Music of the 60s
The 1960s started with more rock ‘n’ roll but Elvis Presley was in the army, Buddy Holly was sadly dead, Chuck Berry was in jail, Jerry Lee Lewis was in disgrace and Little Richard was in church. And there was little me in Tamworth listening to 'The Shiek of Scrubby Creek' by Chad Morgan, who incidently is alive aged 86 & and was still performing into his mid 80s.
The Beatles were dominating the airwaves throughout the decade with hits like ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘Yellow Submarine', 'Eleanor Rigby’ & 'Hey Jude', and many others. Yes, I had a mop top, suede pants, probably a black skivvy and desert boots, what a catch I was!
As you can see from the slideshow, my tastes were varied, most probably a result of moving from Tamworth to the big smoke of Sydney in the mid sixties - country boy becomes city slicker!
Movies of the 60s
Fashion of the 60s
Looking back, it's apparent that we were largely influenced by British fashion, with the rise of daring hemlines and the impact of the Beatles and Twiggy. And we learned that there was a Carnaby Street in London, so there was plenty to be inspired by in the 1960s.
The 60s saw the break from traditional fashion in favour of colourful, fresh trends characterised by the miniskirt, mod dresses, Bohemian-inspired prints of the hippies and more sombre beatnik look. They were also revolutionary, all of which captured the artful, fun and free spirit of the time.
Now, since you know our little party is dress up (optional, but you only live once), and you can choose from either the 60s or 70s, this section should help you select your style, if the 60s are your thing, so have fun:
Trousers
Yes, nothing new for men, but the 1960s were an age of fashion innovation for women. The early 1960s gave birth to drainpipe jeans and capri pants, which were worn by icon Audrey Hepburn. Traditionally, trousers had been viewed by western society as masculine, but by the early 1960s, it had become acceptable for women to wear them every day.
Beatnik
The 'beat generation' and subsequent beatnik fashion era was prominent in the 1960s. The style emerged out of beat ideology and developed into an aesthetic all of its own. The style was worn by young individuals who were interested in arts, literature, poetry, and music, particularly jazz. The unofficial uniform consisted of black turtlenecks, trousers, berets and striped tops. I was tempted at the time and possibly sampled some parts of the code, never all the way, like I did (shamefully) go 'all the way with LBJ'!
Coloured Tights
The 60s' love of colour characterised the decade, and it wasn't limited to shirts, dresses, tops and skirts. The colour trend found its way onto tights, paired with the bold and colourful shift dresses and miniskirts. Hosiery manufacturers of the time like Mary Quant combined the 'Flower Power' style of dress and the Pop Art school of design to create fashion tights that would appeal to a female audience that enjoyed psychedelia. Again, something admired from afar by me.
Ivy League
Although it originated in the 1950s, the Ivy League look lingered long into 1960s men's fashion. The preppy style of dressing typically included Oxford shirts, striped college blazers, cable knit vests and jumpers, Ascot ties, tweed sports coats, chinos and penny loafer shoes. Again, my appearance in this fashion limited by time and money, but I did see quite a few around that dressed this way. I never really got into the chinos either, probably because at the time, the fabrics they used creased so much that they never looked appealing to me, they had that 'non-ironed' look.
Mod Mini Dresses
The mod subculture began in London in the late 50s before quickly spreading around the world to create the now iconic sixties style. A signature style for the era, a mod look made a lasting impression that continues to influence fashion today. The style, which was creative and bold, was a favourite amongst the youth of the day, who wore modern designs, bright colours and raised hemlines. Characterised by the signature short A-line silhouette, the shapeless mod dress was often seen in fun block-coloured designs.
Miniskirts
Possibly one of the 60s key style staples, the introduction of the miniskirt would change fashion forever. Thanks to its daring design, the skirt echoed the political feelings at the time, shocking conservatives by allowing women to show off their legs in defiance of conformity. Today, the miniskirt is still an incredibly popular women’s fashion item. To wear one as they did in the 60s, pair it with sandals in summer or knee-high boots and coloured stockings in winter. Never wore one myself, but admired them just the same!
Bold Prints
The one thing I do remember vividly was the bold and striking prints that were an essential element of sixties style and they appeared on a variety of clothing items - from shirts, skirts, dresses, hats and even stockings. These loud and proud prints ranged from psychedelic designs to striking florals, tie-dye, bold stripes and colourful checks, all of which are now quintessentially sixties.
Psychedelic Jewellery
At the beginning of the decade, glamour reigned supreme with glitzy, gold designs and feminine pearls, as seen on silver screen icon Audrey Hepburn (loved her!). However, as the decade moved forward, and mod fashion caught on, jewellery became all about eye-catching plastic creations. These bold accessories were influenced by pop art and featured striking designs, geometric shapes and bright colours. Key pieces included large earrings, big rings and bangles.
Go-Go Boots
Possibly one of the most iconic fashion moments to come out of the 60s was the go-go boots. The original go-go boots, as defined by André Courrèges in 1964, were white, low-heeled, and mid-calf in height, a specific style which is sometimes called the Courrèges boot. Since then, the term go-go boot has come to include the knee-high, square-toed boots with block heels. The go-go boot is presumed to have been named after the dance style. It really was everywhere back then, done badly quite often, but when done well, looked great.
Hippie
Later in the 60s, a 'Californian-cool' style was adopted (often associated with the drug culture). Hippie style began to be embraced and Mod culture shifted to a more laid back, Bohemian style. Ponchos, moccasins, love beads, peace signs, medallion necklaces, chain belts, polka dot-printed fabrics, and long, puffed 'bubble' sleeves were popular fashions in the late 1960s. Had my share of hippie shirts and a pair of moccasins, but didn't really get into it, probably because I was just starting out at work and doing uni part-time, so had little money nor time! But, I think I see my costume in that photo . . .
Party Costumes
I am guessing most of you don't have a 60s outfit tucked away in the attic, so here are a few useful links to source 'costumes' from.