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Marianne Faithfull's style was all the rage in the 1960s. She was part of the British explosion, which had quite an influence on fashion
Dresses 1960s span a wide variety of fashion style in just ten years
Then the world tipped. If you want to dress sixties, take your pick and decide if you want to channel June Cleaver or Janis Joplin, who came along during the tumultuous late 1960s. Janis Joplin was flowing scarves, vests, bohemian Indian prints, comfortable fabrics and long skirts. Choosing dresses 1960s style is a "polar opposites" fashion decision.
The 1960s certainly were not a typical or boring decade. The you-know-what hit the fan.
JFK was assassinated, as was his brother Robert, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King. The Vietnam War raged and was highly controversial. Young people began to reunite and revolt. The birth control pill came onto the scene, liberating women from unwanted pregnancies, leading the way to free love. There was the summer of love and Woodstock.
Consequently, the styles of the first half of the 1960s, a fractious decade to say the least, bear little resemblance to the unconventional, anti-establishment garb that made a statement and, which was worn during the latter half of the decade. The hippies thumbed their nose at the establishment and their choice of clothing bore witness to that.
If you want to channel the first part of the 1960s, think
the 1950s. It was very much the same: ladylike, girdles, petticoats, very
conservative and proper. Gloves were worn to church and on evening outings
and hats were very much in vogue.
Dresses or skirts were worn the majority of the time. The
dresses often cinched the waist and were full on the bottom. Pleated and pencil
skirts were also in vogue. Knees were not generally exposed. Keep in mind that
the mini skirt had not yet made its appearance, and women were still being circumspect
and reasonably modest in their appearance. Pants were only donned for play but were never,
ever worn to school.
In 1961, one of
the favorite styles of the ladies was a sleeveless scoop neck dress with a
pleated or straight skirt. A jacket was worn over the dress and featured Dolman
sleeves. To top off the outfit, a cummerbund was placed around the waist and
buckled in the back. Dresses 1960s flavored can be as prim and proper as Betty Crocker.
The shirtwaist
dress was ubiquitous and reigned throughout most of the decade, even when
cultural and political unrest burst forth. The ladies at home still clung to the
shirtwaist although the collar got a little wider, and the dresses got a little
shorter as the 1960s progressed, but it remained a staple in the wardrobes of
the typical American woman.
In the early 1960s, First Lady Jackie Kennedy had, of course, a huge impact on the fashion scene. She made wearing pill box hats the thing to do. She wore A-line dresses - 1960s style - and exposed her arms. Jackie favored European designs but eventually hooked up with designer Oleg Cassini, who was a naturalized American, although Russian and French-born. Her ensembles became Americanized versions of French styles and featured oversize buttons and coats with pockets all in bright, solid colors.
The printed
shift became de rigueur. The neckline of the dress was often gathered and slit
and the sleeves were billowy. Shifts were colorful and considered fairly brazen
for 1968. The tent dress was also popular as was the shirt/shift. Shoes got
clunkier and make-up got bolder.
In the late
1960s, courtesy to a large extent of the British musical explosion, fashion changed
drastically. The mini skirt popped up. Girls began emulating Twiggie, the model,
with her cropped blonde hair, huge eyes and spidery eyelashes. Marianne Faithful, a bohemian looking musician, was a fashion icon.
Civil unrest grew. People protested the Vietnam war. As the
country segued into upheaval, fashion changed drastically and became what is
now considered bohemian chic, which was put on the map by hippies, who lived in
communes and eschewed materialism.
If you want to
dress as though you were a part of the late sixties, put on a colorful, flowing
peasant skirt, topped with a gauzy, scooped necked top. The Beatles had a major
influence on fashion, some of which came from their exposure to the Dalai-Lama.
Hair was long
and often unkempt. Fringed jackets were a must as were beads and peace symbols.
Jeans were all the rage, the rattier the better. Nehru jackets were fab.
Long,
embroidered jackets came on the scene. They were worn over jeans or dresses. Going
bare-footed was a must. Halter tops were popular, as were wide leather belts and
bell bottom jeans that were fringed on the bottom. Some kids wore ankle bells
and girls often wore headbands decorated with flowers (remember Flower Power?)
The choice is yours
if you are opting to go Sixties Retro. Choose either dresses 1960s ladylike, chaste, prim and conservative --- or go for broke
and channel Janis Joplin.