Fashion Thru Decades
The 1960s
Women’s Fashion
Moving from elites and prestige, fashion in the 1960s opened the door to more expression. Men and women both grew out their hair, and reveled a new sense of youthfulness and self-expression. These new styles opposed the previous “grown up” styles from the 1950s, and entered a new era of embracing the youth, specifically in America.
The 1960s was also the birth of an aesthetic called “Boho”. This was centered around hip culture and the freedom to express social movements and artistic moves through fashion. After the War in Vietnam, a movement called peace and love came into play.
“On college campuses, students were protesting the war. In Alabama, a series of three marches, the Selma Marches, in 1965 protested the blocking of Black Americans’ right to vote. In 1967, thousands of hippies converged in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district to commingle with the like-minded in what’s since been dubbed the Summer of Love. And in 1969, in upstate New York, the unprecedented multi-day Woodstock concert unfolded. Fashion meant bohemian maxi dresses in ditsy florals, loose and billowing silhouettes, and folkloric fashions with Eastern European ties”
LILAH RAMZI; VOGUE
Hair and makeup diversified heavily during the 1960s. New patterns, colors, and bold cuts were introduced. Going against the norms to appear conventionally feminine and elegant, these changes allowed for the youth movement to grow exponentially. Woman were able to showcase their creativity through extreme and intense looks. This cultivated the fashion world by adding accessories to transform every outfit.
The women’s fashion during this time can be largely categorized into three different categories including the previously mentioned, Boho aesthetic. The first is the continuation of elegance from the previous decade. Form fitting dresses and silhouettes were still the rave, along with wealthy-looking attire. Mostly stemming from the influence of Jacqueline Kennedy. She continued to wear high-end pieces to showcase her importance and wealth, being the First Lady.
Moreover, fashion in the women’s department was explored through a new influence of youth. The Youthquake of 1965 1 was a revolutionary movement where the young people made a seismic shift within the fashion world. Through bold eyeshadow, colorful tights and leggings, bowl cuts, and fast fashion was introduced. This allowed the young audience to embrace individuality and creativity in the fashion world.
in a Givenchy suit, “Paris When it Sizzles”,
1962. Laura Loveday. Source: Flickr
Audrey Hepburn was a fashion icon during this time. Woman of all ages came to love Audrey’s fashion sense, and configured mass popularity with her outfit choices in the film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
In the early 1960s, Hepburn wore feminine, Jackie Kennedy-esque skirt suits. Like the First Lady, she paired these suits with the requisite accessories: gloves and hat, like the green Givenchy suit worn in Paris When It Sizzles in 1962. The clothes she wore in 1963’s Charade would not have looked out of place on Kennedy but also cut a stylish figure as she gallivanted through Paris. As the decade progressed, so did her fashion. In the mid-sixties, Hepburn began to wear more “Mod” styles with bright colors and minidresses working their way into her wardrobe. In the 1966 film How to Steal a Million, she sported white-rimmed sunglasses à la Space Age styles and a stylish bob hairstyle accented by dark eyeliner to give her the popular doe-eyed look of the period
KARINA REDDY; Fashion History Timeline
- “The year’s in its youth, the youth in its year. Under 24 and over 90,000,000 strong in the U. S. alone. More dreamers. More doers. Here. Now. Youthquake 1965,” wrote Vogue in its January 1, 1965 issue. ↩︎
Fashion THru Decades
1960s
Men’s Fashion
Men’s fashion in the 1960s was characterized by a dynamic blend of styles reflecting the cultural shifts of the era. Early in the decade, traditional tailoring dominated, with sharp suits, narrow lapels, and slim ties being popular among professionals. The mod subculture, emerging in the mid-60s, introduced bolder patterns, vibrant colors, and innovative designs, including tailored suits in unusual fabrics.
Jimi Hendrix’s fashion influence was as revolutionary as his music. Known for his flamboyant style, he blended elements of rock, psychedelic, and bohemian aesthetics. His iconic looks often included:
Gender Fluidity: His fashion choices challenged traditional gender norms, embracing a more androgynous style that encouraged self-expression and individuality.
Vibrant Colors and Patterns: Hendrix favored bold, eye-catching colors and intricate patterns, often incorporating paisley and floral designs into his outfits.
Accessories: Hendrix was known for his use of accessories, including wide-brimmed hats, scarves, and statement jewelry, which added to his distinctive look.
Fringes and Fabrics: Fringed jackets, velvet, and silk were staples in his wardrobe, contributing to a sense of movement and theatricality.
Tailored Jackets: He frequently wore military-inspired or tailored jackets, often adorned with embellishments, giving a nod to vintage styles while adding a modern twist.
Moreover, men’s fashion during this decade was heavily influenced by rising pop stars, including The Beatles.
“Like women’s fashion, menswear turned to Eastern influences and secondhand shopping in the late 1960s. Rejecting the consumerism and synthetic materials of the earlier part of the decade, men began to wear vintage clothes, especially those from the 1930s and 1940s. This meant that men’s suits began to widen again, as they had in the thirties and forties…Tie-dye, loose-fitting shirts, and velvet vests were all a part of the men’s hippie aesthetic in the later part of the 1960s while color continued to remain front and center. As the 1960s moved into the 1970s, flared trousers, jeans, and long hair were all widespread men’s styles” (Reddy; Fashion History Timeline).