1970s Women’s Hairstyles

In the 1970s, many women wore their hair long, though there were some who preferred it shorter, above the shoulder or chin length, also. The styles were simpler, looked more natural than in the previous eras and hence, were fairly easy to create and maintain. Some of the popular styles, often sported by film stars and celebrities, were the long and straight variations of the bob, natural Afro’s, etc., which were often accessorised with headbands. To achieve the long and straight look, women often used regular irons as specific straightening ones had not yet been invented. The accent was more on looking different, rather than shocking which became the sole purpose in later years. A lot of styles were combined with waves or curls and bangs. Some styles have been carried down in their original form, while some have undergone many changes over the years to suit modern trends and convenience. These are some of the 1970s styles which are still popular.

Women’s Hairstyles In 1970s

The Natural Afro Cut
The 70s was an era when black people had started enjoying a position in society. They grew their naturally curly hair to make a fashion statement and the style caught on. To this day, the style remains immensely popular among the fashion conscious and the best part is that it requires minimal time and effort.

• Good hair growth is essential to get the Afro American look going. This style works best with jet-black hair; same style with blonde hair can give an entirely different look while brunette hair can give quite a similar look.
• This hairstyle can get harsh on the hair hence it is essential to keep the hair moisturized. The use of olive oil or jojoba helps in keeping the hair supple.
• The Afro hairstyle typically boasts of tight curls and good length. So if you are looking at this style, you must grow your hair long enough that it falls beyond your shoulders — waist-length would be even better.
• Now, depending on how long you want the curls to stay, you can get perms or short-lived curls done. The 70s trend involved making tight braids of small sections of hair which were kept overnight, and un-braided in the morning to reveal perfect curls.
• Some women also favoured the braided look over the curls. This style has evolved over the years but still remains a popular Afro American style.

The Bob
The bob was popular in the 70s among women who did not have the time to style and maintain their long hair. There were many variations of the bob.

• The chin length bob was cut either in a blunt style all around or layered to add texture and given a tousled look.
• The inverted bob had short hair at the back but longer in front and suited women who fancied a short style with hair framing their face.
• The hair could be parted down at the centre or at the side. It complemented a long neck and visually added length to a short neck. This style suited all hair types—thick or thin, straight or curly—and most face shapes. One just had to use styling products that suited one’s hair texture.
• The bob combined well with bangs and fringes, clips or headbands enhanced the effect of the style.

The Farah Fawcett Style
The feathered look popularized by Farah Fawcett became quite a rage in the 1970s and was copied by many women. The blow dryer, invented in the 70s, became quite a boon to hairstyling. For the feathered look, one needed to have hair at least of shoulder length.

• To create the style, one had to blow-dry damp hair in an under and upward motion to create body and more volume, while running the fingers through to lift and loosen the hair.
• To finish the styling, the hair around the face had to be blow dried in an out and up direction, to create the soft, feathered look.
• Apart from looking chic, this was an all-occasion hairdo and easy to maintain. It is gaining popularity again among the ‘in’ crowd.

The 1970’s Women’s Hairstyles have some interesting options that make it easy to choose a hairstyle if you are throwing, or attending a theme party, or if you just feel the need to cause a stir by altering your regular hairstyle. After all, these hairstyles had a chutzpah about them that’s unparalleled even today. Match the appeal of these hairstyles with your natural charm and self-confidence and see how you can make the heads turn . These styles are still the “oomph” of the day — and always will be!