In the early 60s saw a continuation of the 1950s fashion-wise, with skirt suits and coordinating accessories. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy epitomized this look during her husband’s short presidency. She was admired around the world for her put-together, lady-like look consisting of boxy skirt-suits like Givenchy suits, sheath and A-line dresses, and luxurious coats–all accessorized with white gloves, pearls, and a matching hat. Some common elements of her style included: pillbox hat, suits in pastel colours, short boxy-style jackets, shift dresses, oversized sunglasses, pearls.
The middle of the decade was very much influenced by the cultural phenomenon termed Swinging London which focused on youth, spotlighting music and fashion, the epicentre being the famous Carnaby Street. It brought us The Beatles and the miniskirt, Twiggy and The Who. The designer who led the way in the “youthquake” was Mary Quant who opened her first shop, Bazaar, on the King’s Road in Chelsea, London in 1955. Quant’s child-like, colourful designs appealed to teenagers and young people who had more disposable income than any generation before, differing from the stuffy looks of the older generation. Boutiques were groovy places where modern music played and young owners and customers collaborated on new looks that came only in small sizes.
By the late 1960s, more new styles and culture emerged, some heavily influenced by the space-race, putting man on the moon, others using way-out materials such as PVC. Skirts dipped back to mid-calf and, by 1969, the full-length maxi-skirt saw a move towards the “hippie” aesthetic. Suede, headbands, kaftans, Afghan coats, beads and other non-Western elements of adornment were embraced as were flowing skirts and second-hand clothing.
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