Political/Social/Technological Influences in the 60s

The 60s was all about peace, love, and war. It is considered to be one of the most fun decades that was filled with excitement. I feel as if I would have been born in any other decade the 60s would have definitely been the decade of my choice. It was all about free love, psychedelic music, and the styles were always changing.

A political event that occurred in 1963 was Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech. More than 200,000 peaceful demonstrators came to Washington, D.C. to demand equal rights for blacks and whites. He is the most influential black leader in history because he helped make the civil rights movement happen. Due to this demonstration ethnic fashions began to spread all over. The African, Middles Eastern, and Oriental looks were all part of these ethnic fashions.

Jackie Onassis Kennedy, the first lady and wife of President John F. Kennedy, was a fashionista of this generation. Her simple and classic styles helped her in becoming a huge fashion icon. In 1963, she and the rest of America were saddened by the assignation of President Kennedy. Another political event that happened in 1965 was the Vietnam War. This sparked up the Americans to begin to protest the war. The “Peace not War” protestors felt that peace and love should stop the war. The protestors consisted of mostly hippies. The “hippie look” included skirts that were long and flowy, and both men and women grew out their hair long. The long floor length dresses and skirts are known as maxis. These hippies would sing peaceful songs, do psychedelic drugs, and believed in free love.

One of the biggest events in history happened on July 20, 1969, was when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. A famous quote said by Neil Armstrong was “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” who was one of the first astronauts to walk on the moon. A fashion trend that was influenced by this was space age clothing. Space age clothing was made out of different materials such as discs of metal or plastic linked together with wires or strings. Also, leather, metallic, and neon colors were involved in this space age designs.

There were a few technological advances that occurred during the 1960s. One was the invention of the laser, by Theodore Maiman, which is widely used in holography, communications, and printing. Also, Douglas Englehart developed the computer mouse along with a five key corded keyboard in 1964. Lastly, the first cash dispensing machine was created and installed by First Philadelphia Bank in 1968, which made it easier for people to take out money from the banks. Since money was easier to access then buying fashion became a activity.

Social influences of the 1960s had a major impact on the fashions of this time. In 1960, the last film that Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable were in was called “The Misfits”. Both of these stars were style icons and still are style icons for men and women. The “bouffant” look, which was a dress where the skirt puffed out and the top part was tight, was still popular during the beginning of this decade. Also, the beehive hairstyle and beatnik look were still popular at this time. One of the biggest social influences came from a new band that came from England called The Beatles. In 1963, the band turned the country into a frenzy and it became what we know as, “Beatlemania”. Men wanted to dress as the members in the band so they would wear suits that were designed by Cardin, which consisted of a single breasted collarless jacket and slim fitting pants. Also, during this time fashion designer Mary Quant became responsible for designing mini skirts, wet look vinyl fashions and also colored tights.

In 1965, due to an artist named Andy Warhol, pop art and optic tricks became more popular in clothing that would give the clothing an optical illusion. This fashion was picked up by the Mods who wore short skirt and dresses, and go-go boots. A very influential musical festival called the “Woodstock Music and Arts Festival”, showed just how the free love hippies dressed. Woodstock occurred in 1969 and half a million people attended the 600 acre farm in a small town in New York. This event was a three day festival that consisted of music, love, and peace. Musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and The Who all performed at this music festival and it is now the most famous concert assembled in history. The audience and performers wore psychedelic clothing, which wear bright and crazy colors and these hippies were also decorate their bodies with paint. These hippies had a chance to wear odd clothing or no clothing at all. They believed that drugs and music went hand and hand so during Woodstock they would dance, do drugs, and involve themselves in free love.

In conclusion, the 60s didn’t have a dull moment whether it was from political, technological, or social views, the fashions of this time were very influenced by what was going on in their surroundings. The styles from this decade are still in clothing styles today. Since the fashion trends are still here today it helps me to feel like I am a little bit closer to being in my element of the 1960s decade. From the civil rights movement to “Beatlemania” they all have impacted fashion and as well as my life.

Works Citings:

1960s Timeline by Jane Duden

Fashion of a Decade by Connikie Yvonne

The Civil Rights Movement ’60s 1998 by the Rector and visitors of the University of Virginia

Time Magazine