Get Mod With This Quiz on 1960s Fashion

During the 1960s, designers increasingly used bold and modern materials. A number of human-made fibers such as rayon, polyester, PVC, Spandex, acrylic, and nylon were embraced by designers looking to create a more futuristic, fashion-forward look. Human-made fibers were generally cheap and easy to clean, making them especially popular with young people.

Among the most iconic looks of the 1960s were the brightly colored, psychedelic prints by Italian designer Emilio Pucci. His eye-catching designs printed on silk followed organic forms and were inspired by the colors of the Mediterranean. Pucci was beloved by the jet-set crowd, as his silk headscarves and palazzo pants evoked long summer evenings and cocktails by the pool.

Kaftans are believed to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia. Ottoman sultans, dignitaries, and generals from the 14th to 18th centuries often wore these long, lavish robes. In the 1960s, as hippie fashions became more mainstream, the kaftan caught on as a comfortable and cool way to dress in the heat of summer. By the mid-1960s, high fashion had also adopted the kaftan.

By the mid-1960s, a crochet minidress had become an essential item for any fashionista. The humble craft became associated with the hippy movement and was seen in everything from cute hats and tiny dresses to tassel waistcoats. The only problem was figuring out what to wear underneath a crochet dress to prevent an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.

In 1966, French designer Yves Saint Laurent redesigned the tuxedo for the female form. His haute couture customers weren't ready for such a bold look and it failed to catch on, but the version of the female tuxedo released by his youth brand, Rive Gauche, was an immediate success and has become a mainstay of the label.

Young men in the 1960s began to exert their own style, moving away from the stuffy business wear of the 1950s and toward a sharper, more expressive way of dressing. The “modernist,” or “mod,” style was exemplified by Italian suits and narrow pants sometimes worn with a polo shirt or turtleneck. British bands like the Beatles and the Kinks were both considered mod trendsetters.

Few pieces of clothing have come to embody the ‘60s as much as the miniskirt, created by fashion designer Mary Quant. Quant’s short skirt design first took off in her native city of London, but thanks to vast media coverage it was soon popular around the world. For many women, the miniskirt represented freedom from the conservative clothing of the previous decades.

When disposable paper dresses became a fad in the 1960s, Campbell’s Soup created the “Souper Dress” as a clever piece of advertising. Since the dress was paper, it could be easily altered to fit the individual wearer. The Souper Dress also drew inspiration from artist Andy Warhol, who famously used the image of the Campbell’s Soup can in his artwork.

Space Age fashion, bright colors, and mod designs were all the rage in the 1960s. The Space Race between the U.S. and Soviet Union inspired futuristic designs with bright colors and new synthetic fabrics. Mod started in London in the 1950s and eventually became popular “street” fashion in the ‘60s following the British Invasion of music. Platform shoes didn’t become stylish until a little later, during the 1970s.

Lesley Lawson, aka Twiggy, was just 16 years old when her life was changed by a dramatic pixie haircut. The striking androgynous hairstyle, combined with her big blue eyes, false eyelashes, and svelte figure, made her the poster girl for 1960s London. Twiggy became associated with the miniskirt and minidress, which perfectly complemented her waif-like figure.

The Beatles were the biggest band in the world in the 1960s, revolutionizing music and becoming style icons. Their first album, “Please Please Me,” was released in 1963, and their sharp style immediately influenced men’s fashion, with many fans copying their collarless jackets, slim-fit pants, and Chelsea boots. Over the course of the decade, their style evolved but was always at the cutting edge of fashion.

London first became known as “Swinging London” in the mid-1950s, but the nickname really became cemented as a cultural concept in the 1960s. “Swinging London” reflected the growing youth culture and the shift away from classy couture toward street style with bold colors, miniskirts, and futuristic looks. King’s Road in Chelsea, where fashion designer Mary Quant opened her first shop, was the heart of Swinging London.

The Beatnik culture of the early 1960s emerged from the Beat Generation literary movement of the previous decade. Beatniks embodied the anti-materialism, anti-mainstream ideals espoused by the Beat writers. They expressed it with their simple black clothing, a counter to the mainstream’s bright colors and eye-popping patterns.

Margaret Heldt created the beehive when “Modern Beauty Shop” magazine asked her for a unique hairstyle to embody the new decade. She designed a hairdo that fit inside hats and remained intact when the hat was taken off. During the first photo shoot for the hairstyle, she added a last-minute embellishment that the editor thought looked like a bee — hence the name “beehive.”

Bell-bottoms got their start in the U.S. Navy during the 19th century. The wide pant legs made it easier for sailors to roll up the cuffs to swab the deck and to get in and out of their boots faster. During the 1960s, anti-consumerist hippies bought bell-bottoms from thrift and army surplus stores instead of supporting big retailers. The style eventually became synonymous with the scene.

Hippies were a counterculture youth movement, and they ditched the restrictive fashions of previous generations and adopted long hair, flowing clothes, and exotic influences.

Audrey Hepburn made her debut as a style icon in the classic movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy styled her for the film, and they continued to work together off-screen, creating Hepburn’s feminine wardrobe of gloves, hats, and sleek-fitting suits and dresses.

Though the bikini was invented in France in 1946, the swimwear didn’t become culturally acceptable in the U.S. until the 1960s. In 1960, American pop singer Brian Hyland released the smash hit song “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” which rose to top the charts. Two years later, bikinis skyrocketed in popularity after one was worn by actress Ursula Andress in the James Bond film “Dr. No.”

Tie-dye became a popular trend in the late 1960s, after the dye company Rit went door to door selling its products. Since people could make tie-dye at home, it became a widespread phenomenon. The swirling psychedelic pattern was one of the symbols of the hippie movement, which flaunted the colorful clothing at protests and music festivals.

In 1966, Nancy Sinatra released the No. 1 hit “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” and performed the song rocking a pair of go-go boots. The lyrics, combined with Sinatra’s choice of footwear, helped boost the popularity of the tall block-heeled boot. The boot appealed to many different fashion cultures, including hippie and mod.

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy debuted the pillbox hat in 1961 at the presidential inauguration of her husband, John F. Kennedy. The hat was designed by Halston, who worked hard to create a style that Jackie Kennedy would wear since she didn’t even like hats. The pillbox hat became a popular style for women, and it launched Halston’s career as a high-fashion designer.