Celebrating the 70s: The iconic trends that defined a decade

In the ‘70s, glasses weren't just for seeing — they were for being seen. And the bigger, the better. First lady Jackie Onassis kicked off the trend, and soon, oversized aviators were flying off the shelves.

Farrah Fawcett's feathered hairstyle took flight after her debut in the iconic TV show ‘Charlie's Angels.’ Girls everywhere had some version of the '70s flip, like the Rachel haircut from 'Friends' that would colonize heads around the world two decades later.

Close your eyes, imagine the 1970s, and you might just be swallowed by a wave of harvest gold, avocado green, and every brown under the sun. In the '70s, these were the power hues, adorning everything from your neighbor's refrigerator to the couch that your cat tore up.

Shag carpets, beloved for their long, fluffy tendrils and not-so-beloved for the hide-and-seek games they played with crumbs, were the defining statement of '70s home decor. Today, we're still finding bits of the '70s in those old carpets, one vacuum session at a time.

In the '70s, some people believed the best way to share the love was by sharing...well, everything. Streaking became a nationwide fad, and yes, it even showed up at places like the Oscars. In 1974, the same year that Ray Stevens sang about ‘The Streak', the US press was warning of the dangers of the "streaking epidemic.”

The '70s were a time when even rocks could become celebrities. Thanks to Gary Dahl, an advertising executive with a stone-cold idea, pet rocks became an unlikely fad in 1975.

Image: Dahl gets ready to pack the 1,000,000th Pet Rock sold to date, while ringing up the $2 million in sales the product has generated in less than 3 months.

The VW Beetle and van, frequently seen sporting psychedelic paint jobs, were the vehicles of the '70s. Many a van was also decked out with a custom shag carpet, bringing us full circle to our previous point. And who could forget the classic bumper sticker? “If this van's a-rockin, don’t come a-knockin.”

In the '70s, lighting up was as common as avocado green kitchen appliances. From maternity wards to airplanes, cigarettes had an all-access pass, and ashtrays were the understated stars of the show.

These hypnotic and colorful fixtures were more than just light sources — they were symbols of going with the flow and enjoying everything the groovy decade had to offer.

In the '70s, lawn darts were as popular as they were perilous. They led to around 675 emergency room visits per year, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine. They were so dangerous, in fact, that they were banned in the US in 1988.

The brainchildren of three modernist Italian designers in 1968, these shapeless, bead-filled chairs had their heyday in the '70s. They were the perfect thrones for free spirits and those tired from too much streaking.

Although this facial hair trend has waned in and out of popularity since men began shaving, this style became prevalent for men in all walks of life and an unsung style hero of the decade.

Despite the invention of black lights in 1903, it took till the late '60s and '70s for blacklight posters to decorate teenagers' bedrooms worldwide.

Image: Blacklight Posters/cozyhollow/YouTube

Fondue? More like fon-don’t. This Swiss food trend had its 15 minutes of fame in the '70s, but today, fondue sets are essentially cobweb collectors in China cabinets.

Speaking of parties, '70s adults were swapping more than just fondue recipes. Key parties, where guests would exchange keys in a bowl and then take off with the other key they were matched with, became a phenomenon among adventurous couples.

This style of pants, also known as flares, date back to at least Navy sailors in the early 19th century. Although they really re-emerged in the 60s Britain, this style exploded in popularity in the 1970s after Sonny and Cher wore them on their popular TV show.

While the '60s birthed the hippie movement, the '70s watched it flourish. The era was steeped in the essence of youth, free love, pot, and a deep appreciation for eastern religions. And of course, this is the source of many other iconic 70s trends, from tie-dye to turning on, tuning in and dropping out.

Of the ten albums considered by Rolling Stone to be the best of all time, six were released in the 70s: Bob Dylan’s ‘Blood on the Tracks,’ Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours,’ Stevie Wonder’s ‘Songs in the Key of Life,’ Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’ and Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going on.’ Two more from the Beatles and Beach Boys were released in the late 1960s.

1978 was the peak year for 8-track sales in the United States, with sales declining rapidly from then on. The decade’s great tunes were also heard on cassettes and vinyl.

Nothing quite screams '70s like the concept of dancing on wheels. Roller discos had everyone boogieing down in style (see also: hot pants, tube tops and sequins).

On the subject, the hustle was a catch-all name for disco dances that were extremely popular in the 1970s. How could anyone forget the moves to the Bump, Hustle, Watergate or Spank?

Image: Pan's People Dance to Booker T & the MGs "Hip Hug-Her"/Plus/DailyMotion

This hairstyle was a symbol of black pride and the civil rights movement, which was going strong in the 1970s. Embracing this powerful look were both groovy men and women of the era.

Inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing, these boots took a small step into fashion in 1969 and a giant leap into the '70s.

But if the moon was too far, the '70s also had Earth shoes. Designed by a yoga teacher to mimic walking in the sand, these shoes became a counterculture staple and a metaphor for the decade itself: grounded, yet always ready to kick up some dust.

Image: Hubertl/Wikimedia commons

In a decade far, far away, the '70s introduced us to a cinematic revolution named 'Star Wars.' It blasted off a franchise and a new wave of storytelling that continues today.

Combining business and pleasure, leisure suits reached their height of popularity in the 1970s. They consist of a shirt-like jacket and matching pants and were usually proudly 100% polyester. Though there have been some attempts at revivals, many say these are better left in the 1970s.

These symbols were as ubiquitous as bell bottoms in the '70s, radiating positive vibes from bumper stickers to t-shirts.

The '70s was a decade that believed in making waves, and that applied to hairstyles too. Men and women alike jumped on the perm bandwagon, and with home perm kits, the wave never had to end.

Though macramé has had its moments in both the Victorian and Instagram era, nothing quite encapsulates the crafty spirit of the '70s like a houseplant swinging from a macramé holder.