How to Create Perfect '70s Outfits For Dolls

How To Create The Perfect 1970s Outfit For Your DollWe've put together the ultimate resource guide to recreating the quintessential fashion favorites of the 1970s for your 18-inch doll such as American Girl®. For more inspiration, be sure to check out our style guide on 5 Spring Trends To Sew For Your Doll.  

Giveaway Alert: Scroll to the bottom of the page to enter our American Girl® Julie™ Doll Giveaway!

We all know trends come in cycles, and suddenly the crop tops, scrunchies, or "mom jeans" of decades past are back in style once again. One fashion era that is always being reinterpreted by trendsetters of today is the style of the 1970s. 

Key features that are so fun to play around with in design are:

  • bell bottom silhouettes
  • fitted and/or cropped tops such as peasant blouses
  • wide lapels
  • midi and maxi length skirts
  • fabrics and prints such as paisley, crushed velvet, crochet, and bold colorful florals

Find the entire collection of 1970s Patterns For 18-inch Dolls on Pixie Faire. 

The 1970s Color Palette 

Pantone™ 1970s Colors

According to Pantone®, economic recession and eco-consciousness were top of mind during the '70s, and this influenced consumers taste in colors by drawing them to more muted, earthy tones. Similar colors have been popping up consistently across runways and trend reports over the last few seasons, as people today look for grounded and more minimalistic colors. 

1970s Dresses

1970s Dress Patterns For 18-inch dolls

     

1970s Chevron Sun Dress Crochet Pattern by Little Abbee

Sweet 70s Dress from Keepers Dolly Duds

Convergence Dress from DKinley Designs

All Occasion Dress from 123 Mulberry Street

Create a cute spring dress for your doll that channels a '70s vibe by choosing a pattern with classic details of the decade, like a wide pointed collar, or pick groovy fabrics and accessories to add '70s flare to a more versatile and classic dress pattern. 

 

1970s Spring Separates

1970s Skirts, Pants, and Tops Pattern For 18-inch dolls

  1970s Flounce Blouse and Skirt 18-inch doll clothes pattern 1970s Pantsuit and Jumper 18-inch doll clothes patternsPeasant Blouse Pattern For 18-inch dollsGenniewren Philippa Skirt Pattern

Eclectic Closet Flounce Blouse & Skirt from Flossie Potter
Study Hall Pantsuit and Jumper from Keepers Dolly Duds
Peasant Crop Top from Flossie Potter
Philippa Skirt from Genniewren Designs
These great tops, pants, and skirts can be made into authentic '70s ensembles, 

 or be mixed-and-matched with other wardrobe staples to create more contemporary looks. 

70s Spring Shoes and Accessories

1970s Accessories Patterns For 18-inch dolls

18-inch doll shoes pattern espadrilles sandals    Fringe Bag Pattern For 18-inch Dolls    18-inch doll shoes pattern Dollistock sandals 1970s Accessories For 18-inch dolls

Platform T-Bar Espadrilles from Miche Designs
Killara Fringe Bag from Liberty Jane Clothing
Dollistocks from QTπ Doll Clothing
'60s and '70s Accessories from Flossie Potter
These shoes and accessories are the perfect way to add a hint of the 1970s to an outfit, or to go the extra mile and create an authentic look.

 

1970s-inspired Pattern Hacks

Hip-Hugger Bell Bottoms and Maxi Skirt Pattern Hack

Sew the perfect Hip-Hugger Maxi Skirt using this Pattern Hack of the Hip-Hugger Bell Bottoms from Flossie Potter.

1970s Bell Sleeve Tutorial

Add a fun and frilly Bell Sleeve detail to your favorite t-shirt using this pattern hack of the T-shirt Variations Pattern from Liberty Jane Clothing.

 

ENTER TO WIN An American Girl® Julie™ Doll!

To enter this week's contest, simply click the link below and then enter through the giveaway widget at the bottom of the blog post, there are many things you can do to earn multiple entry points!

Contest Details: You enter through the entry form that is embedded on this page and appears just below this paragraph, if you don't see it, be sure to visit the page from your desktop or an alternate browser such as Google Chrome. It may not appear on all mobile devices. The complete rules and entry details appear on the entry form. This is not a comment contest - in other words, leaving a comment on the bottom of this page is not an official entry method. The only required entry method is to leave a comment under this post and then confirm that you did it in the contest widget. One person will receive the Julie™ doll. You can enter once, or gain multiple entries by completing the other entry methods and increase your chances of winning. Please review all Terms and Conditions on the giveaway page before entering. While we wish we could run this contest everywhere, for legal reasons it is only open to eligible residents of the U.S. and Canada, not including Rhode Island. This contest is exclusively endorsed by Liberty Jane Clothing and Pixie Faire. Not endorsed by or affiliated with American Girl®. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment and tell us - which '70s trend is your favorite! Commenting below and confirming your entry in the widget above gives you one entry method, the other methods are listed in the widget above, be sure to enter in as many ways as you can to receive the maximum amount of entries to win one Julie™ Doll!

Thanks, everyone!

The Pixie Faire Team

 


100 Comments

Barbara Micolochick
Barbara Micolochick

April 08, 2020

Looking at these patterns brings back memories! I graduated from high school in 1969 and we had dress regulations. But once I graduated it was bell bottoms, long skirts, and tie-dyed tops!

Mardelle J.
Mardelle J.

April 08, 2020

Being a child of the 70s, I love Flower Power!

Debbie Rahn
Debbie Rahn

April 08, 2020

Love your patterns!!!! Wish you still offered the free ones??!!!! My granddaughter use to get them and then decide which she wanted to have me make but it was always her choice. But her parents don’t allow her to buy so she just looks now. Maybe after the Corvi-19 is over!! Again thanks

Tammy
Tammy

April 08, 2020

I loved the super-bright large floral patterns for dresses and bell bottoms.

wendy hobaugh
wendy hobaugh

April 08, 2020

My first year in college….I sewed in my dorm room for the girls…emb. the bottom of bell bottoms in crewel…made halter dresses and sold at the college fair….awesome days of memories…

Gail
Gail

April 08, 2020

Gotta love plaid bell-bottom pants. I remember wearing them to school.

Sue
Sue

April 08, 2020

I like the paisley trend and maxi skirts. I had a paisley skirt in the 70’s.

sue
sue

April 08, 2020

I graduated in 1979, so these fashions are my school years. Loved my bell bottoms!

Dorothy
Dorothy

April 08, 2020

The 70’s – what can I say? I saved a harvest gold miniskirt of my own from that era. :-) Now we just need some flame-stitch fabric to make a cool 70’s top for Julie!

June
June

April 08, 2020

Love Julie and her style.

Bev
Bev

April 08, 2020

My favorite "70s design was the maxi dress. I remember my mom making matching maxis for my two sisters and myself.

Beverly
Beverly

April 08, 2020

I love 💕 every style of the 70’s. The black lights to show bright colors of groovy peasant tops, adding fabric to make the bell bottoms flare even more, like a skirt on each leg, all the way to long hair. My favorite cool fashion is the maxi skirts and the embroidery, wow!
Man, Julie can ‘book’ in all these clothes. I ‘dig’ this blast from the past!!!

jackie koepnick
jackie koepnick

April 08, 2020

boy this brings back memories and fun times loved the bell hip huggers the doll is lovely thank you all for the work you put into these

Sharon B.
Sharon B.

April 08, 2020

Who can forget the bell-bottom pants? I graduated high school in the late 70’s, and these were favorites for sure!

Cora
Cora

April 08, 2020

I made a midi white dress for class day. I loved wearing the bell bottoms and peasant tops.I had several bloused that were long and snapped at the crotch.

Angela
Angela

April 08, 2020

I don’t have much experience with ’70s fashion, but the jumpers are super cute! I had one when I was little that I really liked.
Julie is such a gorgeous doll! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

Susan
Susan

April 08, 2020

Julie is perfect. I love the bell bottoms. In fact my newest jeans have bells unexpectedly and I feel the energy of the ’70s every time I wear them.

Debra
Debra

April 08, 2020

This collection brings back memories of my high school years

Candy
Candy

April 08, 2020

I love this doll. I loved the peasant tops.

Deb E
Deb E

April 08, 2020

Having lived through the 70’s fashions…my favorite was hip hugger bell bottom corduroys, worn with a turtleneck, moccasins & a kerchief tying my long blonde hair back. That, and I wore a lot of very short dresses, and long maxi skirts & dresses. In that time frame I also went to Australia for a year as an exchange student, came back & graduated, got married, had both my babies and started my career….that was definitely my favorite time of my life, but BUSY!

Debra
Debra

April 08, 2020

My favorite 70s trend were the vests – I had so many – fringed, crocheted, leather even regular fabric in so many colors – I loved them. I even had one or two like the one Julie wears! Thanks again for the opportunity!

Donna
Donna

April 08, 2020

Brings back memories-would love to give this doll to a child in need.

JUDY
JUDY

April 08, 2020

Julie seems to be a perrineal favorite, never goes out of the AG catalog.

Kathleen A
Kathleen A

April 08, 2020

Also my time! I graduated in 1976! I wore it all! Mod, hippy, mini, midi, maxi, bells, straight, and disco! My mom could sew whatever I wanted! Julie is awesome! I would love to collect her entire collection!

Debra
Debra

April 08, 2020

Awesome! Julie is my favorite and I love 70s fashions. Its probably because the 70s were my glory days! Thank you so much for this opportunity and for the cool pattern hack. I had one of those skirts!

Cathy
Cathy

April 08, 2020

I love the white jeans and the frayed shorts!

Joan
Joan

April 08, 2020

Still wearing several pieces of this style

Betty Clark
Betty Clark

April 08, 2020

Love the 70’s era.

DJ
DJ

April 08, 2020

This was my time!

Sally
Sally

April 08, 2020

I’m still wearing many of these looks and so are my dolls.

Diane
Diane

April 08, 2020

I loved the 70’s. Would love to win her!!

Lucy
Lucy

April 08, 2020

All these clothes are so cute!

Valorie
Valorie

April 08, 2020

You have inspired me to get out the pictures of my family and friends taken during the 70’s! This will be a fun event to pick up our spirits while we are “sheltered at home”.

Dianne
Dianne

April 08, 2020

Ah, the 70’s. I’m very short and curvy, so I didn’t really have the shape to pull off the styles well, but I wore them anyway. I remember making matching hip hugger bell bottoms for my best friend and myself. The fabric had huge yellow and orange daisies all over it. We must have been quite a sight!

bren
bren

April 08, 2020

Oh my. The 70’s were so embarrassing fashion-wise! I had the peasant blouses and maxi skirts, the bell bottoms, and mini skirts, although back then, a mini skirt came about an inch above the knee. Nothing like the micro minis of today. Not my best look LOL, but wicked fun to recreate! And I’d LOVE to have a Julie doll to have as a model for the outfits before I send them along to my granddaughter’s AG doll. Fun, fun post!

Susan
Susan

April 08, 2020

Bell bottoms were my favorite

Ma
Ma

April 08, 2020

I remember the seventies well! Bell bottoms were my favorite.

Gloria
Gloria

April 08, 2020

I graduated high school in 1973 and I loved wearing bell bottoms, fringed vests, and fringed purses. I also liked the purple shirts and white pants on the guys. They looked so neat and dressy. How the styles have changed.

Frances Blockley
Frances Blockley

April 08, 2020

I just like all doll clothes It fun to make changes n put personal touch

Gloria
Gloria

April 08, 2020

I graduated high school in 1973 and I loved wearing bell bottoms, fringed vests, and fringed purses. I also liked the purple shirts and white pants on the guys. They looked so neat and dressy. How the styles have changed.

Linda Schneider
Linda Schneider

April 08, 2020

My favorite? Platform shoes because I loved being taller.

Mary G.
Mary G.

April 08, 2020

Bell bottoms are my favorite - they make you look skinny up top and they are sooo fun

Pam Floyd
Pam Floyd

April 08, 2020

I did it

Cristy Estep
Cristy Estep

April 08, 2020

My favorite 70’s trend would be maxi dresses and tie dye!

Monique
Monique

April 08, 2020

My favorite trend in the 70’s was bell bottom pants and fringe everywhere. I would Love to receive the Julie doll.

MARIA LUISA
MARIA LUISA

April 08, 2020

Love that era!. reminds me of my childhood in Peru!

June
June

April 08, 2020

I have a little granddaughter who would love to join her sisters with an American Girl doll!
Will be trying some of those 70’s bell bottoms & maxi skirts which I wore back then.

Kate
Kate

April 08, 2020

I was in college during the early 70s. I loved anything that was soft and long and flowy. I loved anything ethnic or patchwork or flowery. I made a lot of my own clothing and loved piecing fabrics together to make my own fabric. I still love to wear long, flowing dresses. It is so much fun being able to recreate my “style” for my granddaughters’ dolls!

Alecia S
Alecia S

April 08, 2020

Crop top and long breezy skirt combo!

Catherine Peterson
Catherine Peterson

April 08, 2020

Your patterns are such a fun trip down memory lane! The bell bottoms, tent dress and crocheted vest took me back to high school. Thank you for all your fabulous patterns!

Margot
Margot

April 08, 2020

There was so much going on in fashion during the 70s. So much in choice, big floppy hats, platforms shoes, ponchos, scarves, Hot pants, maxi dresses, bell bottom pants are just a few.
I wore a lot of maxi dresses, so I will say they were my favorite.

LAVONNE
LAVONNE

April 08, 2020

I love the bell bottoms and peasant crop top. Takes me back to my teenage years!

Deborah
Deborah

April 08, 2020

I was so excited when Julie came out, that’s my era! Bell bottom jeans were my favorite thing to wear back in the day, but I always had to stop my mom from ironing them!

Jan LaCroix
Jan LaCroix

April 08, 2020

The outfits bring back lots of memories

Linda
Linda

April 08, 2020

Love the crocheted dress! Colorful and so fun!

Christy
Christy

April 08, 2020

I love the 70s because it’s the decade before I was born and my kids keep referring to it as “SO long ago” 😀. Julie is my favorite doll that we don’t own yet and my 6 year old daughter and I have been reading all her books during the quarantine at home!

Cindy
Cindy

April 08, 2020

I loved the bell bottoms, midriff tops, and rompers. I was a young married woman at the time. Such a happy time and great memories.

pat P
pat P

April 08, 2020

I made the same maxi skirt when I was in my teens. I also recall making my bell bottoms fuller by adding an insert in the leg seam. We also upcycled our jeans to make purses.

Marsha S
Marsha S

April 08, 2020

I loved the big wide bell bottoms and the bright colored fabrics and the colorful trims I could sew to the bottom of my jeans!

Alison Arsenault
Alison Arsenault

April 08, 2020

Oh does this ever take me back to the days when I wore bell bottoms, made of crimpolene. Such an easy fabric to sew with, loved it. Wish I had saved my scraps they would be great for some of the 70’s fashions for the AG dolls.

Marsha S.
Marsha S.

April 08, 2020

I loved the big wide bell bottoms and also sewing colorful braided trims to the bottom of blue jeans!

Cathy
Cathy

April 08, 2020

Pleasant blouse and bell bottoms !!!!! 70’s were the best.

Aimee
Aimee

April 08, 2020

Peasant blouses for sure.

Mary
Mary

April 08, 2020

I graduated from high school in 1974 and all these patterns took me back to that time period. Bell bottoms and peasant blouses. Cute for a doll. I don’t think I would wear them again. Thanks for the flash back. Love the doll. I had long blonde hair like that in those days too.

Maxine Bowers
Maxine Bowers

April 08, 2020

I just love the 70’s! I still wear hippy style clothes myself! :D

Kerry
Kerry

April 08, 2020

My favorite 70s trend was actually the long straight hair, not the clothes.

Angela
Angela

April 08, 2020

My favorite thing about the 70s is the music! I also love bell bottoms, tie-dye and the whole flower child vibe.

Dixie
Dixie

April 08, 2020

Your patterns look so authentic! I wore all of the 70’s fashions.

Patricia
Patricia

April 08, 2020

Midi and Maxi skirts

Deb F
Deb F

April 08, 2020

the early 70’s were my favorite time of all time. I was in high school and LIKED it, I had friends, I had a part time job so I had the pocket money I needed, I felt safe walking the 1 mile to town, I had very few responsibilities and I absolutely loved the fashions, including my platform sandals! Even the colors were just right for my skin tone. My favorite outfit was my gold & avocado paisley bell-bottom hiphuggers, my tan platform sandals, topped with my white peasant blouse and with my red, white & blue suede bag hanging on my shoulder. Man, I was cool. Thank you for the memories and the opportunity to give Julie a loving home!

Marsha
Marsha

April 08, 2020

bell bottoms and beads!!

Marie
Marie

April 08, 2020

I love the 70’s! Those bell bottoms are adorable, well all of it really! Can’t wait to build my 70’s wardrobe!

Mary Jo
Mary Jo

April 08, 2020

oh my memories , bell bottoms, denim skirts and peasant tops.

Tracy
Tracy

April 08, 2020

Brings back a lot of memories

Linda
Linda

April 08, 2020

I love the shift dresses in the bright colors!

Connie
Connie

April 08, 2020

Hip-hugger bell bottoms and crop tops are my favorites.

Ronald
Ronald

April 08, 2020

all

Mary
Mary

April 08, 2020

Cute outfits. Brings back memories

Shauna
Shauna

April 08, 2020

Super cute!

Sheila Chelednik
Sheila Chelednik

April 08, 2020

I love the whole era but my favorite is all the colors. I also loved the maxi dresses.

Kathy
Kathy

April 08, 2020

Hip hugger belle bottoms. Oh how I remember wanting and wearing them!

Chris
Chris

April 08, 2020

Of course the hip hugger bell bottoms! Wore these all the time!

Carol B
Carol B

April 08, 2020

I loved bell bottom pants with tied midriff tops, crocheted vests with fringe, and Hats. Lots of hats!

Penny
Penny

April 08, 2020

the peasant top is adorable! I had one just like it.

Linda in PA
Linda in PA

April 08, 2020

Hip hugger bell bottoms with patches, body suit, hip-length vest, and white Adidas tennies with 3 vertical blue stripes down the sides. I was a teenager in the ’70’s and I loved the cut and shape of the clothes. I didn’t like the colors! I can’t wear orange and yellow, avocado is a horrid shade of green, and brown – the best of the options! – made me look so non-descript. LOL I was sooooo happy when they finally allowed us to wear blue blue jeans to school! Without rivets, of course. I had a pair of jeans I patched every time they got a hole. By the time my mom made me throw them away, they were 90% patches. :D

Sherrie P
Sherrie P

April 08, 2020

I loved the patchwork skirts and fringe on everything.

Peggy
Peggy

April 08, 2020

Oh, how I remember the bell bottom look. I remember having a pair in bright yellow.

BevM
BevM

April 08, 2020

I love the long hair and bell bottoms from the 70’s.

Debby
Debby

April 08, 2020

I am a flower child of the 70s and I wore all the styles… My favorites were the bell bottoms, maxi skirts and mini skirts… I wore them all with my peace sign and strands of beads…

Leann
Leann

April 08, 2020

I loved bell bottoms with peasant tops! Also loved the Gunne Sax dresses & wish the current trend of maxi dresses were as cool as the Gunne Sax were!

Karen Gilbert
Karen Gilbert

April 08, 2020

I was a child of the 70’s and my favorite fashion of that time was the bell bottom hip hugger pants. I loved wearing them!

Cathy Heimer
Cathy Heimer

April 08, 2020

My favorite 70s trend is the long, flowy maxi dresses. I wore them a lot and my favorite was the Gunne Sax dresses that I want to recreate for the dolls.

Donna Williamson
Donna Williamson

April 08, 2020

I like the peasant tops from the 70s. My daughter would love to have a Julie doll. She has always been her favorite!

Anna
Anna

April 08, 2020

My fav is the clogs.

Kristen
Kristen

April 08, 2020

I love all the flowers and the gold color in the clothes.

Sandra Stuckless
Sandra Stuckless

April 08, 2020

I loved making my bell bottom jeans even wider by inserting a triangle of patterned cotton into my jeans below the knee. Groovy! Yes, I was a crazy teenager during the seventies. LOL The super cool girl in my class looked JUST like Julie.

Janet F
Janet F

April 08, 2020

Bell bottom jeans are my favorite 70s look. When I was younger I wore many of my mom’s clothes. I was wearing bell bottoms the year before they came back in style and was bullied/picked on about them

Linda Hinson
Linda Hinson

April 08, 2020

My favorite 70’s trends were long skirt, peasant tops and lace up granny boots.

honeychile
honeychile

April 08, 2020

Definitely the bell-bottoms. I still wear them! They look great with my hula hoop! And hey — the dolls need hula hoops, too!

Deb
Deb

April 08, 2020

Love the 70s looks…and Julie is the perfect doll to model them. Particularly like your crop top and bottoms. This contest and the looks really made me smile. Thank you PF.

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