50 Vintage Pictures From The 1970s Archives That May Change The Way You Look At This Iconic Era
There’s no denial that when you think about what the '70s are known for, the era’s colorful culture is the one thing that pops to mind first. Everything from the fashion, to music, to movies is so beautifully vivid and bold, one can’t help but admire it.
The list below consists of images that perfectly encapsulate the mood of the era. These pictures were shared by the Instagram account The70z, that’s dedicated to all things groovy. Over the years, it has amassed over 305,000 followers, proving that people still need sideburns and platform shoes on their feeds. Scroll down to get your fix of the funky and the radical.
This post may include affiliate links.
Ruth Gordon Schnapp, California’s First Woman Structural Engineer, 1970s
If you were to describe a typical '70s outfit, you’d probably mention one of the standard hippie looks consisting of bell-bottoms, a turtle neck, and some modest peace-sign-shaped jewelry. This type of bohemian fashion was all the rage in the first part of the decade.
Birthed by the counter-culture movement that encouraged everyone to “stick it to the man” and celebrated personal freedom, the fashion was carefree and fluid. The mood was created with flowy peasant blouses, maxi dresses, ponchos, and capes. The hair was long and natural; afros were in style. Men were growing out sideburns and proudly wearing mutton chops.
Natural colors and floral patterns took over for a while, too. Inspired by the new environmental movement, it moved away from the outrageous colors of the ’60s. Burnt orange, dark yellow, deep purple, and olive green were common in clothing and interiors.
41 29th Street, San Francisco, 1978
I really like it. So many American neighborhoods are completely bland. There should be more color and imagination and even playfulness.
Hippie Dad Walking With His Daughter, Amsterdam, 1967. Photo By Toni Riera
When it came to interiors, wood and rattan, both of which reinforced the natural feel, were really popular. Many swapped the outdated wallpapers to wood paneling that gave a warm look to their rooms while rattan was used in furniture such as chairs and tables. It was all tied together with velvet that helped to balance it all out by adding luxurious coziness to the atmosphere.
The emphasis of coziness is really notable when you look at the furniture that was popular back then. Curvy, cushy sofas were loved by many, while papasan chairs, egg chairs, and beanbags became lounging staples. Sunken living room designs or so-called conversation pits were popular, too.
Joan Jett Without Her Signature Black Eyeliner
She's still looking good to this day; however, she was absolutely gorgeous back then!
I'll take the heavy black eyeliner any day. Have you seen her now? She's had more than one face lift - and looks horrible.
Women In Afghanistan During The 70s. Before Taliban. Heartbroken For All Woman, Men And Children Going Through Pain Now In
Tim Curry, 1974 By Joe Gaffney
The '70s were bursting with musical talent and innovations. Rock music was seeing a particular boom in the industry. Hard rock emerged with AC/DC, Kiss, and Aerosmith rising into stardom. Punk rock was also finding its audience with the Ramones, Blondie, and Patti Smith encouraging everyone to shun the mainstream.
Helen Mirren, 1969
Ms Mirren is still a beautiful lady and a magnificent actress. She is not afraid of aging.
Harrison Ford In A Kitchen In The Late 70s
That Moment When You Realize Your Parents Were Cooler Than You. "My Parents In Front Of A Store In Paris, 1972"
Meanwhile, the mainstream was seeing the rise of disco music. Nightclubs were popping up all over the place and people needed dance anthems there and then. That’s when Gloria Gaynor gave the world “I Will Survive,” Chic made us “Le Freak,” and the Bee Gees reinvigorated everyone with “Staying Alive.”
André The Giant, Using Dwayne Johnson's Grandfather (Weighing 315lb), High Chief Peter Maivia As A Booster Seat. 1970s
Lynda Carter Pre-Wonder Woman In The 7os
Gary Anderson, The Guy Who, At Age 23, Designed The Recycling Logo For A Contest, 1970
And still a lot of people don't know what the logo means (or they simply ignore it)
Brought about by the disco music, the disco look also emerged in the '70s. The fashionistas were not afraid of showing off the body with revealing tube tops and halter neck styles becoming popular all over. Sequins were the go-to material, allowing bodies to shine under the nightclub lights. Short shorts, form-fitting pants, or long dresses with high slits were popular amongst women while men often opted for three-piece suits inspired by Saturday Night Fever.
A Woman Photographed In 1973
Amy Irving, Carrie Fisher And Teri Garr. New York City, 1977
Cher
Talking about inspirational movies, one cannot omit the monumental work made during this decade. The young filmmaking voices such as Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese premiered The Godfather, Jaws, and Taxi Driver respectively, all of which rocked the movie scene.
14-Year-Old Melanie Griffith, At Home With Her Pet Lion, Neil,1971
Dolly Parton Performs In Detroit, Michigan In September Of 1977
New York City, 1975 By @joel_meyerowitz
Genre movies also rose in popularity, with quite a few science fiction flicks garnering a lot of attention. The epic space opera, Star Wars, became an instant hit and gradually evolved into a cultural phenomenon. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind got everyone talking about aliens, a topic that was further explored with Alien at the end of the decade.
New York City, 1978. Photo By Helen Levitt
A Very Chill Looking Dude Getting Caught Growing Weed In His Garden, L.a., 1973
Susan Sarandon, Cannes, 1978
All in all, the '70s culture was quite charming. Looking back, there are quite a few things one would love to bring back. Not the violence, homophobia, or carelessness, of course. Preferably, just the funky patterns and the awkward lingo. Right on, dude!
San Francisco's Lombard Street In 1975
Conversation Pits From The 1960s And 1970s
Susan Sarandon In "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975)
Elton John At Home With His Shoe Collection. Photo By Terry O’neill, 1975
Rumours (1977)
Sizzling In The Kitchen: Abba's Agnetha Fältskog, 1974
Al Pacino
Dolly Parton
Anjelica Huston Models In Halston’s Fall 1972 Ready-To-Wear Collection. Fairchild Archive/Penske Media/Shutterstock
Two Brothers At Their Joint Wedding. 1970's
Sigourney Weaver At The Tail O’ The Pup, La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, 1978
So young and about to become famous because Alien was released in 1979 (she was 28 when filming the movie).
At Home With Harrison Ford, 1978
Kate Bush, London, March 1978
Jonathan Frid Crowns Christine Domaniecki "Miss American Vampire" (1970)
This could happen now. We Goths aren't dead. We are undead. We already outlasted many subcultures, wit will un-live on to bury more.
George Harrison & Stevie Nicks , 1978
Grace Jones, The Palace, Paris, 1978
'how To Survive A Disco Attack' - 1977
What is a Disco Attack? I really want to know. Also Disco Attack would be a good name for a band.
Happy 1979
Sharon Tate Photographed By Gene Gutowski On Their Christmas Holiday In Italy, 25 December 1968
A Young Steve Martin Ironing A Cat, 1970s
Madonna Photographed By Her Boyfriend Dan Gilroy On The Bus In New York, 1979
Nobody: ____ Me: "Frozen", "The Power of Goodbye", "Live to Tell" and "You'll see" are my favorite Madonna songs.
A Steward Slices Meat For Passengers On Sas Scandinavian Airlines, 1969
Margaux Hemingway Photographed By David Hume Kennedy In Havana, Cuba (1978)
Robert De Niro On The Set Of Taxi Driver, 1976
Girl On A Beach In Oahu, Hawaii, 1973. Photo By Nick Dewolf
Willem Dafoe In The Wooster Group's "Point Judith (An Epilog)" (1979), Produced At The Envelope In New York City. Photo By Nancy Campbell
Danny Trejo And His 3rd Wife Joanne In 1976
Yeah THAT Danny Trejo. Dude was born in '44. His life story is fascinating.
A Woman Known As "Disco Sally" Dances With Her Husband At Studio 54, 1978
Swiss Photo Reporter Willy Spiller Captured The Grit Of The NYC Subway In The 70s
imagine later, the blonde girl will tell these kids "your feet on the seat, young girl ! " :D
Fleetwood Mac Photographed By Sam Emerson - 1977
Bill Murray At Elvis's Funeral, 1977
Chevy Chase Late 70s
Varna Restaurant, Århus, Denmark, 1971. Designed By Verner Panton
Robert Plant Performs Live At The Oakland Coliseum On July 23, 1977 In Oakland, California
Anjelica Huston Wearing The Jealous Husband (1940) By Alexander Calder, 1976
Paul And Linda Self-Portrait. London, 1970
His wife Linda was from the family that created Kodak. She was destined to be a photographer. Eastman was her maiden name.
Diana Ross Photographed By Frank Carrol (1969)
Shelley Duvall In Photo Booths, 1970s
George Harrison Polaroids
Stevie Nicks And Lindsey Buckingham Performing At A Wedding In 1971
That 70's Wedding
Natalie Wood Style From 1968 To 1971
Her sad drowning has never really been answered properly
Cher
Goldie Hawn Style From The 70s
Saint Petersburg, Florida, 1973. Photo By Jonathan S. Blair
At least the woman in goggles is being sensible, that statue will have your eye out!
Instamatics Of The Mccartney Family Taken By Antonio Lopez, Jamaica 1975
Debbie Harry Posing Beneath The Hollywood Sign, 1977
"Love is so confusing, there is no peace of mind..." (love the lyrics)
Wojciech Frykowski Listens In On Sharon Tate's Baby While Jay Sebring Snaps A Picture (Early August, 1969)
Jesus that's creepy. This had to be right before she was murdered by the Manson Family.
Linda Ronstadt Singing The National Anthem At Dodger Stadium, 1977
Cher Makeup Center, 1977. Mego Corporation
Madonna Photographed By Her Boyfriend Dan Gilroy On The Bus In New York, 1979
Andy Warhol Roller-Skating At The Roxy In New York City, June 1979. Photo By Robin Platzer
Goldie Hawn And Liza Minnelli In TV Special “Liza & Goldie Together” In 1979
“The Rage In Germany Is Skirts On Fellas (Don’t Knock It, Girls, The Romans Wore ‘Em And Looked Quite Groovy)” From 16, November 1967
Angelina Jolie , Her Brother James With Their Mother Marcheline Bertrand
Meryl Streep
This photo really shows that her daughters are a true mini me. I wish there was a side by side using this photo instead of others I've seen.
Charlie Watts
A Very Young And Flexible Stevie Nicks
Jerry Hall In Paris (70s)
In the 1970s, Jerry hall shared an apartment in Paris with Grace Jones and Jessica Lange. I would have loved to have seen what adventures they got up to!
The Bonaventure Hotel By John Portman, Downtown Los Angeles, 1976
Sonny & Cher Hosting A Party To Welcome Twiggy To Los Angeles On April 30, 1967. #60s
Jim Morrison And Pamela Courson Share Some Fries In Saint-Leu D'esserent, June 28 1971, A Week Before His Passing On July 3. Photo By Alain Ronay
I do not lament the passing of Jim Morrison. He was a pretty horrible person. I know I'll get downvoted for this but the way he treated women is unacceptable.
Debbie Harry Of Blondie In A Wrecked Car On 6th Avenue And 50th Street In New York City. September 1976. Photo By Bob Gruen
Not a real accident, I think, since the license plate reads "Blondie" in the original picture Screenshot...24-png.jpg
Iggy Pop And Tina, San Francisco, 1970
Omg, he's got a shirt on! I don't think I've ever seen him wearing one before.
Peggy Lipton Photographed By Vernon Merritt III, 1970
George & Patti | Heathrow Airport, 1967
A Woman Applying Pink Floral Fabric To Her Bathroom Cabinets And Fixtures, 1970's
Model Wearing Award Winning Glasses, 19 November, 1974. The Braided Gold Frame With Mauve Lenses, Dotted With Stardust, Won Top Prize In Fashion Eyewear Group Of America's 10th Annual Design Awards
Cher, 1977
Lyn May, The Mexican Showgirl Who Drove Deputies, Senators, Businessmen, Film Directors And Presidents Crazy With Her Curves, 1978
Fleetwood Mac In Los Angeles, 1979. Photo By Sam Emerson
Sadly (as some may not know), Mick lost his very popular restaurant and Fleetwood Mac memorabilia shop in the Lahaina fire storm... image_2023...c03ae7.png
A Group Of Girls Get Ready For A Skate, At Venice Beach, California, 1979
Marcheline Bertrand And Her Son James Haven
A Man Stops To Watch A Woman Tie Her Sandals In Portofino Marina, August 1977. Photo By Slim Aarons
Marina Pierro In Behind Convent Walls (1978)
Tippi Hedren With Her Daughter Melanie Griffith And Their 400 Ib Pet Lion Named Neil At Their Pool In Sherman Oaks In 1971
Why would you ever think having a lion for a pet, is a good idea!
John Lennon And Yoko Ono In Selfridges Department Store In London To Promote The Publication Of The 2nd Edition Of Yoko's Book Grapefruit In 1971
Shelley Duvall And Sissy Spacek On The Set Of “3 Women”, 1977
Carnaval, Rio De Janeiro, 1972. Photo By Elliott Erwitt
Stevie Nicks, 1975
Party In A Flight, 1970s
I think this is an ad. Vs someone who was there photographing the scene. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think so
Adidas Sportswear Advertisement From 1979
"Rebellious Youth", 70s
Victoria's Secret Catalog, 1979
Andy Warhol, Stevie Wonder And Gil Scott-Heron Backstage After A Rolling Stones Concert At Madison Square Garden In New York City, July 1972
Ali Macgraw Style From The ‘70s
Starstruck: Photographs From A Fan By Gary Lee Boas
Students At Oxford University Celebrating The End Of Their Examinations (1976)
All we did to celebrate the end of my uni degree in 2013 was go for pizza in a place I hadn't stepped foot in the 5 years I went to uni around the corner!
Christie Brinkley By Chris Von Wangenheim For Vogue, February 1977
Part of a series of Dior ads that were controversial. Here's Lisa Taylor in the most popular one. DIOR-1976-...dbf3cd.jpg
Guy Passed Out, San Francisco, 1979. Photo By Jim Jocoy
Glamour Mag 1970, By William Connors
Photos From The 1970s By Stephen Shore
I have almost the exact same watch/clock on my wall, lol. Mine's brown and gold, though, not this sexy silver.
Hugh Holland, Number 79, Long Beach, 1975
Hugh Holland was the photographer's name and he did a lot of work with the '70s skateboarders in California. Bunch of marvy pics here: https://www.mbphoto.com/artists/16-hugh-holland/series/
A Couple Photographed At The Beach In The 1970s
Jane And Her Favorite Basket
Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin By Francis Giacobetti For Lui, December 1974
Oh hell, I’m old enough to remember all of it, but you know, drugs, there are grey areas. The parts I remember were awesome so the other parts must have been too. That’s my reasoning and I’m sticking to it.
And let's not forget everyone chainsmoking everywhere. The mall, the hospital, AT SCHOOL, the grocery. You could never escape it. Not even 'nonsmoking' sections (for all the good that did).
Load More Replies...Me too. Is is just my age, or are these photos sexy?
Load More Replies...I don't get how all these celebrity photos epitomize the 70's, most of them are legendary at this point and have been for decades.
How are these gonna change the way I look at anything? They're all celebrities.
Oh hell, I’m old enough to remember all of it, but you know, drugs, there are grey areas. The parts I remember were awesome so the other parts must have been too. That’s my reasoning and I’m sticking to it.
And let's not forget everyone chainsmoking everywhere. The mall, the hospital, AT SCHOOL, the grocery. You could never escape it. Not even 'nonsmoking' sections (for all the good that did).
Load More Replies...Me too. Is is just my age, or are these photos sexy?
Load More Replies...I don't get how all these celebrity photos epitomize the 70's, most of them are legendary at this point and have been for decades.
How are these gonna change the way I look at anything? They're all celebrities.