A fashion trend is a movement where lots of people start to move in the same direction towards a certain hairstyle of style of clothing. The 1960’s went through many different trends and some of them influenced what we wear and the way we style our hair. Most of the clothing that they wore back then was a little more rebellious and eclectic than the clothes we wear now, but it wasn’t weird to be dressed like that because everyone did it. The 1960’s fashion was heavily influenced by 50’s fashion and hippies, and these influences caused men and women to grow their hair longer and wear funkier clothes.
Hair In the 1960’s clothes defined who you were but even more so, your hair showed who you were and who you wanted to be. Many women began to grow out their hair, and enjoyed the freedom of not slicking it back (Connikie 29). Men also began to grow their hair longer, and instead of slicking it back or putting it up, they left it down, showing a sign of rebellious youth (Connikie 36). Longer hair for boys became a sign of rebellious youth because it was often banned (Connikie 56). Also, “Facial hair became more acceptable.
Many men of all ages grew lavish mustaches and beards, and many let their sideburns grow fuller and longer” (Connikie 29). Equally important for women, “For some years it had been fashionable to have the hair pulled back out of the face. Suddenly, hair came alive with backcombing (teasing) and the arrival of the ‘beehive’ style, a fuller shape kept in place with plenty of hairspray” (Connikie 28). This was a very significant decade for hair because many people weren’t following the status quo for hair and began to make up some of their own hairstyles.
Also lots of people were following celebrity hair trends. In conclusion hair was an important part of the 60’s and really defined who you were. Famous styles The 1960’s fashion also had many different styles of clothes and many trends. Geometric, vintage, and pop and op art clothing were famous during the 60’s. Also, people began to follow trends of celebrities/famous people, and young adults/ college students. As research shows “The mods-short for moderns-took their inspiration from the beatniks and also studied American college fashion for fresh ideas.
The results were vivid shirts and ties an turtlenecks, or for a more relaxed look, boxy blazers and narrow pants” (Connikie 40). Geometric, and pop and op art clothing were also very popular because they were easy to make at home with a few pieces of colored material stuck onto coats, sweaters and dresses” (“Trends of the Mid 1960’s”). These new styles that were emerging were sometimes similar but often very different from the decades before it. Lots of people were following the new funky trends, but with all trends, there was a handful of people who strongly disliked these new styles and tried to ban them (Connikie 41).
The new trends of the 1960’s were beginning to emerge and many designers were trying to keep up with the high demand, and making sure the designs for the clothes were fresh and new. Hippies Hippies began to emerge in the mid-60’s and many were against them, but they didn’t care what others thought of them. A hippie was a person, especially of the late 1960’s, who rejected established institutions and values and believed in peace. Also they typically had long hair and wore beads. (Israel and Clark) Hippie men and women often didn’t care about what others thought of them and blurred the lines between men and woman clothing.
For example the hippie man often wore a flowing robe and had long hair, contradicting the society’s ideas about masculinity (Connikie 56). The hippie woman didn’t follow the society’s trend either. They would often wear floor-length skirts with love-beads and bells instead of a miniskirt (Connikie 56). Hippies were a huge part of the 60’s and influenced the society in good and bad ways. In conclusion hippies often didn’t follow the society’s trends and created their own style instead of following the ones that were favored. Famous Trends
There were many trends of this time that many people followed and that almost everyone had in their closet. A few famous clothes trends were paper dresses, cutouts, and mini skirts. These trends really defined the 60’s and when you see it often makes you think of this decade. As research shows “By the spring of 1967 paper dresses were a full flung fad” (“Trends of the mid 1960s”). Also one major producer of clothes Hallmark introduced paper dresses, and also made plates, gift wrap, napkins,and placemats with the same pattern as the dress for a complete party theme”(“Trends of the mid-1960’s”).
Mini skirts also became very popular and many saw them as a sign of justice because they were cut 8 or 9 inches above the knee (Connikie 41). Many people wore these new clothes to fit in and feel free and rebellious. They also wore them to show who they were and what their personality was like. The 1960’s were a decade of very interesting and funky clothes that almost everyone had hanging in their closet at some point during this time period. Conclusion Fashion in the 1960’s was a little bit crazy and funky, and a little different than the decades before it.
It was greatly influenced by fashion designers and young adults (college students). Hippies began to emerge and spread their message about love, and hippie men and women began to wear the same clothing. Also men and women who were not hippies began to wear groovy clothing. This was very important because the attire they wore back then influenced what we wear today. The 1960’s fashion was greatly influenced by many people and changed what we wear and the way we style our hair today.
