Fun fact: Several of the ads feature young model/actresses Erin Gray (Buck Rogers/Silver Spoons), Shelly Hack (Charlie’s Angels), and Kim Basinger (9-1/2 Weeks).
Vintage clothing: Basic fashions for women from the spring of ’73
Article from The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina) April 1, 1973
If the mixture of checks and stripes and prints and plaids has been driving you dotty, stop worrying. Fashion’s on solid ground for spring. The look is even more basic than last season.
As a natural extension of the classic look in vogue right now, plan to stick to the well-cut casual clothes that fit your lifestyle.
Cuffed pants, sweater sets and shirtdresses could be all you need, but this time around, try them in a solid color.
Skirt lengths hover at the knee or above for day, unless you have really super legs — then show them off with a really short skirt and color-coordinated pantyhose.
Ankle-length skirts continue to be good for everything. Try one in pastel pleated crepe with matching shirt for the most glamorous occasions. In the right color for your own coloring, this look is simply unbeatable.
– Vintage dresses & womenswear article from the Longview News-Journal (Longview, Texas) – March 18, 1973
Classic: Retro minidresses with wide collars and floral patterns
Dresses have ribbon-threaded lace trim
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Three dressy minidresses with a 1970s fashion flair
MORE: 50+ cute vintage mini dresses & miniskirts from the ’60s & ’70s
Hip vintage ’70s dresses & skirts from the spring & summer of 1973
Plaid and dot print, multicolor trims on a princess-style A-line dress
Also an eye-catching patterned trim with a round neckline on a red dress
Voile dresses in sheer, cool, summery styles
Purple with pleats, poppy print, check pattern and denim blue dress
Stylish jacket for a 2-piece suit
Also a coatdress with red and navy print, plus a polka-dot print jacket and skirt
Polyester shirtdresses and more outfits for women
Also a floral A-line print dress with cowl collar, and matching tunic and pants set
Classic, fitted dresses with buttons
Plus an A-line dress with button-and-tab trim at waist
Floral ribbon-band trim on feminine A-line dress in pink
Also a smock-style top and flared pants and seersucker shirt-dress
A-line dress from the seventies – real vintage fashion
Also see a flowing ankle-length maxi dress, navy and white jacket dress
Plaid jacket dresses
Also see retro solid-color pants set with contrast piping, easy-fitting coat dress in seersucker
Button-front jacket with plaid skirt
Also featured: A versatile A-line dress, and a pantsuit with chic tie belt
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Vintage 1970s dresses: Retro culotte style with flap-skirt front
Also a cute jumper look one-piece dress with buckle belt
Easy-care machine-washable broadcloth dresses – woven plaid, and floral prints
Vintage 1970s shift dresses
Zig-zag prints, daisy print and checked pattern on these retro-style shift dresses
Vintage 1970s coats and jackets
Jackets with vinyl collars, Edwardian-style collar on polyester-cotton vintage coat and flared tent silhouette coat
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Vintage coats for women & boots
Shown: A boot-top coat with tulip-shaped pockets – plus stretch boots
Actress Erin Gray is sporting an interesting bowl-style haircut on the left here.
Vintage maternity dresses from the ’70s – Kim Basinger modeling
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Spring-fresh floral vintage 1970s shirtwaist in polyester and cotton
Retro black and white dresses and other womenswear
Three cheers for the red, white and dark blue
Positively feminine minidresses in the softest pastels
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Hip vintage ’70s skirts from the spring & summer of 1973
Modeling these fashions are (then-future) actresses Kim Basinger and Shelly Hack
Hip vintage 1970s dresses from ’73
Smocks are fashion news… and these are especially charming!
Colorful vintage 1970s long dresses
Vintage ’70s wedding dresses – white with veil and lace
Retro ’70s bridesmaid dresses
Sparkling touches add glamour to these full-length gowns
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Vintage seventies womens’ fashion
Peplum styled 2-piece suit, schiffli-embroidered bib on pants set, ankle-length dress plus ruffled and smocked dress”
Pantsuits, skirts and dresses from the 1970s
Polyester-cotton knit layered-look pantsuit, flip skirt set and empire-style long sleeve dotted dress
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Dreamy dresses of soft, light and airy textured polyester crepe, in solids and patterns
Chic navy blue and white A-line dress
Also a Mandarin-collar coat, and a trimmed short-sleeve dress
2 and 3-piece ensembles for women (1973)
Plaid jumper dress with blouse, print blouse with vest and skirt, and check vest with dress
Retro polyester knit dresses
Dresses include sleeveless with scarf and short-sleeve dress with a white collar
Jersey print dresses
Also see womens’ button-up jacket and skirt set with wide white collars and smock shifts
Spring prints in jersey knit
Also see a polka dot bodysuit with skirt, A-line dress, and coatdress
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Classic raincoats, colorful abstract scarf and lightweight vintage coats for women
Textured coats and sweaters for women – cardigans from the ’70s
Vintage clothing & ’70s style advice: Choose your color
Pick a favorite and flattering shade as your color for Spring ’73. Around it, assemble a wardrobe of simple separates in variations of that tone.
Suppose, for example, that you always feel and look good when wearing blue. Put together several ensembles in different shades of blue — such as a denim blue skirt with a pale sky blue shirt, slate suede shoes and a navy patent bag.
Accessories, too, should stay within the same color family, although the perfectly-matched handbag and shoes do look a bit dated.
It’s easy to ace the advantages of solid color dressing, but there’s one aspect you should be cautioned about: Nothing shows on the wearer like a solid color. This spring, with few jazzy prints to distract the eye, it’s you yourself that will take the stage.
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For vintage ’70s dresses: Pretty clothes forecast for spring (1972)
Fashion article from The News (Paterson, New Jersey) November 15, 1972
Color your world pastel this spring with pinks and blues and yellows. No more drabs and no more dayglos, winter’s new baby colors look as though they’ll be staying on for spring.
Gentle, charming and completely feminine, Easter-egg shades will color warm-weather pants, tops, skirts, and dresses.
Pretty colors need pretty clothes, and designers are complying with collections of the prettiest styles seen in years.
New York’s Oscar de la Renta has done a whole line of feminine clothes in angoras, mohairs, jerseys, crepes, and organzas, nearly all tinted pastel for extra prettiness.
Pretty looks from Paris include Emanuel Ungaro’s classically styled slim dresses with soft neckline bows or shirred waists with drawstrings.
Yves St. Laurent likes the pretty peasant wrapped in Matisse-inspired prints. His peasant blouses and dresses feature squared-off necklines and full, easy elbow-length sleeves.
A spring harvest of pears highlights the new collection by Italian designer Valentino. The pear print is splashed all over his shirt jackets, evening dresses, and skirts.
An alternative to the pretty-girl look is the casual sophistication of the Great Gatsby fashions.
French designer Kenzo Takada has a splendid collection of “Tennis anyone?” sweaters in white navy and burgundy or white with clay.
His “stretched-out” sweaters with border-striped sleeves are worn with flared or pleated skirts, high-waisted pleated pants and head-hugging knit caps.
Vintage ’70s dresses & skirts: City styles swing
New York designers like to keep city girls in the swing of things with fashions that go from place to place in style.
Pauline Trigere remembers the traveling woman with her short, chic dinner dresses in luxurious silks and chiffons.
The versatile cardigan is making a comeback in both long and short lengths for casual and dress wear. Adele Simpson’s spring line features a variety of cardigan pant and skirt suits.
Chester Weinberg loves the blouson look, and features blouson tops on his shirts, halter dresses, and two-piece skirt ensembles.
Lively color dominates Bonnie Cashin’s line of Japanese Noh coats, Toreador pants, sling pants, and blouson tweed suits, Laurel pink, Shannon green, daffodil and persimmon are the most popular hues in the collection.
All over the world, designers have forsaken the standard red-white-and-blue spring fashions for pretty classics in a rainbow of pastel colors.
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