1970's Culture
Fashion:
Culture was a huge element of the 1970's. Fashion, for one, was very important to the people who lived in this era. Individualism and self-expression were extremely important, and these qualities were expressed through electric styles of clothing. A large amount of people had very long hair, they loved to wear beads, and they adored this electric style of clothing. These people were commonly called hippies.
Women would love to wear mini-skirts, go-go boots, and high-waisted jeans and trousers with flared legs. Frayed jeans and tie dye shirts were very popular for both genders.
A lot of men and even some women loved to wear jump suits. It was an easy, one piece of clothing that was simple to put on. (Pictured in top right) Men and women often wore these when they went out clubbing and partying because it was a very fashionable look.
Tank tops were also a relevant article of clothing for both men and women during the 1970's.
Platform shoes were very popular for women to wear especially when they went dancing. The heels on these shoes sometimes reached 5 or 6 inches tall! Everyone also loved bell-bottom pants. Also known as flared jeans, they became extremely popular in 1975.
Women would love to wear mini-skirts, go-go boots, and high-waisted jeans and trousers with flared legs. Frayed jeans and tie dye shirts were very popular for both genders.
A lot of men and even some women loved to wear jump suits. It was an easy, one piece of clothing that was simple to put on. (Pictured in top right) Men and women often wore these when they went out clubbing and partying because it was a very fashionable look.
Tank tops were also a relevant article of clothing for both men and women during the 1970's.
Platform shoes were very popular for women to wear especially when they went dancing. The heels on these shoes sometimes reached 5 or 6 inches tall! Everyone also loved bell-bottom pants. Also known as flared jeans, they became extremely popular in 1975.
Tie dye shirts and other articles of clothing were extremely popular during this era. Since the people who lived in this time loved colorful and electric clothing, they found complete and utter happiness in tie dyed clothing. Tie dying is a method of producing textile shapes of many different colors onto an article of clothing using dyed water. The people of this era started wearing tie dye, and by doing this they started a revolution. It just never really stopped because tie dye is popular even today in the 2010's.
DISCO:
The 70’s were also a time of Disco. Originally, disco clubs were considered safe havens for the minority groups in major cities, such as homosexuals, Latinos, Blacks and Jews. But as time progressed, discos became The Hot Place to hang out, because they were a place where anyone could escape from the depressing routine of everyday life.
Discos were not just a safe haven, though. They brought new music, dance moves, and some groovy fashion. The music was mostly repetitive, but had a pulsing rhythmic beat that got people in the mood to dance! The dancing was smooth and grooooooovy!
TV:
The 70's were a turning point for television. Up until then, the majority of the people who appeared on American television programs were white. The only time someone from a minority group of people appeared on television was to enforce a (usually negative) stereotype. For example, Native Americans played ruthless and cruel Indians in western movies, and African Americans were household servants.But that all changed in 1965, when African American actor and comedian Bill Cosby costarred as a detective on the popular series Spy. He won three Emmy Awards for his role. There was also Flip Wilson, a black comedian, who hosted a variety show that experienced major success, and which later paved the way for the success of future black comedians.
Television also took a non-racial turn. As networks gathered more and more information about their viewers, they changed their shows' settings from rural farm towns to hip, urban cities. This led to shows being about current issues and debates. Of course, the networks couldn't stay away from race for long, because in 1974 the extremely successful show Good Times was aired. This was the first mostly truthful show about a normal African American family. The comedy focused on the struggles of an African American family living in an inner-city apartment building. Each week the Evans family relied on love and humor to overcome discrimination, unemployment, crime, and other problems faced by many black families in the United States.
As television kept revolutionizing, TV shows started to become more and more popular. Here are some of the best and most iconic:
(rollover the image for information)
Television also took a non-racial turn. As networks gathered more and more information about their viewers, they changed their shows' settings from rural farm towns to hip, urban cities. This led to shows being about current issues and debates. Of course, the networks couldn't stay away from race for long, because in 1974 the extremely successful show Good Times was aired. This was the first mostly truthful show about a normal African American family. The comedy focused on the struggles of an African American family living in an inner-city apartment building. Each week the Evans family relied on love and humor to overcome discrimination, unemployment, crime, and other problems faced by many black families in the United States.
As television kept revolutionizing, TV shows started to become more and more popular. Here are some of the best and most iconic:
(rollover the image for information)
"As Mary Richards, a single woman in her thirties, Moore presented a character different from other single TV women of the time. She was not widowed or divorced or seeking a man to support her." |
We all love good TV theme songs, and the Brady Bunch has to have just about the best: |
- Molly and JP