The 1970s formal dress, party dress or prom dress went through several changes during the decade. At first, the short shift cocktail party dress or according pleated swing dress continued its trend from the ’60s.
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The new dress style was the long empire waist maxi dresses made of flowing chiffon, florals or bold hippie prints topped with bat sleeves or an oversized sheer cape. These morphed into the granny dress or peasant dress, popular as 1970s prom dresses, with a throwback style to the turn of the century late Victorian fashion. Lace insets, ruffle trim, and long bell sleeves embellished these long 1970s party dresses.
At the very end of the 1970s came the era of slinky disco dressed inspired by Gracian draping and simple ballet dance skirts. Metallic colors in liquid fabrics made them sparkle like a disco ball.
Prom fashion in the 1970s was diverse, groovy, and fresh. These lovely photos from LLF archives2 show portraits of high school couples in Lincoln County, North Carolina, in their prom outfits in 1976.
