The 70’s exercised and still exercises a great cultural influence in the artistic environment: whether in music, movies or even clothes. It is impossible to think about the decade and not remember the hippie movement, the discos, the growth of rock, flare pants and the political issues that reflected their consequences on the way youth expressed themselves at the time.
You probably have bell mouth pants, you’ve heard some Bee Gees style music and you’ve read about Woodstock and the Hippie movement. Thinking about it, we separated some artistic and cultural topics, explaining how the 70’s exercises its power and legacy in each area until today in the pop scene!
- Fashion
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The 70’s is remembered in fashion for its vivid, bright and neon colors; stripes; flare pants that fit the body and opened in the bar; lots of high waist; prints and bangs. The Hippie movement was an incisive factor in the style of the time, as it brought a more stripped down and authentic look. The alternative and lively fashion of this generation marks presence until today: with gowns and prints with vivid colors, the style of the young Woodstock still reverberates from bell pants to punk fashion and neon colors on makeup.
- Music
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When we talk about the music of the 70’s, we are thinking of a richly complex scenario. We have the discos, the Saturday night rock, the punk, the hippie, the progressive rock. Maybe Bee Gees’ ballads along with the whole game of lights, colors and flashy clothes are a more fixed image related to the decade, but it was also in the 70’s that punk style and progressive rock conquered its space. Woodstock and the Hippie movement opened doors to a new level: the festival brought together rock icons such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The album and soul were also on the rise, with artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire and we see their brands currently in several artists. Bruno Mars, for example, often mixes pop, jazz and musical elements of soul. Undoubtedly, it was also a great time for rock classics, but already ABBA, Cher and Donna Summer are some of the other names that grew up in the 70’s and are references for pop culture today.
- Cinema
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Clockwork Orange (1971), The Godfather (1974), The Exorcist (1973), Carrie (1976), Jaws (1975) and Apocalypse Now, are some of the titles that take us back to the film world of that decade. With new literary adaptations, such as Carrie by Stephen King, and bold directions by Kubrick and Coppola, the cinema of the 70’s created timeless landmarks and references, both in terms of originality and glamour, different look and approach, and a new aesthetic on the big screen.
- Lifestyle
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Thinking about the 70’s and its lifestyle brings us an adventurous, alive and sagacious air. It’s like years of pioneering, partying and breaking rules. Leaving the conservatism of the past decades aside, the climate of discos, festivals and events make this time remembered and taken as a reference until today. With a constant search for freedom and openness to new paradigms, the 70’s were literally watershed years, from the way one dresses to a reformulation of political correctness.
- Social Movements
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It is necessary to understand that during this period there were arms races, and especially the Vietnam War. This conflict has importance in the subject, because it was it that generated the counter-culture movement in the United States: as a way of responding to armed conflicts, the youth culture of the time aimed to call for freedom and a less nationalistic and conflictive posture. Then, the Hippie movement and the Woodstock festival emerged with strength.
The 1970s represented a great union between a new cultural and social spirit, where people began to have more modern and less traditional ideas. Together with the strong artistic presence, these are the factors that made the decade unforgettable and eternally influential, for its freedom and vivacity.
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The article above was edited by Lívia Carvalho.
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