Unexpected Retro dressing. Can anyone help?

Pavlov

I'm in a stage production that is set in the 70s. Now, that'd be all fine and good.....if I weren't dressing like a hooker. I can't seem to find anything that would look right. I don't know if I should throw in some animal print, how short is too short for a skirt, or even what kind of accessories to use. I'm fairly young, so I don't even know how to fit the 70s vibe. If someone could help me out that would be very much appreciated!

4 years ago

Inspiration

12 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

If you're supposed to be a hooker, no skirt is too short.

When I had to dress as an aging prostitute, the same friend who years later helped me dress for a job interview while 5 months pregnant (they never guessed) helped me put my costume together. As I recall, it was short and skimpy and tight, with black tights with a big run in them.

4 years ago

kkards

Veteran

assuming you are trying to look like a hooker....

google images of Jodi Foster from the movie taxi driver (1976)...that should give you what you're looking for

4 years ago

L'Abeille

Veteran

Or Jane Fonda from the movie Klute

4 years ago

KikiG

Veteran

The key to making your revealing, tight costume choices look 1970s might be the shoes you choose. Very, very exaggerated platform shoes, particularly in a very striking color, would have been both occupationally and time period appropriate.

4 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Do these help? Obviously, women on the subway aren’t necessarily prostitutes, and that line of 3-4 women might be waiting on the bus, but others clearly are in the business. The short jackets seem to be a thing. Then again, my sister was certainly no hooker, and she also had a very short rabbit fur jacket. She graduated high school in 1981, so maybe the jackets are more a sign of the times than a professional thing. https://www.dazeddigital.com/p.....-1970s-nyc (click through to 14 pix)

I found numerous collections of this guy’s photos online. There’s also a 20-min video of him looking at pix and talking about the people in them, but that’s pretty much only men. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/.....f45b03942e

4 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Hot pants! i.e. very short shorts. I remember tut-tutting about a middle-aged woman wearing suede hot pants at Cantor's restaurant in LA.

4 years ago

Pavlov

Active Member

These are all great! But I forgot to mention that it's set around Christmas...I'm sorry!!

4 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Pavlov, I bet a short warm jacket—short enough to show off your butt—would still be key. The only streetwalkers i recall were in a different setting—mid 90s Berlin. They wore fluffy little ski jackets and tight pants with thongs over the pants, with high-heeled-boots. When the streetcar (on my way home from the library) passed by, they would turn around & bend over. Walking by them occasionally, I realized they were all on drugs and could barely focus their eyes. I’m not saying you should do that, just that “the look” might transfer to winter better than you expect—the drugs (I think it was heroin) probably kept them warm, and showing their “goods” was how they made money.

4 years ago

Jules

Veteran

Actually, around here in the dead of winter one of the ways you can spot a sex worker from a mile away is exposed legs. Sheer black or shiny ‘nude’ nylons under hot pants, a short jacket (fur would be great to indicate winter), platform boots, floppy wool hat? It doesn’t have to be totally accurate as long as it fits people’s preconceived notions. The hat and boots would signal 70s, the seasonally inappropriate shorts (or mini skirt) would signal sex worker.
Or, the skimpy outfit with a big sheepskin coat or shawl thrown over it for physical and emotional comfort. Think Penny Lane in Almost Famous.

4 years ago

Pavlov

Active Member

Oh, okay. Thank you to everyone again!!

4 years ago

Anonymous

Agreeing that the shoes are key, platforms + heels (I think of high stacked heels as 70s). Thinking maybe tights + hot pants (a bit safer), and furry coat.

4 years ago

Joy

Veteran

70’s was still the reign of the mini skirt and polyester pant suits with wide legs. Hot pants and even as “suits”, bare midriffs. Bell bottomed jeans and polyester pants, crazy patterned tights. Then there were chambray and denim items embellished with embroidery and beading in American Indian designs. Western wear store sprung up everywhere. Turquoise and silver jewelry.

4 years ago

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