The style of the 70s fashion women is characterized mainly by The Halston effect, tailored silhouettes, and effortless ease in style. The eccentric bundle of fashion trends also created numerous fashion icons in the era. The signature 70s outfits were born out of the genius of the fashion designers of the time. In this article, we will be looking at the 70s fashion women.
The mainstream fashion was produced by the American designer Halston. Roy Halston Frowick was a figure in the fashion world for many years. However, it was only 1970s when he rose to extraordinary fame. Halston was the king of the disco era, and he was responsible for the invention of American glamour. Halston was responsible for creating long, fluid maxi dresses and evening gowns. He is popularized for his work with the classic Ultrasuede material. His Ultrasuede shirtdress and coats had become a fashion staple in the 1970s.
The shirt dress was a prime example of Halston’s signature style with its feminine take on the men’s tailored dress shirt. Halston is also responsible for the turn of the century disco fashion. The disco dresses, Grecian style dresses, and halter neck dresses are all part of Halston’s signature collection. They are all part of the 70s fashion trends.
Watch this series based on the designer Halston’s life to know more about him.
Another designer on the block in the 1970s was Pierre Cardin. In the 1970s, Pierre Cardin created his clothes with the foundation of the Parisian style. His signature styles consisted of geometric patterns, oversized sunglasses and intergalactic fashion. Pierre Cardin created his line of space age fashion after being influenced by the Star Trek episodes. Pierre Cardin always was a designer eager to create for future generations.
Pierre Cardin is well known for pioneering men’s high fashion. In 1972, Cardin took a bold step and created unisex jumpsuits with cutouts for the German male team at Olympic Games, Munich.
Look at the archives of Pierre Cardin’s fashion moment here.
70s fashion can be summarized as the preference of ready-to-wear outfits over haute couture. Apart from being the designer’s muses, the 70s fashion women also are known for their individualistic takes of the ready-to-wear outfits.
1. Top 70s Fashion Women
According to Harper’s Bazaar, The fashion moments of the 1970s were all about ‘the woman wearing the clothes and not the other way around.’
Look at the 70s fashion women and their major fashion moments.
1.1. Jackie Kennedy
Jackie Kennedy is popularly known as the first lady of the White House when John F. Kennedy was the president. However, before her marriage, she was Jacqueline Bouvier, an American socialite and a style icon that had a semantic influence on the decade. During her time in Paris for her college, she fell in love with the European lifestyle. The time she spent in Paris influenced her personal style.
Her wedding gown put Jacqueline Kennedy on the list of fashion icons. Her wedding dress featured the big skirt of the 1950s. In the 1960s, Jacqueline Kennedy was already sporting the pajama-style ensembles influencing Halston, including them in his resort wear in the 1970s.
A defining fashion moment of the first lady was when she sported a pillbox hat custom-designed by Bergdorf Goodman milliner Roy Halston Frowick along with her Inauguration Day Oleg Cassini suit. The pillbox hat started grabbing attention and became a staple of the first lady’s various outings. This fashion moment of the first lady also gave a career rise to the designer Halston.
With her life changes, the first lady’s fashion also went through dramatic changes. During her time as the first lady, she wore several shift dresses of pastel colors with playful patterns. Her wardrobe as the first lady consisted of tailored suit dresses, scalloped gowns, and clothes until elbow length.
Her staple outfit during the 1970s were oversized sunglasses, a navy button-down and matching pants, and yellow gold jewelry. The matching sets were popularized in the 1970s. A well-put-together outfit worn by the first lady was always layered with classic gold jewelry: a matching bangle and necklace; Cartier Tank timepiece.
Go through the iconic looks of Jackie Kennedy here.
Following JFK’s tragic assassination in November 1963, Onassis moved to New York and remarried five years later to Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. She maintained her wardrobe of long gloves and tailored dresses. In her role as a publisher and a businesswoman, she adapted monochromatic outfits.
One of the most iconic looks that knighted Jackie Kennedy as a ’70s fashion woman’ was when she stepped out donning a black turtleneck and a white coat with perfectly tailored pants. This diva was one of the major 7os fashion women and was responsible for setting fashion trends for generations of American Women.
1.2. Bianca Jagger
Another 70s fashion woman who sensationalized the fashion trends of the 70s was Bianca Jagger, born Blanca Perez Mora Macias.
She is best known as the wife to Mick Jagger, the lead singer of the Rolling Stones. She was married for 5 years. They later divorced after Mick cheated on her. However, Bianca jagger herself had no regrets after the fallout of their marriage. Bianca was married young and later understood that it was not right for her.
Bianca Jagger appeared on all the best-dressed lists in the 1970s and 1980s. She was a permanent stature of the Studio 54 scene. She rode a horse in Studio 54 to celebrate her 32nd birthday, creating sensationalism waves.
She emerged as the queen of after-dark dressing with her style. Her go-to outfits were fluid dresses in electric jewel tones made by her friend Halston. Her style included hats and sunglasses. Jagger made a statement with her accessories, such as a simple heart choker. In fact, Jagger made a statement that sunglasses after dark were okay!
Her style was not limited to her pretty Grecian gowns. She also favored the extreme fashion trend of layering menswear and wearing tailored fits. In fact, Bianca’s wedding dress was an eclectic mix of her extreme fashion choices. Her feminine, powerful wedding look came out of wearing Yves Saint Laurent’s column skirt and Le Smoking jacket, worn sans blouse.
The power couple Mick Jagger and Bianca Jagger were often spotted setting fashion trends. The couple’s most iconic look is adorning white heeled boots with their outfits on a casual evening.
After her divorce, Bianca found her true calling as an activist. She works with her foundation, The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation.
1.3. Jane Birkin
A singer and an actress of English origin, Jane Birkin resided in France for the better part of her life. The time she spent in France influenced the wardrobe of this 70s fashion woman.
Her life blew up with her appearance in the 1966 film Blowup and her fantasy-like model role in psychedelic Wonderwall in 1968. She then appeared in the lead female role in Slogan, along with Serge Gainsbourg. “Je t’aime”, the song of her movie, put her on the global map. She consequently appeared in other movies such as Agatha Christie films Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Under the Sun (1982),
She also recorded several albums, including Baby Alone in Babylone, Amours des Feintes, Lolita Go Home, and Rendez-vous.
Her style, in addition to her already glorious style, made her personality. Jane Birkin revolutionized a white track jacket with a front zipper. Jane Birkin was responsible for setting the fashion trend of the lowly wicker basket bags. Other fashion trends set by her included wearing denim for every occasion.
Jane Birkin might inspire Winne the Pooh and his crop tops. She was confident enough to wear crop tops when the weather called for it and never afraid to bare her midriff.
The ultimate wardrobe staple of Jane Birkin was a pair of belts. She would always accessorize her most basic look with the sleekest belt. Another staple of hers was white crochet, and she would wear variations in dresses and clothes.
The most iconic look that sets Jane Birkin apart from several 70s fashion women was her look donning a sheer knit black dress with only hipsters.
1.4. Diane Von Furstenberg
Diane Von Furstenberg is another of 70s fashion woman. It was the creation of this woman that revolutionized the 1970s. She is a German designer who appeared on the scene in New York with a suitcase full of jersey dresses. The creations of Diane Von Furstenberg were created with more freedom. They were more ready to wear, less haute couture.
In 1974, she designed the now in-trend wrap dresses. The DVF’s wrap dresses were an instant hit. Women started wearing these jersey wrap dresses in all kinds of ways. The jersey wrap dresses were available in various colors and flavorful patterns. With the timeless qualities and regal length, many dresses in her collection have been donned by Michelle Obama.
Diane Von Furstenberg’s personal style also consists of loud patterns, bold colors, and fluid long maxi dresses and wrap dresses. She still continues to be one of the favorite designers of the celebrities such as Sienna Miller and Kate Hudson.
1.5. Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann “Debbie” Harry became the iconic bleach-blonde front woman of the new wave punk band Blondie; she came from humble beginnings. However, her style always set her apart throughout her stint as a playboy bunny and a go-go dancer. When she started her singing career in 1970, she soon became a cult style icon of the 1970s fashion scene.
Around 1970, the blue one-shoulder body-hugging jumpsuits she wore for her performance with Blondie gave her the status as one of the 1970s fashion women. At the same time, she started the merchandising of her band even before it was famous.
Some staples of her wardrobe were berets, sunglasses, scarves, outfits with cutouts and ripped tank tops, and basic shorts. Debbie Harry also famously wore a blue romper with cutouts for a band performance. At the end of the decade, she started her experiments with bold colors.
1.6. Grace Jones
Vogue refers to Grace Jones as ‘the enduring queen of the disco club fashion.’ Grace Jones is a Jamaican model, singer, and actress. She was also one of the 70s fashion women due to her individualistic reflection of fashion.
Grace Jones has always been androgynous. Her once partner Goude says, “Men think she’s sexy. Women think she’s a little masculine,” and, “gays think she’s a drag queen.”
The debut album of Grace Jones was her 1977 ‘Portfolio’. The album’s last track, “I Need A Man,” a true disco banger, made her a staple on the disco scene. Rather than opting for the disco dresses, she chose an edgy stage costume: chain-mail curtain top, hot sequined shorts, and massive cuff bracelets. These curtain tops still remain one of the many fashion trends in the present time.
The Jamaican singer has always embraced the masculine side of her personality. She has suited up for many of her stage shows. For many stage shows, she rocked a wide-lapelled blazer and styled a double-breasted grey suit.
2. Fashion Trends
The 70s fashion women initially set the fashion trends that women of the decade started following. Some of the fashion trends that still remain relevant are described below.
Bell bottom jeans were a staple of the wardrobe of the 1970s. And to all of our surprise, the bell bottom jeans are back. However, the way of wearing them has changed. Young people again wear the flared tops and bell sleeves tops of the 70s. Crotchet as fashion gained momentum in 70s; To all of our surprise, it is now everywhere. Everyone owned denim dresses, and they are back once again.
Long-sleeve dresses, the ones with plunging necklines, were a uniform outfit of the 1970s. Those dresses are again being revived in the current time.
The 70s was the era of disco dresses and outfits. Those outfits usually had staple halter necklines. The halter tops and neckline dresses are making a comeback and are worn by celebrities such as Dua Lipa, and Bella Hadid.
Wrap dresses signature to Diane Von Furstenberg of 70s fashion show is off the runway. A wrap dress is now owned and worn by women of every class.
The platform shoes became the only footwear that women started wearing in the 70s. Platform shoes were worn from the Greek times and throughout the middle ages. These shows, however, gained all the rage more in the 1970s. Platform shoes gave rise to another trend that is platform heels.
Jumpsuits are another such trend. They were the go-to outfits for times of Studio 54. Jumpsuits were a quick outfit and still are celebrated to the same extent. Flared pants are another trend of 70s fashion that is here to stay. The flared pants were preferred due to their help with the illusion of the legs that go a mile long.
The 70s fashion women preferred low-cut boots with block heels over sharp and sleek stilettos. These boots still continue to be a fashion trend and are usually paired with flared pants.
Leisure suits and coordinated sets were another fashion staple of the 70s fashion. They are making another comeback in 2022, with co-ords available for all occasions. The wrap dress was an iconic outfit of the 70s fashion show and streetwear, and it still remains worth all the rage.
Most women of the 70s started wearing sweater vests with neckties, and this androgynous style is another fashion trend that is here to stay. We have seen everything from Harry Styles’ performance wearing a pink sweater vest to Kendall Jenner’s runway walk-in green sweater vest.
The casual retro denim looks are back in trend again. Women started wearing outfits made of the same fabric, the same colored denim. The denim jacket originated in the 70s fashion still a staple wardrobe item of women’s fashion.
Bra tops, bandeau tops, and knotted tops of bright colors made up the casual outfits of the 70s. They are making a comeback in the twentieth century again.
Women abundantly wear metal tones, satin shirts, and slinky nude tones. They feel something akin to 70s clothing. The peasant blouses with large collars and flared pants were the casual outfits most of the 70s fashion women started wearing as their casual attire. Now, the same outfit with a variation of a white tank along with blue flared jeans is a staple of the women of the 21st century.
Everything boho was one of the running trends of the 70s fashion women. The influence of the boho foundation is clearly shown through the hippie dresses adorned by women.
Read more about the 70s fashion craze being revived here.
The saying that ‘Old is Gold’ is true indeed in terms of fashion.
Last Updated on by Steffy Michael
