Mini skirts, bell-bottoms and tie-dye are probably the first things that come to mind when you hear the phrase “fashion must-haves from the 70’s” – but as a kid, none of these really rated on my radar.
Sadly I Must Confess – that as the photo at left shows, I had no idea about style and was a very long way from becoming the dedicated fashion blogger of today 
!
The first fashion must-have, I remember nagging my mum for was when I was in Year 1 or 2 (circa 1973/74).
1. Colourful Knickers
Seeing all the other girls flipping upside down on the monkey bars, I realised my plain white Bonds cottontails were NOT the thing at all. I wanted coloured undies! Mum tried her best but sadly didn’t get it, bringing home some dainty pastel lemon knickers. What I really wanted was bottle green, or navy, or SHOCK HORROR patterns on my undies!
2. Stripey Knee Socks
In the mid 70’s, stripey knee high socks were all the rage. So attractive with our school uniforms. Not.
3. Slaps
In 1976, the fashion must-have was “slaps”. Does anybody else remember these? They were rectangular thongs with thick velvet straps, that made a satisfying “slap” sound as you walked. It must be just about time for them to be back in vogue!
4. Anything Velvet or Velour
Marty Rhone might have been singing about “Denim and Lace”, but in my neck of the woods, it was all about velvet. My wardrobe boasted both a velvet skirt AND a velour zip up cardigan – such luxury!
5. Board Shorts
The next year, when I was in Year 7, I was desperate for a pair of short board shorts to wear on our trip to the beach for the last day of school. Board shorts were beloved of both boys and girls in that era, but were nothing like the boardies of today. For a start, they were short. With piping on the edges. Ugh.
6. Strapless Dress
In 1979 (my first year in high school), I was convinced that a towelling strapless dress was a wardrobe eseential. Not that I had anything to hold it up – it would have been a wardrobe malfunction just waiting to happen!
Looking back on it now, I think I’m glad I was one of 4 kids in a single parent (read=poor) household, so I didn’t get to own most of my fashion must-haves!
What fashion must-haves from the 70’s did you long for – or during your childhood years, if you weren’t around then?!
Linking up with Redcliffe Style for the 30+ Style & Beauty link up.
LOL, I had a strapless towelling dress, what was that even about? I also remember see-through plastic thong bases that had really really long laces that you wound up your legs like a ballet dancer. Which was fine as long as you didn’t have to walk anywhere, but as soon as you walked the laces fell down and the shoe fell off.
I recall jumpsuits ( also strapless and with very short shorts) being very cool. Apparently strapless was BIG in the 70’s. Thanks for the flashback
I also had a strapless towelling dress. It was perfect for the daily drive to and from the beach. I would have been all of nine or ten.
At least you got the 70’s, I got the 80’s to grow up in and commit fashion crimes. Balloon skirts, fluro t-shirts, that hair!! Feeling like I missed out on that towelling dress xx
Don’t worry, there may have been a balloon skirt and fluro tshirt in my past too 😉
I had one of those towelling dresses too! I also had some brown zip up boots. I loved myself sick in them.
Oh yes I would have loved some of those boots too in about 78/79 🙂
Ahh those slap wrist things! I really wanted leg warmers and got mum to knit some but they slipped down all the time.. shall I make you feel old-ish? I was a one-year-old when you first started high school 😉 LOVE YAH x
You’re just a baby! I used to work in an office with a heap of people born in 78/79, I couldn’t believe they were actually grown up and old enough to be working 😉 and it was only a few years ago!
It’s not so much these days – 11 years – that is age difference between my mum and her brother!!
I know right – and these days when I pop into the office, I work with kids born in the late 90’s – yikes!
Given how late it was into the 70s when I was born I don’t remember any of the fashion, but I do remember rocking a few ra-ra skirts and knickerbockers into the 80s!! so tragic!
Oh yes, I had a luvverley pair of black velvet knickerbockers that were my prized possession in about 82 or 83 😉
I didn’t have a strapless towelling dress, but we do have pics of me in a shoestring towelling jumpsuit circa 1985 when I must have been about 5. Nylon knickers were all the rage when I was in primary school and I was horrendously jealous because my mother refused to buy them on the grounds that cotton breathes so much better than nylon and little girly bits need air…
LOL my mum was the same Emma that’s why I only had Bonds cottontails 😉
My favourite all time 70’s fashion was an embroidered corduroy coat with white fluffy edging and the embroidered bell bottom jeans x
I had one of those coats!!!!
I remember wanting a ra-ra or bubble skirt in the 80s but my mother wouldn’t get one for me – she was a wise woman!
Wow … this was certainly a “blast from the past” … I still remember singing along the “Denim and Lace” and the really sad truth is I remember most of the words!
Do you remember ‘Witches Britches’? I wanted them when I was little. Sort of bermuda shorts underwear with rows of lace around the thigh part. Yes I had slaps 🙂
LOL Janet – You’ve just proven that you’ve always been a fashion icon. When I was in Grade 8 in 1974, I thought I would be the coolest girl in school if I could only have a pair of bell bottoms and clogs like my friend Carolyn. Sadly, I never did get the clogs and bell bottoms, but I did have a rather fetching pair of mauve hipster flares in Grade 9. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
I have never heard of slaps, they sound hilarious!
Oh definitely the cork platform shoes! I absolutely adored mine and I frequently used to walk around falling off them, much to my embarrassment.
Being a kid of the 70s then 80s, I was a walking fashion disaster for at least 20 years 🙂
Does anyone remember Hawaiian flared shorts? About 1977-78. Great with halter tops and slaps. Lol.
Can’t say that I do, but I was pretty young 😉