Influence Of Fashion In Fashion

Clothing styles in the fashion industry have always reflected the attitudes of the time and this was especially the case in the 1960s fashion. This decade experienced a lot of social change and the youth culture dominated throughout the decade. The Baby boomers were now growing up and they demanded their own fashion style. Designers of clothes approached a more daring response to clothing which boasted bright colours and bold designs.

Throughout the decade of the 60s each year had their own style of clothing range. The basic shape and design of the fashion was simple, clean and fresh. Synthetic fabrics were widely used. Typically A-line dresses or shift dresses where worn high above the knee and shoes changed from high stilettos to lower heels.

In the early 1960s a lot of fashion reflected the style of the first lady Jackie Kennedy. Oval shaped widened shoulders were introduced and skirts were beginning to rise to the middle of the knee. Costumes dominated evening wear, even simple jackets or wraps were becoming a trend. Suits for men drifted away from the pale toned shades, and turned to bright and colourful patterns. It included frills, wide ties, leather boots and collarless jackets (1960s in Fashion reference) High rounded hats and square-toed shoes were also popular accessories. Leather and furs were all the fashion. Vests, kerchiefs, rough cotton stockings, turtlenecks and paisley ascot scarves created “a sportive look” which later became a phrase. Simple geometric dresses were worn, full skirted evening gowns were also popular, Fashion was concentrated on 3 main things: sleek and slender, soft with a muffled neckline and a “natural outline”. (Fashion in the 60s, Paul Phillips, 2014)

In the mid-1960s ‘mod fashion’ became...

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...n’t stop with even The Beatles influencing fashion with young men wearing “beetle boots”. British movies, magazines, television and models/fashion icons also influenced Australia’s fashion.

Australia was greatly influenced by British fashionable icons who changed the way Australia women wore their clothes. Women loved the fashion of young 17 year old model/fashion icon called Twiggy; she featured on nearly every magazine cover and she was also considered the most popular fashion model of the era. Twiggy was well known for her “pixie look”. Another influential fashion icon was model and British star Audrey Hepburn who wore simple, flat shoes, three-quarter length pants, and plain black shift dresses. Her clothing style and her “beehive hairdo” were be copied by many people worldwide, especially Australians. (Fashions in the 1960s- Fashionable Icons, Skwirk, 2014)