Retro Hair Combs and Hair Accessories 1970-1980

The Fashion Background.In this guide I will be looking at the hair accessories which were popular in the 1970s. It is not easy to define 1970s fashion. From its early romantic hippy ethos to its later angry punk look, 70s fashion was a time of rapid development of new styles. An underrated era in terms of style, 70s fashion is being appreciated more and more with each passing year!In the early part of the decade, 70s fashion was a continuation of the popular hippy look of the 1960s.However, although the hippy look retained its early romantic style and its fascination with exotic fashion items such as clothes made from Indian fabrics, it was moving away from its 1960s origins. On the higher end of early 70s fashion was the development of romantic fashions created by designers such as Yves St Laurent, Ossie Clark, and Zandra Rhodes. As the 1970s continued, people began to dress in flashier styles that showed off their bodies.The mini skirt shortened to the micro-skirt.This new emphasis on design and classy hedonism would really take root in the emergence of disco fashion in the late 70s.Disco fashion has been popularized in movies such as the John Travolta hit, Saturday Night Fever. Associated with the pumping drive of disco music and infamous party spots like Club 54 in New York, disco fashion is one of the most enduring remains of 70s fashion. One of the biggest impacts of disco fashion in late 70s fashion is how it directly inspired a new fashion movement that many fashion experts feel is one of the most influential parts of 70s fashion.The punk fashion style developed as an angry response to the carefree attitude of disco fashion. Arty rather than sophisticated, punk fashion was not overly widespread during the 1970s. However, in future decades, punk fashion would be extremely influential and its influences can be seen in emo fashion and in current fashion trends such as Goth.1970s Jewellery DesignThe 1970s was not a decade which was particularly focused on jewellery. The fashion mantra was one of anything goes. Women wore mini, midi and maxi length skirts, ethnic designs, and stretchy disco wear. In general, tastes remained a mix of the traditional and the exotic, with a holdover of the geometrically abstract designs from the previous decade.Large jewellery designs were still worn at beginning of the decade but gradually became smaller and more conservative. The glitzy look diminished, and plain gold and silver ornaments became more prevalent. For decorative treatments enamelling was a favourite treatment, together with the use of semi precious materials like onyx, coral, turquoise, and jade rather than rhinestones.1970s Hairdressing and OrnamentsThere was a tremendous variety of hair 'looks' to be found during this decade. Some of these did not encourage the use of hair ornaments. For example the huge frizzed out Afro styles, and the sleekly hanging hair of the Hippies rarely used any other form of ornamentation. Nor did the shorter geometric cuts which came in mid decade. By contrast elaborate updos, heavily lacquered and teased, encouraged the use of small scatter gebs and hair pins. The following sections highlight some of the most prominent looks which affected jewellery and therefore hair accessories.The Sculptured Metal Look. If the hippies, with their sleek centre parted hair worn au natural are at one end of the 1970s hairdressing spectrum, at the other we find styles of the most amazing geplexity. This was particularly the case with formal up-dos for evening wear, which maintained their height and geplexity by a gebination of added hairpieces, teasing, and liberal coatings of hairspray.These dressings were enlivened by the use of small scatter gebs and hairpins which were placed among the curls and waves. Others were adorned by one or two important looking sculptural pieces. Typical treatments were three dimensional gold and silver tone shapes, often geometric or sleekly modernist, with fancy hammered effects. Another favourite decorative treatment was that of enamelling. 1: Sculptured metal hairgeb 1970s.