1970's Costume Styles?

Question

Ok so I'm directing a 2 person production about the actress Judy Garland. The 2 characters in the play are older women, in their 50's. The setting takes place in 1970 and I was wondering what are some different styles of costumes they could wear?

Answer 1

Polyester pantsuits, or tweed skirts with polyester chiffon blouses.

This site has some info about clothing trends:
http://www.inthe70s.com/generated/clothes.shtml

This site has some photographs and pattern covers:
http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/timelinepages/1970s1.htm

Remember to choose colors that would be really hideous by today's standards, like peach and brown, or mustard yellow and burnt orange.

Answer 2

So they are in their fifties in 1970, so they were born around the time of World War I, and were somewhat older than my own mother. In 1970, she was sufficiently conservative that women older than her were probably wearing the same sort of things.

I hate to say it, but it was a pretty severely boring time for mature women's clothes. They should have some shirtwaist dresses, and perhaps oxford type blouses with button-down collars, sort of like a man's dress shirt but in pastel colors, and with a gold chain around the neck. The skirts would be plain a-line or somewhat flared, or straight if the characters are pretty slim, in solid dark colors. Middle-aged women in those days still wore girdles if they were anything other than pencil thin, so you need to include that for a middle-aged woman with middle-age spread, because she looks different and most especially moves different with a girdle on.

[Edit: lots of people wore polyester pant-suits, but not my Mom, and not anyone in small conservative towns. Women that age did not wear pants unless they were gardening or camping out.]

This was the same period of time when the hippie/new age stuff was all the rage for the younger crowd, and also the long granny skirts and Indian-bedspread dresses: no kidding, they were made out of very light-weight bedspreads from India. Lots of beads and fringe and like that. So if you have one character that dresses too young, and wears too much make-up, try putting her into something like that.

Answer 3

Google "70's clothing" and I'm sure you'll get a huge list.

In general you're looking for high waisted pant suits (leisure suits) with flared legs. Bold colors like avocado, mustard, and turquoise. Bright florals and plaids. Shirts with wide collars.

You should also check out your library...they should have some books that show a chronology of fashion that include the 70's. Or their archives should include magazines from the 70's that you could peruse and glean inspiration from.

Have fun!

Answer 4

Look at some old Garland videos. And period movies. As for the 50 yr. age use modern dress.