Gone was the idealism of the 1960’s, and concerns about global pollution and depleting the earth’s natural resources began to mount. After the war in the Middle-East and Vietnam, the 1970’s told of a corrupt government with Watergate and Nixon’s resignation, an oil crisis, and the peaceful Khmer Rouge zones in Cambodia being struck by war.

The fashion of the 1970’s was also influenced by movies and television. For the first time there were shows, such as Charlie’s Angels, featuring women as strong and independent, as women who fought the baddies and rescued the innocent. Wonder Woman also became an icon of feminine strength, and her image resulted in boots becoming popular, which were then paired with hot pants or a short skirt. According to 1970’s women’s fashion, boots had to be ornate and decorative, if not bejewelled then printed with a flowery or psychedelic design -anything, as long as they were not boring.

Other fashion trends of the 1970’s were the Punk and Glam trends, where the main object of these trends was to shock. Designers created shoes with outrageous decorations for stars such as Elton John, David Bowie and Cher. Platform shoes also made a return to fashion, with designers creating stacks of up to eight inches! These platform shoes were then decorated with anything ornate, such as rhinestones and sequins, among other adornments.

Nike made its debut in 1972, at a time when running was becoming a fashionable pastime, and running shoes became a functional necessity. Farah Fawcett often wore a pair of running shoes in scenes from the hit television show Charlie’s Angels. The 1970’s was just the beginning of the athletic trend.

At this time, the media was still conservative, and they sought to bring a sense of calm to the fashion world by highlighting trends that were romantic and classically beautiful. Many historic fashion trends made a return in the 1970’s, with designers showcasing Edwardian-style pumps, gladiator sandals, and square-toed styles similar to those of the 1940’s.

The most prominent designers of the 1970’s were Givenchy, Norell, and Oscar de la Renta. The bell bottoms, miniskirts and long hair of the 1960’s trend continued throughout the 1970’s. Polyester was invented and became a popular fabric used in 1970’s fashion trends, while the alternative to polyester during this time was denim. In the 1970’s skirts were made in three lengths – mini, midi and maxi.

The aforementioned 1970’s fashion trend, Glam, exploded both in the United States and in Britain, with boys adorning themselves in feather boas, ladies shirts, and even make-up. Bands such as the New York Dolls had massive followings, and it was difficult to tell the girls from the boys. At this point in the mid-70’s fashion had no specific direction, with everything from the glam trend, to earth mother and natural romantics being fashionable. It was from this point that women’s fashion veered towards a masculine style, with women wearing men’s shirts, ties, and fedoras. This trend also developed as a result of the Women’s Liberation Movement, where women demanded equal rights, including the right to wear men’s clothes.