1970s Hairstyles
The seventies were a decade of freedom and experimentation. Fashion broke away from the rigidity of the previous era, embracing individuality, softness, movement, and personal flair. Hair, in particular, became a powerful statement of identity. Women wore their hair long, natural, voluminous, feathered, curled, straightened, or layered.
Hair in the 1970s was never just hair. It was part of a complete look, paired with suede boots, flowing skirts, oversized sunglasses, denim, and, of course, the endlessly popular turtleneck. Together, seventies hairstyles and clothing created some of the most unforgettable looks in fashion history.
Long Feathered Hair
Few hairstyles are more closely associated with the 1970s than long, feathered hair, popularized by actress Farrah Fawcett. Soft, layered hair, brushed away from the face with airy volume, became one of the defining looks of the decade. This hairstyle was relaxed yet sophisticated.
The feathered look was achieved with long layers cut throughout the hair, styled using a round brush and a blow dryer. The result was lightness and movement rather than stiffness and hair seemed to float around the face in soft wings, creating an elegant, breezy appearance.
This style perfectly matched the era's growing fascination with natural beauty and healthy-looking hair. Women no longer wanted overly sprayed, immovable styles; instead, they embraced softness and shine. Feathered hair looked beautiful in motion, whether blowing in the wind or dancing beneath disco lights.
Golden blonde shades, honey browns, and highlights were especially popular, giving the feathered layers additional dimension.
The Shag
If feathered hair represented glamour, the shag embodied rebellion. Popularized by actresses like Jane Fonda, the shag became one of the most influential cuts of the 1970s thanks to its choppy texture, edgy shape, and carefree attitude.
Typically featuring heavy layers, volume at the crown, and wispy ends, the shag could be worn messy or refined. It worked beautifully on straight, wavy, and curly hair alike, carrying an intentionally undone quality that felt modern and energetic.
Women loved the shag because it offered ultimate versatility. It could look soft and feminine or bold and rebellious depending on how it was styled. Bangs were almost always incorporated into the cut, ranging from soft curtain bangs to heavily textured fringes.
The shag perfectly reflected the spirit of the seventies: liberated, expressive, and blissfully unconcerned with perfection. It is no surprise that modern versions of the shag continue to dominate trends today.
The Afro
The Afro was far more than a hairstyle; it was a powerful cultural symbol. Worn proudly and naturally, the Afro celebrated texture, identity, and self-expression. Icons like Pam Grier and Diana Ross helped bring this style into mainstream fashion, proving that natural hair was both beautiful and powerful.
Rounded, full, and sculptural, the Afro transformed natural curls into a striking visual statement. Women wore Afros in many sizes, from soft, rounded halos to dramatic, oversized silhouettes that radiated confidence and elegance.
The popularity of the Afro coincided with broader social movements celebrating natural beauty and rejecting narrow beauty standards. Hair became an expression of authenticity rather than conformity.
Accessories like headbands and scarves often complemented the look, adding personal flair. The Afro paired beautifully with flowing seventies fashion: bold prints, flared trousers, platform shoes, and vibrant colors.
Disco Curls
With the rise of disco culture in the mid-to-late seventies, hairstyles became shinier, bolder, and more dramatic. Disco curls captured the excitement and energy of nightclub fashion. The disco era celebrated excess, and hair reflected this beautifully.
These curly styles were soft yet voluminous, often cut with strategic layers to maximize bounce. Hair shimmered under dance-floor lighting, enhanced by glossy finishes and glamorous styling products. Women embraced maximum fullness, allowing curls to frame the face and cascade over the shoulders.
Unlike the tight, structured pin-curls of earlier decades, disco curls had a freer, more fluid quality. They moved effortlessly on the dance floor and complemented the luxurious fabrics popular at the time, including satin, lamé, velvet, and sequins.
Achieved with heated rollers or curling irons, then teased gently for extra volume, the result was hair that was simultaneously glamorous and playful.
At the opposite end of the styling spectrum was the relaxed elegance of long, straight hair worn with a sharp center part. Inspired by the bohemian movement and the lingering influence of late-sixties counterculture, this hairstyle became synonymous with natural beauty.
Hair was typically worn smooth and flowing, sometimes tumbling all the way down to the waist. The center part created symmetry and simplicity, allowing the hair’s natural shine to take center stage.
Many women preferred a slightly imperfect finish rather than rigidly pin-straight hair; soft waves and subtle layering added to the relaxed appeal. This look paired perfectly with peasant blouses, turtlenecks, suede jackets, maxi dresses, and denim.
It conveyed a sense of freedom and ease; a softer, more romantic vision of seventies fashion. Actresses like Ali MacGraw wore this style magnificently, proving that sometimes, less truly is more.
The Wedge
While many seventies hairstyles embraced free-flowing softness, the wedge introduced a more structured silhouette. Sometimes referred to as the wedge-shaped bob, this haircut became especially popular during the mid-1970s, offering a striking contrast to the longer, layered styles that dominated the era.
The wedge featured layers at the back that gradually tapered toward the neckline while maintaining fuller volume around the crown and sides. The cut created a clean, aerodynamic shape that looked incredibly modern. Although shorter than other popular styles, the wedge still retained a touch of seventies softness through feathered edges.
Women appreciated the wedge because it was both fashionable and low-maintenance. The haircut required less daily styling than longer looks while still appearing polished and contemporary.
When figure skater Dorothy Hamill won gold at the 1976 Winter Olympics, the world fell in love with her fluid, practical wedge bob. Even today, variations of the wedge continue to inspire modern bobs and short, layered cuts.
Bangs, Layers, and Texture
One of the most noticeable features of 1970s hairstyling overall was the total rejection of rigid geometry in favor of organic movement. Haircuts became fluid and soft compared to the heavily sculpted, lacquered styles of the sixties.
Curtain bangs framed the face delicately, blending seamlessly into layered cuts. Texture was celebrated rather than hidden; women embraced waves, curls, feathering, and natural volume.
Hair tools also evolved to meet this demand. Blow dryers, heated rollers, and round styling brushes became household essentials, allowing women to recreate salon-quality hairstyles at home.
Turtlenecks and Seventies Hair
Hairstyles in the 1970s were closely intertwined with wardrobe trends, and one surprisingly iconic garment of the era was the fitted turtleneck. Form-fitting, synthetic turtlenecks - often made of nylon or polyamide - became wardrobe staples for many women throughout the decade.
The synthetic fabrics gave these garments a slight sheen and stretch, making them sleek, practical, and easy to layer beneath blazers, denim shirts, and sleeveless dresses. When combined with flowing feathered hair or voluminous disco curls, the look felt sophisticated yet relaxed.
The contrast between soft, voluminous hair and a sleek, fitted turtleneck created a perfectly balanced silhouette that still looks chic today. By drawing the eye upward, the high neckline acted like a frame, allowing the iconic hairstyles of the era to truly stand out.
The Lasting Appeal of 1970s Hair
The lasting appeal of 1970s hairstyles lies in their versatility and authenticity. The decade embraced individuality unlike almost any era before it. Women could choose glamorous disco curls, natural Afros, rebellious shags, romantic feathered hair, or simple bohemian lengths; all while remaining fashionable.
The seventies taught us that hair does not need to appear rigid or perfect to be beautiful. Instead, beauty could be soft, confident, personal, and free-flowing. Even now, the spirit of seventies hair continues to influence modern fashion, reminding us that true style is always rooted in individuality.
©Hairfinder.com
See also: More about vintage hairstyles