We take a closer look at how the 1960’s fashion revolution continues to influence modern fashion and the It girls who have made that era truly iconic.
After a decade of cinched waists, full skirts and impeccable hair and makeup, many fashion traditions were broken in an act of rebellion, mirroring the momentous social and political changes of the decade. The 1960’s was the era where no skirt was too short and no beehive too high.
Not since the 1920’s had an era so drastically altered its perception of style and attempted to separate itself entirely from the decades before. Prior to the 1960’s, 50’s fashion was dominated by the tastes of a wealthy, mature elite, with midi dresses, skirts, and clothing that denoted ‘proper forms’ of masculinity and femininity in terms of clothing choices. 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. But times soon changed. At the dawn of the 60’s, young people’s income was at its highest since the end of the Second World War, and these fashion traditions were broken. Colours became brighter or monochrome, geometric shapes inspired by various art movements like ‘Op Art’ became popular, and a convergence of musical and digital media inspired tastes led to social and aesthetic led change, transforming the 60’s political, cultural and social landscape.
One of the key movements associated with the decade was the ‘Mod’ trend which was described as ‘young people’s fashion’ by the legendary Mary Quant. Quant is best known for popularising the mini skirt but she also triggered the augmentation of the monochrome trend, the psychedelic movement as well as other mini-Mod related trends. While Quant did not invent trends, she put them on the map for 60’s style lovers and shortened skirt lengths to retaliate against previous fashions that refused to allow women to show their legs. The 1960’s were fashion forward, futuristic and fun.
A common ‘Mod’ look before it waned in popularity in 1965, was a monochromatic or colour-blocked geometric shift with thigh high boots and Vidal Sassoon’s ‘five point’ haircut, inspired by models like Twiggy. It was razor sharp and androgynous, yet still laced with a smattering of femininity. The merging of gendered fashion had almost become unisex and both men and women were likely to borrow elements from each other’s wardrobes. Style had never been so unified and although the 70’s and 80’s were seen as the decades that were ‘infamously androgynous’, it was the sixties that engineered and pre-mediated the androgynous look.
The 1960’s was a definite style powerhouse and even today it is clear that many trends that we see as modern are really just a patchwork of 60’s led styles. From Missoni’s use of the ‘zig zag’ and stripe print that was so popularly used in the era’s op art movement, to Dior turning back time to stage a 1968 protest down its Fall 2018 runway, complete with an array of 60’s-inspired patchwork pieces, flower power-infused dresses, and colourful lensed sunglasses, it’s clear that the 1960’s style movement is still inspiring modern fashion.
MEET THE INFLUENCERS BEHIND THE SIXTIES’ FASHION SCENE
From Brigitte Bardot‘s beehive to Mary Quant’s geometric prints, every 1960s fashion icon contributed their own signature style to the. It was the era of the girl group, the gamine supermodel, and the original IT-girls.
Edie Sedgwick
The wealthy socialite, toast of the New York art scene, and Andy Warhol’s muse, Edie Sedgwick was the original IT girl. The essential ingredients of her good-girl-gone-bad aesthetic were lashings of eyeliner, chandelier earrings, mini mod dresses with sheer black tights and a crop of platinum hair.
Twiggy
One of the greatest muses of all time, Twiggy quickly rose to supermodel fame, thanks to her paint on thick eyelashes and boyish hairstyle. Almost overnight she became instantly recognisable and the face of the decade.
Mary Quant
Not only was Mary Quant a 1960s fashion icon in her own right, she brought the era’s greatest trends to the wardrobes of the masses from her shop on the King’s Road in London. The mini skirt, hot pants, coloured tights, and plastic macs were down to this design pioneer.
Jackie Kennedy Onassis
Before Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron, there was Jackie Kennedy Onassis. The original fashionable First Lady managed to maintain her impeccable style throughout her time in the White House, even as she lived through tragedy. Jackie’s prim skirt suits, pillbox hats and super-sized dark glasses made her the style inspiration for women across America.
Audrey Hepburn
First it was that 1961 Breakfast at Tiffany’s that put the little black dresses back on the fashion map, teamed with movie star shades and a top-handle bag which won over our hearts. Then came the off-duty style, as Audrey championed capri pants and ballet pumps.
Cher
With her blunt bangs, kohl-rimmed eyes and a love of outlandish prints and the widest of flared trousers, Cher was a certified sixties icon. The then other half of Sonny and Cher led the way with the bold and the daring, and launched the hippie look with cool, Californian style.
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