That 70s Home #8: Shag Under Foot Once More

My understanding is that shag is making a comeback.  I have this on good authority - my spouse, who watches HGTV every night.  They've also just put a shag rug in the break room in the building where I work.  I never thought I'd see the day where the once maligned shag would find its way back under our feet.

I'm not sure I understand why it's making a comeback.  I loved it back in the day, but it was awfully hard to keep clean, and would become matted.  It was also absolute hell on a vacuum cleaner.

But then, I remember how you could sink your feet into it and they would completely disappear under the deep comfortable shag.  Ahhhhh. 




I was shocked to learn of shag's return primarily because it is so intimately associated with the 1970s.  Like lava lamps and egg chairs, they sometimes pop up in people's homes due to their kitch appeal rather than an intrinsic allure.  It's interesting that shag is popular on it's own merit, and not from kitch or nostalgic charm.

Here's a few images from the 1970s featuring our friend, the shag. I specificly chose pictures of shag in use rather than ads or catalog scans.  So, on with the glorious shag!  



I think the shag carpet compliments the dairy cow comforter and ABBA poster perfectly, don't you? 



Music lessons on shag: I wonder it affected the room's acoustics. 



That steel chair looks about as comfortable as a grocery cart.  She'd be better off taking a seat on some shag.



Remember that wallpaper with giant blown-up photographs? My uncle had one of a scenic mountain range.  This city skyline wallpaper would get old after about two hours, I'll bet.

Also, I'll bet this guy moving the recliner is about to make this carpet live up to its name.  I can't help but wonder, given the sexual revolution and all, if a big reason for shag's popularity was it was nice for shagging. Just a theory..



I've saved the best for last. I know this image is skanky, but I would be remiss to keep it from you.  Here we have a seedy little disco party with SHAG CARPET ON THE WALL!!  Oh, baby.  It doesn't get any better than this, folks.