Ahh those simplicity patterns! My mother and I both sewed many things over the years from those patterns. You could tone down the excesses by picking simpler styles and fabrics. The 70’s were a time of ugly fashion and hairstyles, and I remember disliking them even then. It was a distinct break from the 60’s though, and likewise the 80’s were a relief after the ugly 70’s. Nobody I knew dressed like the pictures in this article - lots of jeans, t-shirts, some body suits (on girls) with bell bottoms, and knit ponchos. It was very much toned down from these pictures. If you watched the blacksploitation movies from that time, you’d see more of these styles. Some kids went for that look too, but more for dances and parties than day to day.
They really needed to bring back the body suits a few years ago when older and chunkier women were sporting whale tails.