The “swinging sixties” was a time of countless trends and changing styles. While the decade defined itself with four lads from Liverpool, the Civil Rights movement, The Vietnam War and Second Wave feminism, the fashion that came out of the period has revolutionized the world as we know it today. Let us take a look at some of the iconic clothing that established the 1960s as a decade to remember.
The Early 60s
The “Jackie Kennedy Look”
The early 1960s still saw some of that modest, elegant fashion that the 1950s was known for. Thanks to First Lady and style icon Jackie Kennedy, women wore tailored yet boxy blazers with matching skirts, modest kitten heels, and classy dress coats. Not to mention, she popularized the iconic pillbox hat, which she would perfectly match to her monochromatic ensembles.
Shift Dresses
Shift dresses, though initially popular in the 1920s, made a resurgence due to the popularity of Audrey Hepburn’s little black Givenchy dress in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. These dresses are typically sleeveless, lack any real shape and hang down from the shoulders. Women wore shifts in every color and pattern under the sun. Models in editorial spreads were often seen pairing them with colored tights.
Business Wear for Men
Conservative wear was all the rage for men in the early 60s. Fashionable office-type business suits took over men’s fashion. Icons like Sean Connery’s James Bond and The Rat Pack influenced looks at beginning of the decade. Don Draper from the television show Mad Menperfectly embodies the kind of dapper style donned by 1960s men.
The Mid 60s
Mini Skirts
In 1964, the miniskirt took the world by storm. London fashion designer Mary Quant is credited with inventing the trend. Due to the fact that second-wave feminism was taking place at the time, these skirts represented freedom for young women. Rather than rushing to mature like many teens and young adults did in the 1950s, the 1960s kids were all about embracing their youthfulness. Because these ideals were presented through fashion, they would often pair their miniskirts with bows and knee socks to sport the “little girl” look. Quant actually chose to name it the “mini” skirt after her favorite car, the Mini Cooper!
Go-go Boots
The popularity of science fiction television shows such as Lost in Spaceand Star Trek brought with it a whole new kind of style, space fashion. Women were wearing boxy clothes made of materials such as plastic, and PVC. The most prominent piece to come out of this galactic fad was the ever-popular go-go boot. These sleek, white beauties came mid-calf and made for some fun footwear. Singer Nancy Sinatra further popularized the trend with her 1966 hit “These Boots are Made for Walkin.”
Mod Fashion
Encompassing the previously mentioned miniskirt and go-go boot was a style known as “mod” that also originated from the London fashion scene. Mod women wore extremely short skirts, turtle necks and dresses in abstract patterns that were often geometric. They accessorized with large, colorful jewelry pieces made from plastic or funky futuristic looking sunglasses. Models such as Twiggy, Edie Sedgwick, Pattie Boyd, and Jean Shrimpton were idolized and acted as inspiration for everyday mod women. The mod makeup look was very particular and made sure all focus was directed to the dramatic eyes. Mascara was applied to the bottom lashes in thick clumps, while eyeliner was drawn all the way around the eye.
The Late 60s
Flower Power & Psychedelic Prints
The birth of psychedelic rock, hippie counterculture, and San Francisco’s Summer of Love paved the way for new ideas, mind altering substances and of course, new fashion. The structured mod style of the mid 60s went out the door and the laidback bohemian style was welcomed with swaying arms. Clothing was made out of loose, natural material like hemp and cotton while patterns were reflective of the psychedelic art and music movements of the time. Psychedelic drugs like LSD and magic mushrooms opened minds everywhere and were also a huge influence on fashion. Ladies wore long skirts, flared jeans and accessorized with flowers, beads and ankle bracelets. Men grew their hair out, donned sandals, and loose peasant tops.
So much of the fashion from the 1960s influences what we wear today as well as decades’ past. The 60s embraced colorful, fun and funky clothing that played along with the cultural events taking place at the time. Fashion evolved with the times and the many different eras of the decade.
If you are interested in taking a look into the past via photographs, writing, advertisements, editorials and artwork, the Sturgis Library located on KSU’s Kennesaw campus is home to LIFE magazine archives from every issue of the 1960s. Stay groovy!