Popular Fashion Trends in the Early 1960s

Popular fashion trends in the 1960s had some serious ramifications on clothing design. It was a time that heralded major changes in popular fashion apparel – breaking many long-standing fashion trends, mirroring political movements at the time as well. Starting in earnest in the early 1960s, the popular trend toward creating and designing more individualistic clothing took off and would become highly influential in fashion design through the rest of the 20th century. The 1960s fashions represented a turn away from the mass produced, ready-made clothing styles that had been popular for decades, and ushered in a new age in fashion design and fashion advertising. Throughout the decade, popular fashions included bold, dissimilar designs – many of which were bolder and more unique than any designs had been in the past.

Popular fashions during this decade also included some very memorable and influential fashion accessories. Plated shoes, for example, experienced a surge in popularity during the fifties and sixties – though their use as an accessory came later, as opposed to their usage in fashions at the start of this decade. Cap sleeves, or bandannas, were also used frequently throughout the decade. One of the most popular trends in the 1960s was to wear fabrics such as seersucker, which was considered a “non-conformist” material, in much the same way as it was decades later, when “non-conformists” shirts and dresses were all the rage.

While the fashions and accessories of the 1960s did endure through the following decade, many of these fashions became somewhat forgotten or dated. In the face of current fashion trends, many clothing items that were popular in the early 1960s, including many of the aforementioned clothing accessories, are now considered nostalgia. Much of this is of course due to the fact that many individuals who were born after this decade have come to view popular fashions of past decades as being “antiquated.” However, with the use of a few key pieces, as well as creative coloration and accessories, retro fashions can still be worn by modern women – as they were originally intended to be. With a bit of creativity, you can experience the comfort and style of the 60s just as they saw them, with only the occasional borrowed piece to make the outfit complete.