A New Generation Reviving the 70s: Join Them!

 

Those of us who had our elementary school and adolescence in the 70s totally get the vibe. It has made its way back into today's culture with surprising results. 

Today, young adults are recreating the energy of the 70s again in many ways. 




This couple in the above video are one of many dozens who have channels on YouTube showing digital nomadic lives, nomadic living, tiny living, and travel. There is a great generation of 20-somethings who are taking to the roads, working from their vans/RVs/skoolie buses and seeing America, spending time in campgrounds instead of city coffee shops and cafes. 

Here's more channels I highly recommend:



Here's some things we're seeing in the younger generation that harkens to the 1970s focus - 

Growing their own food
Crafting/Macrame
Bohemian-inspired hairstyles and clothing
Health foods-vegan diets
Tiny living
Eco-villages
War against plastics
Living in vans
Attraction to pioneer living
Electric hybrid cars
Smoking weed
Nomadic life
Houseplants
Disenchantment with politics
Living in recession times
Valuing practical hands-on work for independence like carpentry, sewing, and small-scale farming. 




It's interesting to see how we go in and out of phases, but it's good to see a younger generation getting why the dorky laid back 70s made way for the high-achieving stylish 80s. 



Here's just some of the 70s deja vu among our youth

Ecotourism
Tourism that is based on immersing yourself in nature, endangered locations, exotic plants, and natural environments is a huge growing sector of tourism. Locations like Costa Rica work to make it possible to bring in visitors who wish to be among, but not disturb a delicate ecosystem that is our Planet Earth. 

Even if you don't go to an exotic location, there are many places in America where there are protections for ecosystems like Yellowstone Park and the Everglades that can allow you to be among the beauty and see some of the greatest last wonders.

Tiny Living
Opting out of suburbia and the city, youths are stretching out across the countryside leaving a tinier footprint of possessions in exchange for freedom and financial security. 

This trend includes movable homes like converted RVs and school buses to parking a tiny home on a family property and saving their money, spending more time outdoors than in. 

These downsized young adults are moving into ecovillages, a modern take on the commune concept with community gardens and off-grid solar energy living, chickens and home schooling becoming their norm. 

Men with long hair and beards and women with long wavy hair
It doesn't take long when out in public to see that youths are sporting our "natural" look of the 70s. Hats have made a comeback, as well as braids and buns. A simple bohemian style for women is to leave two strands on each side of your face dangling down and then take the strands behind those and loosely pull them back to secure low and loose with a barrette. When I do tiny braids, I often work beads into one of those strands as I go for a line of beads going down the braid, or I wrap a strand of hair with wire or embroidery thread. 



Permaculture
Growing your own food and also mentoring others in the process, working on community gardens, and keeping urban areas food-growing are all great passions. 

Consider checking into neighborhood farmer's markets, city gardens, permaculture groups, and seed sharing. 

DIY Crafting
It's not hard to tell on YouTube that thrifting, upcycling, recycling, and picking up crafts like macrame are hugely popular. What crafts did you do when you were younger? I recall in the 70s tie dyeing shirts and adding studs to jeans, God's eyes, and dreamcatchers. 

Here's my favorite bohemian crafter - Katia Nikolajew






Hemp 
Sure, lots of states are allowing small amounts of cannabis, but what about the hemp revolution? Industrial hemp for cloth, clothing, and many other uses is helping to give a fast renewable source to replace trees for products. 

Hemp is also the new solution for health - hemp seeds, hemp oil, hemp face creams, hemp achy muscle lotions are all easy to find these days. 

Plant-based diet
The 1970s was health food story glory. It seemed every corner had a "hippie shop" where you could get Tiger's Milk or granola. Home grown veggies and orchard grown fruits were en vogue. 

Today, the youth are looking at plants as the answer to the future, concerning themselves with vitality and longevity. And, today's vegans have it better with imitation meats and alternative gluten-free breads that make the prospect actually tasty. 

Environmentally conscientious 
Alternative fuels, oceans of plastic, and a healthy non-altered food supply are high on the list of concerns for today's youth. It's good to see that our generation, that fought for more controls of car emissions and picking up litter, is being represented in yet another generation of concern for Planet Earth. 


More than pets, today's youth are rushing out to find all the houseplants they can. Houseplant growing is one of the biggest home decor sectors right now. And, they are even reviving macrame hangers. 

Folk music/coffee house
Remember poetry readings in coffee houses with local artists' work on the walls and folk music? Oh, the hipsters have brought it back in a big way. Indie folk music is BIG now. 




Bohemian style
Whether it's braids or prairie skirts, fringed purses, or  embroidered clothing, macrame or handmade pottery, bohemian is back. This style was so fun in the 70s with its laid back attitude, pattern and texture mixes, and vibe of an import shop.

Today, Bohemian clothing and home decor are top of the youth's list of must-have style. Even bell bottoms and middriffs made a comeback!




Perhaps the best store to epitomize this is Free People.  A more affordable method is thrift stores - the super chic shopping place for youth today where you can find items not in the malls!

Digital Nomad Lifestyle
When you can work anywhere online, why not live everywhere? That's the thought for 20-somethings who don't want to pay rent, want to see America, be in quiet beautiful places, and feel self sufficient from the normal on-grid bills. They can work anywhere they can get wifi, so why not enjoy the pre-baby times with adventure? That's the attitude. 

It's also the attitude for baby boomers who are done raising kids, want to downsize, and yet make some extra income making videos and art they sell on the road. 

CheapRVLiving is a great example!


Go electric car/solar energy
Hybrid electric cars and solar energy are two of the most sought after technologies for nesting youth these days. 

In our energy-conscious youth, availability of these things would have dominated our goals in the 70s. 

Suggestions for joining the 70s revived priorities and refinding your hippie soul - 

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville offers 55 and over owner communities and resort rooms to rent. 

Locations are everywhere - Nashville, TN, Nassau, Bahamas, Orlando and Jacksonville, FL, Palm Springs, CA, Lake Conroe TX, Costa Rica, Pensacola,FL, Pigeon Forge, TN, Osage Beach, MO, Bossier City, LA, NYC, NY, Belize, Mexico, San Diego, CA, Medford, OR, Lake Lanier, GA, Puerto Rico, and more!

grow houseplants




consider a small home on a bigger lot
Growing up in the 70s, we were outside much more than indoors while awake. Instead of a McMansion that gives you tons of house and no yard, try reversing your lifestyle for less possessions, smaller home, more outdoor space. Spend time outside, get some sun on your skin like the 70s, feet in the water, hoe to the garden, sandals or barefoot. Move outdoors. Grill your meals, grow a garden, get a hammock - 


rediscover your music vibe
There was some great laid back music of the 70s from The Eagles to Jimmy Buffett. How about hitting up some of today's indie folk music? It is so relaxing. You find these kinds of songs on YouTube to experiment and also hear it in many of the videos on there as background music, like on Trout and Coffee channel. In fact, his channel is a great example of the youngsters in the 70s from his vehicle choices to building his own off grid cabin, appreciating time outdoors with friends instead of indoors. Even his clothing sponsored by LL Bean is totally the 70s vibe. 

vacation in an unusual place
There are plenty of treehouse bed and breakfasts these days and intriguing AirBNB places like this treehouse one. Look up some ecotourism destinations in nature preserves or perhaps take a zipline or go totally 70s with some glamping. This fun alternative is like going camping, but a bit more comfy for our bones and more amenities. Think in terms of Jeannie's bottle on "I dream of Jeannie." 

add some vintage clothing to your wardrobe
Wrap a tiny braid with embroidery string or work beads into it. Consider going to secondhand stores to find the earth tones and vibes of the 70s. And then there's fantastically comfortable bell bottom leggings that make everyone's legs look soooo long and sexy. 





Revel in the 70s vibe that is so prevelant today. Go to a coffee house, wear an embroidered shirt, shop at a farmer's market, rent an RV and take a vacay.






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