The Revolutionary 1960s - Back în the Light

1. Introduction

The 1960s was a decade of sweeping change throughout the fashion world generating ideas and images which still appear modern today.

Many things influenced fashion in the 1960s: social mobility, daring fashion photography, easier travel abroad, the Vietnam war, new music of the Beatles and their much copied hairstyles, retro military and ethnic clothes, musicals, pop art and film. Fashion in the 1960's changed in favour of youngsters. Clothes and their styles became more extravagant through the influence of designers such as Mary Quant and shops such as Bazaar. This new fashion was great for designers and retailers because they were selling more clothes and earning more, and for young people because they could express themselves by their clothes and have original fashions.

The nowadays fashion is strongly influenced by the fashion from 1960s and especially from the UK and that is why we chose this theme. We think that it is interesting and it is worth remembering how people dressed five decades ago.

2. About UK`s fashion

2.1 What is fashion?

Fashion is a state of mind. A spirit, an extension of one's self. Fashion talks, it can be an understated whisper, a high-energy scream or an all knowing wink and a smile. Most of all fashion is about being comfortable with yourself, translating self-esteem into a personal style. Sixties fashion belonged to London, England.

The 1960s ushered in an attitude of "anything goes" and reflected the shifting politics of the day. "Do your own thing" applied to clothes as well.

2.2 Why is it important?

Fashion is a means of self-expression that allows people to try on many roles in life. Whether you prefer hip-hop or Chanel-chic, fashion accommodates the chameleon in all of us. It's a way of celebrating the diversity and variety of the world in which we live. Fashion is about change which is necessary to keep life interesting. It's also a mirror of sorts on society. It's a way of measuring a mood that can be useful in many aspects, culturally, socially even psychologically. At the same time, fashion shouldn't be taken too seriously or you lose the fun of it.

In the UK fashion really started to take off with the advent of the Mini-skirt. There are many arguments over who actually 'invented' it, but it was undoubtedly promoted by Mary Quant who had a boutique called 'Bazaar'.

Fashion is a language which tells a story about the person who wears it. "Clothes create a wordless means of communication that we all understand," according to Katherine Hamnett, a top British fashion designer. Hamnett became popular when her T-shirts with large messages like "Choose Life" were worn by several rock bands(Fig.1).

3. Different trends every year

3.1. 1960 Simple and Colourful

1960 began a decade which may well be recorded as one of the most fashion-conscious periods in recent history, challenging the 1890s and the 1920s. Even the England Presidential election campaigns made fashion an issue, when the wives of the two Presidential candidates became the storm center of a headlined controversy over the source and cost of their respective wardrobes, their taste in clothes, and their comparative rating among the international "best dressed."

Two main changes in coat fashions marked the year: emphasis on shorter coats (Fig.2) and the reemphasis on sweepingly full coat shapes. On both sides of the Atlantic, all uncertainty disappeared as the public showed unqualified acceptance of relaxed shaping and the lowered waistline. Collections in both Europe and America concentrated on low-waisted silhouettes and also reintroduced the princess shape and the narrow tubular or oval outline with little or no waistline indentation. Even the most cautious women seemed willing to accept the over blouse (as comfortable to wear as it is fashionable) as a becoming change from the fitted bodice and constricting belted waist.

New types of soft fullness appeared: sometimes it was "full over full" expressed in loose box jackets over full skirts, or again in deeply bloused tops over circular skirts. Unusual "directional" seaming was employed to shape dresses and coats so as to achieve a full-flowing outline yet retain figure contours. Side-slanting folds, side fastenings on coats and dresses, side-to-side necklines, and a sideward plunge to daring evening necklines also pointed up the abstract effect in fashion, as opposed to a "period" look.