Beauty Ideals over the Decades: 1960’s
The 60’s was all about youth and rebellion. It was the era that brought us hippies, “mods”, Twiggy, and the biggest change in ideals of the 20th century. It was the start of feminism and the hippie era. Designers started producing clothing more suitable for young adults, which lead to an increase in interest and sales. Jackie Kennedy introduced the pillbox hat, Mary Quant invented the mini skirt, and the bikini came into fashion in 1963 after being featured in the musical “Beach Party”. The ideal was super skinny and girly or ultra feminine and curvy. Women were once again moving out of the domestic sphere and into the workplace, pursuing careers as well as an education. As a result, in the early to mid-60’s women reacted against the time-consuming, complex hairstyles of the 50’s and went for more practical short styles.Mimicking the popular skinny models of the day (such as Twiggy), women became obsessed with being rail thin. In terms of fashion and beauty, two polar opposites emerged: the androgynous hippie flower child and the modern swinging 60’s woman. The very modern “Twiggy-girl” put time into her appearance and favored things like high boots (go-go boots), A-line coats, miniskirts, short shift dresses, culottes, PVC clothes and box shaped dresses. She also opted for short pixie cuts and dramatic eyes. There was only one makeup look throughout the 60’s, and it is famous for it’s black bold eyeliner, fake lashes and lighter lips. Mascara was applied to achieve the popular tarantula lashes.The hippie movement started late in the decade, having a strong influence on ladies’ clothing style, with emphasis on casual materials and shapes like bell-bottoms, tunics, and platform shoes. It also featured long no-maintenance hairstyles and typically avoided makeup.Popular culture, especially rock ‘n’ roll, had a big influence on the standards of fashion and beauty. In 1964, The Beatles created a revolution in men’s hairstyles with their their “mop tops”, making long hair fashionable for the first time since the 18th century. The British youth culture “Mods”, focused on fashion and music, and was known for driving around on scooters wearing well-tailored suits. Social movements such as Black Power and the anti-Vietnam War campaign also helped shape the perception of beauty in the 60’s. Many African-Americans rejected white-influenced styles such as the conk, and adopted the Afro as a sign of black pride. The silhouette was straight, boxy, fluted and A-line. Some of the main styles were, lady like, preppy, girly innocence, ultra feminine elegance, and the hippie look.Accessories were less of an importance and the focus was on colors and tones. Lots of bold prints, stark contrasts and bright colors. SOME FASHION ICONS OF THE 60sSuper skinny model Twiggy were in stark contrast to the actresses of the time, Jane Fonda (Barbarella), Sophia Loren (the “perfect” hourglass), Catherine Deneuve, Ann-Margret and Ursula Andress. Jackie Kennedy was also an important fashion icon.
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