37 Iconic Pictures That Show What The West Coast Looked Like In The ’70s

The 1970s was the decade of lava lamps and shag carpets, but at the same time, it was full of contradictions: austerity, nature-loving hippies, and high-tech futurism.In addition to the radical ideas ofthe Sixtiesthat were accepted into American life and culture, disillusionment in government, advances in civil rights, and the women’s movement had also become major trends.The West Coast was spearheading many of these changes, so we decided to pay homage to the iconic period and put together a list of pictures that perfectly illustrate its atmosphere. Continue scrolling to check them out!This post may includeaffiliate links.

The 1970s was the decade of lava lamps and shag carpets, but at the same time, it was full of contradictions: austerity, nature-loving hippies, and high-tech futurism.

In addition to the radical ideas ofthe Sixtiesthat were accepted into American life and culture, disillusionment in government, advances in civil rights, and the women’s movement had also become major trends.

The West Coast was spearheading many of these changes, so we decided to pay homage to the iconic period and put together a list of pictures that perfectly illustrate its atmosphere. Continue scrolling to check them out!

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Woman in denim shorts hitchhiking on a 1970s West Coast road, capturing vintage fashion and era vibe.

1970s West Coast vintage airport scene with classic cars and TWA airplane in the background.

Many criticsconsiderthe 1970s a golden era of socially conscious filmmaking after the studio system in Hollywood broke down and restrictions on violence, obscenity, and sexual content loosed.In this “New Hollywood” environment, innovative directors, including Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Barbara Kopple, and Francis Ford Coppola, took advantage of their newfound freedom to create what they believed to be important films, such asHarlan County, USA;Network;The French Connection;Mean Streets;The Godfather;Chinatown, andAll the President’s Men.

Many criticsconsiderthe 1970s a golden era of socially conscious filmmaking after the studio system in Hollywood broke down and restrictions on violence, obscenity, and sexual content loosed.

In this “New Hollywood” environment, innovative directors, including Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Barbara Kopple, and Francis Ford Coppola, took advantage of their newfound freedom to create what they believed to be important films, such asHarlan County, USA;Network;The French Connection;Mean Streets;The Godfather;Chinatown, andAll the President’s Men.

Vintage 1970s West Coast street scene with classic cars, including a black convertible, on a sunny day.

Women in vintage 1970s West Coast fashion, wearing nightgowns and gathered around a telephone booth.

Vintage 1970s West Coast facade of Morrison Hotel with classic car parked in front.

However, the popular appeal of such projects sometimes paled beside the blockbusters that also emerged in the 1970s. Mass marketing and computer-generated special effects created worldwide fan bases for movies likeStar Wars,Jaws,Rocky,Saturday Night Fever,and an entire genre known as “disaster films,” includingThe Poseidon AdventureandThe Towering Inferno.

Two people in 1970s West Coast fashion by a classic car, with palm trees and buildings in the background.

A 1970s couple posing by the West Coast, with ocean and cliffs in the background, capturing the iconic era’s vintage vibe.

1970s West Coast street view with vintage cars, palm trees, and pedestrians on San Vicente Blvd.

Vintage 1970s West Coast image featuring a partially visible Hollywood sign on a hill with brown wooden buildings below.

Though the popularity of personal computers and the internet was still a distant fantasy, much of the modern technology we now take for granted emerged in the 1970s.

The popular video game Pong, for example, came out in 1972, with controls and graphics that now seem incredibly primitive.

Digital memory storage was revolutionized during the 1970s when the floppy disc shrunk to a 5-1/4” format, and portable calculators and wristwatches were also radically redesigned.

Women roller skating in 1970s West Coast fashion, wearing colorful outfits and knee-high socks.

Yellow cab in front of 1970s West Coast theater showing “The Godfather Part II."

1970s West Coast street scene with vintage cars and a large billboard featuring Boston Terrier illustrations.

Vintage 1970s West Coast street scene with shops, a bridge, and people strolling on a sunny day.

1970s West Coast street scene with classic cars and palm trees, capturing the vintage iconic era vibe.

70s West Coast fashion scene with people in vintage attire outside a store, showcasing the iconic style of the era.

Vintage 1970s West Coast scene at Rose Bowl, showcasing vibrant market life and classic fashion styles.

Two elderly women in 1970s West Coast fashion, chatting on a bench with vintage s in the background.

Though bold, 1970s fashion also had a featherweight touch. Metallics reigned but were subtle in Lurex and soft coppery tones; color was ever present but leaned toward sherbert hues—no neon just yet.It was an era of easy-ons and easy-offs for the disco and jumbo jet. In Vogue’s January 1970issue, an article looked ahead at the new era, decreeing the fashionable verdict: “Shawls, capes, ponchos—anything that can be wrapped, strapped, or rolled around the body is home free in every way.”

It was an era of easy-ons and easy-offs for the disco and jumbo jet. In Vogue’s January 1970issue, an article looked ahead at the new era, decreeing the fashionable verdict: “Shawls, capes, ponchos—anything that can be wrapped, strapped, or rolled around the body is home free in every way.”

Two women in 1970s West Coast fashion, walking near a futuristic building with a lattice facade.