1960s fashion trends that we still adore today
Our love for Swinging Sixties fashion trends looks knows no bounds. Moon landings and mods, sartorially speaking, is there a better decade?
The "Youthquake" movement, a phrase coined by Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland, blossomed - think Austin Powers in 4D. And when the contraceptive pill became readily available in 1967, this meant one thing: sexual liberation.
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Fashion's cyclical nature means that what goes around comes around, and although the 1960s were more than 50 years ago now, we're still reaping the style benefits from the It-Girls of the day.
Some of the major trendsetters of the decade include actresses, singers and models, laden with je ne sais quoi that set them apart from the rest. Twiggy, with her famous doll-like eyelashes, for one, along with Jean Shrimpton and Dusty Springfield who favoured puffy babydolls and voluminous sweeping block fringes.
Hello! Fashion shares the 1960s fashion trends that we still adore today:
Mini skirts
The modern minthusiast (rolls off the tongue, no?) owes much to the late designer Mary Quant. While she never claimed to be its inventor (that honour she always attributed to the London girls who wore them on the streets), she was one of its greatest champions and named the popular style after her beloved Mini Cooper car.
As the mini flourished, a shift in the cultural landscape was taking place - women were being allowed more sexual freedom. Its perfection lies in the proportion - with that much flesh on show, there’s a certain threshold of confidence involved.
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Stepping out with higher hemlines was a radical move and the girls on the street made a major political statement by channelling such an effortless look. The wearer of the miniskirt is spirited, sexy and most importantly, unaffected by British weather.
The preppy mini
The party mini
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Crochet
Despite its humble origins, this trend is still absolutely everywhere - it's weird to believe that the craft was originally used as a cheap substitute for traditional lace back in early 19th century Europe.
The 1960s saw a huge boom for crochet, and judging by the number of bucket hats, crop tops and slip dresses that are currently on the market today, the trend is going absolutely nowhere.
With its design that embraces holes, crochet the perfect technique to wear during the warmer months. A stylish poolside moment would be incomplete without a sleeveless crochet maxi dress layered over a sleek one-piece.
The crochet dress
The crochet hat
Psychedelic prints
The psychedelic art movement had a major effect on many areas of pop culture, namely music, literature, philosophy and, of course, clothing. The idea is that bright colours, distorted visuals and kaleidoscopic patterns are strongly reminiscent of the experience created by psychadelic substances. Some major artists of the time include Alex Grey, Rick Griffin and Wes Wilson.
Plenty of today's fashion brands are still producing collections featuring prints heavily inspired by the movement, including cult brand House of Sunny with its covetable bodycon midi dresses, as well as Emilio Pucci, paying tribute to the brand's founder who was dubbed the 'Prince of Prints' for his esteemed geometrics.
The psychedelic dress
Knee-high boots
Paired with the classic mini skirt, knee-high boots ruled the 1960s footwear scene alongside go-go boots – which were white, low-heeled and mid-calf in height, as defined by top designer of the moment, André Courrèges.
Almost every modern fashion house has at least a few (hundred) pairs of knee-high boots in their Autumn/Winter collections and some of our favourite styles are made by Dear Frances and Musier.
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The Go-go Boots
Tie-dye
This trend was embraced by free-spirited counterculturalists breaking away from the traditional social mould, and came to symbolise all things peace. Today, tie-dye has been adopted by high-end designers and celebrities alike, including Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber.
The tie-dye dress
Babydoll dresses
The dress style began its life as a short nightgown, designed by Sylvia Pedlar in 1942 in response to wartime fabric rationing. Versions for children were then created – generally the style is defined by its empire line neckline and flowy skirt which made it easier mothers to change nappies. The cinematic release of Tennessee Williams' Babydoll, in which actress Carroll Baker wore a short-sleeved frill version, is thought to mark the origin of the dress style's name. In the 1960s, Twiggy paired hers with her now-iconic eye makeup look and T-bar Mary Janes, and thousands of others followed suit.
The romantic babydoll
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