Why did Happy Days give up the 50's fashion for 70's bell bottoms? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Mr. Business2 · 04-09-2002, 12:57 AM

The early episodes will always be my favorite because the show perfected the image of the 1950's. Happy Days was the only show in history to capture the real visuals of an decade. It felt like I was actually there.
Later on, the show lost its magic. It started to look like Welcome Back Karter. I never understood the change in presence? The show took a 80 degree dive away from the 50's look. When the decade changed on Happy Days, they didn't do a good job protraying the 1960's. I felt like the show was protraying the late/early 80's. It'll always be a mystery to me.

TJL · 04-09-2002, 05:38 AM

Yeah, once the show started taping in front of a live audience, they really started slipping with keepings things looking 1950's.
The most glaring thing I always notice is the hair. It may have been the 50's, but Richie, Ralph and Potsie looked all 70's.

DetectiveGriffin · 04-09-2002, 12:57 PM

When they show it again, I'll have to pay closer attention. I know Fonzie used to wear a lot of boot cut jeans but i didnt notice anyone wearing bellbottoms. Weird.

TJL · 04-09-2002, 06:39 PM

During the seasons when the boys were in College, Ralph is sporting a very late 70's afro, and Chachi at times had hair that was practically down to his shoulders.
Now I know the show was moving into the 60's by then, but this is pre-Kennedy 1960's, not Woodstock 1960's!

wayne · 04-12-2002, 04:23 AM

I noticed also that the music seemed less of a nostalgic nature as the years went by. Some of it seemed like it was original instead of from the 60's. The one from the Chicago Sock Hop episode with "Moonlight Love" by Leather & the Happy Days Band would be an example.

TJL · 04-12-2002, 05:30 AM

Please, don't get me started about Leather Tuscadero.
Her look was right out of the 70's.

ficlopri · 05-26-2002, 02:15 AM

I agree the show suffered one anachronism too many once the moved into the 60's. But actually they once had an American flag with 50 stars in an ep set in 1956. Think about that!

Pitooey · 05-26-2002, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJL
Please, don't get me started about Leather Tuscadero.
Her look was right out of the 70's.

You're right TJL. The way I sorted that out was that she was way ahead of her time.

Cactus Jack · 06-02-2002, 10:40 PM

Agreed!! Potsie and Ralph had long-ish hair, Chachi had very lnog hair, JOanie looked older, Howard looked older in the last four seaosn, Marion was getting longer hair during that time too, and Arnol'ds looked like something out of a western movie, like that palce in the Kat Mandu episode with a jukebox and benches and a much cleaner place with high school and college signs also looknig 70s and 80s Potsie hair after putting Chachi's incredo wax in it LOL!! I still got it!!

Plata · 06-06-2002, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ficlopri
I agree the show suffered one anachronism too many once the moved into the 60's. But actually they once had an American flag with 50 stars in an ep set in 1956. Think about that!

Well, at least they had the right number of stars on the flag. But, I also think that the fashion seemed a bit out of place.

Kristina · 06-08-2002, 11:18 AM

Ritchie looks soooo 1970's they didn't keep the 1950's things up very long. All the girls on there were not dress like the 1950's...

Race's Girl · 12-24-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

Please, don't get me started about Leather Tuscadero.
Her look was right out of the 70's.

Her look was well good and can I have a pic of her please?

antman67 · 01-09-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Race's Girl

Her look was well good and can I have a pic of her please?

Suzi Quatro as Leather Tuscadero
Use www.Google.com and www.youtube.com for more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13XVTPsHPf8

biffbronson · 01-09-2013, 10:09 AM

I once read elsewhere that the move away from older fashions was a budgetary thing. Apparently the producers just didn't want to incur the extra expense of period clothing (or the network had really clamped down on their budget).

Off-the-rack stuff available in all sizes was no doubt cheaper than vintage wardrobes, which would likely also need more work in the way of alterations.

sandmountainslim · 01-13-2013, 11:01 AM

As a kid growing up in the seventies the later seasons gave me a very distorted view of fifties fashions and haircuts.

04-09-2002, 12:57 AM	#1
Mr. Business2 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 08, 2002 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 12	Why did Happy Days give up the 50's fashion for 70's bell bottoms? The early episodes will always be my favorite because the show perfected the image of the 1950's. Happy Days was the only show in history to capture the real visuals of an decade. It felt like I was actually there. Later on, the show lost its magic. It started to look like Welcome Back Karter. I never understood the change in presence? The show took a 80 degree dive away from the 50's look. When the decade changed on Happy Days, they didn't do a good job protraying the 1960's. I felt like the show was protraying the late/early 80's. It'll always be a mystery to me.
	__________________ Mr.B2

04-09-2002, 05:38 AM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Yeah, once the show started taping in front of a live audience, they really started slipping with keepings things looking 1950's. The most glaring thing I always notice is the hair. It may have been the 50's, but Richie, Ralph and Potsie looked all 70's.
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04-12-2002, 04:23 AM	#5
wayne Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 03, 2000 Location: portland Oregon, Inspiration Point Posts: 1,047	HD changes I noticed also that the music seemed less of a nostalgic nature as the years went by. Some of it seemed like it was original instead of from the 60's. The one from the Chicago Sock Hop episode with "Moonlight Love" by Leather & the Happy Days Band would be an example.
	__________________ wayne's world

01-09-2013, 10:09 AM	#14
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,457	I once read elsewhere that the move away from older fashions was a budgetary thing. Apparently the producers just didn't want to incur the extra expense of period clothing (or the network had really clamped down on their budget). Off-the-rack stuff available in all sizes was no doubt cheaper than vintage wardrobes, which would likely also need more work in the way of alterations.
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04-09-2002, 12:57 PM	#3
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,288	When they show it again, I'll have to pay closer attention. I know Fonzie used to wear a lot of boot cut jeans but i didnt notice anyone wearing bellbottoms. Weird.

04-09-2002, 06:39 PM	#4
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	During the seasons when the boys were in College, Ralph is sporting a very late 70's afro, and Chachi at times had hair that was practically down to his shoulders. Now I know the show was moving into the 60's by then, but this is pre-Kennedy 1960's, not Woodstock 1960's!

04-12-2002, 05:30 AM	#6
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	Please, don't get me started about Leather Tuscadero. Her look was right out of the 70's.

05-26-2002, 02:15 AM	#7
ficlopri Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 27, 2001 Location: Methuen, Ma.USA Posts: 659	I agree the show suffered one anachronism too many once the moved into the 60's. But actually they once had an American flag with 50 stars in an ep set in 1956. Think about that!

06-02-2002, 10:40 PM	#9
Cactus Jack RonFingSwanson Forum Idol Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Santa Rosa Beach,FL Posts: 103,099	Agreed!! Potsie and Ralph had long-ish hair, Chachi had very lnog hair, JOanie looked older, Howard looked older in the last four seaosn, Marion was getting longer hair during that time too, and Arnol'ds looked like something out of a western movie, like that palce in the Kat Mandu episode with a jukebox and benches and a much cleaner place with high school and college signs also looknig 70s and 80s Potsie hair after putting Chachi's incredo wax in it LOL!! I still got it!!

06-08-2002, 11:18 AM	#11
Kristina Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 27, 2001 Location: CaLiFoRnIa, UsA Posts: 8,890	Ritchie looks soooo 1970's they didn't keep the 1950's things up very long. All the girls on there were not dress like the 1950's...

01-13-2013, 11:01 AM	#15
sandmountainslim Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 13, 2013 Posts: 22	As a kid growing up in the seventies the later seasons gave me a very distorted view of fifties fashions and haircuts.