A decade of daring!
Of all the eras, the 60s often seems to be the one looked back at with the most fondness. The 60s was a time of sweeping social change, and fashion reflected that. Fashion conventions were rejected, and youth culture demanded their own style. As a result, the mini skirt took over, shift dresses stormed the streets, and bright colour blocking replaced understated elegance.
The 60s may be long gone, but the style pioneered by the decade most certainly lives on. Our favourite mainstay staples? We’re so glad you asked!
The mini skirt
The mini skirt would not have made it’s statement in such fabulous fashion were it not for one woman: Mary Quant. Modeling them after the girls she saw on London’s Kings Road, Quant cut the typical skirt to be much shorter. Quant believed the women who wore miniskirts were “curiously feminine” but attributed their femininity to their attitude, not dress. Thanks to Quant’s provocative push of the mini skirt they became popular, developing fashion evolutions such as the mini dress.
Here in Australia, it was at the 1965 Melbourne Cup that English model Jean Shrimpton created controversy by wearing a white shift dress with a hem high above her knees. To add to the shock, she also did not wear stockings, gloves or a hat. Her outfit was considered scandalous, and made headlines around the world, but by the end of the decade both shift dresses and mini-skirts were widely accepted. And thank goodness, because the mini is still going strongly today – however it’s about keeping it classic and pairing it with pieces that keep it fun but sophisticated. We love this Bettina Liano modern take on the classic mini, and simple pieces like a plain black mini can be a great way to build an outfit – it’s a more sophisticated base piece that showcases your femininity while also your style. A chic leather jacket or some gorgeous long boots are perfect.
Jeans
Imagine a life without this fashion staple. For most of us, having our best pair of jeans in the wash can equal the inability to leave the house, so imagining a time when denim was not an option is almost…unimaginable.
Again, we can thank the 60s for another clothing must have, as the decade also saw the first signs of androgynous fashion emerge. The strict dress codes of formal or casual began to loosen and blur and as a result, unisex fashion started to become accepted – particularly in the form of denim jeans. And thank the fashion gods for that! Now a clothing must-have, the emergence of a piece of clothing that both genders could wear was revolutionary. We love taking that first unisex trend even further, and boyfriend jeans are some of our favourite kind!
Long live the 60s!
