The outfits that we sometimes consider costumes today are the product of the hip and cool 70s fashion of the period. Everything was loud and unapologetic. The most ridiculous make-up and party attires were worn by popular rock stars and celebrities, and they were imitated by millions of their loyal fans.

70s disco clothes are spectacular and truly out-of-this-world. Fashion rules were broken and the deviants belonged to the IN crowd. Men and women alike wore outfits that challenged traditional color schemes and conventional fabric combinations. Who said animal prints and ruffles together are way too over-the-top? The 70s didn't just pioneer revolutionary changes in lifestyles. The people of that era were great fashion innovators, too.

You know you are in a 70s costume party when you are surrounded by a sea of people wearing flared pants and matching suits with striking colors. Mini dresses in bright floral prints paired with high cut boots in equally brilliant color is just a taste of the stunning combinations that women of the 70s concocted for their disco attire. Everyone wants attention and they must want it badly because people going for an over the top 70s look today will take the time and effort to put on outrageously big afro wigs and heavy make-up that makes the men's faces beyond recognition. If you think women are incredibly eye-catching, wait ‘til you see the men in their ruffled shirts and animal printed elephant pants.

The color schemes of 1970s fashion display all of the fresh colors of summer except that they can be worn during evening disco parties and still look hip and somehow fabulous. Glam rock and punk rock styles were IN, thanks to the rock stars and movie stars that perpetrated the unusual and glamorous trends. Everybody was loving these outfits during their prime. Added to the hippy outfits left over from the early part of the decade, the mix of styles created an eclectic vibe that refuses to be forgotten.

These incredibly breathtaking 70s outfits have now made it to the future and they are patronized most by people who have a penchant for a retro vibe. Vintage stores in your neighborhood may still have a few of these priceless pieces of clothing, but now they are becoming so popular that they get purchased very quickly. You can find a wide selection of these fun, chic and glamorous 70s clothes right here! Some are new and some are vintage. I hope you enjoy them.

I don't know if it is nostalgic memories of hippies and disco devotees, or younger folks who want to live the 70's dream, but there is definitely something there. It isn't any kind of surprise then that 70's costumes are a real favorite right now.

The great thing about 70's costumes is that they give you a couple of ways to go. If you really like the hippie styles of the early part of the decade, you can bust out that fringed vest you've been storing in the back of the closet and see how close you come to fitting into it. If you never really got over the disco fever you caught in the latter part of the decade, you can break out your favorite old disco outfit and take one more spin on the dance floor when you head out to Halloween parties this year.

Of course it is getting harder and harder to find original vintage 70's gear for putting together a good costume. Even thrift shops, which used to be a picker's paradise, don't seem to have nearly as much original vintage clothing anymore. When it does show up, it is often scooped up immediately either by vintage fashion lovers or people who have plans to sell the merchandise on eBay.

That really is not a major problem though for people who are looking mainly for a costume to make them look like they just stepped out of a time machine. There are many options for 70's costumes available (right here, in fact). Some people like to buy a complete costume that comes as one package deal. Others like to put together their own look using hippie or afro wigs and a variety of retro style pants, shirts, dresses, vests, and even footwear. Adding GoGo boots to a 70's style mini is just the right finishing touch.

One thing to consider is that it can often be the details that make a costume go from good to great. You may want to consider accessorizing things a bit. This is where a trip to a garage sale or estate sale can often be a worthwhile investment of time. You may still find entire 70's outfits at these events, but even if they are long gone, there is still a good chance that you will be able to find things like vintage jewelry or other small items available that someone had stored away for years. Vintage peace signs, or outrageous 70's style gold disco medallions can sometimes be found at rock bottom prices if you look hard enough. Of course, if the seller realizes that they have something that people want, they may have their prices marked up a bit. In that case, make your best offer and move on unless you are looking to build a collection of original 70's clothes or other memorabilia.

There are tons of offerings featuring colored suede and fur, either at the collar or trimming the entire coat.  Of course, there are plenty of all fur vintage coats available was well.

There are quite a few men's overcoats currently listed, and over the past few weeks, the most expensive vintage coat from the 1970s that sold was actually a coat designed for a man.  It was an Italian Vigugna Wool coat that sold for just over $700.  That's just a little more than I've personally ever spent on a coat, but the auction did explain that a pound of this type of wool sells for $225 and that the fabric runs around 6 grand.  That makes $700 look like a pretty good deal I guess!

Right now you could probably do alright for yourself if you are interested in checking out some vintage coats and jackets because the market is getting a ton of them added to it.  Remember that vintage sizes tend to run small.  It isn't that the items have shrunk (usually).  We as a society seem to have supersized a bit over the past few decades.  Some people also say that manufacturers have changed their labeling as well, but that's a pretty hot topic of debate.

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Mens Vtg 70s Sears Jacket Coat cafe racer khaki tan faux fur lined sz LT L tall    US $19.99

women long blue coat duster western Vtg 70s Denim applique fringe boho USA sz XL    US $19.99

mens coat jacket parka Vtg 70s tan Storm Shed Storm proof hunting hiking USA XL    US $14.99

VINTAGE 1970s LEOPARD PRINT SHEARED BEAVER LAMB REAL FUR COAT 16 18    US $33.18

VINTAGE TOOTAL 70s PATTERN RETRO MOD HOUSE COAT SMOKING JACKET DRESSING GOWN L    US $23.68

Mens L XL Vtg 60s 70s wool tweed coat herringbone black England long heavy dress    US $15.50

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Here are some vintage polyester items for sale on eBay right now.  I didn't limit these to clothes from the 1970s because I didn't want to filter out too much.  I hope you find something you like!

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Vtg 60s 70s Mod Flower Blue White Polyester Blouse Top    US $19.99

Retro Brown Polyester Ladies Gloves and Scarf    US $29.99

VTG JOEL 70s Polyester Shirt Jacket Womens L Large    US $17.50

Vintage 70s MOD OP ART Polyester Blouse Top by TRISS    US $16.00

Rain Scarf by Totes Made in Italy Vintage 100 Polyester Water Repellent 28 X28    US $15.00

VINTAGE BEN HOGAN TOUR GREEN COTTON POLYESTER THIN FABRIC POCKET POLO LARGE    US $39.99

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Adult Male 60s Groovin Wig

60's Babe Wig

Blonde 60s Wig

Adults’ Mod '60s Wig - Black

Fashion Wig, Déjà Vu Brown

Brown 70's Shag Wig

70s Angel Wig

Black Jumbo Afro Wig

Brown Afro Party Economy Wig - One Size

There are a lot of great 60s wigs and 70s wigs available for people who want to have a little bit of fun either at a party, or just to be different. One of the most distinctive things about the decade of the 70s was the hair. Everything from outrageously huge afros to feathered Farrah Fawcett hair was popular and it helped to define the overall look of that ten year period. Of course, the early part of the decade has more of a hippie feel to it. The 80s came along and brought with them some huge hair styles. I'd love to know how much hair spray was used during THAT decade.

These 60s wigs and 70s wigs are new, not vintage.  A 70s costume hippie wig is great for people who can no longer grow this kind of hair on their own or who have no interest in looking like a hippie for any other time than Halloween.  These items are sized for an adult and are meant to be part of a 70s costume ensemble.  I wouldn't plan on wearing it as a toupee, but you never know, someone might end up finding you really attractive!  If you are purchasing this costume wig, you might want to think about other items to help you complete the look.

If you want to look like some of those famous rock stars and movie stars of the 70s, you can find great outfits that will make your look very consistent with that theme. You can borrow from your parents if they have fun and funky outfits that belonged to that era. You can even find some accessories suitable for your 70s costume right here. Anyone who actually lived during the 1970s realizes that most of the costumes you see today are a stereotype of the way people dressed at the time. Sure there were hippies, but some people just dressed in jeans and t-shirts too. It is great to have fun dressing the part that is remembered from that funky decade, but we should probably acknowledge, when discussing 70s clothing, that not everyone looked or acted like Cheech and Chong.

UPDATE: Sorry, but YouTube pulled that clip, so here is a different one from Levi's that's kind of neat.

Older leather jackets sometimes show some wear after a bit of time.  You might consider this adding "character" to it, or you might just want to help prevent it.  The video at the bottom of this post will give you some ideas about what you can do to keep the old leather fresh.

Leather bomber jackets are bid on quite a bit, but so are biker jackets and fashions featuring fringes in shrunken down sizes for ladies.  If you are more into funkier fashions, there are jackets that combine leather and fur as well as styles appearing in a rainbow of colors.  Be sure to check out all of the photos because some of these older jackets also feature appliques on the back that you might want to know about.

Remember that when you buy vintage clothing, you should not just go by the tagged size.  Our society has sort of "supersized" itself, so those old tags don't always match up to today's sizes.  Check to see if the jacket or coat you are looking at has actual measurements listed and then always compare them to something that you know fits before placing a bid or clicking "buy it now".

You can usually find some pretty cheap prices on leather jackets compared to what new ones cost and these vintage ones have often been taken care of very well by their original owners.  People like the vintage styles a lot, but the fact that they are less expensive than brand new coats can be a real bonus today.  If you don't see what you are looking for at first click, you can always get more specific in your search by adding terms like "racer" or "biker" to the search.  Here are a few of the results for "70's leather jacket" that are available right now.

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SUPERB VINTAGE 70s RETRO TAN LEATHER JACKET 42 INCH    US $93.22

70S LEATHER JACKET WITH SHEARLING COLLAR HIPPY MOD BOHO LADIES SZ 12    US $85.05

Womens MARC JACOBS Fur Leather 70s inspired Jacket    US $699.99

Vintage 70s Wine Etienne Aigner Leather Jacket    US $99.99

Vintage Mod 60s 70s Faux Leather WOmen Jacket Small M    US $14.99

Vtg 70s Blonde MINK Leather Geometric Jacket Coat Sz Lg    US $149.99

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Columbia Blazer Jacket Jean Denim Vintage Classic Style Size M    US $6.99

VINTAGE TOMMY HILFIGER SIZE LARGE JEAN JACKET COAT    US $50.00

VINTAGE RARE WNEW 1027 FM PINK FLOYD THE WALL BERLIN 1990 JEAN JACKET    US $149.97

Levis 507 acid wash jean jacket vintage denim Medium    US $22.00

VINTAGE LEVI JEAN JACKET WOOL LINED GOOD CONDITION SHARP LOOKING    US $30.00

Vtg 80s Lee Riders Denim Distress Jean Jacket Mens Small    US $40.00

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During the 1980s, the acid washed look started to show up.  That, along with an influx of jean jackets with band names on the back give that decade's clothing a bit of a different feel.  Yes, you can find the band names on jackets from other decades, I just mentioned them in relation to the eighties because I've been seeing a lot of them lately.  Surprisingly, for as well as Iron Maiden t shirts sell on eBay, a jean jacket with the band's name on the back recently went without a single bid.  I guess it all depends on what you are looking for and who else is looking at the same time as you.

If you are looking for 70s outfits and individual accessories for your wardrobe, another item that I saw pass by without any notice was an old vintage jean jacket covered in vintage patches.  That one kind of surprised me because there are people who collect old patches as a hobby.  It was a cheap chance to grab a ton of them.

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New GOLD Rocky Balboa 70s Vintage Retro T Shirt Men M    US $14.99

vintage 70s SOMEBODY IN KANSAS LOVES ME t shirt NEW thin L    US $9.00

vintage 70s MY VERY OWN RAINBOW t shirt L    US $6.75

vintage 70s ely TENNIS mesh RINGER t shirt L    US $4.50

Vintage 70s Genesis Concert T Shirt Size Large    US $80.00

EMERSON LAKE PALMER Vintage Concert SHIRT 70s TOUR T RARE ORIGINAL Jersey    US $75.00

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For people looking for a specific, popular shirt, there are also a lot of 70's reproduction shirts being made today.  These are great if you just want the look and don't necessarily care about the age of the shirt.  This is actually something that fans of authentic vintage have to keep a close eye on because some sellers might try to pass one off as an original or just not know any better and think that they actually are in possession of an authentic piece of 70s clothing.  If you are going to be doing much buying and you really like vintage clothes, it is a good idea to learn a little bit about what brands were commonly used back in the 70's.  You wouldn't want to pay a vintage price for a reproduction you could have had for less than ten bucks.

Maybe not, maybe they just really think I'm nuts!  I had to explain that bell bottom jeans were a fashion from the 1970's designed to help kids keep track of where their feet were when the walked or rode bikes.  I remember getting myself stuck several times when my jeans became lodged in my bicycle chain.  I'd have to call for help and then my Mom would get mad because my jeans now had black grease stains and frays at the bottom.  Maybe that was my contribution to seventies fashion.

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Vtg 70s LEVIS 746 Corduroy Bell Bottom Jeans 27 X 31    US $55.99

Vintage Levis Texas Rider Womens bell bottom jeans    US $39.99

Worn Vintage 646 0217 Bell Bottoms Blue 42 x 25 Jean    US $48.50

vintage corduroy bell bottom pants jeans USA JC Penny Plain Pockets MINT 38X30    US $12.99

Levis 646 Vintage BELL bottom jeans meas 37x28 V1081    US $59.97

Levis 646 sz 9M 29x29 Orange Tab Bell Bottom Vintage Jeans 1975 Button 6 SF 207    US $19.95

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There are a lot of 70s fashions popping up on places like eBay.  If you choose to go the eBay route and grab yourself some genuine vintage fashion, be aware that today's bell bottoms may be a bit different than the ones your Mom wore.  In the 1970's people tucked in their shirts more often and wore their pants up higher.  That sounds rediculous as it's written, sorry, but I just mean that there weren't as many low riders in the jeans crowd.  Hey, they put their kids in colored Tuff Skins too, remember?  You can try to compensate by throwing on some platform boots!  The look will rock!

Really, you can find some decent prices (sometimes) on vintage clothing on eBay, but remember that you are buying vintage.  The pants will generally have a higher rise and might feel like they are hugging your mid-section if you are used to wearing low rise jeans.  If memory serves correctly, you might also expect to have your legs and undergarments stained blue if you make the mistake of not washing them first.  (I've seen a lot of deadstock items listed).  If you do go for purchasing deadstock jeans, ask if there is any fading on them.  I never would have though of this, but I did get my hands on some authentic 1970's jeans with the original tags still attached about a year ago.   I noticed immediately that there was a definite change in color where they had been folded and stored for 25 years.  They were still very sturdy, but there were permanent lines of differing color from such a long period of storage. If you are shopping for true vintage, be sure to find out if there are any imperfections like that, that you should be aware of before you buy.