60’s Fashion: A Decade in Review

The ’60s was a time for social boundaries to be broken as the younger generation was taking the reins to not only rewrite political and cultural history but the ideas of fashion as well.

Whether it was the Civil Rights and anti-war movement or the space race, just about everything was reflected in fashion. With London at the forefront of it all, the younger generations wanted to shift the narrative away from their elder’s past and towards their future, introducing not only bright colors but rebellion into their wardrobes. Social structures began to be broken down, as the “youthquake '' protested for civil rights and anti-war in America, they were rebelling against the older generation, fighting for a more loving and accepting culture. Overall, the ’60s created a new era in fashion, one based around joy and rebellion, wanting to rewrite the narrative of the world through clothing. 

London was at the epicenter of this movement, as the youth of the 1960s began divulging into the world of British rock and roll. Whether it was The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, these bands had an incredible influence not only on England but on America as well. The youths of America looked to London as an escape from the tension that was surrounding the Vietnam War and the civil unjust happening in their country. The “British Invasion” did not only have to do with music but with it, brought style as well. People like Twiggy were creating a new idea of style: androgyny and childlike features, whether it was her hair or huge eyes (Cartner-Morley, 2009). American youths were looking for something joyous and colorful in their lives, so they created it in their clothing. As they were rebelling against the government with the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements, women were also defying the status quo of fashion, introducing shorter hemlines, flat shoes, and A-line dresses, and overall, dressing more androgynously. The escape through newly introduced drugs, like LSD, was also shown through psychedelic patterns and colors (Williams, 2018).

The space-age also had a huge influence on ’60s fashion. With designers like André Courrèges coming to the forefront of ready to wear, as he had “a desire to create clothing that was functional and liberating, Courrèges was one of the first designers to recognize the importance of ready-to-wear” (WWD Staff, 2016). Even as a French designer, he said, ‘I love the American spirit. The spirit of going to the moon… The grandeur of American space,” which was where he drew a lot of inspiration from. (WWD Staff, 2016). The clean lines and architecture from the space crafts created new inspiration, as well as literally pairing it with an astronaut’s helmet, which Courrèges often displayed in editorials. However, the space-race was not the only political aspect that influenced fashion. The younger generation was advocating for change in America, whether it was the Civil Rights or the Anti-War movement. The economy had finally somewhat recovered from World War II, so people were able to focus on the social injustice violence that was taking place in politics. They did not want to grow up in another war, and through protesting, they wanted their voices heard. The combinations of these efforts created the hippie era at the end of the ’60s, representing the youth’s carefree attitude that would then lead to the ’70s.

The 1960s created a new landscape for fashion. The overall rebellious nature of the youths created movements that are still remembered today, and a new era for fashion altogether. Major influences like Twiggy, Jackie Kennedy, and Jane Birkin are still looked at today as fashion icons. 1960s fashion did not only represent the current state of the world, but also how the younger generation wanted to reshape and recreate the world they were living in.

References

(Cartner-Morley, J. (n.d.). Twiggy at 60: 'It's amazing I didn't go stark raving bonkers'. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/19/twiggy-at-60-interview

Williams, H. (n.d.). How LSD influenced Western Culture. BBC. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from http://bbc.com/culture/article/20181016-how-lsd-influenced-western-culture

WWD Staff. (n.d.). André Courrèges: Space Age Couturier. Women's Wear Daily. https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/andre-courreges-space-age-couturier-10307711/