1960s' Clothing

The 50s' formal elegance was followed by the 60s' non-conformist, almost-outrageous fashion extravaganza. 60s' clothing style for men and women underwent a sea change and the 1960s' fashion scene was defined by a bold, experimental attitude! This was the era that witnessed the coexistence of elegant and casual or gypsy fashion. The clothing and fashion trends of the 1960s', like any other era for that matter, was strongly influenced by the individual styles of celebrities and prominent public figures. Men could be seen dressed like 'The Beatles' or the 'Rolling Stones' whereas women dressed after the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Jacqueline Kennedy! The 60s was a decade of bright colors and bold cuts! Let us take a look at the 1960s' clothing for men and women which made up the fashion kaleidoscope of that period.

60s' Clothes for Men

Who says haute couture is only the fair sex's prerogative? Men's clothing styles in the 60s refute this claim! Turtlenecks marked their territory in men's wardrobe during this period. Other male fashion clothing items such as Nehru-collared shirts, paisley patterned shirts, velvet pants, high-collared Regency jackets, mods and buffalo-plaid shirts announced their arrival in the 1960s. Fashion, especially men's fashion, experienced a never-before liberalization and you could see men flaunting creatively fashioned clothes in bold patterns and psychedelic colors! Bell-bottom pants, hipsters, flared jeans and neckerchiefs were very popular items of the 1960s' clothing for men! The 60s' fashion had a young and more casual feel to it owing to the rise of teenage fashion influence, as opposed to the 50s' sophisticated, high-end-fashion-house influences. Frills, wide ties, bold and crazy prints and trouser straps were popular accompaniments for men's clothing in the 1960s. Check out the following illustrations to get an idea of what a fashion conscious guy might have turned up in on an average casual day back in the sixties:

60s' Clothes for Women

Mary Quant brought sexy back with her invention of the mini skirt! Never has there been a better piece of women's clothing that held such sway over women and men (for obvious reasons! Wink!) alike! The bouffant look was very popular, as were shifts, capri pants, culottes, baby-doll dresses and tie-dyed tops and mini dresses. Bell bottom pants and flared pants were equally popular with women as with men during the 1960s' fashion era. These were mostly accompanied by chiffon blouses, polo necked ribbed sweaters or tank tops. Swing coats and dyed, fake fur were among the hot favorites! Another introduction in the fashion scene of the 1960s were the Go-Go boots! The 1960s' clothing for women exuded a sense of uber-cool fashion with non-conformist undertones. The gypsy look, which included head scarves, kerchiefs and hoop earrings, was very popular those days, as were slim fit pants, stiletto heels and plunging necklines! Newsboy caps, pillbox hats and fur hats were popular choices in women's headgear in those times. The use of false eyelashes and seamless pantyhose was introduced in the 1960s' fashion and clothing for women. Take a look at the following clips to get an idea of what the ladies in the sexy sixties deemed fashionable as far as clothing was concerned:

The 60s' fashion clothing scene also saw the emergence of the hippie look and space look. The space look was introduced by French designer, Andre Courrages, in 1964, and involved pants, suits, white boots, goggles and box shaped dresses in fluorescent colors and shiny fabrics such as PVC and sequins to give a metallic finish. Hippie clothes took their influence from the Hippie subculture which rebelled against war and promoted peace, love and personal liberty. The 1960s' Hippie fashion genre is characterized by loose, flowing, comfortable clothing in natural fabrics and psychedelic colors accompanied by colorful beads and large accessories. All in all, 1960s' fashion and clothing trends can be called a mishmash of celebrity fashion and urban style, spiked with a dash of colorful imagination to make a bold and strong individual statement. The 60s' fashion was more about attitude and getting noticed than elegance and conforming with societal norms!