Grab your Bell-Bottoms – Seventies Styles Stay Serving!
Were we locked up for so long… that we collectively crave disco?
Picking up where we left off last time, we’re continuing our retrospective deep dive into classic styles from the past - and this time we’re diving straight back in with the 70s!
Now we all know the 70s was poppin’ for fashion, but arguably the best thing to come out of the decade’s aesthetic was the hair; From shaggy lengths and blunt bobs, to fierce fringes and picked out afros, these 70s staples remain some of the most heavily referenced and played-upon since their inception.
Today, we’re seeing some of the biggest celebrities and influencers taking cues from the golden era that debuted some of the most timeless hairstyles around.
THE MULLET
Business in the Front, Party in the back!
Billie Ray Cyrus can finally sleep easy - the mullet is back!!!
First modelled by rock stars like Rod Stewart, David Bowie, and Joan Jett, the mullet is back in all its iterations. On red carpets today we’re seeing celebs like Rihanna and Miley Cyrus (is the mullet a Cyrus family heirloom?) rocking the style in different variations. In fact, the mullet is having its moment of first introduction to the new generation, regaining popularity thanks to TikTok’s “one-minute-mullet challenge”… and yep, it’s pretty much as disastrous as it sounds.
But look, if that’s what it takes to get people experimenting with 70s styles then hey, go off queen - just promise you’ll book in with us if it doesn’t quite work out!!!
THE 70S SHAG
The Ultimate ‘It Girl’ cut of the decade!
Kinda like the low-key, low-maintenance cousin of the mullet, the choppy layering throughout the shag blends the lengths from the shortest face-framing layers to the ends.
The style was made iconic in the 70s by legends like Goldie Hawn and Stevie Nicks who both wore excellent examples of the look. Today? Billie Eilish, Natasha Lyonne, J Lo and models like Mica Argañaraz have been spotted sporting the shag. If you’re after an easy, highly versatile style – she’s ya girl! Depending on your hair texture, the shag can be worn dishevelled and messy, or seamlessly sleek; Minimum effort, maximum result! Today’s interpretation of the shag still embraces the natural texture, and boasts a more lived-in, less-styled vibe.
Another take on the shag is the wolf cut; Currently taking TikTok by storm, the wolf cut is essentially a shag cut filled with wispy layers and volume. Wolf cuts are the in-between of the mullet and the shag - think early Jane Fonda or Joan Jett - and currently huuuuge. Miley Cyrus has rocked the shag to wolf cut trajectory, and Billie Eilish recently changed up her platinum shag style for a brunette wolf cut.
THE FARRAH FLICK
Farrah’s Feathered Flicks at the Forefront of Fashion!
Playing off the layered shags and wolf cuts came the feathered flicks - as exaggerated as they could be!
Farrah Fawcett was the poster girl for this look; With her voluminous, cascading swathes of golden layers, everyone went crazy for Farrah’s feathered flippy flicks. With a few small tweaks to bring it into the modern-day, we can help you can achieve the Charlie’s Angels aesthetic we’ve all waited FAR TOO LONG to revisit. A contemporary take on the long, layered look flaunts voluminous waves curled away from the face with curtain style bangs to accent the look; The more blended layering gives a smoother, more glam appearance, something we’ve seen in countless varieties on J Lo today.
Ciara also flaunted an interpretation of the Fawcett Flip and we ate it up!!!
DISCO CURLS
Inspired by the Divas of the Dance Floor - think Studio 54, Bouncy Blowout!
Big bouncy curls quickly became one of the most sought-after styles of the decade! 70s icons like Jerry Hall were seen on the world stage rocking the look across magazine covers, on the catwalk, and at the legendary Studio 54. We saw a version of Jerry Hall’s signature volume on model Kaia Gerber at the Met Gala just passed - yeah, she was a hundred years off the intended reference, but damn she looked good. Another rendition was Zendaya’s bouncy curls which blessed us all by resurrecting 70s disco queen! Note the shorter pieces at the front to give that nod to retro shag - this is peak performance, people!
Add a touch of 70s glamour movement to your hair by creating Studio 54 worthy disco curls — Top hairstylists anticipate this will be the biggest hair trend of 2022!
FULL AFRO
Bigger and Better!
Afro-textured hair was full and fun throughout the decade of disco - see old pics of Diana Ross and Pam Grier for inspo. And today, with more of us embracing natural texture over lockdown, the full Fro has made a full comeback in its synonymity with freedom and power. Amandla Stenberg is just one celebrity to show off their natural growth this year; Other big names include Kiki Layne, her Met Gala look a celebration of Black beauty as she stepped out flaunting a stunning geometric Afro that left our jaws on the ground. Whether you’re flaunting natural texture or carefully crafted coils, full Fros continue to dominate today on high fashion runways and all other major trendsetting influences!
CHER HAIR
Straight Sleek, Cher Chic
In stark contrast to the volume discussed so far, straight n sleek looks skyrocketed in popularity and remained at the height of relevance throughout the decade - perhaps thanks to our queen and mother, Cher.
The muse for many current day icons, Cher’s loooong pin-straight raven locks are often replicated by the likes of Kim K and Cardi B. Ultra long mermaid hair has become increasingly popular over the past year - Can we credit the resurgence of this look to the lockdowns and our inability to see our hairdresser? Who knows, but we’re obsessed! From Rihanna and Bella Hadid, to Jennifer Lopez and Drew Barrymore we’re now seeing the biggest names flaunting length reminiscent of Cher and Ali McGraw’s long sleek locks.
FRENCH GIRL HAIR
Je me suis réveillé comme ça! (I woke up like this!)
Long hair reigned supreme throughout the 70s— and fringed styles were all the rage!
There are very few people that don’t want Jane Birkin esque French girl hair; There’s something so effortlessly beautiful about the natural windswept tresses and eyebrow-skimming bangs that make this look. A French favourite, this style remains as chic now as it was back then - with everyone from Margot Robbie to Daisy Edgar Jones, Alexa Chung and makeup artist Violette being 70s fringe fans! Dakota Johnson has made it her go-to signature hair - think early Joni Mitchell - stunning.
THE BOB
She Never Left!
With the popularity of the bob showing no signs of waning, we can trace many of the styles being referenced today back to the OG bob styles of the 70s!
Debbie Harry’s unforgettable blunt cut style left us all fighting off the impulse to chop it all off to the chin! And it looks like Billie Eilish did just that, recently seen rocking a spot on Blondie bob.
Donna Summer’s sleek bob complete with a choppy fringe, and Bianca Jagger’s chic deep side-parted number cemented the 70s bob as a true staple of the era.
This one is so classic, it’s been reimagined a hundred times over throughout the decades and still remains relevant and hot as hell!
The beauty of the bob is that there’s an iteration to suit everyone — Speak to your stylist about what style suits your face shape best!
SO BASICALLY…
Uhh, what an incredible decade for hair!! From Donna Summer, and Farrah Fawcett, to Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, and Jane Birkin - these queens were at the height of their glory, serving us iconic looks we continue to reference 5 decades on! Hairstyles from the 70s became the blueprints for reimagined looks that came the following decades - and we’re seeing another resurgence of the disco decade’s aesthetic in our modern-day. The way to flaunt these 70s styles in 2022 without looking too retro or fancy-dress, is to nod to the essence of the style without being too literal with it. Modern interpretations of retro styles excel when a reference is clear but reimagined through a contemporary lens! Let our expert stylists help you achieve this today!
Aaaand that brings us to the 80s!