Earth Shoes and Other Products of the 70s

If you think some of the products your kids or grandkids have are strange, consider what was around in the 70s – pet rocks and beer shampoo. The 70s certainly saw some interesting trends. You may even have a few of these artifacts somewhere in your home, perhaps tucked away in the attic or basement. Do you remember earth shoes and these other products of the 70s?

Earth Shoes

Earth shoes were invented by a Danish yoga instructor and shoe designer who proclaimed the “negative heel technology” design. The sole was thinner at the heel, so one walked heel first, and this supposedly had health benefits. They were released in New York City on April 1^st, 1970, three weeks before the first Earth Day. The shoes surged in popularity, and many more negative heel shoes came out on the market as a result.

Beer Shampoo

Yes, this was made with beer. The Body on Tap shampoo contained one-third beer, Budweiser specifically. One of the biggest problems for Bristol-Myers, who sold the product, was discouraging people from drinking the shampoo. They even hired actress Kim Basinger to tell consumers that Body on Tap was “Brewed with 1/3 real beer…but don’t drink it!”[1]

Pet Rocks

Talk about a hard sell. Yet, the inventor became a millionaire when over a million Americans bought pet rocks. The box the rocks came in had breathing holes, and the inventor, Gary Dahl, even wrote an owner’s manual. It detailed how you could teach the pet rock to play tricks like “play dead” and how it could be a lifelong companion due to its long lifespan.[2] The entertainment factor came more from how the product was presented than from the product itself.

Bellbottoms

This style, once only synonymous with the 70s, is coming back into fashion. The long reign of skinny jeans is coming to an end, and this style is emerging. Perhaps you have some bellbottoms hidden away in your house that you can pull out for a retro look.