AA-2026-FA26D3
On the image
A group of young adults confidently navigates a hedge maze, a popular form of structured recreational confusion during the 1970s. The dense green walls, maintained with unwavering commitment, ensured that anyone seeking a simple walk would instead experience a delightful detour, which was apparently the point.
One woman, wearing a bright red rain slicker over boldly striped trousers, epitomizes the era's enthusiastic embrace of polyester and clashing patterns. She holds a cigarette between her lips, gazing straight ahead with the certainty that this outfit, and this deliberate act of getting lost, are both perfectly sensible.
Other companions follow, some in light blue peasant dresses and large sunglasses, all participating in the agreeable fiction of a journey without a clear destination. It was an age when finding one's way through a labyrinth was considered a perfectly valid use of a sunny afternoon.
The historian's note
The image captures a group of young people engaged in recreation within a hedge maze, a feature found in many public and private gardens. This type of garden labyrinth, designed for leisure and contemplative walks, has a long history, becoming particularly fashionable in grand estates and botanical parks.
The clothing styles, including a shiny red raincoat, striped wide-leg trousers, and a light blue peasant-style dress with oversized sunglasses, are characteristic of fashion trends prevalent during the 1970s. These elements collectively place the scene firmly within the decade.
The photograph documents a typical social outing for young adults, highlighting the informal fashion and leisure activities of the period. The setting emphasizes structured natural environments as sites for social interaction.
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Young Adults in a Hedge Maze, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-FA26D3. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/young-adults-in-a-hedge-maze-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026FA26D3,
title = {Young Adults in a Hedge Maze, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-FA26D3},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/young-adults-in-a-hedge-maze-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Young Adults in a Hedge Maze, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-FA26D3 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/young-adults-in-a-hedge-maze-1970s ER -
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