70s fashion and feminism

This Saturday at Worthing Museum we are delving into the 1970s with a fabulous Biba coat and dress and some vertiginous platform boots. 

However, it wasn't all fake fur and light-weight knits in subdued colours - the seventies were also a time of collective activism  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-womens-blog-with-jane-martinson/2011/nov/03/miss-world-back-much-changed

Second Wave Feminism
‘In February 1970, the first Women’s Liberation Movement conference took place at Ruskin College, Oxford. It unexpectedly attracted 600 delegates and was the first time Women’s Liberation groups from across Britain had met in a single place to discuss their demands and the challenges they faced. It was chaotic, exciting, optimistic (Ms Understood exhibition label, The Women's Library, 2010)


Four key demands were identified at the conference

• Equal pay for equal work
• Equal educational and job opportunities
• Free contraception and abortion on demand
• Free 24 hour nurseries under community control

Punk

Also in the 1970s Vivienne Westwood was researching clothing worn by activists and campaigners as inspiration for the punk tribe. She was interested in the clothes worn by people who fought for their beliefs. Her research was diverse, anything from Samurai Warriors to the Tolpuddle martyrs.

http://www.sexpistolsofficial.com/photos/?wppa-album=3&wppa-photo=228&wppa-occur=1