10 Photos That Capture the Eternally Inspiring '70s Style of Linda Ronstadt

02/07/2024

In the '70s, there were few singers quite as cool as Linda Ronstadt. Her powerful voice and eclectic array of genres, from pop to rock to country to folk to Latin music, to name just a few, made her the first female artist to consistently sell out stadium shows, and she's had 34 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, won 11 Grammy Awards and sold over 100 million albums.

Ronstadt's achievements cannot be understated, and she blazed a trail for later generations of female singers. While she didn't write her songs, her unforgettable vocals made each song she interpreted wholly her own.

Sadly, Ronstadt released her final album in 2006, and in 2013, she revealed she had Parkinson's Disease, which left her unable to sing (the diagnosis was later changed to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy).

Ronstadt hasn't been in the spotlight for a while, but her influence can still be felt, and since her diagnosis, there's been renewed interest in her thanks to her writing two books and being the subject of a documentary. In 2023, she was introduced to a new audience when her 1970 ballad "Long Long Time" returned to the pop charts following its inclusion in an episode of the popular show The Last of Us.

On top of that, it was also recently announced that pop star and actress Selena Gomez will be playing Ronstadt in an upcoming biopic. Even if Ronstadt isn't singing anymore, she remains an icon, and in addition to her musical prowess, she was also a major source of '70s style inspiration.

Here's a look back at some of Linda Ronstadt‘s most fashionable moments as the singer whose voice and style defined an era.

1. Blunt bangs

10 photos that capture the eternally inspiring '70s style of linda ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt in 1968

Charlie Gillett/Redferns/Getty

Ronstadt first hit the scene in the late '60s, and had a boho chic look with blunt bangs and hoop earrings.

In a New Yorker interview, she recalled that in the early days of her career, "I was trying to figure out how to sing! And trying to be heard over the electric instruments. I had no idea that I sang as loud as I did. I always thought I wasn't singing loud enough, because in the early days there were no monitors. You couldn't hear yourself."

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2. Honoring her heritage

Linda Ronstadt in the '70s

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Ronstadt is of Mexican descent, and frequently paid tribute to her heritage through Mexican fashions, like this embroidered dress she wore in the early '70s.

In 1987, she surprised her fans when she recorded an album of traditional Mexican songs, and in 2022, she published a book about her upbringing, complete with Mexican recipes. In a Vogue interview, she said, "I'd say it in interviews all the time - ‘I'm Mexican' - and it was just ignored. Like, ‘You can't be Mexican. You have a German surname and you're white as a lily.'"

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3. Billowing sleeves

Linda Ronstadt onstage in the '70s

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Onstage playing to sold-out crowds, Ronstadt brought the drama in shirts with billowing sleeves. In an Allure interview, she recalled, "I would scrounge secondhand clothing stores - this was before we called it vintage - for lace blouses and wear a concha belt my dad made me. We were hippies, so we knew we weren't supposed to dress like other people, but we didn't always know what that left us with."

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4. Flower girl

Linda Ronstadt onstage in 1976

David Redfern/Redferns/Getty

Ronstadt often wore flowers in her hair during concerts. Looking back in a 2013 interview, she admitted, "When I look at those pictures, I think, Get rid of that flower, you stupid idiot! People used to send flowers backstage, and you would basically just use what was on hand. But if I went back in time that would be the thing that I would let go." We have to disagree - it's a cute look!

5. Scout's honor

Linda Ronstadt onstage in Cub Scout uniform, 1977

Linda Ronstadt in 1977

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

In 1977, Ronstadt made Cub Scout uniforms into a fashion statement when she started wearing them onstage.

She said the decision to wear a uniform emerged out of necessity. "We didn't know what to wear in those days," she told Rolling Stone. "I needed something that I could layer up, and I thought the Cub Scouts would be cute. It was really practical!" The uniform became one of her most legendary looks.

6. Off-the-shoulder

Linda Ronstadt on beach in 1977

Mark Kauffman/Getty

Ronstadt was considered a '70s sex symbol, but she didn't always want to dress sexily. Recalling a Rolling Stone cover of the era in which she posed in lingerie, she said, "I didn't really want that sexy image to be me. It's hard to live up to that."

7. Casual chic

Linda Ronstadt onstage in 1977

Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Ronstadt embraced easygoing, casual style, and told The New Yorker, "Oh, I never could figure out what to wear. I grew up wearing Levi's and a T-shirt or a sweater and cowboy boots or sneakers." We think she made not knowing what to wear look good!

8. Roller queen

The singer in roller skates in 1978

Linda Ronstadt in roller skates in 1978

Jim Shea/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

It didn't get more late '70s than Ronstadt rocking roller skates, hot pants and knee socks! This image appeared on one of her album covers, and became an instantly recognizable hallmark of the era.

9. Polka dot perfection

The singer in 1982

Linda Ronstadt in 1982

Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty

In the early '80s, Ronstadt went for a retro look, wearing a swingy red-and-white polka dot dress with a touch of '50s flair.

10. Lovely in lace

The singer onstage in 1983

Linda Ronstadt onstage in 1983

Paul Natkin/Getty

In this 1983 shot, Ronstadt traded her '70s hippie look for the glam that ruled the new decade, complete with Madonna-worthy lace gloves.

While we're sad that Ronstadt is no longer able to perform, we'll forever admire her gorgeous voice and consider her one of the most wildly charismatic women of the '70s.