The 70s was a pretty shameless decade and these terrible 1970s menswear ads bear testament to that. Let's not bring any of these fashions back... please?
If you were lucky enough to untangle yourself from the rainbow macramé that was the 1970s, then these photos of what was then considered “fashionable” will be a disco-dance down memory lane.
If you are a post-’70s baby, looking at these images may cause some wincing and general discomfort. Please take the ensuing terrible 1970s menswear ads with the pill of knowledge that one of the most popular films of 1972 was actually a porno:

Lesson one: There existed an unnatural affinity for anything cable-knit. Hot Penguin

Likewise, the optimal pant waist should've just about reached your chin.Hot Penguin

The giraffe print leotard: the height of the American Empire.Hot Penguin

In the '70s, it simply was not a party without silk pants or mustard-colored onesies.Hot Penguin

Only in the '70s would something be described as "the ultimate fashion climax."Hot Penguin

Luckily the matador-about-town look never made it to the 1980s.Bored Panda

Male models of the '70s, ladies and gentlemen. Hot Penguin

Which is more unsightly: the cut or the pattern?Hot Penguin

Not quite sure why the slogan "slack power" didn't stick. Hot Penguin

Forget everything in this picture except for the fact that people used to hang their underwear on circular hangers.Hot Penguin

Plunging necklines and denim pantsuits — the '70s epitome of sportive.Plaid Stallions

The '70s were all about ... bottoms.Pinterest

Dramatic coats and collars defined the '70s. A global recession clearly didn't cause any cuts in fabric usage.Plaid Stallions

In the '70s, you could also purchase a new, fashion forward shirt for just $1.94.Hot Penguin

The advert on the right says that "the men people pay attention to will be wearing these coats," but we're wondering if this kind of attention is desirable.Plaid Stallions

"Just imagine how everyone will talk!" Yes, imagine... Plaid Stallions

These ensembles brought to you by the Council for the Color Blind. Plaid Stallions

'70s fashion kills: "Arnel" fabric was used in this garment, and was apparently discontinued because the fabric was made using a toxic chemical that likely affected brain function.Plaid Stallions
Want more of the disco decade? See 48 eye-opening photos of America's 1970s hippie communes, or check out these space colonies as imagined by NASA in the 1970s.