The Seventies Were The Best Decade – and Here Are Four Reasons Why
The seventies are back! As more and more young folk are re-engaging with the fashion, décor and media of an increasingly bygone ages, its best facets are being pulled into the modern age, reminding us all that the seventies were an amazing time for creativity. Here are four reasons why the seventies were the best decade, and why we’re glad to see some of its hallmarks returning today.
Flared Jeans and Crochet
Seventies fashion is idiosyncratic – the flared jeans, the loose knitwear, the earthy colours of folk fashion and the revelry in radical expression. And thankfully, it’s making a massive comeback today! Crochet halter-tops were all the rage, taking creative freedom and control away from big brands and putting it in the hands of makers; high waists accentuated curves while the resurging popularity of denim and shirts brought gender-neutral sensibilities to a previously binary industry. Progressive times indeed!
The Music
The 70s were an unrivalled decade for its explosion of new and innovative music, out of the transgressive art of the swingin’ 60s. David Bowie came into his own this decade, releasing six of the 20th century’s best albums in just four years. Bowie aside, the 70s are home to some of the greatest albums ever conceived: Dark Side of the Moon, Rumours, Unknown Pleasures, Songs in the Key of Life, London Calling… The list could go on and on. The saving grace of modern times is that you can own all of these seminal albums on vinyl, allowing you to relive them over and over again.
Home Décor to Die For
The 70s also saw a shift in home fashion, as Bauhaus minimalism was roundly and finally rejected in place of Boho maximalism. By drawing on the colour palettes and design sensibilities of mid-century modern styles, and adding in liberal amounts of 1960s folkloric throwback, home-makers in the 70s created a vibrant sense of home with hanging plants, macramé, wavy multi-coloured patterns and throws. The invention of the lava lamp pulled everything together into an eclectic, lived-in, glorious décor style which endures in hearts and minds to this day.
Horror Galore
Much like with music, entire genres of film were truly defined by an explosion of output in the 70s. The arrival of John Carpenter onto the directorial scene revolutionised horror forever, with the tense, steady pace of Halloween – laced with a minimalist, synth-led soundtrack, propped up by equal parts convincing and horrifying practical effects – lingering in the minds of viewers for decades ever after. Pacing is a huge part of the appeal for 70s horror; Halloween is a perfect example, but so too are Argento’s Suspiria, Ridley Scott’s Alien and to some extent even Jaws! All made use of suspense in a while modern films can’t quite seem to measure up to, and all include well-rounded characters to pull you even further in…