fashion in 1960s essay

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Posted by Karina Reddy | Last updated Aug 18, 2020 | Published on Jul 23, 2019 | 1960-1969 , 20th century , decade overview

Fashion in the 1960s became progressively more casual across all genders and ages. Womenswear followed three broad trends: a continuation of the previous decade’s ladylike elegance, the youthful styles of Mary Quant and the Space Age influence, and the late 1960s “hippie” style. Menswear saw an increasing amount of color and pattern, military influence, and new fashion icons in the form of rock stars. Children’s wear saw less change, but also became more casual and bright in color and pattern.

Fig. 1 - Hubert de Givenchy (French, 1927–2018). Suit , 1960. Wool. New York: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Ar, 2009.300.453a, b. Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Lauren Bacall, 1967. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 2 - Robert Knudsen (American, 1929-1989). President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy attend Mass at St. Mary’s Church, Newport, Rhode Island. , October 8, 1961. Negative; (2.25 x 2.25 in). Boston: White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, KN-C19037. Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Fig. 3 - Cecil Stoughton (American, 1920-2008). First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy tours the island palace of Jag Mandir (also called the “Lake Garden Palace”) on Lake Pichola, during her visit to Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. , March 17, 1962. Negative; (2.25 x 2.25 in). Boston: White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, ST-C117-20-62. Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston. Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Fig. 4 - Cristobal Balenciaga (Spanish, 1895–1972). Cocktail dress , 1962. Silk. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1994.147.3. Gift of Rosamond Bernier, 1994. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 5 - Photographer unknown. Swinging London. Teenagers in London's Carnaby Street. , 1969. The National Archives UK. INF 14/147. Source: Flickr

Fig. 6 - Mary Quant (British, Ca. 1934-). Ensemble , ca. 1968. Wool, acetate. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1989.336a–c. Gift of Paula A. Heidelman, 1989. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The cultural phenomenon termed Swinging London began in 1955 but reached its zenith in the early- to mid-1960s. It was a phenomenon that focused on youth, spotlighting music and fashion. It brought us The Beatles and the miniskirt, Twiggy (Fig. 9) and The Who. The designer who led the way in the “youthquake” was Mary Quant who opened her first shop, Bazaar, on the King’s Road in Chelsea, London in 1955. Quant’s simple, colorful designs appealed to teenagers and young people who had more disposable income than any generation before. It differed from the stuffy looks of the older generation and appealed to young women who embraced the child-like styles Quant produced (Fig. 7). Fashion historian James Laver writes of Quant in Costume and Fashion: A Concise History ,

“Rejecting the constraints of seasonal shows, she produced as many as twenty-eight collections during her early years, creating simple, practical, often mix n’match designs which had an element of classlessness perfectly suited to the mood of the sixties” (261-262).

Bazaar was in the new boutique style, a revolutionary new way to shop that differed from the traditional designer atelier and the department store. Besides the accessibility of the clothes in the shop, boutiques also created a frenetic atmosphere, as seen in figure 5. In her book The Lost Art of Dress , Linda Przybyszewski writes, “Boutiques were groovy places where modern music played and young owners and customers collaborated on new looks that came only in small sizes” (202).

One of the most revolutionary designs attributed to Quant was the miniskirt and minidress (Fig. 6). Eschewing the prim below-the-knee skirts of the late 1950s and early 1960s, by the mid-sixties, young women were wearing skirts that fell at the upper thigh. Like the short skirts of the 1920s, the miniskirt shocked but was also a highly popular look for young women. Miniskirts and minidresses were adopted by Parisian designers as Quant and her contemporaries continued to gain popularity.

Fig. 7 - Unknown. Jean Shrimpton and Celia are wearing Mary Quant designs , ca. 1960s. Kristine. Source: Flickr

Fig. 8 - André Courrèges (French, 1923–2016). Boots , 1967-69. Leather. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.115.28a, b. Gift of Jane Holzer, 1977. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 9 - Unknown. Twiggy is wearing Pierre Cardin , 1967. Kristine. Source: Flickr

Fig. 10 - Pierre Cardin (French, 1922-). Miniskirt , 1969. Wool, plastic. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.412.2. Gift of Glady Whitfield Solomon, 1977. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

While the miniskirt reached its height mid-decade, by the late 1960s, a new style and culture was emerging. Skirts dipped back to mid-calf and by 1969, the full-length maxi-skirt had emerged (Fig. 12). This came with the move towards the “hippie” aesthetic. Elizabeth Wilson writes in Gerta Buxbaum’s Icons of Fashion: The Twentieth Century, “Between 1965 and 1967, the uncluttered, futuristic design of André Courrèges and Mary Quant – featuring short skirts, childish pinafores, and boxy shapes – were superseded by a return to the styles of Art Nouveau, Hollywood, and William Morris” (98). Suede, headbands, kaftans, Afghan coats, beads and other non-Western elements of adornment were embraced as were flowing skirts and secondhand clothing (Laver 267-268). Janis Joplin, seen in figure 13, embraced this style in the late 1960s.

Fig. 11 - André Courrèges (French, 1923-2016). Dress , 1968. Cellulose acetate/styrene-butadiene copolymer, rayon, silk, cotton, metal. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2012.182. Purchase, The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation Inc. Gift, 2012. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 12 - Mr. Eric. Mr. Eric evening gown , 1969. Ink, marker; (9 x 11 in). New York: Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon Sketches. Source: SPARC Digital

Fig. 13 - Ashley Famous Agency/Albert B. Grossman-management. Publicity photo of Janis Joplin , 1969. Source: Wikimedia

Fashion Icon: Audrey Hepburn

A n enduring icon of the 1950s and ‘60s, movie star Audrey Hepburn embraced the progression of sixties fashion up to the hippie aesthetic of the last part of the decade. Having firmly established herself as a leading lady in 1950s films like Roman Holiday , Sabrina , and Funny Face , Hepburn’s influence continued into the sixties.

In 1961, she starred as Holly Golightly in one of her most iconic films, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Fig. 14). In this film, like so many others, Hubert de Givenchy designed the costumes, including the iconic black dress from the opening scene (Fig. 17). Hepburn and Givenchy worked together both on- and off-screen to create a simple, but stylish wardrobe that was easily copied by women of all means.

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 (Fig. 18). 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 (Fig. 15). 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 (Fig. 16).

Though she would remain admired for her fashion for the rest of her life, by 1969, when the fashion world had started to turn to Eastern influences and longer skirts, Hepburn married Andrea Dotti in a pink minidress (Fig. 19). Looking happy, she represented the part of the population, including couture designers like Givenchy, who had not yet embraced the new style.

Fig. 14 - Jurow-Shepherd. Breakfast at Tiffany's Promotional Image , 1961. Laura Loveday. Source: Flickr

Fig. 15 - Directed and produced by Stanley Donen; cinematography by Charles Lang. A screenshot from the film Charade , 1963. Source: Wikimedia

Fig. 16 - World Wide Productions. Audrey Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, "How to Steal a Million" , 1966. Classic Film. Source: Flickr

Fig. 17 - Jurow-Shepherd. Breakfast at Tiffany's Promotional Image , 1961. Christina Saint Marche. Source: Flickr

Fig. 18 - Bob Willoughby. Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy suit, "Paris When it Sizzles" , 1962. Laura Loveday. Source: Flickr

Fig. 19 - Unknown. Audrey Hepburn and Dr. Andrea Dotti , 1969. Kate Gabrielle. Source: Flickr

J ust as womenswear became more casual and colorful throughout the 1960s, so too did menswear. While menswear began moving towards a more casual style in the 1950s, the frenetic energy of Swinging London found its way with bright prints and colors for men. As there had not been very much movement in men’s fashion for over a hundred years, the change was striking. The V&A writes,

“Perhaps the most remarkable development in 1960s dress was the dramatic change in menswear. For the past 150 years, clothing for men had been tailor-made, and plain and sombre in appearance. Now, colourful new elements were introduced, such as the collarless jacket, worn with slim-fitting trousers and boots” (History of Fashion 1900-1970).

Where the mid- to late-1950s saw a rise in the popularity of Italian style suits with narrow striped ties, menswear gradually incorporated brighter colors and patterns, and ties began to widen again as the decade progressed. The difference between the conventional suit seen in 1963 (Fig. 20) and those designed by Cardin (Figs. 22-24) and worn by George Harrison (Fig. 21) is striking.

By the mid-1960s, even the suit itself was seeing changes. Brightly striped or patterned suits were worn by bold young men, while even the trousers and jacket did not escape from new styling. The V&A writes,

“As the 1960s gathered pace, the standard template for a man’s suit began to accommodate subtly daring new elements: the collarless jacket (a look popularised by The Beatles in 1963, the year they launched their first album) and slim-fitting trousers, matched with heeled boots rather than shoes” (The Peacock Revolution: 1960s Menswear).

As mentioned, even who  was inspiring men’s style was changing: where movie stars had been the primary style icons since the 1930s, rock stars such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Mick Jagger, among others, became a primary influence on men’s fashion.

Fig. 20 - Unknown. A Stylish Couple in the Rain in London , 1963. Source: Pinterest

Fig. 21 - Unknown. George Harrison in a Granny Takes a Trip Jacket , ca. 1960s. Source: Pinterest

Fig. 22 - Pierre Cardin (French, 1922-). Ensemble , 1960. Wool, plastic, metal. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.25.17a–e. Gift of Pierre Cardin, 1977. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 23 - Pierre Cardin (French, 1922-). Ensemble , 1964. Wool, metal, leather. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.25.16a–e. Gift of Pierre Cardin, 1977. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 24 - Pierre Cardin (French, 1922-). Ensemble , 1968. Wool, leather. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.25.20a–e. Gift of Pierre Cardin, 1977. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fig. 25 - Jim Marshall Photography LLC. Jimi Hendrix during his sound check at the Monterey Pop Festival , 1967. Time. Source: Pinterest

Fig. 26 - Photographer unknown. Mick Jagger , ca. 1960s. Source: Pinterest

From the mid-1960s, men’s fashion was influenced by military elements, with many of the rock influences contributing to its popularity. Mick Jagger (Fig. 26) and Jimi Hendrix (Fig. 25) both sported military jackets during performances, while The Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band  showed the band wearing neon versions of the styles (Buxbaum 100). Partly thanks to this style, army-and-navy surplus clothing stores and secondhand stores became popular in the late 1960s. Like womenswear, menswear also saw an influence from space as Pierre Cardin designed futuristic clothing for men, too. In Swinging Sixties , Jenny Lister writes,

“His ‘Cosmos’ collection of 1966/7 was too extreme to enter the mainstream, but elements of the look such as turtle-neck sweaters, and zipped tunics in bonded jersey, were taken up and worn with more accessible styles” (34).

You can see some of these elements in the green suit from 1960 (Fig. 22) and the space-inspired suit from 1965 (Fig. 24). By 1968, Cardin’s suits had returned to a more conventional look, though the jacket still had a bold pattern (Fig. 24).

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. George Harrison was an early adopter of the style and the boldly patterned suit jacket from boutique shop Granny Takes a Trip he wore in the mid-sixties foreshadows the style to come (Fig. 21). 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.

CHILDREN’S WEAR

C hildren’s clothing in the 1960s saw less change than their adult counterparts. While women’s and men’s fashion were changing quickly and radically, children’s fashion changed at a much slower, subtler pace. Both boys’ and girls’ fashion continued along the same lines in the early sixties, but they did wear clothes made from the new synthetic materials which were easier to care for.

Girls continued to wear dresses with defined waists and full skirts at the beginning of the decade, like those seen in the 1962 Good Housekeeping  feature (Fig. 28). Mary-janes, white ankle socks, and peter pan collars all continued to be popular aspects of young girl’s clothing, and girls were sometimes even still required to wear white gloves for special occasions. As the decade progressed, however, girls’ fashion slowly started to become more casual. Bright colors, bold patterns such as plaids and bright florals, and oversized bows became popular, like the fun styles featured in the McCall’s patterns (Fig. 27). New silhouettes such as the A-line, dropped waist, and babydoll began to replace the nipped-in waist of earlier in the decade (Fig. 29). As styles became more casual, it became more acceptable for young girls to wear pedal pushers, shorts, and trousers while playing.

Fig. 27 - McCall's. Girls' dress in Three Versions/McCall's 8627 , 1966. Source: Pinterest

Fig. 28 - Good Housekeeping. Magic in the Air , 1962. Classic Film. Source: Flickr

Fig. 29 - Woman's Day. Playtime Pinafores , June 1966. Classic Film. Source: Flickr

Fig. 30 - Spiegel. Spiegel 1963 boy's suits and sport coats , 1963. Genibee. Source: Flickr

One of the areas where girls did follow the trends of adults was in accessories. Young girls could be seen wearing the same brightly colored and patterned tights that young women wore with their miniskirts. Others might wear the shiny white go-go boots that went along with the Space Age fashions. In some ways, many of the adult styles actually took after young girl’s fashion rather than the other way around.

Boy’s fashion saw the popularity of denim and plaid throughout the decade. In the early 1960s, cuffed jeans and corduroy pants were favorites paired with tucked in polo shirts and athletic jackets or blazers. As the decade progressed, the color and pattern that was seen in men’s clothing began to slowly creep into young boy’s fashion (Fig. 30). Striped and plaid blazers were popular formal options, while turtlenecks, a popular style among men, and brighter colors such as red, yellow, and orange were worn in the mid-sixties. Neither girl’s nor boy’s fashion saw a strong influence from hippie fashion, although some boys began to wear bell-bottom jeans in the later part of the decade.

References:

• Breward, Christopher, David Gilbert and Jenny Lister. Swinging Sixties: Fashion in London and Beyond 1955-1970. London: V&A Publications, 2006. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/552142953 .
• Brown Jones, Bonny. “Fashion for Children in the 1960s.” Our Everyday Life, January 10, 2019. Accessed June 27, 2019. https://oureverydaylife.com/fashion-for-children-in-the-1960s-12487774.html .
• Buxbaum, Gerda. Icons of Fashion: The 20 th Century . Munich: Prestel Verlag, 2005. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/773599428 .
• Ewing, Elizabeth. History of 20 th- Century Fashion . 4th ed. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, 2001. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/456545252 .
• Moseley, Rachel. “Audrey Hepburn – Everybody’s Dream Girl.” The Observer, March 7, 2004. Accessed June 27, 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/mar/07/highereducation.gender .
• Olivier, Lucy. “Jackie Kennedy – A True Fashion Icon.” The Telegraph , January 6, 2017. Accessed June 24, 2019. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/jackie/true-fashion-icon-jackie-kennedy/ .
• The People History. “Vintage 1960s Children’s Fashion Clothes.” Accessed June 27, 2019. http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1960skidsfashion.html .
• Przybyszewski, Linda. The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish . New York: Basic Books, 2014. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1023179396 .
• Stratford, SJ. “1960s Clothes for Girls.” Love to Know. Accessed June 27, 2019. https://childrens-clothing.lovetoknow.com/1960s-clothing-girls .
• Victoria and Albert Museum. “An Introduction to 1960s Fashion.” Accessed June 24, 2019. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-1960s-fashion .
• Victoria and Albert Museum. “History of Fashion 1900 – 1970.” Accessed June 24, 2019. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/h/history-of-fashion-1900-1970/ .
• Victoria and Albert Museum. “Introduction to 20 th- Century Fashion.” Accessed June 24, 2019. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/i/introduction-to-20th-century-fashion/ .
• Victoria and Albert Museum. “The Peacock Revolution: 1960s Menswear.” Accessed June 24, 2019. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-peacock-revolution-1960s-menswear .

Historical Context

Wikipedia: 1960-1969.

• 1961 – John F. Kennedy becomes president. His wife, first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, soon becomes a fashion icon. Fur coats are much sought after because they are seen as a status symbol. Movements in the following decades protest vigorously against the wearing of fur.
• 1962 – The Sidney Janis Gallery in New York exhibits works by contemporary American pop artists and the “Nouveau Realisme” movement in a groundbreaking show called the “International Exhibition of the New Realists.”
• 1963 – The Beatles make their first national TV appearance. Their identical haircuts became a popular look among young men on both sides of the Atlantic.
• 1964 – Young designers, including Mary Quant and Andre Courreges, introduce the miniskirt and minidress. Maija Isola designs the iconic Unikko (poppy) print for Finnish fashion firm Marimekko. The first Biba store, the inspiration of designer Barbara Hulanicki, opens in London, selling young, creative styles at budget prices.
• 1965 – Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian- inspired color blocks sweeps through the international fashion world. Young fashion designers, including Foale and Tuffin and Mary Quant, go on the British “Youthquake” tours to the US arranged by the Puritan Fashion Corporation and J.C.Penney in New York.
• 1966 – By early 1966 the waistline disappears, and designers like Norman Norell showcase loose-fitting dresses with loose sleeves. Twiggy, the “Face of 66” and one of the world’s first supermodels, shoots to fame. Jewelry designer Paco Rabanne causes a sensation when he launches his linked chain and plastic paillettes and minidresses in Paris.
• 1967 – American fashion designer Geoffrey Beene presents his sequined football jersey evening gowns, following his ball gowns in gray flannel and wool jersey shown the previous year.
• 1968 – The rock musical Hair opens on Broadway and in London’s West End, making Marsha Hunt a star and proclaiming “black is beautiful.”The first Ossie Clark for Radley collection is shown at Chelsea Town Hall.
• 1969 – The Woodstock festival takes place in New York state, and is seen as a defining moment of the “hippie era” and the counterculture of the 1960s. The US lands the first men on the Moon, after space exploration earlier in the decade, which inspires space-age fashion looks.

Timeline Entries

1898-1981 – Ann Lowe

1950-1959 , 1960-1969 , 20th century , BIPOC , designer profile

1927-2001 – Maija Isola

1950-1959 , 1960-1969 , 20th century , designer profile

1963 – Mankiewicz, Cleopatra

1960-1969 , ancient , film analysis

1963 – Visconti, The Leopard

1860-1869 , 1960-1969 , 19th century , film analysis

1963-1969 – André Courrèges, Coat

1960-1969 , 20th century , garment analysis

1964 – Glenville, Becket

1960-1969 , film analysis , Middle Ages

1966-1967 – Ann Lowe, American Beauty Dress

1960-1969 , 20th century , BIPOC , garment analysis

Norell: Dean of American Fashion

1940-1949 , 1950-1959 , 1960-1969 , 20th century , blog

Norell: Flappers Back In Fashion

1920-1929 , 1960-1969 , 20th century , LGBTQ+ , thematic essays

Roaring & Swinging: Shared Fashionable Ideals of Flappers and Mods

1920-1929 , 1960-1969 , 20th century , thematic essays

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About the author.

Karina Reddy

Karina Reddy holds an MA in Fashion Communication from Central Saint Martins. She also studied at Boston University and London College of Fashion. With a BA in history, her research at Central Saint Martins explored how the body was fashioned in the 1920s. A self-proclaimed museum nerd, she has a keen interest in fashion museums and volunteered at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London. She has also worked at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Her blog, Reddy-to-Wear, features articles on fashion and travel, while her writing has been featured on The Fashion Conversation and The Fashion Studies Journal.

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Fashion in the 1960’s Essay

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Introduction

List of references.

Fashion era in the 1960s was the shaping factor for the adolescent group and the leaders of the new fashion. Also during that year the fashion awareness was recorded as one of the most confirmed in the current account. They also led with the new and completely modern fashion styles. The fashion style resulted in many changes to the little girls as well as other young women, the fashion made them loose their sex in those years. Fashion bust with social background that dictated what could be worn at what time and by whom. The fashion has been changing from time to time and because of this no any one fashion that has lasted for long (Thomas, 1960).

In the past clothes were divided into official and informal wear and also different divisions were made among the styles of clothing worn, and there was one for men and other for women. They also saw the quick need of the unisex clothing such as denim jeans which could fit both men and women. This was to substitute the official wear and to give people variety to choose from. In the 1960s mod came as a youthful lifestyle spreading to America, Europe and also Australia. The mod fashion had many different shapes, and color was also a key factor in the era. This is different people wanted different colors for the kind of clothes they wore, so the shape of the cloth and the color they had played a great role in fashion during this period (Pina et al, 1968, p. 25).

The 1960s fashion was all associated with short skirts even though this short skirts were not famous until 1966 and not world wide until 1967. By 1967 they gained high popularity in the society and they were the fashion of every one in the society especially for young women and girls. Though this was fashionable during that time, things have changed, and today they are still fashionable. A mini dress by the name straight shift developed that was fit enough for it went below the knees, this fashion made young people remember the clothes that were worn in the 1920s. A flow of fashions continued as another fashion of pleated skirts come-up known as a hip yoke Basque. This was worn together with short sleeves over the blouses and not exactly like the tops of today. It become famous and replaced the straight shift skirts. This fashion was famous and popular among young ladies, but it did not last for long since fashion keeps on changing and what is popular today tomorrow may no longer be popular. Dancing twists in those days was not left behind as straight skirts with front and back inverted pleats called kick pleat were available (Thomas, 1960).

This kind of design was perfect during this period since twist was also famous and it allowed ladies to dance twist comfortably. Orlon were straight sweater dresses that were worn belted and the waists nipped. This was a design that came up during those times, and the pencil skirts were not left behind, for they were worn together with the sweaters. They had back to front cardigans which were pushed super flat to make them comfortable (Pina et al, 1968, p. 18). Although before the days of stumble driers, many women had problem of laundering for they had to lay their washed knitted garments in paper tissue and then brown paper, put it to dry under a carpet for two days whereby all those steps gave the knitted garment have a new look. Mass production played a big role in improving the quality of the garment because of laundry problems. Not many people during this time enjoyed and used this fashion since it needed more care and attention as compared to other fashions that had been introduced. Hence the fashion did not last for long it diminished within a very short time. Mary quant came up with short waist skimming mini dresses and skirts that were positioned above the knees in 1966. This never seemed okay, and the people had no option for they were not allowed to propose. From that idea she had came up with another shorter style for her boutique bazaar. This made her extremely renowned for the refreshing fashion that had not taken off when it first emerged and made it the latest thing fashion (Thomas, 1960).

The fashion trend became popular for the reason that it was different and to fit in it you had to be young-looking and isolate with the company that was so contentious mainly between the adults. By that time the quant designs became the top fashion in the market with their materials being the best. Mary Quant also exercised a sharply geometric hairstyle which was one of the illustrious and special cuts of the period by Vidal Sassoon (Banner, 1983, p. 34).

The London TV Saturday night program had a great impact on the fashions for it made the viewers excited on the fashions telecasted on the televisions changing the minds of the viewers. This made them to turn to the shorter length program which established the under twenties and thereafter influenced the mothers too and started wearing the mini skirts. Media also played a great role in encouraging people to adapt to different fashions that were being introduced. This program presented the latest fashion arrivals hence changing the minds of many people towards the fashions. The show it’s over let it go was the characteristic of the 1960’s approach of lets get on with the future. This made the widespread of the style, daily life, modernization and ethics. Fashion mini-skirts became the topic as it represented the era (Shih, 1997, p. 25).

The fashions were categorized according to the part the item was worn i.e. stockings this made the mini actually suitable for it was hard to wear the mini dress and feel comfortable without the stockings and also brought about defense from the essentials and no unattractive sight of stocking ends was seen. Stockings were popular during this time, and they were highly worn with the miniskirts. Though at one point stockings seemed to loose fashion, they are still worn today, and they have become popular with mini dresses. Pinafores and knits was another kind of knitted twin sets which were worn together in order to make the fashion complete. For example, the tartan wool fabrics went together with polo neck jumpers or tie-neck blouses there was another burgundy plum pinafore which also went together with white or mustard blouses. This was also another design the coat dress which was sleeved, and it was not a must to be worn. The style location worldwide photographed by Jackie Kennedy was among the many things that participated in influencing the 1960s fashions. The fashions in the 1960s had a great impact to the extent that up to date no generation that matched it (The people history, 2008).

Although the 1950s were the time when childhood civilization urbanized, the 1960s were the time when young people loosened their influence and a time of serious political action. The 1960s did not only change the country’s political and cultural background, but it had a great impact on the mode of dressing of today. 1960s was also a tremendously mixed time that brought many dissimilar stylistic changes vulnerable to accepted traditions of the time and a starling figure of subcultures. Even though many people thought of 60s fashion as being hippie, it was in fact, much more complex and wide-ranging. The beach themed movies of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in the start of the decade influenced heavily the 60s fashion (Banner, 1983, p. 34).

The new synthetic yarn improved the performance in wear as they were mixed with natural fiber to bring about a good quality of the fashion. Although a number of it had been made-up years earlier, it was in the 1960s that an enormous manufacturing plants for synthetic fibers sprang up worldwide. This made the other industries start constricting at a shocking rate, especially the Yorkshire woolen industry leading to job losers. In those days the new man started making yarns company in region with inheritance of spinning and knitting and also in areas with the people with the understanding (Pina et al, 1968, p. 15).

Some companies like the DU Pont and ICI were the leading manufacturers of the synthetic fabrics this is because the fiber bases could be used as mass or well yarns dependent on fiber extrusion technique and final concluding. This also brought about separation as the fiber was named after the county it came from or the plant that produced the fiber for instance the Enkalon was Irish and it made nylon while Caylor, an acrylic yarn was prepared in France. In the process, there came other adapted acrylics fiber such as Dynel and Teklan, which were first used to make fake items like the furs and hairs for hairpiece in the sixties (Thomas, 1960).

Fashion-era.com was a site that talked more about the women’s attire and style history and examines the mood of the era. It also talks more about the changes in expertise, liberty, and work, cultural and moral values. Homelife and politics donates a lot to the life style inclination which in turn manipulates the clothes we wear and make any age of society extraordinary in relation to the study of the attire of a time. This site had no liability for any information which could cause loss or for any cost incurred from the use of the information direct or indirectly (The people history, 2008).

In conclusion, fashion over the years has been diversified; this is evidenced by the different kinds of fashion that have been changing over time. No anyone fashion that lasted for long since it was immediately replaced by another different fashion that attracted the attention of many people, especially young people. Also it is clear that what was fashionable some years back at one point was no longer fashionable, but after a certain period of time it becomes fashionable again. Fashion in short keeps on evolving over time.

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How the Fashions of the 1960s Reflected Social Change

I n the 1960s, the fashion world turned “topsy-turvy,” as TIME noted in 1967. Nearly every aspect of that revolutionary decade, from the civil-rights movement to the space race, was somehow reflected in the clothing worn by American women.

The book Mod New York: Fashion Takes a Trip , which is being released in coordination with a show of the same name at the Museum of the City of New York (opening Wednesday), takes a look at the influences behind and lasting influence of American fashion in the years between 1960 and 1973. As this sampling of photos shows, fashion’s reach was broad, stretching all the way to the White House.

As the book notes, for a long time before this period, American fashion hadn’t actually been all that American. High fashion, after all, was synonymous with France. But during World War II, when trade and communication with Paris grew more difficult, French designers’ counterparts in New York City stepped up. By 1960, as John and Jacqueline Kennedy — whose personal style was often drawn from French influences — floated into the White House with an aura of American youth, the idea of truly American fashion was not so far-fetched.

As the rate of changing trends accelerated throughout the 1960s, women who cared about clothes threw off old norms about what was proper — just as much of American society broke loose from restrictions of the past. Though Jackie Kennedy broke new ground for American fashion, she made way for a series of looser and more revolutionary looks than she herself presented. Art and youth movements made themselves known in the fashion world. Black models and African-inflected clothing inspired and reflected the pride of the civil-rights movement. Feminism was embodied first in miniskirts, which defied the model femininity of the 1950s, and then with clothing designed for women in careers.

What TIME once called the “mod, mod world of fashion” was, it turned out, a crucial part of the larger mod, mod world of the 1960s.

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Write to Lily Rothman at [email protected]

An introduction to 1960s fashion

Marked by sweeping social change, the 1960s is a decade that still holds a special significance, seeing traditional hierarchies begin to dissolve and make way for the birth of the modern age.

The way people dressed was an obvious sign of shifting attitudes. In the 1960s, many chose, very publicly, to start looking different from the norm. Innovative designers and more informal modes of shopping drew a dividing line between the generations, creating a new market for youth fashion. Our collection tracks the different aspects of this fast-accelerating style revolution, with striking pieces from many of the decade's most influential designers.

I had to go to Sunday School with white gloves, hat and a handbag, just like a miniature mum, in a dress made by her – and exactly the same as hers! I mean, who wanted to do that?! We just wanted to kick against it all.

The invention of youth fashion

In the 1950s, fashion was dominated by the tastes of a wealthy, mature elite. Paris remained the engine of the fashion industry with sophisticated haute couture garments produced in regular collections by the likes of Cristóbal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy (the creator of Audrey Hepburn's iconic black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961). But times soon changed. At the dawn of the 1960s, young people's income was at its highest since the end of the Second World War. Increased economic power fuelled a new sense of identity and the need to express it. The fashion industry quickly responded by creating designs for young people that no longer simply copied 'grown up' styles. The Beatniks and the Mods (an abbreviation of 'Modernists') were particularly influential early in the decade. As committed to European-style clothes – characterised by high-impact colour and line – as they were to American soul and R&B music, Mods helped focus the tastes of young people everywhere, and inspired the look of bands like The Who, The Small Faces and The Beatles.

New shops for new fashions

It took a new kind of shop to break the dominance of Paris and to fully ignite the potential of youth fashion. Boutiques were small, self-service shops set up in London by designers who wanted to offer affordable fashions to ordinary young people, offering a very different experience from the often rather formal 'outfitters' and old-style department stores. Being 'on the ground' allowed them to get to know their customer well and to supply their needs quickly. Designers Mary Quant and John Stephen were the pioneers of this new form of retail, having both opened their first stores back in the mid-1950s. They designed and stocked hugely influential fashions that initially nodded to the Mod aesthetic of bright, tailored minimalism.

The reign of the boutique

Within just a few years the boutique scene had exploded. Young people flocked to 'see and be seen' at vibrant new stores, centred on London’s Kings Road and Carnaby Street. These now-iconic shops sold affordable separates suited to a busy, urban lifestyle, allowing their customers to combine items in creative ways. The slim-fitting, brightly coloured outfits produced by London designers became hugely influential throughout the UK, as well as in Europe and America – helping to create the seductive image of 'Swinging London'. The mini-skirt, popularised by Mary Quant, quickly earned its place as the decade's most iconic look, as young women enjoyed the chance to 'dare to bare'. Later in the decade, influential designers included Barbara Hulanicki who, like Quant, focused on fun dresses with daringly short hem lengths, and Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin, notable for their quirky day wear and code-breaking trouser suits for women.

An unnatural obsession

The 1960s fell in love with new, man-made materials, with young designers keen to find new angles on established forms. They exploited the potential of modern plastics and synthetic fibres – Perspex, PVC, polyester, acrylic, nylon, rayon, Spandex, etc. – to create easy-care outfits that were eye-catching and fun. The quest for a truly modern form of clothing was epitomised by the 'paper dress'. Made of cellulose, rayon or polyester, these disposable garments were first created in 1966 as a marketing stunt for an American company that manufactured paper sanitary products. Opportunistic manufacturers in both the US and the UK quickly turned these boldly printed dresses into a novelty must-have that remained popular until 1968.

Clothes for the Space Age

As the decade went on, dress codes, even for the older generation, became increasingly relaxed: tailoring loosened, public figures like Jackie Kennedy began to favour shorter skirts, and fewer people wore accessories like hats and gloves. High-end fashion also embraced the new mood of informality. From the mid-1960s onwards André Courrèges pushed couture tailoring to create audaciously modern clothes. His angular mini-dresses and trouser suits, often produced in what became known as a 'Space Age' white-and-silver colour scheme, were worn with astronaut-style accessories like flat boots, goggles and helmets. He was also unafraid to champion new, cheap materials when they best served his striking designs.

Couture let's go

Pierre Cardin, Emanuel Ungaro and Yves Saint Laurent were among those European designers who successfully translated a couture aesthetic – producing bold, futuristic designs for young people who wanted everyday wear. Cardin, in particular, was excited by new materials including vinyl, silver fabrics and large zips, creating radical forms like his celebrated 'visor' hats. Italian designer Emilio Pucci was also influential. He produced sophisticated clothing for the jet set, but his designs were far from conservative. The first designer to exploit a signature style for high-fashion licensing, Pucci created a range of colourful printed silks. These were used for seemingly endless scarves and ties, as well as the loose-fitting dresses and pyjama suits whose outlines reflected a growing interest in ethnic style. Pucci's busily flamboyant designs prefigured the psychedelic patterns of the drug-fuelled counter culture.

Looking for alternatives

By the late 1960s, style had become quite theatrical. Fashion sanctioned longer hair for both men and women, as well as a flared outline for trousers. Men enjoyed the newly granted freedom to be flamboyant, wearing suits accessorised with bright, bold shirts and high-heeled boots, and, increasingly, as clothes became more unisex, shopped in the same boutiques as women. With war in Vietnam and student uprisings in France, opinion-formers began to disapprove of Pop's materialistic sheen. People moved towards Eastern culture for inspiration. The ideas and mix-and-match aesthetic of California's hippy movement crossed the Atlantic, giving people free rein to 'live different', and to sport clothing from a range of non-Western cultures. Fashion leaders began to sport long, loose and layered outfits, inspired by second-hand, or 'vintage' styles, often from the late nineteenth century and the 1930s. London's Kensington Market became a mecca for young people wanting to create their own alternative look, selling lots of colourful clothing, much of it sourced in India. This new direction was reflected in the fashions of Zandra Rhodes, Foale and Tuffin, and Yves St Laurent, all of whom demonstrated an interest in ethnic textiles.

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1960s Fashion: Styles, Trends, Pictures & History

1960s fashion was bi-polar in just about every way. The early sixties were more reminiscent of the 1950s — conservative and restrained; certainly more classic in style and design.

It’s almost like the 1950s bottled everyone up so much that the late 1960s exploded like an old pressure cooker. Women were showing more skin than ever before.

For the first time in the 19th Century, London, not Paris, was the center of the fashion world. The British Invasion didn’t stop with The Beatles. It swept into all parts of life, especially clothing.

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Keep reading below for details, covering every year from 1960-1969.

In-Depth 1960s Fashion Profiles

1960s fashion: women & girls », 1960s fashion: men & boys », 1960s dresses & skirts: styles, trends & pictures », twiggy: pictures, bio & model profile », fashion in 1960.

Givenchy suit (1960)

The typical daytime look consisted of a bulbous hat over a high bouffant coiffure, silhouettes with deep armholes an wide sleeves, and a rounded jacket that tapered in at the hem.For evening, the slender look was in. Long-waisted dresses, often with an overblouse, replaced the fitted waistline and full skirt.

Contemporary architecture and sculpture were the most prevalent inspirations for fashion designers in 1960. There were also hints of the twenties and thirties with bloused, bias-cut clothes, long straight overblouse and sashed tunics, short skirts, closely fitting hats and exaggerated makeup (especially red lips) and short hair.

Culottes, divided skirts and trim trouser skirts were introduced for travel, street wear and evenings at home. Bead and sequin embroidered evening clothes sparkled the night away. The long dress of sequins or crystal beads had replaced the bouffant dress.

Skirts got a little bit shorter in 1960. While worn with low-heeled shoes it placed more attention on the leg. Sleeveless daytime shirts placed more emphasis on the arms. Collarless coats, suits and dresses created a long-necked effect. Some dresses had draped cowl backs to intensify the elongated look.

The two- or three-piece suit, mix-and-match, was very popular.

Plaids of all sizes and colors were heavily favored. Abstract and expressionist art were big influences on printed silk designs. Wools were in style, but had to lightweight. Coat and suit woolens were usually loosely woven and sometimes as porous as lace.

Deep, darker colors were the rage in 1960. They especially covered the spectrum between purple, red and green. Colors like like grape, plum, wine red, garnet and olive green. In contrast, neon bright pink was also a very popular color for those looking to make a statement.

Furs and hats maintained their popularity, as did fur and seal coats. Evenings turbans of tulle swirled loosely around the head not only gained high fashion acceptance, but were sold in every hat shop.

Fashion in 1961

Jackie Kennedy (1961)

Oval shaped shoulders and tapered hemlines were being replaced by straighter, wider shoulders, accompanied by a gentle inward curve at the midriff and a flare at the hem.

Many designers created “the look” by designing not just the dresses, but also the hats, shoes and even makeup of their mannequins.

Skirts had risen to the middle of the kneecaps, but by the end of 1961 only the very young continued to wear them short.

The hairdresser was of extreme importance in 1961. Beehive coiffures adorned by the likes of Princess Margaret, Jacqueline Kennedy and Brigette Bardot were imitated by women of all ages.

The bias cut gave a new fit to clothing, while keeping the comfortable softness women had to come to love. The bias skirt added grace and flare, while bias bodices molded the torso without feeling too tight.

The “little nothing” dress was called so for its simplicity. It was almost always sleeveless and slim, with low blousing or in a loose chemise shape recalling the flapper dresses of the 1920s.

The high rounded hat and the low, square-toed shoe were the accessories of choice. The simple pump of calf, alligator, crepe or satin was worn morning and night, and the women of high fashion wore heels of medium height, even with ball gowns.

Fashion in 1962

Audrey Hepburn helped popularize the high-bosomed, sleeveless dress in 1962

Shoulders were widened and the bosom received more attention. The waist was always accompanied by a belt, sash or wide inset bias band.

Costumes dominated evening wear, complete with matching jacket or wrap. Later in the season the long, tweed dinner coat was showcased in several high-fashion collections.

1962 mostly focused on 3 styles:

1.) Sleek and slender 2.) softly bloused with muffled neckline 3.) “natural” outline, which fell in a simple, form-fitting line

Greater choices allowed women to express their individuality.

1930s-style clothing came back in style, sparked by the rising popularity of old movies revived on television.

Clothes created by Hubert de Givenchy of Paris for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s were given the lion’s share of credit for bringing into style the high-bosomed, sleeveless dress.

Irene Sharaff’s Egyptian costumes for Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra inspired dresses and jewelry.

A young designer by the name of Yves Saint Laurent, who had recently left the House of Dior, successfully opened his own establishment.

The fashion world once again was crazy for Jackie Kennedy. Her gentle, high-bosomed coats and dresses, slender evening dresses, berets, breton hats, her impeccable jewelry and even her sports wear consistently dominated fashion headlines.

Fashion in 1963

Although first shown in 1962, Saint Laurent’s fisherman’s shirt jacket was most popular in 1963.

Any type of artificial look was abandoned quickly. Large amounts of makeup and high heels were too contrived for the fashionable woman of 1963.

Tweeds, mohair, leather and furs were the rage. Boots ranged from ankle to thigh-high.

Vests, kerchiefs, textured cotton stockings, turtlenecks and paisley ascot scarves all came together to create a “sportive look.” The phrase became the motto of 1963 fashion.

Fur-trimmed suits and coats were the most prevalent items in fall fashions. Two preferred furs were lynx and kit fox — long haired furs were back in style. Leopard, however, was the leading fur of all of them.

The most drastic change in men’s fashion in 1963 was the widespread acceptance of pleatless pants. Stripes were seen on sports jackets, sweaters, shirts and ties. The three-button suit was the most popular, but the two-button suit was gaining fast. Men of means liked a soft Italian-style shoe.

Norman Norell and Cristobal Balenciaga were responsible for the reappearance of capes, while Yves Saint Laurent’s fisherman shirtjackets became world-wide fashion. In 1963, we get to see the first Geoffrey Beene collection.

Fashion in 1964

Coco Chanel wearing a hair bow

Dress manufacturers quickly jumped on the bandwagon, creating sheer-topped evening dresses with only the flimsiest layer of flesh-colored net used for a bodice.

The topless bathing suit created all kinds of problems. A woman in Chicago was arrested for wearing it in public. Throughout the summer, comments concerning the controversial design were published around the globe.

“Feminine” was perhaps the most overworked word in 1964’s fashion vernacular. It referred to swinging, knee-high skirts, fitted bodices, ruffles, pleats, a lace revival and the return of the hair bow as the coiffure accessory for women of all ages. “Coco” Chanel was responsible for the hair bow revival.

The cosmetics industry reflected the fragile, feminine look that had come into fashion. Pale lipsticks and nail polish replaced the vivid shades for the sought after natural look. Hair was no longer curly, but merely waved to follow the contour of the head. Eyebrow brushing bangs became the trademark of the young, along with hair bows work front, rear and off-center. Girls with hair too curly besieged hairdressers known for the straightening techniques — a chemical session that cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $40.

Textured stockings were very popular in 1964. Winter also saw the revival of fuller skirts, smaller coiffed heads under close-fitting hats and the return of the ball gown.

For men, the accent was on youthful appearance. Suit colors were lighter and brighter. Suit coats and sport jackets were shorter, with wider lapels. Trousers were often uncuffed. A wider stripe appeared on shirts and striped were popular in sweaters.

Fashion in 1965

Vintage Poor Boy Sweater Ad

A fashion revolution broke out in London, and for the the first time a British fashion invasion stormed NYC.

In the US, Pop Art popped into style. Then along came Op Art, which opened up a whole new world. Women dressed to match Op Art paintings, with their stripes, checks and wavy line prints. Dressed were divided geometrically by intersecting bands and brightened by contrasting blocks of color.

The Mondrian style was a hit.

Rounded toed shoes became more prominent. Straps were evident, heels were open, sides were pared down to add to the look of leggy young elegance. Heels continued in the low to medium height range.

We cant forget about the “Poor Boy Look.” Women continued to wear low hipster pants in combination with the “poor boy” sweater (see picture).

Another fad caught on in the dressing gown space. Cristobal Balenciaga designed a gown with one bare shoulder and it caught on like crazy. Even Jackie O got into the mix.

The Saint Laurent Mondrian dress was a huge hit in 1965.

Fashion in 1966

1966 Mod style

What is mod style?

The mod look required mini skirts and pale colored fishnet or lacy textured hosiery, cut-out low heeled “little girl” shoes, mannish jackets, and ties. Accessories included over-the-shoulder handbags and gaudy jewelry, which ranged from antique pins (like Bakelite pins ) to modern styled geometric earrings.

Young men also went Mod via low slung, wide belted, skinny, fitted pants, to which they added extra-wide, flashy printed ties that contrasted with the wallpaper floral prints of their shirts.

Boots, vests, London caps and narrow Carnaby jackets were also worn by the young men who took part in the rebellion against traditional men’s clothes and conservative ways.

American youth became infatuated with the exotic, off-beat image, using it as a means of differentiating themselves from the adult generation.

Miniskirts were adopted to more conservative styles with the length modified to two inches above the knee. The new short-skirt fashion resulted in mixed emotions everywhere.

Women borrowed suit styles from men. They wore straight legged pant suits, often of what was traditionally men’s fabrics, for daywear.

Pant suits were an acceptable means of fashion and were worn everywhere.

The military look was also popular. Army pockets, brass buttons, epaulets, and trench coat treatments were featured on coats, suits and sportswear.

Paper dresses were introduced in 1966 by designers such as Judy Brewer.

Fashion in 1967

1967 Fashion: Twiggy was a fashion sensation

Women also wore peekaboo fishnets, spidery weaves and lace. Not only did they provide smoothness from hip-to-toe, but they also eliminated the possibility of garter show.

Women also fancied high boots as a fashionable way to cover up their legs. High-rise stretch vinyl and patent leather provided a glove-like fit. They also wore shiny black and brown boots that stretched to the knees.

Youth continued to set the pace for fashion. The belt did not define the waist anymore, instead it created a new “fit and flare” attitude.

In addition to leg, the fashion world fell in love with Twiggy, the skinny 17-year-old British model who burst upon the scene, adorned every magazine cover and brought the age of the mini-mod to the forefront.

Her success was controversial at the time. To some, she was an insult to the female figure, while other lavished her fresh, new look. Her slightly androgynous look blurred the lines between genders.

Another interesting development in 1968: hardware. Accessories consisting of metal squares, nailheads, rattling chains, zippers, brass buttons, clamps were something new. The chain belt was another important accessory.

In men’s fashion, the mood departed somewhat from the mod of Carnaby Street, but the British look was still evident. Turtleneck sweaters were an important trend, eliminating the need for a tie. The more daring sported a turtleneck under dinner jackets for a casual elegance.

Fashion in 1968

1968 Fashion: Newsweek cover: Male Plumage ’68

The catch phrase “do your own thing” was put into practice when women and men decided they no longer had to adhere to what designers put in front of them. People were creating their own styles to match their personalities and mood.

Accessories dominated the outfit, often times overpowering the clothes in importance. The new attitude was a reaction to the mini-dress of recent years, whose lack of fabric alone gave women less fashion real estate to work with.

Western-type shirts were very popular with the younger crowd. Women would tuck them into Dirndl skirts for a fun look.

The midi skirt was the fashion world’s answer to the long skirt that women wore against the designers’ wishes. Unfortunately for the fashion world, the midi skirt never caught on. It ended up being one of the biggest misses in recent fashion history.

The Bonnie and Clyde movie triggered nostalgia for the 1930s. Pinstriped suits and gangster hats were popping up here and there, looking like they walked right off a period movie set.

The most colorful, loud and expressive trends evolved from the outfits scavenged from thrift stores by hippies. Even affluent women adopted the hippie look in lavish fabrics, furs and jewels. It was a nomadic mix of ethnic and legend-inspired garb. Gaucho pants, meditation shirts and, especially, vests.

Some fashion trailblazers wore Pocahontas dresses complete with Native American headbands.

Paris finally had to accept what had happened. Designers could no longer pay the bills designing for the affluent. Saint Laurent led the way with his ready-to-wear collection. Balenciaga shocked the fashion world with his retirement in May.

Pants, celebrated for their versatility, were getting wider legs and softer. Women loved topping them with a color, ethnic-inspired tunic.

Male fashions in 1968 reflected the growing tendency to mix and match a wide variety of materials, styles and accessories. It was an exciting time in men’s fashion.

Tailored suits gave way to a unprecedented array of daring styles. Men wore turtlenecks, Nehru jackets and jeweled pendants. Even bright madras plaids were challenged by the flower-splashed resort blazers and P.J. (Lilly Pulitzer) jeans.

Fashion in 1969

In 1969, fashion stretched, softened and became even more body conscious. A woman wanted to look lean, linear and long.

The sometimes funny, frequently edgy and nearly always mini-skirted girl of recent years grew up. Her fashion image became more feminine, sensuous and sophisticated.

She wore softer, clingier clothes. Sweaters and sweater dresses now hugged every part of her figure, particularly around the ribs, waist and hips.

Above all, she had freedom to chose from an unprecedented variety of hemlines.

Instead of choosing a hemline, designers gave women the choice. Both in Paris and in the United States, couturiers showed maxi-lengths, but were aware of sales enough to keep some styles short. Yves Saint Laurent made waves with his “lowdowns”, while skirts at Courreges barely covered the torso.

No matter the hemline, outfits were often topped with a jacket or long coat.

The long, lean line was the most obvious fashion trend in 1969. “The Skinny Sixties” closed appropriately as women looked for clothes that would give them a tall, slim body. Elongation was accomplished by extended skirts, long, straight-cut pants or, if she had long legs herself, they were accentuated by sheer dark tights.

Slender tunics, skinny long sleeves, low-rise pockets and belts, hip-hiding weskits and body-length cardigans helped fight a top-heavy look. The more fringe the better.

People also loved to wear super-scarves. Oblong in shape, some were 10 feet long, called Isadora Duncans. Long, fringe adorned shawls mimicked pearls. Feather boas, red fox stoles, and mink tails extended the silhouette by descending below the hemline.

Accessories flourished in fantasy, especially with young people. They couldn’t afford diamonds, so they enjoyed linked metals, chainbelts, tassels, snake rings, snake bracelets and arm bracelets.

In addition to new fabrics that did nothing to hide the figure, designers splashed color all over them. Tie dye and ink-splatter had broken into the mainstream.

Patchwork, Persian and Navajo rug motifs were seen everywhere. Intense primary colors turned subtle in the fall. Purple was a hot color in late 1969.

Because women were becoming more traditionally masculine (wearing pants) and men were becoming more traditionally feminine (wearing bronzing gels and moisturizers), the term “unisex” was coined for fashion styles that both men and women could enjoy equally.

1960s Women’s Fashion Pictures

1960s men’s fashion pictures, site navigation.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Fashion — The Evolution of Fashion Trends

The Evolution of Fashion Trends

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Published: Feb 7, 2024

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The ancient origins of fashion, the influence of royalty and aristocracy, revolutions and societal change, the industrial revolution and mass production, the twentieth century and beyond, the role of technology and media, conclusion and the ongoing cycle.

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• Cultural Revolution
• Democratic National Convention, 1968
• Freedom Riders (1961)
• Freedom Summer (1964)
• March on Washington (1963)
• Miss America Protests (1968/69)
• Riots, Protests, Sit-ins
• Selma to Montgomery March (1965)
• Manson Family Murders (1969/70)
• "Mississippi Burning" Case (1964)
• 16th St. Church Bombing (1963)
• U-2 Spy Plane Incident (1960)
• Vietnam War This link opens in a new window
• War on Poverty & Great Society
• Woodstock (1969)
• Medgar Evers Assassination (1963)
• J.F.K. Assassination (1963)
• Malcolm X Assassination (1965)
• M.L.K. Assassination (1968)
• R.F.K. Assassination (1968)
• Notable People This link opens in a new window
• Black Panther Party
• CORE - Congress of Racial Equality
• Ku Klux Klan 1960s
• NAACP - National Association for Advancement of Colored People
• Nation of Islam
• National Organization for Women (NOW)
• Peace Corps
• SDS - Students for a Democratic Society
• SNCC - Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
• Weather Underground
• The Young Lords
• Campus Newspapers
• Primary Sources Home

Online Sources: Fashion in the 1960s

• 1960S Couple, Vintage Clothing
• NYPLDC: Creators Studios fashion illustrations more... less... "This is a collection of 8425 fashion design drawings produced by Creators Studios, a New York City Seventh Avenue fashion business that marketed ready-to-wear designs to clothing manufacturers across the country on a subscription basis beginning in 1957 and throughout the 1960s and 1970s."
• Digital Dress Collection 1716-1992 more... less... Images of clothing worn in Michigan. Images can be browsed by year.
• Fashion, 1900-2000 (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) more... less... Clothing from the museum's collection.
• Fashion, 1960S, Minidress
• Fashion2Fiber (Ohio State University) more... less... "The Historic Costume & Textiles Collection is a scholarly and artistic resource of apparel and textile material culture. The 11,500+ holdings encompass a range of three dimensional objects such as textiles and articles of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children, including national dress costume, from the mid-18th century to contemporary 21st century designers."
• Fred Greenhill fashion illustrations 1960 - 1989 more... less... "Fred Greenhill (1925-2007) graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1950. He went on to work as a fashion illustrator for Neiman Marcus in the 1950s, and was the primary artist for Saks Fifth Avenue in the 1960s and early 1970s. Greenhill is most recognized for his Lord & Taylor illustrations, including the company's trademark long-stemmed rose. The Kellen Design Archives holds approximately 700 fashion illustrations that Greenhill created from the 1960s through the 1980s."
• In Photos: The Best of 1960s Fashion
• Saks Fifth Avenue fashion publicity collection 1954 - 1974 more... less... "The collection is comprised of 75 binders of fashion photographs and press materials promoting Saks Fifth Avenue’s clothing lines between 1954 and 1974, including Sophie Gimbel Originals, Ready to Wear, and Custom collections from 1954 to 1967. In addition to providing a rich visual record of the dramatic evolution of style over the course of two decades, the photographs, reproductions of fashion sketch sheets, press releases, and other publicity materials shed light on Saks' fashion business development and marketing strategy under the leadership of Helen O'Hagan, who succeeded Grace de Mun as Saks publicity director."
• Selected Originals - Royalty See Fashion Show (1960) more... less... "Various very good shots of models showing off the latest designs in cocktails dresses, evening gowns and hats. L/S exterior Osterley Park House. M/S's as royal car arrives. M/S as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother gets out followed by Princess Margaret. Various shots as they meet officials then enter the house. M/S as Queen Mother takes her seat, various shots as they chat before the show. Various shots of models coming on. Various shots of Queen Mother meeting the models and other officials afterwards." British Pathe
• Universal Newsreel Volume 40, Release 76, September 19, 1967
• Victoria & Albert Museum Fashion Collection more... less... "Spanning five centuries, our Fashion collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dress in the world. Key items in the collection include rare 17th century gowns, 18th century ‘mantua’ dresses, 1930s eveningwear, 1960s daywear and post-war couture."
• Vintage Fashions more... less... Films from the British Pathe showing various clothing styles through the years.
• The New School Archives Digital Collections more... less... "The New School Archives Digital Collections presents images, text, audio and video from The New School Archives & Special Collections, home to primary source materials documenting the history of all divisions of The New School."

Dior Fashion Show 1960

Book Sources: Fashion in the 1960s

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Back to Bendel’s—A New Book Remembers the Glory Days of the Elegant New York Department Store

He was not French, though his name really was Henri Bendel. Well, Henry Bendel anyway. He was born into a Jewish family in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1868, and he went on to become a renowned arbiter of style and the founder of what once among the most elegant department stores in Manhattan.

In his new book, Henri Bendel, and the Worlds He Fashioned , Tim Allis tells this extraordinary American story. Bendel’s family owned a dry goods store in sleepy Lafayette. It was staffed by a wide extended family; it prospered and expanded. But this small town empire could not hold Henry.

By the mid-1890s, he had set out for Manhattan. He began with hats—at the time these indispensable accessories were humongous behemoths, like boats laden with cargos of blossoms and bows (even the occasional taxidermied bird), poised on every fashionable head. So famous were his creations that Cole Porter memorialized them in his lyric to “You’re the Top”: “You’re a melody from a symphony by Strauss, You’re a Bendel bonnet, a Shakespeare sonnet, You’re Mickey Mouse!”

From millenary Bendel expanded to fashion. He had an undeniable nose for future trends, though his airy pronouncements, reported in the contemporary press, could seem ridiculously snobby— “Don’t wear a white hat unless you are so beautiful it doesn’t matter what you wear…” were among his instructions. But he was first and foremost a shrewd retailer, not above introducing egalitarian innovations when the market dictated. At his famous flagship, whose brown and white striped awnings beckoned on 57th Street for three-quarters of a century, he sold branded soaps and perfumes, he offered gloves for those who craved a Bendel’s label but couldn’t afford an entire ensemble. And then there were those famous semi-annual sales. In Florine Stettheimer’s wonderful 1921 painting, Spring Sale at Bendel’s, you can see the man himself overseeing the delightful mayhem.

He also copied, with permission, the Paris ensembles he sought out on his many trips abroad. To the end he was a Francophile, insisting that French women were the chicest. “American styles? Pouf!” he once sniffed, with a dismissive wave of the hand. He took the most extravagant ocean liners to and from the continent multiple times a year and didn’t curtail his visits even during World War I.

He did not travel alone. His was a sprawling unorthodox household, consisting of his widowed half-sister, her two children, and two male companions—John Blish, who was over a decade his senior, and with whom Bendel once described as having “a lifelong intimate relationship,” and Abraham Bastado, 10 years younger. Bliss and Bastado were labeled in the press variously as servants, colleagues, and companions—but the truth was no doubt hiding in plain sight.

Allis does a fine job telling the story of this singular American, all the more impressive since he had so little to work with. Bendel left no diaries, wrote no memoir, there were not even letters. The author has pieced together this tale from snippets in the public record—newspaper clippings, various announcements, and the fading recollections of descendants.

Luckily, as scant as the personal documents are, the advertisements and magazine features are plentiful, and the book is lavishly illustrated. Here are the stars of the silent screen, celebrities like Billie Burke and Lillian Gish, accoutered in Bendel’s frocks; here are breathless descriptions of his increasingly sumptuous estates.

Alas, like so many retail stories, this one does not have a happy ending. Bendel passed away in 1936. At first his relatives kept the company afloat; then the business endured a series of owners. It had a burst of life when Geraldine Stutz arrived in 1957 and installed the famous Street of Shops, a series of boutiques that captured the insouciant spirit of the 1960s and ’70s, and introduced such designers as Michael Kors , Ralph Lauren , and Zandra Rhodes . But those glory days did not last. The store moved around the corner to Fifth Avenue in 1985, and the business closed permanently in 2019.

Was it purely a victim of its time? Can an enterprise built on refinement, that wears its uniqueness proudly on its cashmere sleeve, have any role in this modern world? “What I regret today,” Stutz once said, “is that there may be no Bendel’s for somebody to turn around as I turned around the old-time Bendel’s. Any name with the kind of reputation and history from the turn of the century as the store of style, not just fashion, deserves to survive.”

Why Jackie Kennedy Went to War With Elizabeth Arden

An excerpt from the new book Becoming Elizabeth Arden tells the story of how the beauty empress found herself in the middle of two warring First Ladies.

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Election season 1960: Elizabeth Arden became caught up in it quite unexpectedly when Jacqueline Kennedy denounced her. The glamorous wife of the Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy defended herself from journalists who accused her of dropping a whopping $30,000 a year on clothing by retorting, “I’m sure I spend less than Mrs. Nixon on clothes. She gets hers at Elizabeth Arden, and nothing there costs less than $200 or $300.”

A sartorial storm ensued. Jackie Kennedy’s fresh and modern look —so different from Mamie Eisenhower’s—was the envy of many women. Detractors suggested Kennedy was too highbrow to be a successful First Lady. Women’s Wear Daily had earlier headlined “Mrs. Pat Nixon Keeps Eye on Clothes Budget” and rationalized that Nixon also knew fashion because she had once worked in Bullock’s clothing department. Inadvertently undercutting their own argument, WWD stressed that she always enjoyed “shopping for bargains,” seldom selected designer clothes, and wore out the moderately priced ready-to-wear fashions she regularly chose.

Other publications differentiated between the two women in that Nixon bought American-made while Kennedy’s dresses came from Paris designers. The truth was that both women purchased clothing from Elizabeth Arden–although Nixon was the more consistent client. Former president Harry Truman harrumphed that the subject of what candidates' wives spent on clothing was none of the public’s business. Fashion insiders disagreed. They understood that Kennedy’s youth, beauty, and style could be a tremendous boon to the industry, and they deeply appreciated Nixon’s frequent proclamations that she was “very happy with American designers and designs.” As the topic widened to include the damning suggestion that the candidates mimicked their wives’ shopping preferences—John Kennedy purchased most of his clothes abroad while Richard Nixon found them in the United States—the competition helpfully kept the spotlight on the importance of appearance and of the American garment industry.

Resourceful New York Times reporter Nan Robertson sought Arden’s opinion. Her public relations spokesman, Lanfranco Rasponi, confirmed that Pat Nixon was a long-term customer with “a wonderful figure” and the ability to “wear ready-to-wear clothes.” He acknowledged that such off-the-rack styles cost between $150 to $300.

Robertson interviewed cagey customers who admitted that “it was possible to find a dress at Miss Arden’s for as little as $25.” Life magazine piled on by showing Kennedy in a $600 Givenchy suit next to a photo of Nixon in a famously frugal “Republican cloth coat.”

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Foundation

Elizabeth Arden resurfaced regularly on this topic throughout the summer and campaign season as Americans wrestled to define the most desirable qualities in a First Lady , all of them connected to larger concerns about national pride, American-made goods, labor unions, and the necessity of supporting the fashion business. Some of Arden’s clothing was imported, most of it was expensive, but not as costly as custom-made Parisian gowns. Arden was an American who hired American garment workers. Her tailors had been unionized since 1952. The excellent wages she paid her workers were legendary. She wisely kept mum.

But the woman whose salon was a synonym for expensive good looks could not attend the convention to see how it played out. She was nearing 80, and poor health began to plague her with increasing frequency. She kept to herself that summer, disappointing Republicans, who were missing her soirees. She did make it to Mamie Eisenhower’s farewell party, joining Pat Nixon, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, and other GOP stalwarts sad to see the cheerful First Lady depart.

Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind The Global Beauty Empire

John F. Kennedy bested Arden’s friend Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election. She took comfort in the fact that the new First Lady was a paragon of style who, along with several other Kennedys, wore Elizabeth Arden clothing and frequently engaged Arden hairstylists. Kennedy women also wore Arden wigs, which Jacqueline reportedly found particularly helpful on trips abroad. She practiced before wearing them publicly, having learned from her sister-in-law Ethel, who once wore hers to a party and gasped as it flew right off her head while she was dancing the Twist!

From BECOMING ELIZABETH ARDEN by Stacy A. Cordery, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2024 by Stacy A. Cordery.

Stacy A. Cordery is the author of Alice: Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker, Juliette Gordon Low: The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts , and two books about Theodore Roosevelt.  Cordery is a professor of History at Iowa State University in Ames.

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