The early '70s prom tuxedos were far different from tuxes later in the decade.
Tuxedo styles change as fashion trends change. Sometimes, when fashion in general is rather elegant and colors are subdued, the changes in tuxedo styles are subtle and may only be detected by designers and formal-wear shops. But in the late 1960s and early 1970s, tuxedo styles were not to be overlooked. Prom was an occasion for guys to go wild with their tuxedos, in keeping with the wild and "anything goes" fashions left over from the late 1960s.
Early '70s: Tux Goes Wild
"Subtle" was not a word used to describe the years from 1970 to 1974, then or now. Clothing styles in the early 1970s were still echoing the 1960s "mod" -- colorful, loud and even wild styles. The attitude was informal and non-traditional, and tuxedos followed suit. Instead of the all-black tuxedo, the early '70s introduced colors, from baby blue to gold to burgundy. Sometimes a tux even combined several colors, with perhaps the lapels and pockets edged in black velvet, or the entire, enlarged lapel was black satin against a suit of yellow satin.
Ruffled Shirts
To go with the colorful jackets, male prom-goers wore ruffled shirts in colors to match the tux, or even a contrasting color. The signature of the early '70s prom shirt, however, was the cascade of ruffles down the front. Instead of a plain front or elegant set of pleats, the '70s shirts exploded with ruffles. The shirts were white, tipped with color, or all color, with two rows of ruffles, or up to six or eight rows. No longer did girls' prom dresses steal the show; the boys' tuxedos were meant to be talked about, too.
Matching Outfits
If a couple had been dating long enough to really plan for the prom, they often went all-out and planned matching outfits. It wasn't enough to ensure the corsage flowers coordinated with the girl's dress. Now, the girl was telling the boy the exact color of her dress, even giving him a swatch of fabric so he could rent a tux that matched. Suddenly guys didn't mind wearing a pink or purple tux, because everyone else was, too. At the very least, he made sure his ruffled shirt matched her dress.
Later '70s Conservative Returns
By the mid and late 1970s, elegance was coming back in style, and once again, tuxedo styles echoed the fashion trend. Top designers began offering tuxedos in ultra-formal cuts and fabrics. Black was back, lapels were once again trimmed in black grosgrain, and pants were a straighter, more formal cut. No more wild colors, even in shirts. Pleats replace the wild ruffles down the shirt front, and cuffs had cuff links but no ruffles.
Tags: tuxedo styles, early 1970s, early prom, late 1960s, once again, ruffles down
