A Century Of Style: The Challenge (1970 - 1980)

Continuing on in my Century Of Style Challenge comes the Sensational Seventies and for me the greatest fashion decade of the Twentieth Century.

The Seventies was an all-encompassing era, kicking off with the continuation of late Sixties hippy chic, embracing glam rock and punk and finishing with the burgeoning disco scene.

Skirt lengths were mini, maxi and even midi, in fact, anything went from bell bottom jeans to hot pants, cat suits to Kaftans. Foreign travel became popular and with it came the influence of souveniers bought back from abroad, crochet, prayer beads, ethnic and exotic patterns, kaftans and tooled leather. Those returning from the Hippy Trail brought back Indian and Afghani tie-dye and intricate embroidery, Rajasthani mirrorwork, heavy silver jewellery and nose piercings.

Platform soles started the decade with a meagre 1/4inch and reached a massive 4 inches at the peak of their popularity. Clogs were also seen as the height of fashion for both sexes.

Maxi dresses were the top choice for posh evening wear, often influenced by the glamour of Motown. Due to their vibrancy and versitility synthetic fabrics continued to be popular.

Make-up became softer and more natural. The harsh black eyeliner of the Fifties and Sixties gave way to shimmery eyeshadows in greens, browns and blues applied under the eye as well as on the lid, cheeks were coated in lashings of creme blusher in peachy tones and lipstick was applied without  a lipliner or brush.

1970's hair was, like the clothing, all encompassing. From the Afro, the shag, Farrah Fawcett's flicks, the mullet and the Mohican there was no single defining hairstyle, it depended purely on personal taste.

California maxi dress (eBay), Silver rings (India, Lebanon and Morocco), Felt Hat (Car boot sale)