Strange things Hollywood found attractive 50 years ago

By the early 1970s, the United States was experiencing an economic downturn. The political focus of the 1960s had shifted into spirituality and, as Brenda Polan and Roger Tredre describe in their book The Great Fashion Designers, “drug-fueled altruism.” Fashion became simplified and romantic, “taking inspiration from other times and other places.”

In 1968, designer Halston opened his first salon in New York City. Vanity Fair said his fashion message was clear: “Clean, elegant, simple, and spare. Luxurious and rich.” He soon became a favorite among the Hollywood elite like Bianca Jagger and Liza Minnelli, and, by 1973, Halston was known as the “golden boy of fashion.” His minimal designs were known for the way they flattered a woman’s body, regardless of body type. And although he would routinely use stick-thin models in his shows, according to Polan and Tredre, Halston was proud of being able to dress “Miss Average America.”