70s Outfit: Flare, Fringe, and a West Philly Beginning

Free People’s own story begins in West Philadelphia in the 1970s, when Dick Hayne opened The Free People’s Store. As the business expanded, the name changed, then returned in 1984 for a wholesale line. I like that start for a 70s outfit: not a polished studio story, but a neighborhood shop with clothes intended to carry a bit of freedom. The decade’s wardrobe makes sense to me when the pieces feel shaped by movement, not arranged like a costume.

 

One of the era’s clearest dress shapes arrived in 1974, when Diane von Furstenberg introduced her wrap dress. Vogue describes a jersey design with straightforward wearability, and MoMA lists a 1974 example in knit cotton and rayon. The United States Navy’s account describes heavy wool bell-bottom pants as part of sailors’ uniform, and says denim bell-bottomed dungarees served as workwear from 1913 to 1999. I like knowing the flared line had a working life before it became a fashion shorthand. The point is not to dress as a sailor, but to borrow a hem with a past.

 

For denim, I would start with Wrangler ’70s Flare Jeans in Golden Daze, whose light wash and floor grazing hem feel close to the reference, or Levi’s Ribcage High Waist Flare in Sweet Noon, with its higher rise and wide opening. The Dojo Mid Rise by 7 For All Mankind gives the shape a darker, trouser like line, while Joe’s Molly in Dark Coffee Bean adds slanted front pockets. MOTHER’s Doozy Fray Hem brings the pale wash with a raw edge, and PAIGE Sofia keeps the waist high and leg long. I would choose the shoes first, then check the inseam against them; the right flare should skim the floor, not collect it.

A fringe jacket should have one clear job: add movement while the jeans stay simple. Free People describes its We The Free line as heritage inspired denim and jackets, a useful brand note for this larger story, even though I would keep the layers distinct rather than pile on every western cue.

 

BLANKNYC’s Suede Fringe Jacket in Smoked Paprika keeps the fringe at the shoulders, while LAMARQUE’s Arizona Jacket in Distressed Tan sends it down from a goat suede body. The Free People Fringe Out Faux Suede Shacket in Toasted Coconut is the machine washable option; NIC+ZOE’s Sugar Cookie knit jacket gives a lighter texture without leather. If I want the whole coat to carry the motif, Generation Love’s Jenny in Soft Beige places fringe across a long tie belt shape. THE GREAT. makes a natural wool blend sweater jacket a quieter counterpoint.

 

Against flares, I would make only one thing swing: fringe or a long hem, not both at full volume. Check the fastening before choosing a layer, especially whether the buttons or hidden zip close over what you expect to wear beneath it. What I would skip: a cropped jacket whose fringe lands at the widest point of the hip when I want the silhouette to feel long. For a short outing, I would choose a shoulder fringe crop; for a full day, the relaxed knit or longer tie belt coat makes more sense.

With a peasant blouse, I look at where the volume gathers before I decide what to tuck. A billowy sleeve can feel deliberate with a clean waist, while lace and embroidery make a quieter shirt feel like enough on its own. The Anya Blouse in Palm Stone uses lace panels and scalloped trim over a soft cotton blend; We The Free’s Lovely Day in black has a ruffled peplum and exaggerated balloon sleeves. Pilcro’s Tallulah cotton blouse adds a crisp collar and double puff sleeves, and The embroidered black cotton buttondown by THE GREAT. puts flowers across its panels, collar, and sleeves.

 

A shorter sleeve changes the mood: RAISONNEL’s gingham blouse has floral embroidery and an adjustable drawstring hem, while Warp + Weft’s navy Lonestar uses poplin, pintucks, and eyelet trim for a neater shape. I would let one detail lead, not ask a print, lace edge, puff sleeve, and high low hem to compete at once. Before choosing, check the shoulder seam and sleeve opening with arms bent; the volume should still leave room to move. A partial tuck can give the ruffled hems some structure without flattening them. If I wanted the most decorative option, THE GREAT. is where I would pause; for a simpler daily blouse, the navy poplin keeps the 70s note quiet.

A wrap dress is a useful reminder that a waist tie can be the whole point, not an added detail. Diane von Furstenberg introduced her wrap dress in 1974, and MoMA’s 1974 record lists a dress in knit cotton and rayon. I would use that history as a prompt to check the actual construction: a true wrap, a tie, and a skirt that moves without letting the neckline wander.

 

Petal & Pup’s camel Nova Long Sleeve Maxi has a knit wrap front, tie belt, and deep slit, while its Kelda Floral Maxi uses a buttoned V neck and waist ties for a similar impression. 24seven Comfort Apparel’s navy paisley dress is a true wrap in a plus size cut with long sleeves; Yumi’s navy Orchid Floral version adds a pleated skirt. City Chic’s Lovers’ Lane gives the tie waist flutter sleeves and painterly pink blooms, while Aidan Mattox’s pink floral dress is a mock wrap with a sleeveless bodice and subtle front slit. Reistor’s pale blue wrap has short flutter sleeves and pockets.

 

These are different answers to the same choice: a tie you can adjust or a fixed mock wrap. I would check where the waist tie lands and whether it stays secure before choosing a long day dress; sit and reach in the garment rather than judging the neckline standing still. What I would skip: a wrap with a slit that lands higher than I want for stairs or a commute. The black ground Kelda print reads quieter, while the orchid pattern brightens the navy without changing the long line.

On this last pass, I would decide whether the shoe or the glasses are the louder note. The Kork-Ease Tribecca black suede clog has a 2.5 inch heel and 1 inch platform; Dansko’s mahogany Branson has antique brass studs and a removable cushioned insole. FP Collection’s Everette is black leather on a wood platform, while the tan Candie’s Jenny makes the biggest vertical statement with a 4.5 inch heel and 2.5 inch platform. I would keep the rest of the outfit simpler with that last one.

 

Sunglasses can carry the decade’s color without another print. Youzey’s Sophisticate in orange pairs amber polarized lenses with a narrow cat eye frame, while the Miu Miu round sunglasses have a 59 mm lens width and 100% UV protection. Ray-Ban Erika’s brown gradient lenses give a softer transition; Kendra Scott’s Davie adds a double bridge aviator shape. Check lens width against a frame you already wear, and look for a UV protection statement rather than guessing from lens darkness.

 

At the shoe, check the strap adjustment and platform height together; a higher platform matters when you have stairs to climb. What I would skip: choosing the tallest heel and the largest sunglasses at once if I want the outfit to feel relaxed. I would let one piece lead, then keep the other in a quieter shape.

I would build this in order: choose the flare, settle on one piece with movement, then decide whether the dress or blouse makes more sense for the day. Suede fringe needs little else beside it; a print or embroidered blouse can do its own work, and platforms or tinted lenses echo the decade without turning every piece into a reference.

 

That is the part I would keep from the West Philadelphia origin story. Dick Hayne’s 1970s shop spoke to young people looking for a little freedom in what they wore. I would take the same permission, then leave one thing slightly undone, a hem brushing the shoe or a tie loose enough to move. A good decade look knows where it came from, then gets on with its afternoon.

 

For more outfit ideas: Disco Outfit, 80s Outfit, 90s Outfit, Cowgirl Outfit.