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This exhibit was inspired by the newfound freedom of self-expression experienced by women in the 1970s. Women expressed this freedom through and selected from among a wide range of style choices, from feminine hippie and ethnic-inspired looks to unisex t-shirts and personalized jeans (Reddy, 2020).
1960s White Mod A-line Dress
This dress was included in the exhibition to visualize the transition from the iconic clean lines and minimalistic features of Space-Age and Mod 1960s fashion to the more relaxed silhouettes and the natural look of 1970s fashion. Inspired by the fascination with the moon race between the United States and Russia, this dress exemplifies the futuristic and geometric lines commonly used in women’s dresses during the mid-1960s (Zanzi, 2021).
Spring into Seventies
Curated by
Julia Watts Bolinger, Grace Caskey, Kamryn Fridey, Kendall Hathaway, Alexander McWhinney
1970s Red Peasant Dress with Matching Hot Pants
This peasant-inspired ensemble exhibits two major trends in 1970s women’s fashion. First, the hippie movement brought “ethnic-looking” garments into fashion. Second, a recent change in attitudes about women wearing trousers in public paved the way for women to wear hot pants (short pants) (English, 2007).
1970s Graphic Band T-Shirt
Music was a huge part of the culture of the 1960s and 1970s. During these decades, many bands realized that branded merchandise, especially t-shirts, could easily promote their music for free and add another source of income for them (Bucci, 2017). Many bands of this period created iconic labels and logos, such as the Rolling Stones’ lips or Pink Floyd’s Prism, which are still easily recognizable. We included this band t-shirt replica in the exhibition to symbolize the fun-loving, entertainment side of the 1970s. This style of apparel is considered iconic of the decade; and has since become a staple to wear to spring and summer music festivals and everyday casual settings (Bucci, 2017). As evident in this example, designers today draw influence from vintage to match this symbolic style of the 70s.
Lee Denim Jeans
Jeans originated in Europe but were brought to the U.S. by Levi Strauss in the 1850s as created as workwear for gold miners. Widely worn by anti-war protesters, hippies, and other rebels in the 1960s, jeans were not acceptable for leisurewear until the 1970s, when they wore worn with t-shirts by men and women alike, forming an essential part of the unisex uniform among young people. A popular trend in the 1970s was the natural look, which was visually manifested through clothing that followed natural body curves, natural hairstyles, and cosmetics that allowed for sheer coverage and neutral tones. The natural look was also manifested through clothing made up of natural materials and hand-crafted clothing and accessories. The emphasis on hand-crafted clothing led to a rise in patchwork in the clothing of the 1970s and was used to create the “most iconic looks of this period” (Welters 2008, p.1). These Lee jeans have been personalized with patchwork and badges, following this hand-crafting trend of the 1970s.
References
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StartUp Fashion. https://startupfashion.com/fashion-archives-a-look-at-the-history-of-the-graphic-tee/
Crane, D. (1999). Diffusion Models and Fashion: A Reassessment. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 566(1), 13–24.
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Jean, K. D. (2004). Prairie linen and lace. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 22(3), 146–
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Status representation in Granny Chic. Latest TOC RSS. https://ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/csfb/2013/00000004/F0020001/art00006
Reddy, Karina. (2020, August 18). 1970-1979. Fashion Institute of Technology.
Sivakumar, G. S. (2018). Sheath dress analysis and body, garment relation. IRE Journals, 1(10).
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Welters, L., & Lillethun, A. (2022). The fashion reader. Bloomsbury Visual Arts.
Zanzi, Gianna M. (2021, June 6). Colorful, Weird, and Wonderful: the Influences of Subculture on the Fashion of the 1960s. Portland State University.
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2291&context=honorsthes
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