1970s Celebrity Icons: Influences on 2011 Fashion Part 2

Happy Wednesday everyone!!!

I had to break up this post into two so that I wouldn’t overwhelm you with ’70s fashion facts & fun! Monday’s part 1 of ’70s celebrity fashion icons reviewed Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Debbie “Blondie” Harry, Jaclyn Smith, Bianca Jagger and Pam Grier.

This post reviews even more ’70s sensations, including Barbra Streisand, “Ace” Frehley, Twiggy, Joan Baez, Jane Birkin & David Cassidy. I took today’s post ONE step further by comparing the described fashion icon to a present-day star.

As I dig deeper into the influences of past famed individuals, I’m seeing just how their style and their sense of self has both directly and subconsciously inspired that of today’s most talented in film, music, TV and modeling.

How many times have you channeled your inner “Tyra” or tried to take your style up a futuristic notch, thanks to inspiration from a new Lady Gaga video or performance?

The beauty of this world is that creative inspiration rests within when we open our eyes and hearts to it. Even when walking the streets of a dilapidated neighborhood, I try to see beauty in its graffiti and boarded up windows. When stuck on a stalled subway train, I admire what people are wearing around me to think “beyond the box” of my own fashion default.

Looking to celebrities of the past is a great way to turn that autopilot fashion switch OFF and turn ON style spontaneity. Keep reading after the jump for tidbits on the who, what and how of ’70s fashion icons, and let me know in the comments who [or what!] your latest fashion muse is!

I’ll be posting all of the pictures below in an album on the Facebook fan page so that we can vote for what we like most: the “vintage” or the “modern” celebrity in these compare & contrast shots! Check out the album now to join in on the voting and get the conversation going.

As always, thanks for reading Sammy Davis Vintage and see ya’ll tomorrow! ;-)

xx, SD

JOAN BAEZ

‘70s FASHION ICON: Joan Baez

‘70s FAME: Joan was an instant folk music success when she released her first album in 1960, and another two throughout the hippie & social activism inclined decade. She even had fame pre Bob Dylan — she helped promote his music to fame thanks to their unofficial music partnership. She remains a true folk artist both creatively and politically, speaking and performing on behalf of environmental, human/civil rights issue and the promotion of non violent solutions.

In 1972, Joan survived what was called the Christmas Bombings [it happened in December] during a visit to North Vietnam. The war bombings lasted 11 days. She chronicled the events and emotions of the strikes in a 23-minute long spoken word song “Where Are You Now, My Son?”

‘70s STYLE: Wide-legged denim trousers, with solid color tees and woven sweaters. Her accessories included her long, chestnut brown hair, guitar and bare feet. Joan proved that coveted glamour doesn’t have to be in fashion itself– her glamour was in letting her talent and highest creative self shine instead.

2011 STYLE & CULTURAL INFLUENCE: Joan is every jeans-and-t-shirts’ girls’ fashion icon goddess. Joan reminds us that when time is of the essence, owning that pair of “my butt and legs look great” jeans are just what we need to fulfill speed and style.

Joan’s easy hair is the antithesis of what we see overdone and overdyed on many ladies today.  All-natural, shoulder length hair with a simple in-the-middle-part simplifies your morning routine so that you can open your day to the more important things in life.

CELEBRITY EQUIVALENT: Jewel circa the late ‘90s [until she released that terrible pop-y song, that is!] For a true style twist, I’d compare Joan to Erykah Badu for staying true to music that speaks words of wisdom, despite having opportunity to capitalize on growing fame through pop. In other words: neither of these ladies ever “sold out!”

JOAN VS JEWEL

What other present day celebrity does Joan remind you of? Share in the comments below!

BARBRA STREISAND

‘70s FASHION ICON: Barbra Streisand

‘70s FAME: While Streisand has roots in musical theater [much like Liza Minnelli, profiled in ’70s fashion icons part 1], the ’70s was Streisand’s time to shine. She was a hit on the pop charts and by the end of the decade, was a top selling female performer — only Elvis & The Beatles had sold more albums at that point!

‘70s STYLE: Glam, glam, glam … does it get anymore GLAM?! After examining many a Barbra pic from the ’70s, I’ve come to the conclusion that Barbra is the white woman’s answer to Diana Ross. She was a true DIVA, never stepping onto the stage in anything short of fabulous.

She was a fan of big fur coats, knee high go-go boots and long, grecian style pleated ’70s dresses. She revealed her beauty not through skin or cleavage, but through an almost obsessive taste of chiffon, lace and fur.

2011 STYLE & CULTURAL INFLUENCE: Barbra’s strawberry blonde hair is duplicated by every girl who ever wanted to go from mouse brown to bomb blonde, without actually going platinum. Her beauty influences seem most reflected in actresses like Jennifer Aniston, who’s steady strawberry hair is most definitely her beauty sake.

When it comes to fashion, Barbra absolutely laid groundwork for future glam performers like Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and even Jennifer Hudson. For the most part, these ladies of music presented themselves with high class fashion — not fashion theatrics, which is more in line with the Lady Gagas and Kesha’s of the industry.

2011 CELEBRITY EQUIVALENT: While she has strayed from the smart style path before, the first female artist who comes to mind is Mariah Carey at her most elegant!

BARBRA VS MARIAH

What other  present day celebrity does Barbra remind you of? Share in the comments below!

TWIGGY

‘70s FASHION ICON: Twiggy

‘70s FAME: After making a smashing debut on the modeling scene of the swinging ’60s era of London fashion, Twiggy hung up her “clothes hanger” and dropped modeling in 1970. She pursued a singing and television host career. Never knew that Twiggy was a singer? Sadly, there’s due reason: her success was only mild, only giving her one top 20 hit … and it was on the UK charts. However, she had American fame with the show “Twiggy’s Jukebox” from ’78 to ’79. We may know her most as the stick-thin model known as Twiggy, but her ’70s fame rested mostly in establishing the second and third pillars of her triple-threat stardom: modeling, music & acting.

‘70s STYLE: While we all know [and visualize] Twiggy best thanks to her iconic pixie cut hair and exaggerated lashes, she broke away from her modeling image and [no pun attended!] literally let her hair down in the ’70s, adopting the more bohemian style of the decade versus the mini mod of the ’60s. Here’s a picture of her from 1976 with long, curly blonde locks … you can hardly tell it’s her!

2011 STYLE & CULTURAL INFLUENCE: Twiggy’s four years of modeling in the ’60s made her a cover girl superstar. Like the Heidi Klums and Cindy Crawford powerhouses of today, Twiggy’s style is continually reinvented and emulated in magazine spreads and stores. Her role as a judge on America’s Top Model also reminded the modern American audience of her beauty & fashion heft. While the pixie cut is by no nature the “invention” of Twiggy [it was actually more popular decade-wise in the 20s] she is and will most likely always will be the attributer of its timeless relevance.

2011 CELEBRITY EQUIVALENT: Emma Watson. While Emma is by no means a “twig,” her recent cropped ‘do and big, doe eyes make her a shoe-in for modern Twiggy look alike.

TWIGGY VS EMMA

What other  present day celebrity does Twiggy remind you of? Share in the comments below!

PAUL DANIEL *ACE* FREHLEY

‘70s FASHION ICON: Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley

‘70s FAME: The lead guitarist of the costumed rock group KISS

‘70s STYLE: The former gang member from the Bronx showed that men can wear face paint and make it look masculine. With big hair, lips and even bigger shoulder pads, Ace and the rest of his band mates mixed the rough & toughness of a football player with the stage glamour of a Broadway star.

2011 STYLE & CULTURAL INFLUENCE: KISS and other heavy metal groups took the long hair of the peace loving male hippie generation and transformed it into heavy rockin’ hair for ‘70s head banging bros. While makeup still remains a no-go for most contemporary guys today, long hair is definitely a go if you’ve got the style and attitude to love the length and it’s liberating effects from prim & proper gentlemen looks.

2011 CELEBRITY EQUIVALENT: American Idol’s Adam Lambert

ACE VS ADAM

What other present day celebrity does Ace remind you of? Share in the comments below!

JANE BIRKIN

‘70s FASHION ICON: Jane Birkin

‘70s FAME: Jane Birkin is known best today for her influence in creating the famed Hermes “Birkin” bag. But she got her start as a sexy singer in the ’60s, her fame controversially catapulting her mainstream recognition with the release of the orgasm-simulation song, ” I Love You, Me Neither” in 1969.

She continued to produce hits in the ’70s and thanks to her undeniable beauty, took on very sexually charged roles in various movies, including the role of Brigitte Bardot’s lover in if Don Juan Were a Woman.

‘70s STYLE: “She’s got legs, and she knows how to use ‘em.” Well, ZZ Top sang it in the ‘80s but they might as well have been singing it to Jane Birkin in the ‘70s: because boy did she have legs and yes, she knew how to use ‘em! Jane popularized the ‘70s fashion phenomena of “hot pants” – those skin tight, barley-there excuses for a bum cover-up. She further accentuated the hotness of the hot pants with heeled boots or knee highs to draw all attention to her exposed skin.

2011 STYLE & CULTURAL INFLUENCE: There’s a reason girls started wearing leggings in the ‘80s and continue to channel the trend today: “skintight” lost it’s dirty undertones after the hot pants explosion. While the mini dress of the 60s embraced the leg, the hot pants of the ‘70s embraced the leg AND bum. Today’s leggings as influenced by the ‘80s? It’s just fashion’s evolutionary excuse to wear tights as pants. Just sayin’!

2011 CELEBRITY EQUIVALENT: If Jane were born into today’s model-gone-media-mogul era, she’d be a living representation of Heidi Klum

JANE VS HEIDI

What other present day celebrity does Jane remind you of? Share in the comments below!

DAVID CASSIDY

’70s FASHION ICON: David Cassidy

’70s FAME: Before there were the Backstreet Boys, before there was New Kids on the Block … there was DAVID CASSIDY! Boy-toy Cassidy created mass hysteria with sold out stadium shows in the ’70s. The press coined it “Cassidymania.”

Controversy surrounding the mass hysteria of his fame escalated in ’74 when a teen girl was killed in a stampede to a show, and another 650 injured below the stage at a London show in ’74. One of the injured would die later from injuries.

Cassidy’s singer/songwriter/media sensation career kicked off thanks to the ’70s The Partridge Family. His solo career skyrocketed as the show’s success increased.

’70s STYLE: Cassidy spent his 20s at the height of both fame and style. He dressed like that the hot boy in high school you always wanted, but could never have. Everything looked good on him with that element of effortless cool and unapproachable rock star vibes.

Patterned snap pocket shirts, fringe vests and suede bell bottom pants. Cassidy was not dressing in jeans and T-shirts, that’s for sure. He was a big fan of the collared jacket [whether it was jean, leather, or suede] on top of a collared button-down shirt. Thanks to his long, soft hair [you know you wanna touch it!], his clean, sweet style was still sexy enough to consider him a man.

2011 STYLE & CULTURE INFLUENCE: While we see various male music stars dressing to creatively express themselves and their representation of a brand [cough cough Kanye West], Cassidy’s influence has helped artists like Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo and Justin Beiber see the value in clean and crisp.

We all know that John Mayer is a player — his jean on jean style screams cheating frat boy. Artists like Kanye dress better than us, so they’re nothing more than arm candy, if we want that Then there are the David Cassidy’s of the world: the guys who dress appropriately and because of this, we wish to wed and be the father of our children. [sighs]

2011 CELEBRITY EQUIVALENT: Justin Beiber

DAVID VS JUSTIN

What other present day celebrity does David remind you of? Share in the comments below!

MORE ‘70s FASHION HISTORY

’70s CLOTHING: Everything You Wanted to Know About ’70s Clothing Trends
CELEBS PART I: The Influences of ‘70s Celebs on Fashion
TRENDS: How Trends of Today Were Influenced by the ‘70s
PLUS: Why Midi Skirts Angered Women in the ‘70s

 

MORE ‘70s FASHION STYLE

VIDEO: How I Styled a ‘70s Maxi Dress at the Manhattan Vintage Show
STYLE: 5 Gorgeous ’70s Dresses You Can Right Now!
LOOKBOOK: How to Wear a ‘70s Pleated Plaid Skirt and ‘70s Velvet Shorts Styled for Today
PLUS: All You Ever Wanted to Know About ‘60s & ‘70s Bathing Suits