Fads & Fashion

By: Amanda McDowell

The 70's were all about the hippy-inspired fashion and outrageous fads. Below are some of my favorite fads and fashions from the 70's.

Fads


Pet Rocks:

The idea of a pet rock came about in 1975, when the idea of having a real pet was too much of a hassle. You could buy a rock in a cardboard box shaped like a home, along with a certificate and even a little nest for the "pet" to sleep in. The rock could be designed any way the owner would like, whether it was designed to look like a real animal, or a human in rock form.

Rubik's Cube:

The Rubik's Cube was invented by a Hungarian sculptor, Ernõ Rubik. It was created in 1974, and has been wildly popular since then. To solve the cube, each face must have all of the same color. The mechanics involved allow you to turn the rows and columns independently, but can be very hard if you don't know exactly how to solve it.

Lava Lamps:

                                                                     

Despite the dangers of the lava lamp, such as exploding, lava lamps were a big fad in the 70's, most homes usually owning one. A lava lamp is made with clear liquid and blobs of wax that float in certain places due to changes in density. In general, a lava lamp could take up to 45 minutes to heat up.

Mood Rings:

Mood rings were a short lived fad, where the colors change depending on the body temperature. They mostly came in rings, but soon expanded to necklaces, bracelets, and toe rings. The rings are mostly found in a shape of a gem or it's 360 degrees, like in the photo above. Recently, the mood ring idea has made a come-back, being found almost everywhere.

Fashion

Bell Bottom's:

 Bell bottom jeans were one of the well known fashion trends during the 70's. Both women and men wore them, and were introduced by the Europeans. The pants were generally tight until at the knee, then flaring out. The flare could be only slightly, such as in the picture to the left, or be very dramatic like in the picture on the right. Bell bottom sleeves were in as well. 

  Leisure Suits:    

Leisure suits were commonly associated with wealthy families and disco culture, as that is where they were commonly seen. The suits came in an array of colors and usually consisted of bell-bottom pants and a shirt-like jacket. Leisure suits were originally made of tweed, but later changed to more of a breathable fabric. 

Platform Boots: 

Platform boots, also known as disco-shoes, were also in the disco-era. Teenage girls and young women would wear them to go dancing, the heels no less than 4 inches. The shoes would come up to the knee and be tight, like in the photo's shown above. Platform boots were much more comfortable than the thin heel, and were also worn by those who wanted attention. 


Big Ball Earrings:

The huge disco ball earrings and the hoop earrings could be found everywhere on the disco floor. Whether people were dancing or just wanted to be apart of the trend, these earrings were popular. Like the platform boots, these earrings were also labeled as attention seekers. The disco ball earrings came in multiple colors, however the most common color being silver, as it was more like the actual disco ball.