Fashion trends are constantly changing, with new outfits and pieces of clothing becoming more popular in specific years before eventually going out of trend. The 1960s experienced many changes when it came to different fields and industries, including fashion. The fashion trends in the 1960s were very interesting, as the trends that became popular in the early 60s are vastly different from the trends of the late 60s. To know more, here is a list of major fashion trends of the 1960s.
Pantsuit
The pantsuit or trouser suit is a type of woman’s suit that features a jacket and a pair of pants that have matching or coordinating colors or patterns. The pantsuit is believed to have been introduced in the 1920s when women started wearing pantsuits, monocles, and hats in order to adopt a masculine style. The term “trouser suit” would then be coined during World War II to refer to the pantsuits worn by women that were working in heavy industry, like heavy equipment factories and facilities.
By the 1960s, pantsuits became a part of the fashion trend. From trouser suits that were worn for safety and practicality, the jacket and pants combo became a very fashionable outfit among the elite, especially when high-fashion brands such as Yves Saint-Laurent and Foale and Tuffin designed and sold their own versions of the pantsuit. Yves Saint-Laurent, a French fashion designer, was credited for popularizing the pantsuit as a high-fashion outfit when he introduced an evening pantsuit called Le Smoking in 1966.
Colored Tights
Colored tights also became trendy in the 1960s, and they are often paired with dresses that have solid colors, polka dots, or stripes. The colored tights in the 1960s weren’t just available in solid colors, as women also wear tights with different patterns like stripes and herringbone. One of the reasons why many women wore colored tights in the 60s was to hide the imperfections in their legs, like scars, bumps, bruises, and varicose veins. A few of the most popular colors for tights in the 60s include yellow, avocado, and light brown. These colors were also popular for home decor items during that decade. For ideas on 60s-themed home decor, you can head over to our Nostalgic 60s Home Decor Ideas.
Miniskirt
Alongside dresses, colored tights were also paired with miniskirts, which became quite popular in the 60s. Before women started wearing the miniskirt, a similar piece of clothing was first worn by soldiers in Ancient Rome and was known for being the best option when it came to mobility or freedom of movement. The same benefit was also present in the miniskirts worn in the 1960s. However, wearing miniskirts with bare legs was not as common back then as it is today, so most women would choose to wear colored tights along with their miniskirts.
Go-Go Boots
In the realm of footwear, go-go boots were the trendiest in the 1960s. Go-go boots are a pair of low-heeled boots that are typically made of patent leather (a type of leather with shiny coating) or kidskin (thin leather that is commonly used in gloves). The go-go boots were first defined in 1964 by French fashion designer André Courrèges, who described the boots to be white in color, mid-calf in height, and low-heeled. Because of Courrèges’s influence in the creation of the go-go boots, they are sometimes referred to as the Courrèges boots.
Golo, a German fashion company, is credited for being the first brand to manufacture and sell go-go boots. The Golo go-go boots were famously worn by American singer Barbra Streisand for the August 1965 issue of Vogue magazine. After 1965, the pair of go-go boots became one of the trendiest pieces of footwear in the world. While the go-go boots are particularly known for their white color, there were also go-go boots in the 1960s that are in different colors, like black and brown. If you want to buy a pair of go-go boots as a gift to a loved one, you can check out our Nostalgic 60s Gift Ideas for more info on what specific pairs to buy.
Pillbox Hat
The pillbox hat is a type of headwear that is known for having a flat crown and no brim. In addition, the sides of the pillbox hat are straight and upright, which would then make the hat look like a circular pillbox, hence the name. The pillbox hat was originally worn by soldiers during the late Roman Empire, and the tradition of the hat being a piece of headwear for the military would continue until the time of the Victorian-era British Army.
The pillbox hat was first considered a fashion item in the 1930s when milliners (hat makers) started making them for women to wear. The pillbox hats that were made for women had different materials, including leopard skin, velvet, mink, and wool. In the 1960s, the pillbox hat became popular because it was frequently worn by Jacqueline Kennedy, the former First Lady of the United States and wife of former US President John F. Kennedy.
Drainpipes
Drainpipes, which are now known today as slim-fit pants, are a kind of pants that have a tighter fit compared to regular pants. Drainpipes became known in the 1950s when they were worn by legendary celebrities like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. By the 1960s, drainpipes became the pants of choice by many people, including women who want to show off the curves of their lower body while being able to hide imperfections.
Those are the biggest fashion trends from the 1960s. Most of the fashion items that were mentioned here are still quite popular today, as they offer timeless looks that would pair well with almost any piece of clothing.