AA-2026-8EA996
On the image
One woman, in a plaid jacket and voluminous hairdo typical of the 1970s, attends to the critical task of organizing her purse contents on a rocky shoreline. This vital operation, demanding full focus, confirms that immediate personal needs always take precedence, even when a camera is pointed directly at you.
Her companions, meanwhile, project an air of sophisticated casualness, one woman in a trench coat, the other in a plaid shirt and glasses. Standing by the water, they exemplify the era's belief that looking interesting was often more important than being comfortable, particularly for photographic evidence.
The general effect is that of people documenting a pleasant, if slightly indistinct, outing by the water, possibly a large bay or ocean, with a distant ship completing the tableau. The unspoken rule of the 1970s photo album was that every trip required at least one picture of people standing somewhere, looking vaguely pleased with their destination choices.
The historian's note
This image captures three individuals on a rocky shoreline adjacent to a large body of water, likely a bay or the ocean, during the 1970s. The attire of the subjects reflects the prevailing casual fashion trends of the decade in the United States, including plaid patterns, flared trousers, and natural hairstyles for women.
Such informal group portraits were a common form of personal documentation during this period, often taken during leisure activities, vacations, or day trips. The scene is indicative of a general desire to record experiences and travels without extensive formal staging.
The presence of consumer-grade photography equipment was widespread by the 1970s, enabling individuals to capture candid or semi-posed moments that now serve as visual records of everyday life and evolving social customs.
Subjects & keywords — each links to a search
Visually related — by likeness
1970s Group by the Water, Casual Fashion. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-8EA996. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/1970s-group-by-the-water-casual-fashion.
@misc{aaAA20268EA996,
title = {1970s Group by the Water, Casual Fashion},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-8EA996},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/1970s-group-by-the-water-casual-fashion}
}TY - ART TI - 1970s Group by the Water, Casual Fashion PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-8EA996 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/1970s-group-by-the-water-casual-fashion ER -
From the community
Identifications, corrections, and discussion from readers — reviewed by a librarian before appearing here.
Sign in to add an identification, correction, or comment.
No notes yet — be the first to add what you know about this image.