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MENSWEAR

A Quiet Revolution

Like women, men in the 1970s benefited from the same spirit of choice and experimentation unleashed by the 1960s. The two most important innovations in the 1970s were the increase in men's lei-sure wear and the use of new colors and fabrics. The white shirt fell into a fashion abyss, while double-knit and stretch-knit suits became popular. Rose, purple, orange, and green became acceptable colors for men's leisure wear and regularly appeared in bright patterns on the synthetic shirts worn by men in urban centers. Wide ties in big floral prints could be seen under light-colored, wide-lapeled jackets and slightly belled and pleated pants on a typical evening out in any city in the United States. By 1977 menswear came out of its "peacock period," as one critic commented and returned to classic traditional fabrics, tailoring, and styling that would come to epitomize the look of the 1980s.

Casual Trend

Men had more choices for leisure wear in the 1970s. Throughout the decade more and more men unbuttoned their shirts and went without ties and often without jackets. Advertisers no longer showed men just at work as slave to the dollar but in holiday or weekend scenes enjoying the company of friends. This new ethic of leisure and individuality emphasized lifestyle over work, and the lifestyle of choice was fun and relaxation. In terms of fashion the most important innovation to come out of the casual trend was the unstructured jacket. Modeled after the cardigan sweater, the goal of unstructured garments was to make suits and jackets lighter and more comfortable. Sloping shoulders, low buttons, and no tapered waists gave unstructured jackets a relaxed look and fit. Sweaters and vests were popular and were often worn under loose-fitting jackets.

Leisure Spawns Fashion

By the mid 1970s the number of single men doubled in the United States from its low in the 1950s. The delaying of marriage by many men and the increase in the number of divorces created a singles culture focused around leisure activities. Increasingly, the gay liberation movement emboldened many gay designers to come out and to make their presence felt in fashion. The combination of more single men and a more visible gay subculture greatly enhanced men's fashion options. Disco dance clubs were perhaps the decade's most famous leisure image. Made popular by the 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever, the disco club scene spawned an entirely new leisure look for men. The disco look typically included a colorful patterned polyester shirt worn with light-colored, form-fitting, bell-bottomed pants and matching jacket. No ties were worn.

Weekend Jocks

Weekend athletics also inspired fashion. The look of the outdoor sportsman gained notoriety in such items as sturdy khaki pants, plaid hunting jackets, and flannel shirts. In 1975 the Coty American Fashion Critics awarded outdoor clothes producers L. L. Bean of Freeport, Maine; Gokey's of Saint Paul, Minnesota; and Eddie Bauer of Seattle, Washington, special citations for their contribution to menswear. Jogging suits were also a favorite weekend choice for men, whether or not they partook in the sport. Throughout the 1970s advertising images of men relaxing with friends or a special friend outnumbered those of men hard at work.