Most people have some wacky photos from the 1970s.

In the early to mid-1970s, it became customary for women to wear wigs. My Mom had a couple of wigs and a hairpiece. For many years, she stopped cutting her hair. She instead pulled it back and snapped on the bun-like hairpiece in the back. It was fashionable, and it looked nice.

During that same era, women often wore long dresses. The trend started, of course, with the "maxi dresses" that the cool set popularized. The square-because-they're-over-thirty crowd imitated the style. Sometimes all the women invited to a house party agreed to wear "long dresses."

Here are three snapshots from a party hosted by my Mom's best friend, Donna and her husband, Vytenis. We socialized at their home often. It's unlikely that the three women bought the "long dresses" for this occasion. They probably purchased them for some other purpose and decided to get another "wear" out of them. My Mom, for example, had selected the two-piece brown number for a rehersal dinner.

Suburban Chicago, December 1974. My Mom, Donna, and Jadzė D relax in a corner of Donna's living room. You recently saw this threesome knitting at our house. Mom is wearing her "bun-like" hairpiece. Donna is au naturel. Jadzė D often wore wigs.

*     *     *     *     *

Suburban Chicago, December 1974. They always have more fun when we're not around. Left to right are Jadzė D, Vytenis, Jadzė D's husband, my Mom, and Donna. My Dad is taking the photo.

*     *     *     *     *

 
Suburban Chicago, December 1974. My Dad loved to flirt. It was a running family joke. Dad was harmless, and Mom didn't mind: she's the one who is snapping this photo.