One of the most iconic pieces of television fashion in the 1970s is Laverne’s iconic monogrammed sweater from the sitcom Laverne and Shirley. In fact, the sitcom itself was a wonderful time capsule of 1970s fashions, particularly for women at the time – it reflected a kind of working-class simplicity that was indicative of changing gender norms during that era as women entered the workforce and began living more independently. In the episode “Haunted House,” for instance, both Laverne and Shirley wear simple cuffed blue jeans, light blue socks and simple brown shoes, which are eminently practical (and previously male-identifying) articles of clothing. Shirley wears a simple black cardigan over a wide-lapelled link button-down shirt, with a blue ascot around her neck – all fashions which fit with the times. Of course, their lower-class accoutrements are contrasted with Big Rosie Greenbaum, a richer girl who is shown wearing a black rhinestone dress and mink coat, with impeccably coiffed red hair – a contrast to their more pragmatic outfits.
Laverne, however, demonstrated a uniquely individualistic and iconic fashion scheme with her branded, cursive “L” over her left shoulder in all her long-sleeved sweaters in Laverne & Shirley (in the case of “Haunted House,” a neon pink sweater with an equally pink L). Given her status as the wilder member of the pair, Laverne’s equally loud clothing served well to emphasize her gregarious nature, as it literally declared her name for onlookers to see and recognize. In this way, Laverne’s monogrammed sweaters became an instantly recognizable part of pop culture that endures in the annals of television history, cementing Penny Marshall’s outspoken New Yorker as an icon of independent womanhood and practical-yet-stylish fashion in 1970s working-class communities.
Works Cited
Myerson, Alan (dir.). “Haunted House” (episode). Laverne & Shirley. Season 2, Episode 21.
