OH THOSE 70’S

Take me back to the 70’s, the era of beads, flowers, free-love, hippy-dippy hippies and let us not forget free love. “Make love not war” was the rally cry against the war in Viet Nam where a lot of young men died needlessly for “the man”. Although the awareness of antiestablishment was raised and fashion made a statement or no statement back then, it didn’t really matter because everything was cool man. Dudes had long hair, fu Manchu mustaches and some beards were as long as Methuselah’s. Many of the chicks resembled California blondes, long straight locks hanging down their backs that swished across their heart-shaped derrieres with every step, even though many of them would have looked sensational in a tattered flour sack.

Art of that hazy drug, smoky marijuana induced era also influenced fashion. Hypnotizing op art or optical art, often using only black and white gave the illusion of hidden moving images disguised in vibrating patterns, was often an integral part of the clothing designs, which would leave a puzzled viewer often exclaiming, “Wow! Far out!” Especially if they were tripping to “A Whiter Shade of Pale”.

Music of the 70’s featured bands like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead and The Beatles—John Lennon, a peaceful man, a peaceful activist spreading peace and love assassinated—why? Talk about a real downer, a real bummer. But looking on the bright side, psychedelic stoner side, the bands, singers, musicians and songwriters were remarkably attired as if they were trying to outdo each other with their outrageous garb, a continual onstage and offstage competition of who could dress the coolest.

It didn’t take a lot of bread to purchase bell-bottom pants, open-cleavage blouses but the brazier industry must have lost money because many of the chicks went braless—how I miss those sunshiny perky days. Smoke a doob, sip red wine from a bottle wrapped in straw, and candles—as many that would fill the mystical, magical and mysterious interior of a Volkswagen bus—their essence and aroma enough to get anyone high.

The 70’s seemed like a renaissance of new never before seen colors—neon cerise peace symbols on a chartreuse background could make a person’s eyeballs almost pop out of their sockets—a kaleidoscope of outrageous patterns equally eye-boggling. However, many conservative types found the new clothing lines offensive and invasive and to them I say, “Chill out. Take the broom out of your ass and hang loose.”

Patches were in. Patches of every shape and color were sewed to old corduroy vests or a pair of ripped, hanging on the hips by a thread, bell-bottom jeans and they were displayed like military medals, except there was no loss of blood or life. It was all about living—free-style clothes for a free-thinking generation—fingers shaped into a V symbolizing peace, held high and proud. Gentle people with gentle mannerisms didn’t always wear gentle clothes—colors as sharp as a whisker-razor and boots as blunt as a stubby bottle of cold beer were part of their acquired accoutrement.

Head bands were popular, worn by men and women alike, not just because they kept the hair out of one’s eyes while slowly grooving to a tune on a dance floor or gyrating to acid rock but because it was the cool thing to do. And, long strands of beads, polymer, glass and wooden, so many at times around their necks, I’m surprised no one was strangled. Bracelets too, hung loose around wrists that matched or didn’t match the profusion of rings circling their fingers. And earrings, my gosh some were so enormous, they could have been used for hula-hoops.

Hats were in fashion back then too: wide brimmed purple felt fedoras with pink ostrich plumes, slouch on your head Carnaby caps and even multicolored beanies, sans airplane propellers. I’m not sure about shoe attire because many wore sandals or went barefoot and who looks at feet anyway. But I know there were boots that took half a day just to lace up and tie a neat little bow at the top.

Spectacles perched on noses for making a spectacle out of oneself came in all shapes and colors. They were round, oblong, square and some were even shaped like hearts. Pairs of glasses were sometimes so enormous, between all the long hair surrounding their faces and dangling down across their chests, they could have been owls disguised as hippies.

Of course, the 70’s, like any other era, were fashion conscious, mainly due to what the celebrities of that age were wearing. Let’s face it, many people want to dress and act like gorgeous movie stars, the coolest singers or the grooviest musicians. However, not everyone hung loose and cool. Some were so uptight even though they were wearing the latest fashions of the “in” crowd created by an illustrious fashion guru, they couldn’t have a single mop-top hair out of place and they had to be seen at the most popular scene—a bummer if they were overlooked.

As cool as the fashions may have or may not have been during the 70’s, personally I’d have to say, a chick wearing a pair of hip-hugging blue jeans, grass stains on the knees, a white loose fitting blouse with wide flowing sleeves, barefoot and flowers in her hair turned me on. There’s something to be said about a casual look, a natural look, a truthful look that’s appealing to the eye rather than being gob-smacked by neon psychedelic pulsating clothes that scream, I dare you to look at me and if you do, how long will it take before you’re paralyzed.