18 Unique 70s Party Outfit Ideas for a Retro Themed Evening (2024)

As lovers of special events, Peerspace is the place to come if you’re looking for ideas on how to throw a memorable 70s party. We have not only unique 70s party outfit ideas but spaces as well where you can bring people together under a disco ball and boogie the night away! Our party venues come equipped with amenities like a dance floor, stages for live music, modern surround sound equipment, and more! So once you’ve gathered your outfit ideas for the upcoming party, see if one of our venues might be the place to host your next party!

1. Get chic and cozy with a turtleneck sweater

Dig into the fall and winter wardrobe selection with a chic turtleneck sweater. A turtleneck can be layered with a cardigan or blazer or left to impress all on its own. Turtlenecks go great with jeans, especially flared jeans. This fashion choice has a long history but the 1970s were when turtlenecks finally took off. The turtleneck became a symbol of the modern, independent, educated woman for decades before slowly fading into relative obscurity. Not so obscure that finding a turtleneck as a 70s party outfit idea is difficult to do, however! 

2. Dig out some flared jeans

Flared jeans have been around for a long time but the 1970s really embraced them as an everyday outfit for men and women. They may have originally been an innovation for sailors who needed pants that were easier to take on and off when wet. The flares also made it easier to grab someone in case they were about to fall overboard. Somehow, over the decades, flared pants became fashionable for everyone from the inner city poor to celebrities, especially in the 70s, before fading into relative obscurity these days.

3. Add some color with a headscarf

Of all the fashion accessories for a 70s party outfit idea, the headscarf might be the most versatile! Plain, floral, tye-dyed, paisley…Headscarves can work with a variety of outfits. Hippie tye-dyed scarves, glittering turbans, and patternless scarves in plain colors worn around the head or neck are all an option! 

4. Find the right hairstyles

Big hair was all the rage in the 1970s; voluminous afros broke boundaries and made natural black hair something to be celebrated. Farrah Fawcett’s feathered hair is a retro classic that perfectly demonstrates the idea of carefree styling that defines the era. If you can pull off pigtails, keep them low and closely grouped. And let’s not forget about beehives; while they are truly a 60’s fashion innovation they carried over into the 70s and diversified into styles that were more casual yet innovative!   

5. Hunt down a polyester leisure suit 

There is no better 70s party outfit idea for men than a polyester leisure suit! Think back to John Travolta for the look; finger pointing to the sky, chest hair sticking out, high-heeled dancing boots…It’s a look anyone will instantly place. 70s-style leisure suits are not easy to come by as the fashion died out pretty quickly. These days you might stumble on one at a vintage store, get one specially tailored for a 70s party, or rent one from a costume shop!  

Once you have your venue and your outfit, utilize these groovy 70s photoshoot ideas to capture all of the magic!

6. Clutch your pearls with pearl jewelry

The 1970s were the first era where mass-produced pearls hit the market. Before then, authentic ocean pearls were a sign of extreme wealth. The advent of fake pearls made it easy for women of all statuses to own pearl necklaces, earrings, rings, and other accessories. Since fake pearls could be any color, light pink or teal pearls were just as popular as plain white ones.

7. Get a mini skirt

Mini skirts really took off first in the 1960s but things were pretty conservative until the mid-1970s. Then the mini skirt came back as a popular fashion choice with women. 

8. Put on a cozy mumu or caftan dress

Channel your inner retro spirit with a classic mumu or caftan dress! Mumu dresses are the perfect mix between a loose and comfortable night robe yet still staying presentable enough for daytime use. It’s just the kind of outfit the hostess of a house party would wear; bright yet cozy and informal! 

9. Bring the rink to the party with roller skates

Bring the 1970s back with a roller skate outfit! Skates can be worn with any of the other outfit ideas listed here; think about an oversized jersey, long skate socks with short shorts, vintage trousers with a white t-shirt, or cheetah print, that most 70s of pattern choices! 

10. Platform shoes for a disco theme

Disco parties are one of the more popular 70s party ideas! And you can bring the theme home fully with platform shoes to go with your jumpsuit. They have been around for way longer than the 70s but they really hit the mainstream around this time. Musicians made them hugely popular, especially KISS, before they faded in the 80s.

11. Homemade tie-dye clothes

The 70s were a period of experimentation with loud colors that shouted freedom from the oppressive stereotypes of prior eras and tye dye exemplifies this. Best of all, it’s a 70s party outfit idea you don’t have to go out and buy; it’s easy to make yourself with a white cotton shirt and pants folded in key ways, plus some bowls of water with colored dye added.

12. Glittering jumpsuits

Jumpsuits with glittering sequins were the quintessential disco outfit for the 1970s. Jumpsuits are easy 70s party outfit ideas because it’s an entire look wrapped in a single one-piece outfit. Plus they’re super comfortable thanks to all that loose, lightweight fabric! Get some open-toed sandals or platform shoes to go with an appropriate hairstyle and you’re ready to party!

Speaking of ready to party, these 70s-theme party decoration ideas will help you create the grooviest pad of all time. Check them out!

13. Dress sustainably with a hippie outfit

Much of the chaotic feel of 1970s fashion comes from the clash of hippie culture with the establishment. With so many people walking away from the path set before them,  hippies made their own trends as a form of protest. One of the funnest 70s trends to pull off, you can choose from shawls, native American beads, flared-out bell bottoms with neon or psychedelic patterns, and more. Fabric should be free flowing and airy rather than tight and restrictive. Look for shawls with fringes and embroidered shirts. You can also contrast bright and earth tones with a hippie outfit!

14. Office retro clothings

Pantsuits were important fashion choices for women entering the workforce in the 1970s as they showed how serious they were in taking their place alongside men in office roles. Look for pantsuits and a blazer to get your office retro look started! 

15. Bring memorabilia from game shows

You can play up the 1970s vibe with game show memorabilia! After all, this was the era where the modern game show’s format was finalized and took off. “Jeopardy,” “The Price Is Right,” and “Hollywood Squares” all took off in this era. You can use game show memorabilia as props like the famous corded mic Bob Barker favored or a Whammy Doll from “Press Your Luck!”

16. A giant gold medallion for men

Men’s fashion can be as simple as a slim-fit button-down shirt, often left partially or fully open. Remember, chest hair left open to the wind was entirely fashionable in the 1970s. And if you don’t have the chest hair to make it work, add on a classy gold medallion to draw the eye! The 70s were all about bold fashion choices.

17. Bright colors, bold patterns

One of the truly defining qualities of 70s fashion were bright colors and bold patterns. Tye dye, psychedelic patterns, and neon were all in vogue. You could pair them together or contrast them with broad swathes of bold or earth-toned colors. The powerful, vibrantly free, yet experimental feeling of mixing and matching all of these tones is part of what makes 70s party outfit ideas such fun! You can truly make it your own without having to stick too strongly to any one style or color choice. 

18. Look for clothing with textures and shapes

Corduroy, leather, cotton, feathers, sequins, snakeskin…Textures were all the rage of the 1970s. Bring it all back with outfits that people want to reach out and touch. Sometimes outfits are as much about the feel as the color and you can include more than one of these in your ensemble. Don’t forget about distinctive shapes, either! Paisley, psychedelia, geometric shapes, and tie-dye all offer interesting shapes along with the texture and form of the garments they cover. 

70s party outfit ideas: conclusion

Did you enjoy that trip back to the past for some exciting 70s party outfit ideas? The era was one of bold expressions of freedom and full of fun accessories to hunt down. Once you’ve done that, don’t forget to book a venue for the party. Special event spaces are what we at Peerspace specialize in! So take a moment to browse our listings for party venues near you!

Find unique vintage-inspired venues for your party on Peerspace