1970s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value It

1970s clothing is usually the easiest vintage to date because labels did much of the work: U.S. garments carry fibre-content labels, many carry RN numbers, and from 1972 most have a permanent care label. The challenge is separating the decade's real stars (Gunne Sax, early Diane von Furstenberg, Halston, Ossie Clark, Biba) from the vast amount of mass-market polyester that sells for $15 to $30. Silhouettes moved from hippie and peasant styles early in the decade, through the soft "Big Look" and disco of the mid-to-late seventies, to big shoulders and designer jeans by 1978.

Quick answer

• Early 1970s: hippie and ethnic styles, peasant blouses, maxi skirts, ponchos, bell-bottoms, prairie and Victorian-revival dresses.
• Mid 1970s: the soft, voluminous "Big Look" (about 1973 to 1978), jersey wrap dresses, jumpsuits, wedge heels, disco wear.
• Late 1970s: designer jeans (from 1978), pantsuits as business wear, and shoulder pads returning from fall 1978.
• Fabrics: polyester double knit, Qiana nylon (introduced 1968), acrylic, denim, cotton gauze, Ultrasuede.
• Labels: permanent care labels required in the U.S. from 1972; ILGWU labels turned red, white and blue in 1974; Levi's switched from "LEVI'S" to "Levi's" on the red tab in 1971.

Quick dating: how to tell it from neighbouring decades

• Silhouette. 1970s: hippie, peasant and prairie shapes early, the soft "Big Look" with little internal structure about 1973 to 1978, body-skimming disco jersey. 1960s: straight mod shifts and Space Age shapes. 1980s: the inverted triangle, wide padded shoulders over a narrow waist and hips.
• Hem. 1970s: midi and ankle-length maxi early, the knee-length jersey wrap dress mid-decade. 1960s: above the knee by the mid-decade. 1980s: short skirts over leggings mid-decade, and from 1987 designers backed the mini above all other lengths.
• Shoulders. 1970s: soft and unpadded until shoulder pads returned from fall 1978. 1980s: big pads, often foam, attached with Velcro or stitching.
• Collars and lapels. 1970s: long pointed collars, wide shirt collars and kipper ties. 1960s mod: narrow lapels and ties. 1980s menswear: very narrow lapels, close to early-1960s widths.
• Closures. 1960s: nylon coil zippers becoming common, metal continuing. 1970s: nylon coil the norm in dresses and trousers, metal in jeans and outerwear. 1980s: nylon coil and molded plastic, often YKK.
• Labels. 1960s: fibre content (from 1960) but no care label. 1970s: permanent care label from 1972, red, white and blue ILGWU labels from 1974. ASTM care symbols on a U.S. garment mean 1997 or later.
• Details that recur. The 1970s revived older looks: prairie dresses with high necks and leg-of-mutton sleeves echo the Victorian era, and 1940s shapes and small hats came back; the VFG notes high, fitted armholes in both the 1950s and the 1970s. Check the fibre (polyester double knit, Qiana), a nylon coil zipper and a care label instead of the style.

How the silhouette changed through the decade

1970 to 1973: hippie, ethnic and romantic

The decade opened with the late-1960s hippie look: tie-dye, Mexican peasant blouses, folk-embroidered Hungarian blouses, ponchos and capes, military surplus, bell-bottoms, gauchos, midi skirts and ankle-length maxis. Romantic revival dresses with lace, gingham, calico, high necks and leg-of-mutton sleeves came from labels like Gunne Sax (San Francisco, founded 1967) and Laura Ashley (the Welsh company that moved from furnishing fabrics into clothing in the 1960s). The 1970s was the first decade in which Western women wore more trousers than skirts.

1973 to 1978: the Big Look and disco

The leading high-fashion trend of the mid seventies, from about 1973 to the first half of 1978, was the "Big Look" or "Soft Look": voluminous, layered peasant-derived shapes with little internal structure such as linings and padding. Jeans were everywhere, denim peaked around 1973 to 1975, and the jumpsuit (usually flared) was popular from 1975. Disco, at its height from about 1974 to 1979, favoured body-skimming synthetics: the knee-length jersey wrap dress, halter tops, tube tops, sequins and slit maxi dresses. Diane von Furstenberg's clinging jersey wrap dress, introduced in the early 1970s (it is usually dated to 1972 or 1973), became so associated with her that the style carries her name, although Met curator Richard Martin pointed out that the wrap form was already established in American sportswear. Halston's minimal, bias-cut and draped jersey, chiffon, cashmere and Ultrasuede designs, including his machine-washable Ultrasuede shirtdress (about 50,000 sold), defined American disco-era glamour.

1978 to 1979: the turn toward the eighties

In 1978 designer jeans arrived, with Calvin Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt and Fiorucci putting their names on the back pocket of dark, slim jeans. From fall 1978 styles became curvier with shoulder pads, tighter skirts and narrower waists, forming the inverted-triangle silhouette that would dominate the 1980s. The pantsuit had become acceptable business wear for women, helped by Yves Saint Laurent's "Le Smoking". Designers also tried to revive 1940s and 1950s-style small hats.

Menswear

The "Peacock Revolution" brought satin shirts, wide collars and kipper ties, velvet jackets, embroidered Western shirts and platform shoes. Qiana nylon disco shirts, cut tight with wide collars and bold prints, are the signature item. The leisure suit, a shirt-like jacket with matching trousers usually in polyester, is the decade's most recognisable (and most parodied) men's garment.

Fabrics and fibres

Fibre labels are standard, so you can usually read the fibre directly. A fibre introduced after the 1970s (lyocell, 1993) rules out the decade. See How to Identify Vintage Fabrics and Fibres.

Construction clues

• Zippers. Nylon coil zippers are the norm in dresses and trousers, with metal zippers in jeans and outerwear. Talon was the leading U.S. brand, and YKK grew to lead the world market by the 1980s. See How to Date Vintage Clothing by the Zipper.
• Seams. Overlocked (serged) seams are standard in manufactured clothing. Seam finishing helps little with dating in this decade.
• Cut. The Vintage Fashion Guild notes high, fitted armholes in both the 1950s and the 1970s. Long pointed collars, high-waisted wide trousers and tight-through-the-body, loose-at-the-hem shapes are typical.
• Handmade pieces. Home sewing was popular, and many prairie and hippie pieces are homemade from commercial patterns, often without labels.
• Sizing. Size numbers do not match modern sizing; measure rather than relying on the tag. See Vintage Clothing Sizes Explained: Why a Vintage 14 Fits Like a Modern 6.

Labels and makers worth knowing

Labels that date a garment

• Care labels. Permanently affixed care labels became required in the U.S. in 1972. Text-only care instructions are typical; U.S. garments with ASTM care symbols are almost always 1997 or later. See Dating Vintage Clothing by the Care Label.
• ILGWU. The union label changed to red, white and blue in 1974 as part of a "Buy American" campaign; that style lasted until 1995. A 1963 to 1974 style label emphasises "union made". See Dating Vintage Clothing by ILGWU and Other Union Labels.
• RN and WPL numbers. Can be looked up to identify the maker, and RN ranges help narrow a date. See RN and WPL Numbers: What They Tell You About Vintage Clothing.
• Levi's. A capital "E" ("LEVI'S") on the red tab indicates manufacture before 1971; a lowercase "e" ("Levi's") indicates 1971 or later. See How to Authenticate and Date Vintage Levi's.

Makers that lift value

• Gunne Sax. Collectors call the earliest labels "black labels". Black labels reading "Gunne Sax of California" were used only in 1969, and black labels reading "Gunne Sax by Jessica" were used from 1969 into the early 1970s. Jessica McClintock partnered in the company around 1969 to 1970.
• Diane von Furstenberg early jersey wrap dresses.
• Halston. Period Halston (the company was sold to Norton Simon in 1973 with Halston remaining designer) is the collectable one. In 1983 he signed a licensing deal with J.C. Penney for the cheaper Halston III line, so a Halston III label is 1980s mass-market, not 1970s couture.
• Ossie Clark (often with Celia Birtwell prints) and Biba (closed 1975) for London.
• Yves Saint Laurent, Zandra Rhodes, Norma Kamali (Sleeping Bag Coat 1973; OMO boutique from 1975).
• Esprit, founded in San Francisco in 1968, for casual wear.

What 1970s clothing is worth in 2026

Prices are estimates as of October 2026. Marketplace figures come from Poshmark sold listings checked in October 2026 (bottom quarter, middle half and top quarter of sold prices). Auction figures are realized prices at Augusta Auctions for single lots sold 2018 to 2025, including buyer's premium. Label, condition, size and how strongly a piece captures a 1970s look drive the price.

Sold prices on eBay: gunne sax dress vintage · 1970s qiana disco shirt · vintage diane von furstenberg wrap dress

What drives the range:

• Label era. Halston marketplace listings sell from a few dollars upward because many are later licensed or modern pieces; true 1970s Halston is a different market. The same applies to Gunne Sax, whose late-1970s and 1980s labels are far more common than black labels.
• Fabric. Natural-fibre, well-made pieces (cotton gauze, suede, wool) usually beat generic polyester, except for strong disco prints and Qiana shirts with dramatic designs.
• The look. Bold prints, true bell-bottoms, prairie lace and anything that reads instantly as "seventies" sells faster.
• Denim details. For jeans, the red tab, rivets, selvedge and size labels drive value. See Vintage Denim Values: What Old Levi's, Lee and Wrangler Sell For.

Check comparables: check sold prices for gunne sax dress vintage on eBay, check sold prices for 1970s qiana disco shirt on eBay, check sold prices for vintage diane von furstenberg wrap dress on eBay. More context: Vintage Dress Values: Prices by Era, Label and Condition and What Makes Vintage Clothing Valuable? The 8 Value Drivers.

Reproductions and "seventies-style" pieces

The 1970s look has been revived several times (the 1990s, the boho 2000s, today's prairie and disco revivals), and fast-fashion brands produce convincing lookalikes. Several 1970s labels also stayed in business. How to tell:

• Care labels. A U.S. garment with ASTM care symbols (rather than text-only care instructions) is almost always 1997 or later.
• Fibre blends. Modern lookalikes often include elastane or modal-type fibres and are lighter and thinner; 1970s polyester double knit is thick and springy.
• Brand timelines. Gunne Sax labels continued well past the 1970s, Halston was licensed (Halston III from 1983), Diane von Furstenberg still sells wrap dresses, and Esprit and Laura Ashley continued trading. Compare label typography and RN numbers with documented period examples. See How to Spot Fake Designer Labels on Vintage Clothing.
• Zippers. Invisible zippers with modern branded pulls on a "1970s" dress deserve a second look.

Full method: Reproduction vs Antique Clothing: How to Tell and How to Date Vintage Clothing by the Label.

Not sure what you have? Appraise a photo

What to photograph for an appraisal

1. Full front and back, on a form or hanger, in daylight.
2. Every label: brand, union, care, fibre content, RN number, size and country of origin.
3. The zipper and its brand marking.
4. Fabric close up, including any print signature.
5. Construction details: seams, hems, lace and trim attachment.
6. All flaws: underarm marks, pulls in knits, pilling, holes, fading, missing belts or ties.
7. Flat measurements: bust, waist, hip, length, inseam for trousers.

How to list: How to Photograph, Measure and List Vintage Clothing. Where to sell: Where to Sell Vintage Clothing in 2026. Neighbouring decades: 1960s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value It and 1980s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value It.

Sources

• Wikipedia — 1970s in Western fashion
• Wikipedia — Wrap dress
• Wikipedia — Halston
• Wikipedia — Gunne Sax
• Wikipedia — Jessica McClintock
• Wikipedia — Laura Ashley
• Wikipedia — Qiana
• Wikipedia — Leisure suit
• Wikipedia — Biba
• Wikipedia — Ossie Clark
• Wikipedia — Norma Kamali
• Wikipedia — Esprit Holdings
• Wikipedia — Zipper
• Vintage Fashion Guild — Quick Tips for Dating Vintage
• Vintage Fashion Guild — Manufactured fiber timeline
• Vintage Fashion Guild — Union Labels
• Augusta Auctions — Search Past Sales (Halston, Saint Laurent, Zandra Rhodes, Biba, Ossie Clark lots)
• Poshmark — sold listings: Gunne Sax dress
• Poshmark — sold listings: 1970s disco shirt qiana
• Poshmark — sold listings: vintage diane von furstenberg wrap dress 1970s
• Poshmark — sold listings: 1970s leisure suit