The 1960's...
In the 1960's womens right were expressed intensly and fashion was very much mirroring alongside this.
Women simply could not 'hope to reach to the top'. Yet in the sense of a new equality. It very much symbolised in a mode of dress. They tend to some extent to dress alike- indeed their clothes, jeans, duffles, sweaters and gloves etc, appear to be readily & positively interchangeable.
In the 60's unease intensified. The contriceptive pill, marketed in 1963, was credited with causing a revolution in sexual behaviour. Young couples were now marrying younger, more children were being apart of so-called problem families and contriception was slowly being accpetable and also Female virginity became less of an issue.
The fashions of the 60's were seen as directly reflecting the arrival of the pill and the so called permissive society. But like so much else, sixties chic had its roots in the sixties and among other things.
Gradually a whole new youthful way of looking & moving was happening. Models began to do rather unladylike poses in the media, open legged poses, skipping, running, lying down, in later sixties it exaggerated, decasdent and even anorexic ways were appearing. Back then they created a subjective feel to liberation.
Forget the matching accessories, clothes did not have to be even well made any more. They were 'thrown together' to be worn for a few months. Colours were brighter, more daring and miniskirts (as of 1965) and trousers were showing much more of the female leg than they ever had done so before. Women wore big floppy hats, skinny ribbed sweaters, key-hole dresses, wide hipster belts.. white lipsticked lips, thick black eyeliner, hair cut at alarming angles and ankle length white boots.
Twiggy (in the image above) - was a very popular icon of the 60's. she was the face of the decade, she weighed a small six and half stone & was 16 years old. By this time fashion was very much geared towards the youth of society. Even the queen had to raise her hemline!..
However by 1967 the influence of the underground- the hippie counter, culture- was being widely felt. In 1967 skirts were so short that bottoms were almost visable but ever so soon tey reached the floor again and so did very wide trousers that almost could be mistaken for skirts. These were labelled the hippie fashions, taken up by rock singers, Julie driscoll and the beatles.. this was then the beginning of the 1970's!..