- 11 months ago
Break out the polyester and prepare to cringe! Join us as we count down the most questionable trends and habits from the decade that taste forgot! Our list includes everything from awkward fashion statements to bizarre home decor choices that defined the 1970s. Which retro trend makes you wince the most?
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00:00Don't forget to check out the galley. That's real shag carpeting.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the questionable things done, worn, or owned in the 1970s.
00:18Number 10, Platform Shoes.
00:21The idea of platform shoes has been around for centuries, with some versions dating back to ancient Greece and in use throughout history.
00:27Ages before platform shoes became popular in the 1930s, raised platform soles were being used the world over, from Venice to Shanghai.
00:37Platform shoes were handy for avoiding floodwaters and the like.
00:41In the 1970s, there was a resurgence in popularity, this time around as a fashion statement.
00:46The 1960s and 70s saw a rise in more colorful clothing for men, egged on by the advent of glam rock and disco.
00:53It's definitely a trend towards platforms for men.
00:56Why?
00:57I think men want to be taller than...
01:00The platform shoe was a great way to draw attention, with the added bonus of giving height-challenged individuals a boost.
01:06Sure, they looked great on David Bowie.
01:08We can safely say, however, that we don't need a comeback.
01:11The discomfort and awkwardness of these clogs is enough to keep us wearing flats.
01:15Your fish are dead.
01:16Yeah, I know.
01:18I can't get them out of there.
01:20Number 9, No sunscreen? No problem.
01:22We now know that the sun's rays can be particularly harmful, and most of us take precautions.
01:28The truth is, and this is what any dermatologist will tell you, is that the best sunscreen is the one that you're actually going to use.
01:34But in the 1970s, the sun was nothing but fun.
01:37Actually, the concept of SPF, sun protection factor, was only introduced in 1974.
01:43Before sunscreen or sunblock, there were only suntan lotions or oils.
01:47There's a copper tone to let you tan fast, not burn, and help keep your skin looking beautiful.
01:52These were mainly advertised as tan-enhancing products that somehow activated a perfect tan while avoiding burns.
01:59Some even claimed to allow sunbathers to take longer tans at reduced risk of damage.
02:03For those who wanted a quicker tan, there were bronzers.
02:06Bronzers were safer, but worth the time?
02:08Well, let's just say they were better than those 2000s orange spray tans, but by how much?
02:14Spray tan?
02:14They reel you in with a coupon, and then you just get hot water.
02:21Number 8.
02:22Dinette sets.
02:23Let's face it, the 1970s color palette was unpleasantly eclectic.
02:28Colors such as avocado, amber, gold, brown, beige, still awake?
02:34These colors were everywhere, as well as a variety of eyesore patterns and wood grains.
02:39No furniture was safe, and dinette sets were hit hard.
02:42The table and chairs' combos were affordable options for one's dining needs.
02:47Upholstered and pedestal or mushroom-based chairs were all the rage, and they came in a variety of designs, from zebra print to terrible florals, leather, or fabric upholstery.
02:57With such a wide array of styles, it was easy to match your dinette set to your wallpaper.
03:02Another regrettable practice.
03:03In the mid-70s, advertising exec Gary Dahl was out drinking with some friends when the conversation turned to pets.
03:12It's been incredible. We mailed our first pet rocks to the stores October 1st, and by Christmas we'll have sold well over a million units.
03:20That kind of stuff just doesn't happen.
03:22Listening to his pals complain about their respective animal pals, Dahl came up with the ideal pet, a rock, which requires absolutely no care whatsoever.
03:31You can't kill a rock.
03:32Sure, this is fun bar talk, but Dahl actually borrowed money from friends to produce pet rocks.
03:37Basically, a rock in a box with holes in it.
03:40It was maintenance-free, never needed walking or to be fed, and at a cost of less than $5, it came with an owner's manual and a specially designed box with air holes.
03:50It was a novelty item, and turned out to be quite popular for around half a year, with total sales estimated at $1.5 million.
03:57People must have been bored.
03:58Spending money on something you can literally pick off any beach for free is ridiculous.
04:03Then I'll be out of the rock business and into some other insane scheme.
04:07Or lying on a beach someplace, not caring about it.
04:10Number 6. Waterbeds.
04:12The earliest recorded use of waterbeds dates back to 1833, when they were used medically to avoid bed sores.
04:18What is that?
04:20That is a bed made of water, sweetheart.
04:22They continued to be used as such, and were mentioned in science fiction novels, and were patented in 1971, when they were reinvented for everyday use.
04:30Though they were advertised as liquid support for flawless sleep, many customers admitted to using the versatile mattresses to improve their intimate times.
04:39Is the movement in a waterbed kind of a problem?
04:41No, not at all.
04:42I dig it.
04:43It's great.
04:43The first prototype created by inventor Charles Hall was dubbed the Pleasure Pit, after all.
04:48There are downsides, however.
04:50You have to fill them with water, meaning maneuvering a hose into the bedroom.
04:54Frequent maintenance to prevent leaks is also required, and...
04:56Oh, are you moving?
04:57Good luck emptying that massive water balloon in your home.
05:00If you wanted to move the bed, even to the other side of the room, you'd have to drain the thing, which required another hose, and a pump.
05:07And there was always some spillage, and the beds always leaked.
05:10Number 5.
05:11The dawn of video games.
05:13Hey, everything was innovative at its start.
05:14And over here is our crowning achievement in amusement technology.
05:18An electronic version of what you call table tennis.
05:21Your primitive paddles have been replaced by an electronic...
05:24Hey, that's just pong.
05:25Get with the times, man.
05:26Marge and I played that old game before we were married.
05:29But compared to the hyper-realistic environments in the more recent video games, 1970s gaming was laughable, and wouldn't entertain the most bored of youth today.
05:38Ask your parents, or grandparents, about Pong.
05:41The very beginning of what is now video gaming started in 1947.
05:45Arcade games came first.
05:47Yes, folks, if you wanted to game, you had to leave your house.
05:50However, in 1972, the first at-home video game console was released.
05:55The Magnavox Odyssey.
05:57Odyssey.
05:58A new dimension for your television.
06:00Now at your Magnavox dealer.
06:02With it came the shockingly realistic environment RPG masterpiece that was Pong.
06:07Nah, just kidding.
06:08It was lines and balls, but people were really into it.
06:10Compared to what we have today, it's hard to imagine the excitement.
06:13The electronic game of the future.
06:15And the family's best foul-weather friend.
06:18Number 4.
06:19Shag Carpet.
06:20It's all fun and games until someone spills anything on the carpet.
06:24Especially if it's shag.
06:25Shag carpeting?
06:26Come on!
06:27Shag carpeting has been around for centuries, with some samples dating back to ancient Greece.
06:32In the 1960s and 70s, the flooring saw its peak popularity.
06:36Prices were lower and colors were plentiful.
06:38The main issue with shag carpeting is cleaning.
06:41The long, tight fibers make stains and spills impossible to completely remove.
06:46And are clearly a terrible choice for pet owners.
06:48They were also known to shed.
06:50Specifically shortly after installation.
06:52How much would you be willing to sacrifice for aesthetics?
06:54Honestly, one party and the carpet has permanently imprinted memories.
06:59Maybe save it for that mysterious living room no one can use that granny used to have.
07:03Look at all this shag carpet.
07:05Number 3.
07:06Hitchhiking.
07:07Hitchhiking is now frequently associated with danger, serial killers, weirdos, and bums.
07:12Bart, can we pick up that hitchhiker?
07:15I don't see why not.
07:17Bart, can we stop for ice cream?
07:19Yes.
07:19However, it wasn't always so hazardous.
07:22Though there has always been an element of risk.
07:24It's an easy way to get a free ride.
07:26And between the 1930s and 70s, it was very common.
07:29Jack Kerouac's novel, On the Road, released in 1957,
07:33romanticized the idea of hitchhiking.
07:35Chronicling the adventures of a young hitcher and the colorful characters he meets.
07:39This is cool.
07:41Hitchhiking?
07:42It's like in Kerouac, you know?
07:45Kerouac?
07:47Jack Kerouac.
07:48He rode on the road.
07:49The boom in the 60s and 70s can be partially attributed to countercultures.
07:53Hippies on their cross-country travels would frequently thumb rides, for example.
07:57Towards the end of the 70s, it saw a rapid decline, presumably due to cultural changes,
08:02as we became more aware of potential stranger danger.
08:04Oh, look!
08:05A hitchhiker!
08:07A person in need!
08:08Oh my god!
08:09What am I doing?
08:10I'm pulling over to help him out!
08:12Do not help him out!
08:13Number two.
08:14No stranger danger?
08:15No problem!
08:16Pre-2000, children were of course warned of the dangers of the outside world,
08:21but perhaps not as vehemently as today.
08:23Look, there's a pretty good chance that you or maybe a teacher has talked to your kids
08:27about what to do if they're approached by someone they don't know.
08:31Even if they've had that talk, do you know how your kids would really react?
08:35In fact, it has been proven that immediate dangers to children are usually found within
08:40their own families or social circles, not from strangers.
08:43The 1970s had its share of latchkey kids, children who spent extended periods of time
08:48at home sans parents.
08:49And parents were often non-existent during those long summer days.
08:53Kids would be released to the elements and their own devices for hours on end,
08:57returning only for the occasional bite of food or when the sun was setting.
09:00This seems daunting today, but most 70s kids survived.
09:03Don't take drugs!
09:06Don't take drugs!
09:10Yes, mother!
09:11Still, the lack of stranger awareness is unsettling when seen today.
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09:31Number 1.
09:32Roller Disco
09:33Hey, how do you feel about spending a Saturday evening with your friends?
09:36Wheels on your feet, going around and around in circles to some sick disco beats.
09:41Look no further.
09:48Roller skates were originally patented in 1760, and the hobby footwear saw a boom in the 1970s,
09:54specifically 1979, when roller disco was established.
09:57Disco is, let's face it, the kitsch of music.
10:01Tacky outfits, shallow lyrics, big hair, flashing lights, and sparkles.
10:05How better to show off your disco flair than by roll-strutting your stuff on the roller dance floor?
10:15The roller disco craze followed the disco music craze in its hasty retreat into the disco inferno,
10:21much as skates all but disappeared with the invention of rollerblades.
10:24What do you wish we still had from the 1970s?
10:33Let us know in the comments.
10:34For those fortunate few who do not know, pet rocks have been adopted and pampered by owners
10:40who claim stones are cleaner, quieter, easier to care for than other pets,
10:45and less likely to run away, die, or multiply.
10:47Bye.
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