Gettin' Groovy With It
The seventies were a decade defined by ever-changing dos. There was a wild freedom to it all, with men growing their locks past the collar and women experimenting with volume that could double as architecture. You could see it on the streets, in small-town diners, on dance floors sticky with spilled beer. Even in old photos tucked into yellowed family albums, hair from the ’70s jumps out first before you even look at the faces. It was identity, rebellion, a cultural wink that said: we’ve left the fifties and sixties behind, now watch this. Let’s dig into some of the most popular hairstyles, starting with the men.
1. The Shag
Shaggy layers were the name of the game. This hairstyle was a little messy and feathered out just so, with bangs falling into your eyes. David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” phase made it a generational fad, but even the neighbor’s older brother might’ve had one—that guy who strummed Led Zeppelin riffs on a beat-up guitar in his garage.
ABC Television Network. on Wikimedia
2. Long and Straight
This one was simple. Your hair was allowed to grow down past your shoulders, and you maintained a neat part in the middle. That’s it, that’s all. You’d see this hairstyle being rocked by singers in Led Zeppelin, as well as by kids hitchhiking across America on their way to nowhere. After the previous generation had made efforts to keep their hair trimmed and neat, this look was an act of rebellion.
3. The Perm
Yes, men got perms. These tight springy curls may seem comical today, but back then they had seriously cool vibes attached to them. Star football players wore them, as did disco dancers. If you walked into a smoky nightclub, you’d likely spot at least a handful of guys rocking those perfect, glossy curls under the colored lights.
4. The Afro
This one served as much as a cultural statement as a style. Rounded, powerful, and unapologetically full, the African-American community wore this like a crown. Think of the Jackson 5 in their matching suits, or Richard Pryor holding a microphone, eyes sharp—wit sharper still. It was more than hair—it was pride, politics, and fashion rolled into one.
5. The Mullet
This was the more restrained version of the “business in the front, party in the back” mullet of the ’80s. Men wore layered cuts that were neat in front and slightly looser and longer in the back. A small-town mechanic might’ve had one without even realizing he was ahead of his time.
6. The Feathered Cut
This style consisted of a large mane of hair, flipped away from the face in soft layers. John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever brought it to the masses, but many men copied it long before they could pull off the white suit.
ABC Television Network. on Wikimedia
7. The Handlebar Mustache + Hair Combo
Technically, this one pairs hair with facial hair, but it’s impossible to separate them without doing a disservice to both. Think Burt Reynolds reclining on a bearskin rug. Without the hair to balance it, the mustache would look too stark. But together? Iconic.
Alan Light (alan.light) on Wikimedia
8. Short Back and Sides
Not everyone in the ’70s dove headfirst into counterculture. Many men, especially older ones, stuck to tidy cuts that left the ears showing. In family portraits, you’d notice a funny split: teenagers with wild shag cuts next to fathers with no-nonsense conservative trims.
9. Cornrows
Athletes and musicians brought this style into mainstream visibility. Cornrows in the ’70s were striking, tight, and every row told the story of the hours it had taken to style their hair that way. The look had deep cultural roots, and in the disco era, it was both practical and stylish under the heat of the dance floor lights.
10. The Mop-Top
Even though the Beatles had split in 1970, their mop-top legacy lingered, and many young men continued to wear the rounded, bowl-ish cuts. It felt gentler than the shags and perms, almost boyish, but it still carried a hint of rebellion from the sixties.
Los Gatos estamapados.jpeg Unknown authorUnknown author
derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי on Wikimedia
Now Let's look at some of the women's hairstyles
1. The Farrah Fawcett Flip
Farrah made this style legendary on Charlie’s Angels, and suddenly every woman wanted those flowing, bouncy layers. You could almost smell the gallons of hairspray holding up all that golden hair in perfect arcs.
2. Long and Center-Parted
Just a long curtain of hair split evenly down the middle, this style was natural, simple, and freeing. Joni Mitchell, Ali MacGraw, and countless students on American campuses rocked this effortless style.
3. The Afro
Women embraced the Afro with equal power and pride. A somewhat exclusive hairdo, this regal, rounded style evoked both awe and political implications and was the envy of those lacking the genetics to pull it off. Think Pam Grier in Foxy Brown or Diana Ross shimmering under stage lights.
4. The Beehive
The beehive didn’t vanish entirely in the ’60s but lingered into the early ’70s, particularly in smaller towns. Some women teased their hair into impossibly high towers, adding pins and spray until it defied physics. Go look at an old wedding photo album, and you’ll probably find one.
Manfred Werner - Tsui on Wikimedia
5. Braids
From schoolgirls with neat pigtails to intricate, cultural braid styles that wove stories into hair, braids in the seventies carried versatility. Bo Derek would later popularize cornrows in the ’80s, but braided styles were everywhere already.
6. The Shag
Messy layers weren’t just for men. Jane Fonda wore one, Debbie Harry had versions, and regular women followed suit. The shag gave off that “I woke up like this” energy with its slightly wild, slightly rock ’n’ roll vibe.
7. The Pageboy
This hairstyle was straight, sleek, and cut blunt around the chin with bangs. It framed the face neatly in an almost geometric manner. Although reminiscent of sixties mod styles, the seventies version was somewhat updated. Your aunt probably had one in family photos, paired with oversized glasses.
8. Short and Cropped
Not every woman wanted length or volume. Some chopped it all off in favor of pixie cuts or boyish crops. Mia Farrow had paved the way a few years earlier, and the seventies kept the style alive for women who didn’t care to fuss with curlers or blow-dryers.
9. Permed Volume
Oh, the perm. A perm could last months if you cared for it well, but the smell of the chemicals lingered in memory forever. Many women remember sitting under giant salon dryers, flipping through gossip magazines while their hair transformed into a cloud of curls.
10. Hair Accessories and Scarves
Although technically not a “style,” these accessories are impossible to separate from this era. During the seventies, bandanas were tied over long hair, and bright scarves and barrettes were used to hold back waves of hair. Although practical, these accessories made no less of a statement than the hairstyles they were supporting.
