Dressing for the Decade: The Swinging Sixties

1960’s fashion saw a shift from the conservative, feminine silhouettes of the 1950’s to psychedelic, youthful look at the end of the decade. Major social shifts fueled this shift in fashion.

Twiggy, 1960s Fashion Icon

Youth culture was taking over, clearly reflected in the attire towards the end of the decade. Designers like Pucci and Oscar de la Renta made a splash in the fashion scene during the swinging sixties. From funky mod styles to groovy hippie apparel, 1960’s fashion was a fun and quirky period of American fashion.

Mod London Look

This style, that emerged from Great Britain during the 1960s, emphasized bright, bold patterns and colors and shorter skirts and women’s hairstyles. The mod look focuses on sleek lines and silhouettes. The fashion was connected to designers like Mary Quant, who popularized the mini skirt and style icon, Twiggy. Think short skirts or dresses and bright, fun prints to dress in this 1960’s style.

Style from different eras are recycled in modern fashion. This is true of the mod style. Valentino’s Fall 2014 collection is proof of a mod revival, with its fun and funky shift dresses.

The Hippie Style

Psychedelic Pucci Prints

The hippie movement spread around the U.S. in the mid-sixties and would be popular until about the mid-seventies. The fashion rebelled against the main stream consumerism and sought out clothing and accessories that were handmade or recycled.

Popular clothing of the time featured maxi skirts, bell-bottomed jeans, and flowing peasant blouses. Popular prints of the counter culture included paisleys, florals, and tie-dyes as well as Indian and Native American influenced prints. Sandals were the preferred footwear. Both men and women wore their hair long and demonstrated a more natural look than the mainstream culture.

For more 1960’s fashion inspiration, head to BackInStyle.com!

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