1970's Fashion Statements

By Amy Zerner

2 minute 07/24/2012

We’ve been watching ABC’s Life on Mars, the American version of the BBC hit, which takes us take us back to the world of New York City in 1973.

We were there! I was always interested in finding cool clothes and making my own special pieces, mixing them and adding jewelry that I also made. I remember the styles, well.

The decade began with a continuation of the Hippie look, but there were many new fashion statements, too – an explosion of sequins, boas, feather trims, lurex and metallics; maxi-dresses and puffy angel-sleeved blouses atop big, big printed skirts. Influences during the 1970’s included peasant clothing, such as blouses with laces or off-the-shoulder necklines, inspired by those worn in the 17th century. Fabrics, soft-flowing and liquid, were a hallmark of the 70’s fashion revolution. Silks abounded, as did jerseys and synthetics. Prints ran the gamut from traditional florals and geometrics to huge selections of Art Deco, animal, and engineered pictorial prints.

Embroidered and embellished jackets with an ethnic influence were mixed with blue jeans: plain, faded, brushed, embroidered, appliqued, sequined, studded, hand-painted. Jeans were everywhere, as were cloches and floppy wide-brimmed hats. Turbans and scarves became a must for the fashionable woman. And let us not forget the platform shoes!

Amy Zerner is the Hamptons Number 1 fashion blogger and designer