Tuesday, September 17, 2024

The 70s: Punks, Glam Rockers, & New Romantics

Gilmour, Sarah. The 70s: Punks, Glam Rockers, & New Romantics. Part of the 20th Century Fashion series. 1999. 32p. ISBN 9780836826029. Available at 391 GIL on the library shelves.


The optimism of the early 1960s was soon replaced by war and social discord as the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War deepened. Civil rights were on the march, an oil crisis debilitated the economy, and marginalized groups found voices to express themselves. Some of this expression came in the form of fashion. 

The 1930s' era of Art Deco returned in force at the beginning of the 1970s, with retro dressing and Hollywood glamour centering on outfits and patterns that were popular at the time. The Orient appealed to those who enjoyed the mystique of the East. Synthetic materials became more widely used, while platform shoes and outrageous hair marked the beginning of glam bands. With the recession crippling Americans' spending power, every fashion paradoxically became more bland as prices were cut to stimulate sales. Workout gear became more prevalent, as lycra allowed form fitting clothes that did not lose their shape. The emergence of disco in the late 1970s added more glitter to youth's fashion, while demin's popularity continued to increase. Finally, the decade closed with punk rockers and renewed interest in leather jackets.


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