.
The jersey wrap dress, first designed by Diane von Fürstenberg in 1972, became an
extremely popular item, as it flattered a number of different body types and sizes, and could
be worn both to the office by day, and to nightclubs and discos by night.
For teenage girls and young women the crop top was often worn, sometimes with a
halter neck or else tied in a knot above the midriff. By the mid-1970s hip-huggers were gone,
replaced by the high-waisted jeans and trousers with wide, flared legs. In Britain, they were
often referred to as "Loon pants". These lasted until the end of the decade when the straight,
cigarette-leg jeans came into vogue.
In Britain and Ireland, in the early to mid-1970s, there was the bootboy subculture
which influenced youthful male attire with the "parallel jeans", which were flared jeans that
stopped at mid-calf. These were worn with heavy workman's "bovver" boots, braces, (US
suspenders), and denim jackets. Their hair was usually worn longish by the middle of the
decade.
LATE 1970S
Group of friends in 1979. Two of the women are wearing the trendy tube tops, while the
woman on the far left is wearing a rayon strapless dress
Swedish model Ulla Jones dressed in a lurex halter top and matching flared trousers
Fashion influences during the late 1970s included peasant clothing, such as blouses
with laces or off-the-shoulder necklines, inspired by those worn in the 17th century. Yves St
Laurent introduced the peasant look in 1976, and it became very influential. Skirts were
gathered into tiers and shoulder lines dropped. Camisoles were worn. Clothing became very
unstructured and fluid at this point. Embroidered clothing, either self-made or imported from
Mexico or India also enjoyed favour. Floral-patterned prints were in fashion. Fake-flower
chokers and hair combs were often worn with the peasant skirts. In 1977, the ruffled
sundress coupled with a tight t-shirt worn underneath enjoyed a brief popularity. [5] The
wrinkled look for women enjoyed a brief vogue in 1975, as did flared denim skirts which
ended just below the knee. Trendy colours were dusty rose, Prussian blue, bottle green, rust,
and brown.
Flared jeans and trousers were popular with both sexes as can be seen at this German
disco in 1977
DISCO STYLE
With the popularization of disco and the increasing availability and diversity man-
made fabrics, a drastic change occurred in mainstream fashion, the likes of which had not
been seen since the 1920s. All styles of clothing were affected by the disco style, especially
those of men. Men began to wear stylish three-piece suits (which became available in a
bewildering variety of colours) which were characterized by wide lapels, wide legged or
flared trousers, and high-rise waistcoats (US vests). Neckties became wider and bolder, and
shirt collars became long and pointed in a style reminiscent of the "Barrymore" collar that
had been popular in the 1920s. The zippered jumpsuit was popular with both men and
women, and clothing inspired by modern dance (wrap skirts and dresses of rayon or jersey)
also became common. Neck-scarves were also used. Polyester, double knitting, skin-tight
Spandex trousers, tube tops, and slit skirts were popular for a while at the very end of the
decade. In 1978, there was a brief craze for transparent plastic trousers worn with leotards
underneath. Silk blouses, spaghetti-strapped tank tops and shirt-waist dresses were also
worn. Women's shoes began to echo the 1940s, with high-heeled lower-platform
mules--"Candies" made of molded plastic with a single leather
strap over the ball of the foot or "BareTraps" made of wood
becoming very popular. With the sudden decline of disco late in
1979, these styles (which were by then being criticize d as
flamboyant) quickly went out of fashion. Designer jeans with
straight, cigarette-legs, and painters' pants then started to come
into style. The top fashion models of the 1970s were Lauren
Hutton, Margaux Hemingway, Beverly Johnson, Gia Carangi,
Janice Dickinson, Cheryl Tiegs, Jerry Hall, and Iman.
CUSTOM T-SHIRTS / BASEBALL JERSEYS
Short-sleeved t-shirts of various colors
personalized with iron-on decal illustrations or
appliquéd letters spelling a name or message were very
popular among teen and pre-teen boys in the U.S.
during the late 70s. It was also the trend for teenagers
and young men to carry a pack of cigarettes under the
sleeve. Also popular were baseball jerseys or "baseball
sleeves" (white shirts with colored sleeves worn under
baseball uniform shirts). These were worn plain or
with appliquéd pictures or words, as described above.
ONE-PIECE SWIMSUITS
American actress Farrah Fawcett, who starred in the 1970s programme Charlie's
Angels, was a sex symbol for that time period. Her poster which was released in 1976 and
sold 12 million copies, featured the actress with her long mane of streaked-blonde hair,
perfect white teeth, and wearing a one-piece swimsuit that launched the trend for the maillot.
This was, when it resurged in the 1970s, a sexy, tight swimsuit, with deep neckline and high-
cut legs, worn by young women and girls in lieu of the bikini, although it did not entirely
replace the latter.
THE 70S DISCO LOOK
Immortalized by the films like ‘Saturday night fever’, the 70’s decade is best known
for unleashing the disco era upon the psyche of the nation. With the disco era, in came the
disco fashion, which was different from 70’s outside disco fashion. That’s right; not all the
disco fashion of those days was acceptable as the regular day wear. In the disco, to be
actually part of the proceedings, one needed special costumes. The mirror balls, spotlighting
and strobe lights etc created a unique atmosphere that required an equally unique look.
SO WHAT EXACTLY WAS THE 70S LOOK?
Some major hallmarks of the 70’s fashion:
• Mini, midi and maxi skirts: The mini skirts didn’t die, they became shorter and
turned into micro skirts. Midi skirts up to the mid calf length and full length maxi
skirts also became quite popular.
• Hipster jeans and bell bottoms: The 70s saw moving away from the 60s hippie
look of baggy jeans and instead popularized the hip hugging jeans though
retained the bell bottoms.
• Flared trousers were equally popular among both the sexes.
• The disco-only clothing: The 70’s disco wear was normally based on two
things: stretchy material reflecting fabrics which would shine under the disco
lights.
1. Spandex tops with hot pants were the staple disco wear for the girls.
2. Vividly colored shiny disco pants in Lycra with equally dazzling halter neck
tops were also quite popular.
3. Shiny cat suits that shone in the ultraviolet lighting were also a regular
feature on dance floors.
• Platform shoes: Another lasting legacy of the seventies is the advent of platform
shoes. Although worn mainly by the ladies, however some more fashionable men
also wore them with equal panache!
• Hair and make up styles: The 70’s redefined the ‘natural’ look in make up.
While in 60’s it was the movie stars inspired perfect white complexion that ruled
the roost, in the 70’s it became fashionable to sport a tanned up look.
1. A big part of the 70s disco make up was eyeliner, not so bright colors like
blue were the order of the day. Nail polish, liquid eye shadows were also a
rage.
2. Long straight and flowing hair were the general norm in women’s hair.
The Afro look was also popular, though more among males than females.
• Accessories: Hats, oversized glasses, lots of shiny bling bling jewelry or chunky
beaded jewelry, large handbags, generally woven were some of the hottest 70’s
disco accessories.
Now that you have an idea of the basic 70’s disco fashion sensibilities, here are some
tips on how to attain that look:
• Remember, what might be considered as loud and tacky today was totally
fashionable in a typical 70’s disco, so the first step is to shed any inhibitions and
proceed with an open mind.
• Look for some shiny bright colored cloths in synthetic fibers, like described
above.
• For make up you can try blue eye shadows with fake eyelashes. Use lots of
glitter and transform yourself into a walking talking shiny disco ball.
• If you are looking for a shirt, then go for a ‘loud’ printed shirt or one with floral
prints. If you can’t find it, get hold of some spray paint and print your own shirt.
Pair it with tight flares. Platform shoes would ideal to finish this look.
• The 70’s look is the best excuse for you to display your bling side to the fullest.
Lots of fake gold jewelry would be perfect!
• Finally, any 70’s disco look is incomplete with the proper attitude: “I am the
coolest thing in the world and no one can beat me on the dance floor”
70’s was the fun decade, when people still didn’t know terms like loud and tacky. In the
modern times every fashion trend has come to be defined by its own specifics, any deviation
is considered a folly. That’s why we always crave to go back to 70’s when the fashion was
all about “staying alive” on the dance floor.
70S DISCO CLOTHING STYLES
Not only were music and dance a big part of the 1970s disco era, but so was clothing.
Men and women expressed themselves through dance and their clothing -- the flashier and
more eye-catching the apparel, the better. Though its heyday may be over, '70s disco
clothing left its mark on the fashion scene and surely will not be forgotten.
Bell Bottoms
While bell bottoms started gaining popularity in the 1960s, it's the bell bottoms of the
disco age that really left a mark on fashion. These pants were more fitted at the top of the leg
and gradually widened down the leg, extending into a bell shape. They came in a variety of
styles and colors and by the mid- to late 70s, they had become wider, more vibrant and more
sparkling than ever. Both men and women wore bell bottoms. Today, their influence can be
seen in flare-legged pants.
Mini and Maxi Dresses
During the '70s, one of the ways that women began expressing their newfound
freedoms was through their clothing choices. On the disco scene, two styles of dresses were
popular: the mini and the maxi. During the '70s, mini dresses had extremely short hemlines
and were worn by women who wanted to show off their legs. Maxi dresses went to the other
extreme, as their hemlines were so long, they nearly touched the floor. Both styles were
made in a variety of bright colors, featured bold patterns and fringes and often were
decorated with sequins.
Platform shoes were commonly worn in the 70s disco scene
Wide Collared Shirts
Men who went to the disco were usually seen sporting wide-collared shirts. These
shirts had long collars that usually came to a point and, like so many other disco styles, often
featured bright colors and patterns. When wearing one of these shirts, it was common for a
man to leave the top few buttons undone so he could show off chains and other jewelry that
men frequently wore around their necks during the 1970s.
Platform Shoes
Platform shoes were the most popular foot attire scene at the disco, and were worn by
both men and women. The soles of these shoes were tall and could give the wearer an extra
one to four inches of height. A variety of footwear had platform soles, including sandals,
boots and sneakers. They were typically worn for the sheer attention that they attracted, as
with most of the fashion associated with the 1970s disco scene.
1970S IN FASHION – PUNK PERIOD1970S IN FASHION – PUNK PERIOD
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications
of the punk subculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood
designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited. The distinct social dress of other
subcultures and art movements, including glam rock, skinheads, rude boys, greasers, and
mods have influenced punk fashion. Punk fashion has likewise influenced the styles of these
groups, as well as those of popular culture. Many punks use clothing as a way of making a
statement.
Punk fashion has been extremely commercialized at various times, and many well-
established fashion designers — such as Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier — have
used punk elements in their production. Punk clothing, which was initially handmade,
became mass-produced and sold in record stores and some smaller specialty clothing stores
by the 1980s. Many fashion magazines and other glamor-oriented media have featured
classic punk hairstyles and punk-influenced clothing
1970s
Ramones playing for an audiences at CBGB's c.1977.
Punk rock was an intentional rebuttal of the perceived excess and pretension found in
mainstream music (or even mainstream culture as a whole), and early punk artists' fashion
was defiantly anti-materialistic. Generally unkempt, often short hairstyles replaced the long-
hair hippie look and the usually elaborate 1970s rock/disco styles. In the United States, dirty,
simple clothes - ranging from the T-shirt/jeans/leather jacket Ramones look to the low-class,
second-hand "dress" clothes of acts like Television or Patti Smith - were preferred over the
expensive or colorful clothing popular in the disco scene.
In the United Kingdom, a great deal of punk fashion from the 1970s was based on the
designs of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren and the Bromley Contingent.
Mainstream punk style was influenced by clothes sold in Malcolm McLaren's shop. [1]
McLaren has credited this style to his first impressions of Richard Hell, while McLaren was
in New York City working with New York Dolls. Deliberately offensive T-shirts were
popular in the early punk scene, such as the DESTROY T-shirt sold at SEX, which featured
an inverted crucifix and a Nazi Swastika. These T-shirts, like other punk clothing items,
were often torn on purpose. Other items in early British punk fashion included: leather
jackets; customised blazers; and dress shirts randomly covered in slogans (such as "Only
Anarchists are pretty"), blood, patches and controversial images.
Other accoutrements worn by some punks included: BDSM fashions; fishnet stockings
(sometimes ripped); spike bands and other studded or spiked jewelry; safety pins (in clothes
and as body piercings); silver bracelets and heavy eyeliner worn by both men and women.
Many female punks rebelled against the stereotypical image of a woman by combining
clothes that were delicate or pretty with clothes that were considered masculine, such as
combining a Ballet tutu with big, clunky boots.
Punk clothing sometimes incorporated everyday objects for aesthetic effect. Purposely
ripped clothes were held together by safety pins or wrapped with tape; black bin liners
(garbage bags) became dresses, shirts and skirts. Other items added to clothing or as
jewellery included razor blades and chains. Leather, rubber and vinyl clothing have been
common, possibly due to their connection with transgressive sexual practices, such as
bondage and S&M.
Preferred footwear included military boots, motorcycle boots, brothel creepers, Puma
Clydes (suede), Chuck Taylor All-Stars and later, Dr. Martens boots. Tapered jeans, tight
leather pants, trousers with leopard patterns and bondage pants were popular choices. Other
early punks (most notably The Adicts) imitated the Droogs from A Clockwork Orange by
wearing bowler hats and braces. Hair was cropped and deliberately made to look messy, and
was often dyed bright unnatural colors. Although provocative, these hairstyles were not as
extreme as later punk hairstyles.
DIFFERENT STYLES
Various factions of the punk subculture have different fashion styles, although there is
often crossover between the subgroups. The following are descriptions of some of the most
common punk styles, categorized alphabetically.
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk band Total Chaos in all-black clothing
Anarcho-punk fashion usually features all-black militaristic clothing, a style that was
pioneered by the English punk band Crass.[3] A prominent feature is the heavy use of
anarchist symbols and slogans on clothing items. Some who define themselves as anarcho-
punks opt to wear clothing similar to traditional punk fashions or that of crust punks, but not
often to the extreme of either subculture. Mohawk hairstyles and liberty spikes are seen.
Tight trousers, bands T-shirts and boots are common. Hairstyling products often are used
only if the company that manufactures it did not test them on animals. Leather, often avoided
due to veganism, may be replaced with imitation leather or cloth in a similar design as
leather products.
Celtic punk
American Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys.
Fans of Celtic punk often mix hardcore, street punk, Oi! and skinhead fashions with
traditional Irish or Scottish clothing styles, including elements of highland dress.[4] Common
items include boots, sneakers, jeans, work trousers, kilts, grandfather shirts, T-shirts,
hoodies, braces, black leather jackets, peacoats, donkey jackets, football shirts, flat caps,
tuques, Tam O'Shanter caps and Trilby hats. Hair is usually cut relatively short.
Cowpunk
Fans of cowpunk base their look on Southern United States poor boys: vintage western
wear-like checked shirts, Perfecto motorcycle jackets, wifebeaters, overalls, trucker hats,
work boots, acid wash jeans, and cowboy boots. Hair can be a short quiff, crew cut, long, or
a psychobilly-style mohawk, and facial hair is acceptable for males.
Crust punk
A group of crust punk fans or "crusties"
Crust punk can be traced back to Bristol (UK). In the late 70's early 80's, Bristol bands
like Disorder, Chaos UK, Lunatic Fringe, Amebix, broke from the usual punk fashion
confines, creating a disheveled DIY look originating in squatting and poverty. Typical crust
punk fashion includes black or camouflage trousers or shorts(heavy work pants are popular
for their durability), torn band T-shirts or hoodies, skin tight black jeans, vests and jackets
(commonly black denim), bullet belts, jewellery made from hemp or found objects, and
sometimes bum flaps. Many items of clothing are covered in patches and/or metal studs.
Often the patches display a political message. Clothing tends to be unsanitary by
conventional standards, and dreadlocks are popular. Crust punks sometimes sew articles of
clothing with found or cheaply bought materials, such as dental floss. Pants are sometimes
held up with string, hemp, or vegan-friendly imitation leather.
Dance punk
Glam punk band Prima Donna.
Dance punk fashions include day-glo colors, phat pants, glowsticks, leather studded
jackets, chains and combat boots. Typical haircuts include spiky hair bleached blond, short
mohawks and synthetic dreadlocks.
Garage punk
Contemporary garage punk band Mudhoney.
Garage punk bands of the 1970s like MC5, Iggy and the Stooges, the Flamin' Groovies
and the Ramones often wore secondhand clothing from the mid-late 1960s, such as velvet
jackets, slim-fitting grey suits, black leather jackets, winklepickers and drainpipe jeans, in
reaction to the flared trousers worn by hippies and disco fans.[6] Their hair was generally
worn long, as was then fashionable in the 1970s, but some fans opted for buzzcuts or Caesar
cuts, previously associated with hard mods and bootboys. Following the 1980s garage rock
revival, garage punk bands tended to dress more casually, with less overtly 1960s clothing.
However, the original garage punk look remained a big influence among British indie rock
groups during the mid and late-2000s.
Glam punk
Contemporary to the garage bands of the early 1970s, glam punk fashion, pioneered
by bands like the New York Dolls,[9] includes glitter, androgynous make-up, brightly dyed
hair, drainpipe jeans, bright colours like electric blue, elements of leather fetish wear, and
unusual costumes like leopard print, spandex, or satin shirts. Leftover baroque pop clothing
like ruffled pirate shirts or brocade were also worn, together with more typical glam rock
fashions like platform boots, tartan, kipper ties, and metallic silver clothing like jumpsuits.[10]
Gothic rock, deathrock and horror punk
Death-rockers in 2007.
Deathrock and horror punk fashion is similar to goth fashion. Black is the predominant
shade. Deathrock and horror punk incorporates a sexier image, incorporating fishnets,
corsets and elaborate make-up for men and women. The use of occult and horror imagery is
prevalent on T-shirts, buttons, patches and jewellery. Other common adornments include
band names painted on jackets or bleached into clothes, as well as buttons or patches
indicating cities. The initials D and R (for Death Rock) is sometimes part of a crossbone
logo, accompanied by other initials, such as C and A for California, N and Y for New York,
or G and R for Germany. Hair may be in a deathhawk style (a wider teased-out variant of the
mohawk hairstyle), an angled bangs style, or a devilock style.
Hardcore
Henry Rollins and others in the American hardcore scene have eschewed elaborate punk
fashions in favour of a basic style.
There are several styles of dress within the hardcore scene, and styles have changed
since the genre started as hardcore punk in the late 1970s. What is fashionable in one branch
of the hardcore scene may be frowned upon in another. Personal comfort and the ability to
mosh are highly influential in this style. For this reason, jewellery, spikes, chains and spiky
hair are highly uncommon and discouraged in hardcore fashion.
Plain working class dress and short hair (with the exception of dreadlocks) are usually
associated with hardcore punk. Mute colors and minimal adornment are usually common.
Elements of hardcore clothing include baggy jeans or work pants, athletic wear, cargo or
military shorts, khakis or cargo pants, band T-shirts, plain T-shirts, muscle shirts, and band
hoodies. Common sneakers include classic Adidas Originals, Puma, Pony, Nike, Converse
high-tops, and Vans shoes. Boots are also somewhat common, especially Dr. Martens.
Pop punk
Contemporary pop punk, or "scene fashion", sometimes overlaps with skater punk fashion.
Originally this consisted of black or tartan baggy pants (sometimes fitted with studs and
eyelets), band hoodies, wristbands, patrol caps, pyramid stud belts, dress shirts with thin ties
or scarves, blazers and spiky hair or fohawks. In the mid-2000s (decade), pop punk fashion,
influenced by indie rock, hip-hop and emo fashions, evolved to include cartoon print
hoodies, Converse shoes, keffiyehs and skinny jeans. Spiky hair was gradually replaced by
skater styles with long fringes or bangs. In the 2010s, pop punk fans took on a more hardcore
look, with shorter hair (including Liberty spikes and a wide Mohawk combined with a
fringe), plain hoodies and straight-leg jeans.
Psychobilly
Contemporary psychobilly band: the Horrorpops
Psychobilly fashion combines elements of punk with 1950s Greaser and British Teddy Boy
fashions. Brothel creepers are frequently worn, as well as leather jackets, gas-station shirts,
black or white retro T-shirts, dark-colored drape jackets and vintage motorcycle/work boots.
Hair consists of a quiff or pompadour, usually with the sides shaved into a mohawk.
Clothing is usually adorned with motifs inspired by classic American horror films or art-
styles inspired by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. This subculture is strongly associated with the
Kustom Kulture movement.
Ska punk
Ska punk fans typically dress in a style that mixes typical ska- or 2 Tone-related
fashions, with various types of punk fashions, including street punk, pop punk, skate punk or
hardcore punk. Braces are popular, as are Harrington jackets with Royal Stewart tartan
lining, thin ties, Doc Martens, mohair suits, pork pie hats, tonik suits (especially in the early
years of the 1980s ska revival),[11] tank tops, Ben Sherman or Fred Perry polo shirts, hoodies,
and checkerboard patterns. Hair is cropped very short in imitation of hardcore punk bands
and early 1960s rude boys.
Skate punk
Skate punk is a derivative of hardcore fashion, chosen with comfort and practicality in
mind. Common skate punk clothing items include: T-shirts, flannel button-down shirts,
hooded sweatshirts, webbing belts, and khaki shorts, pants or jeans. Some punks, especially
in Southern California, mirror Latino gang styles, including khaki Dickies work pants, white
T-shirts and colored bandanas. While some skateboarders have long and messy hair, skate
punks usually have short hair, often shaved into a buzzcut, and wear little jewellery.
Street punk and Oi!
In general, contemporary street punks wear leather, denim, metal spikes or studs,
chains and military-style boots. They often wear elements of early punk fashion, such as
kutten vests, bondage trousers (often plaid) and torn clothing. There is a large influence by
DIY-created and modified clothing, such as ripped or stitched-together trousers or shirts, or
trousers that are tightly tapered. Jackets and vests often have patches or are painted with
logos that express musical tastes or political views. Bullet belts and belts with metal studs
are popular. Hair is often spiked and/or dyed in bright, unnatural colours and arranged into a
mohawk or liberty spikes. Hair could also be cut very short or shaved.
Street punks at a music festival.
Czechoslovakian street punk wearing kutte and shemagh, 2009.
Oi! skinheads, sometimes known as skunks or punk-skinheads, fuse traditional
skinhead style with street punk fashions. The look is characterised by Doc Martens boots (or
similar boots made by a different brand), braces, and tight rolled-up jeans, sometimes
splattered with bleach. Other common items are T-shirts (featuring band names, political
beliefs or other text/images relevant to skinhead culture) and denim jackets or flight jackets.
These jackets are often decorated with buttons or patches, and in the case of the denim
jackets, sometimes splattered with bleach. Hair is typically shaved shorter than with
traditional skinheads. Other items from traditional skinhead fashion (e.g. Fred Perry and Ben
Sherman shirts) and, to a lesser extent, punk fashion (e.g. short mohawk hairstyles, metal
studs on jackets) are also worn.
PUNK HISTORY
Punk as a style originated from London from the designer Vivienne Westwood and her
partner Malcolm McLaren. Before the Modern world a punk was a person who attacked
someone's cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, etc., based on error or superstition. Due
to the harsh economic realities of Europe and Britain in the early to mid-1970s, this
movement was a direct reaction to the economic situation during the economic depression of
the period. Punk had at its heart a manifesto of creation through disorder. Safety pins became
nose and ear jewellery, rubber fetishwear was subverted to become daywear, and images of
mass murderers, rapists, and criminals were elevated to iconographic status.
Punk fashion can be traced to the ripped jeans, torn t-shirts, scrappy haircuts, and worn
and torn leather jackets sported by members of the Sex Pistols. When they released Anarchy
in the UK in 1976,The Sex Pistols were dressed by Malcolm McLaren, their manager, whose
partner Vivienne Westwood owned a clothes store called "Let It Rock" in the Kings Road,
Chelsea area of London. These styles can be traced back further to New York artists at the
Andy Warhol Factory or bands such as the Velvet Underground, Patti Smith Group or New
York Dolls. By the 1980s, punk fashion and punk bands had shown up in cities across the
world. There was a Do It Yourself quality to the fashion. Some small elements that spoke of
a person's punk roots were safety pins, black PVC or tartan bondage trousers, leopard-print t-
shirts, mohawk, spikes or harshly dyed hair, filthy tennis-shoes, or pointy Beatle boots.
There is an element of a makeshift, thrown together look and a sense of poverty.
Siouxsie of the English punk group Siouxsie and the Banshees. She personified the
female punk look on both sides of the Atlantic
Actress Camille Keaton in 1972. Throughout most of the decade, women preferred light,
natural-looking make-up for the daytime
HAIRSTYLES
Throughout much of the decade, women and teenage girls wore their hair long, with a
centre or side parting, which was a style carried over from the late 1960s. Other hairstyles of
the early to mid-1970s included the wavy "gypsy" cut, the layered shag, and the "flicked"
style, popularly referred to as "wings", in which the hair was flicked into resembling small
wings at the temples. This look was popularised by the stars of the television series Charlie's
Angels. Blonde-streaked or "frosted" hair was also popular. In 1977, punk singer Debbie
Harry of Blondie sparked a new trend with her shoulder-length, dyed platinum blonde hair
worn with a long fringe (bangs).
In the 1970s, women's hair was usually worn long with a centre parting
In the 1970s, making one of the popular hairstyles for a woman didn't take a lot of
time. These hairstyles, including Afro hairstyle, Shaggy Hairdo and Feathered hair (then
known as "Farrah Fawcett hairstyle") were said to be perfect when you're on-the-go and
would still keep your expressive style in-check.
For Blacks in the United States and elsewhere, the afro was worn by both sexes
throughout the decade. It was occasionally sported by whites as an alternative to the uniform
long, straight hair which was a fashion mainstay until the arrival of punk and the "disco
look" when hair became shorter and centre partings were no longer the mode.
Young men's hair was worn long until well past the mid-1970s. Unlike the unkempt
1960s, it was often worn styled in soft layers. In California, the tousled blond, surfer hair
was fashionable for teenage boys and young men. In the early part of the decade, sideburns
were popular.
Steve McQueen with crew cut and large sideburns, 1972.
Some of the most popular hairstyles for men include "Long and Luscious" hairstyle,
mod haircut, and the "buzzcut" hairstyle popularised by action heroes like Steve McQueen.
Continuing on from the 1960s, the ducktail and Pompadour hairstyle (then known as the
"Elvis Presley hairstyle") were popular among young Italian-American and Mexican-
American men in big cities like New York. Large quantities of grease or brylcreem was
normally used to keep the hair in place.
COSMETICS
Cosmetics in the 1970s reflected the contradictory roles ascribed for the modern
woman. For the first time since 1900, make-up was chosen situationally, rather than in
response to monolithic trends. The era's two primary visions were the daytime "natural
look" presented by American designers and Cosmopolitan magazine, and the evening
aesthetic of sexualized glamour presented by European designers and fashion photographers.
In the periphery, punk and glam were also influential. The struggling cosmetics industry
attempted to make a comeback, using new marketing and manufacturing practices.