1960's Fashion Essay

In Australia, the fashion of the 1960s emulated the political and cultural changes at the time. This fashion revolution was youth driven and showed their rejection of social standards. For women, the mini skirt came into trend, introduced by fashion icon Twiggy (Leslie Hornby). This above-the-knee skirt came into fashion in a revolt against people telling women how to express themselves and their bodies that came with the womens rights movement and the introduction of the pill. Men wore tunics, capes and more feminine clothing as pants became tighter and they dawned silk scarfs. This shift from masculine clothing to dabbling in the side of feminine, was because of the changing idea of gender and sexuality. Men also tried to recreate the look of the Beatles; in sharp and clean suits due the bands popularity at the time. Nearing the end of the 1960s, hippie fashion came into style. This era of fashion was dominated by bright, swirling colours, tie-dye, paisley prints, loose fitting clothing, flowers, peace signs, etc. This change in fashion was in response to the Vietnam war. People wore their clothes as a political statement, showing their embracement towards love and freedom.

The feminist movement, which took root in the era, lead to a liberated sense of fashion. Women began to wear pants in the workplace with the popularization of the pantsuit (Pendergast 922) to show that they were every bit as capable as men. Hot pants and bell bottom jeans, both styles unique to the era (Pendergast 889), were intended to make a bold statement. Another prominent trend of the 1960s was known as “mod style.” Women wore short, skin-tight skirts and form-fitting tunics (Pendergast 890) unlike anything the fashion world had previously seen. Twiggy, a model, quickly proved herself to be one of the most memorable mod icons of the time (“Twiggy”). One of the most popular and notable styles of the 1960s and 1970s, however, was the “peasant” look. Clothing was modeled after European peasants from centuries earlier; women sported loose-fitting, off-the-shoulder blouses and long, flowing skirts (Pendergast 925). Fashion was also used as a protest of sorts for American youth. Teenagers, male and female alike, creating inexpensive tie-dye clothing as a means of voicing their disapproval for the Vietnam War (Pendergast 927). Young Americans used tie-dye as a form of defiance against societal norms.

Clothing styles have always had a close connection to developments in clothing creation. The two are inextricably linked by public demand, fabric availability, and the wealth of people to afford them. Even back to the Industrial Revolution and Renaissance, when people began to have more clothing choices, one can see the relationship between what the people need or want and what the manufacturers create.

Women’s fashion in the 1960s rejected previous traditions of the past and became symbolic of the changes women were gaining through the feminist movement. During this period, women concluded that they would not accept the feminine mystique, which generally accepted views that an ideal

To accentuate the hips even more, slit side pockets were present (Payne, 256-257). Subsequently, the 1960’s brought the emergence of miniskirts, which was then a public shock for it was not considered tamed. Minis were pioneered by Mary Quant and made trendy by Andre Courreges (Murray, 112-113). Meanwhile, pants suits for women were popularized in the 70’s. They were first introduced as skinny and tailored, leaving little space for legs. Then they evolved into a flared leg style, with a wide opening at the bottom, or bell bottoms (Payne, 261). “Pants appeared in every form imaginable, from divided skirts and culottes to the classic, pleated-front tailored pant and the baggy ‘Fred Astaire’ version.” (Murray, 116)

People may say that the true years of fashion began in the late nineteen forties and went on through the early nineteen sixties. If you look at fashion today, its almost repeated the look from sixty years ago. In each generation fashion trends become based on history and/or important events. in the nineteen forties fashion was being modeled by the military wear. World War II caused a drastic change in the way clothes were being made and worn. In the nineteen fifties Americans admired the fashion of movie stars and music artists. Media had a strong influence on the wordly trend. The people of the sixties expressed there personalities and emotions through

1960s Fashion Some may think that 1960s fashion was bland or boring due to the fact that it is not the same trends as we have today. Bright colors, dark makeup for females and long and shaggy hair for men are making a comeback. The constant struggle of equality is still continuing today and both women and men idols from the 60s are returning to inspire humans to strive for justice. In reality, style and attitude from the 60s was the foundation of our very own designs in modern times. Women´s Style of the 60s Women´s style in the 1960s was vastly different from the 1950s.

I am researching 1950’s fashion to help me decide what I want to do for my final piece, I want it to be historically linked to the fashion of the time. I would also like my design to have 1950’s design inspiration linking to the recreations I have done in my sketchbook. I want to look more into the traditions of the shapes of clothing and what artists and designers were producing at the time to influence my work. 1950s post war fashion was the debut for many shapes, colourful prints and exaggerated voluminous skirts and tiny waists. There were a few main silhouettes during the 1950s, one of the most iconic would be the A Line shaped dress and skirts, many designers used this shape and it is still popular now.

Women in the early 1960's wore bouffant hairstyles, and like the 1920's, knee length dresses. However, later in the decade, mini skirts, or hot pants, with go-go boots became popular. These skirts revealed their legs as bodywear revealed their curves. Women's hairstyles even changed. Women either wore their hair very short or long and lanky. Also, peasant skirts, or granny dresses, and chunky shoes somehow came into fashion during this period of time too. By the end of the decade, unisex dressing was very popular especially with the hippies. Both sexes wore bell-bottom jeans, love beads, and embellished T-shirts. This was also the era of the Afro, which both sexes of African Americans wore.

The 1920’s fashion was a period of liberation, change, and even more importantly a movement towards the modern era. Fashion in the 1920’s varied throughout the decade but one could see the noticeable change from the previous fashion statements and eras. At the start of the decade, women began emancipating themselves from the constricting fashions by wearing more comfortable apparel. As women gained more rights and World War I forced them to become more independent, flappers came to be, mass-produced garments became available, and artistic movements increased in popularity, one can see how the fashions from the roaring twenties characterized the time and redefined womanhood. (1920s clothing 1)

1. Go to a public place and OBSERVE the community of people in that place for at least 30 minutes; perhaps as long as 60 minutes. In your report, describe the setting and note the date and time of your observation. Describe the element of “community” that you observed.

The Victorian Era is a remarkable time in history with the blooming industries, growing population, and a major turnaround in the fashion world. This era was named after Queen Victoria who ruled United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 1837 until she passed away 64 years later in January 1901.When Victoria received the crown, popular respect was strikingly low. The lack of respect for the position she had just come into did not diminish her confidence. Instead she won the hearts of Britain with her modesty, grace, straightforwardness, and her want to be informed on the political matters at hand even though she had no input. She changed Britain into a flourishing country. She also impacted how women interacted

Throughout the 1920s through the 1950s Women’s clothing in America was affected by World War II, which lead to the exploration of different styles, the encounter of new trends and the exchange of ideas and new styles.

Fashion is very important in modern day society, and can be seen all around. Most of what people know about fashion today came from the fashion during the renaissance. From the vibrant fabrics to the spectacular jewels, renaissance fashion has been thoroughly threaded in the fashion of modern society. Modern day women often wear shorty, fun gowns, tightly fitting jeans, and lower cut tops. Popular fashion trends for men in modern society include saggy jeans, V-neck shirts, and stylish watches. “A fashion is merely a form of ugliness so unbearable that we are compelled to alter it every six months” (Oscar Wilde). Fashion in modern day society is ever changing, but most changes do not stray too far from the original product.

The Years between the 1950’s and 1960’s was an explosive time in fashion. The 50’s represented an out coming of the new generation. People began to gain their own personal style and appearance, influenced by films and singers (“Vintage Fashion”). Their styles incorporated leather, jeans, corduroy, and the ballet shoes for the girls. Men’s wear began to drastically change. Men would wear a leather jacket, with jeans that narrowed at the bottom, and a simple t-shirt (Peacock 210-211). This was the first time in history that jeans were not just worn by the working class but by all men (“Brief History”). The man’s lust for flesh grew during this time, so women’s skirts began to get shorter and the bikini was invented. Clothes were made to glorify the female body and emphasize every curve. It wasn’t until the Barbie doll was created in the late 50’s that young girls began to have a separate fashion from their mothers. Young girls would wear sweaters with full skirts or pants