Before influencers, views, and blue checkmarks, being cool in the '70s was an art form. No apps, no filters; just pure vibe. You didn’t need a ring light, just the right pair of bell bottoms, a killer mixtape, and the swagger to own a lava lamp.
Cool wasn’t handed out, it was earned. In the way you flipped your collar. In the way you nailed the Hustle at a school dance. In the way you held your bubble gum cigarette just so. It lived in your Walkman-less walk, your Fonzie-approved confidence, and your perfectly timed "Right on."
These weren’t trends, they were rituals. You had to know. You had to feel it. And if you didn’t? Well… you probably still had a good time anyway.
Let’s crank up the 8-track and take a ride through the things that made you untouchably, unapologetically cool in the '70s. Click on, if you’ve got the groove.
1
Sunglasses So Big They Had Their Own Personality
Aviators, tints, giant frames. Block the sun and the haters.
2
Incense Burners: Scented Smoke with a Side of Wizard Vibes
Usually shaped like a dragon or some mystical thing. Your room? A temple of cool.
3
Stack of MAD Magazines? Certified Rebel Material
Irreverent, ridiculous, and borderline genius. If you read MAD, you got the jokes before the grown-ups did.
4
Lava Lamps: Legal Psychedelics for Your Nightstand
You stared. You zoned out. You probably burned your fingers once. Worth it.
5
Blacklight Posters: Glow-in-the-Dark, Blow-Your-Mind Wall Art
They didn’t just decorate, they transported. Pair with incense and you were basically cosmic.
6
Bean Bag Chairs: Furniture That Didn’t Judge You
Sink in. Disappear. Lose all posture and all your worries. Iconic comfort.
7
Chopper Bikes: The Playground Harley
Banana seat, tall handlebars, and enough swagger to rival your older brother’s motorcycle.
8
Waterbeds: The Groovy Ocean You Could Sleep On
If you had a waterbed, you were either very cool or very divorced. Sometimes both.
9
Custom Vans: Rolling Bedrooms of Rock ’n’ Roll
Groovy carpet, airbrushed flames, and a mattress in the back. What happens in the van... probably involved Foghat.
10
Skateboards: Still Underground, Already Legendary
Sidewalk surfing with a wooden death trap. If you didn’t bleed, you weren’t doing it right.
11
Muscle Cars: Loud, Fast, and Completely Unapologetic
If your Camaro or Charger didn’t wake up the whole block, were you even alive?
12
Flower Power on Four Wheels: The Custom Beetle
Psychedelic swirls, rainbows, maybe a peace sign or two; it didn’t go fast, but it grooved.
13
Reel-to-Reel: For People Who Took Sound Seriously
This was for the audiophiles who wore headphones like a crown and treated tape like fine wine.
14
Denim Jackets: Your Personality, Now With Patches
The more worn and stickered-up, the more you screamed: I’ve lived, man.
15
Buckle Up: The Bigger the Belt, the Badder the Attitude
Cowboys, rockstars, and disco kings alike. It wasn’t just a belt, it was a statement.
16
8-Track: The Original Road Trip Flex
Bonus points if it auto-switched tracks mid-chorus. Every cool car had one and a glove box full of Steely Dan.
17
Mood Rings: Because Feelings Needed Jewelry Too
Blue? You were chill. Black? You were DOOMED. Probably just cold hands; but hey, vibes mattered.
18
Leisure Suits: Polyester Never Looked So Confident
Wide collars, pastel colors, unearned swagger; every Saturday night fever dream started here.
19
Fringe Jackets: Where Rockstars and Rebels Met
Suede, leather, fringe swinging in the breeze; you weren’t walking, you were making an entrance.
20
Platform Shoes: Break Ankles, Turn Heads
If you didn’t risk a twisted ankle, were you even trying to be cool?
21
Band Tees: Proof You Were There... or at Least Lied Well
Wear your Zeppelin or Stones tee to school and you instantly rose 3 social ranks. Minimum.
22
Concert Posters: Wallpaper for the Rebellious
The more faded, ripped, and psychedelic, the more people knew: this wall belongs to a legend.
23
If You Had a Fender, You Were Practically Famous
You didn’t need to play the guitar. Just owning one boosted your cool by 73%.
24
Your Record Collection = Your Soul
Dark Side of the Moon, Saturday Night Fever, and Rumours: each one said something about who you were.
25
PONG: The Game That Launched a Million Nerds
One dot. Two paddles. Endless bragging rights. The OG screen addiction.
26
Polaroid: Snap It, Shake It, Flex It
You weren’t cool until you had a blurry pic of your friends at a basement party in weird lighting.
27
LED Watch: When Time Got Its Groove On
Futuristic, flashy, and more expensive than rent; it blinked red, and so did your crush.
28
Color TV: The Holy Grail of the Living Room
If your console TV had wood paneling and needed two grown men to move it, you were basically royalty.
29
Boombox Beginnings: Carry the Beat, Become the Beat
Early models were rare, but if you had one? You weren’t just cool. You were the party.
30
If Your Stereo Looked Like a NASA Control Panel, You Were Winning
Marantz, Technics, and speakers bigger than toddlers. Your living room shook, and so did your neighbors.
