Introduction
Fashion era in the 1960s was the shaping factor for the adolescent group and the leaders of the new fashion. Also during that year the fashion awareness was recorded as one of the most confirmed in the current account. They also led with the new and completely modern fashion styles. The fashion style resulted in many changes to the little girls as well as other young women, the fashion made them loose their sex in those years. Fashion bust with social background that dictated what could be worn at what time and by whom. The fashion has been changing from time to time and because of this no any one fashion that has lasted for long (Thomas, 1960).
Essay Body
In the past clothes were divided into official and informal wear and also different divisions were made among the styles of clothing worn, and there was one for men and other for women. They also saw the quick need of the unisex clothing such as denim jeans which could fit both men and women. This was to substitute the official wear and to give people variety to choose from. In the 1960s mod came as a youthful lifestyle spreading to America, Europe and also Australia. The mod fashion had many different shapes, and color was also a key factor in the era. This is different people wanted different colors for the kind of clothes they wore, so the shape of the cloth and the color they had played a great role in fashion during this period (Pina et al, 1968, p. 25).
The 1960s fashion was all associated with short skirts even though this short skirts were not famous until 1966 and not world wide until 1967. By 1967 they gained high popularity in the society and they were the fashion of every one in the society especially for young women and girls. Though this was fashionable during that time, things have changed, and today they are still fashionable. A mini dress by the name straight shift developed that was fit enough for it went below the knees, this fashion made young people remember the clothes that were worn in the 1920s. A flow of fashions continued as another fashion of pleated skirts come-up known as a hip yoke Basque. This was worn together with short sleeves over the blouses and not exactly like the tops of today. It become famous and replaced the straight shift skirts. This fashion was famous and popular among young ladies, but it did not last for long since fashion keeps on changing and what is popular today tomorrow may no longer be popular. Dancing twists in those days was not left behind as straight skirts with front and back inverted pleats called kick pleat were available (Thomas, 1960).
This kind of design was perfect during this period since twist was also famous and it allowed ladies to dance twist comfortably. Orlon were straight sweater dresses that were worn belted and the waists nipped. This was a design that came up during those times, and the pencil skirts were not left behind, for they were worn together with the sweaters. They had back to front cardigans which were pushed super flat to make them comfortable (Pina et al, 1968, p. 18). Although before the days of stumble driers, many women had problem of laundering for they had to lay their washed knitted garments in paper tissue and then brown paper, put it to dry under a carpet for two days whereby all those steps gave the knitted garment have a new look. Mass production played a big role in improving the quality of the garment because of laundry problems. Not many people during this time enjoyed and used this fashion since it needed more care and attention as compared to other fashions that had been introduced. Hence the fashion did not last for long it diminished within a very short time. Mary quant came up with short waist skimming mini dresses and skirts that were positioned above the knees in 1966. This never seemed okay, and the people had no option for they were not allowed to propose. From that idea she had came up with another shorter style for her boutique bazaar. This made her extremely renowned for the refreshing fashion that had not taken off when it first emerged and made it the latest thing fashion (Thomas, 1960).
The fashion trend became popular for the reason that it was different and to fit in it you had to be young-looking and isolate with the company that was so contentious mainly between the adults. By that time the quant designs became the top fashion in the market with their materials being the best. Mary Quant also exercised a sharply geometric hairstyle which was one of the illustrious and special cuts of the period by Vidal Sassoon (Banner, 1983, p. 34).
The London TV Saturday night program had a great impact on the fashions for it made the viewers excited on the fashions telecasted on the televisions changing the minds of the viewers. This made them to turn to the shorter length program which established the under twenties and thereafter influenced the mothers too and started wearing the mini skirts. Media also played a great role in encouraging people to adapt to different fashions that were being introduced. This program presented the latest fashion arrivals hence changing the minds of many people towards the fashions. The show it’s over let it go was the characteristic of the 1960’s approach of lets get on with the future. This made the widespread of the style, daily life, modernization and ethics. Fashion mini-skirts became the topic as it represented the era (Shih, 1997, p. 25).
The fashions were categorized according to the part the item was worn i.e. stockings this made the mini actually suitable for it was hard to wear the mini dress and feel comfortable without the stockings and also brought about defense from the essentials and no unattractive sight of stocking ends was seen. Stockings were popular during this time, and they were highly worn with the miniskirts. Though at one point stockings seemed to loose fashion, they are still worn today, and they have become popular with mini dresses. Pinafores and knits was another kind of knitted twin sets which were worn together in order to make the fashion complete. For example, the tartan wool fabrics went together with polo neck jumpers or tie-neck blouses there was another burgundy plum pinafore which also went together with white or mustard blouses. This was also another design the coat dress which was sleeved, and it was not a must to be worn. The style location worldwide photographed by Jackie Kennedy was among the many things that participated in influencing the 1960s fashions. The fashions in the 1960s had a great impact to the extent that up to date no generation that matched it (The people history, 2008).
Although the 1950s were the time when childhood civilization urbanized, the 1960s were the time when young people loosened their influence and a time of serious political action. The 1960s did not only change the country’s political and cultural background, but it had a great impact on the mode of dressing of today. 1960s was also a tremendously mixed time that brought many dissimilar stylistic changes vulnerable to accepted traditions of the time and a starling figure of subcultures. Even though many people thought of 60s fashion as being hippie, it was in fact, much more complex and wide-ranging. The beach themed movies of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in the start of the decade influenced heavily the 60s fashion (Banner, 1983, p. 34).
The new synthetic yarn improved the performance in wear as they were mixed with natural fiber to bring about a good quality of the fashion. Although a number of it had been made-up years earlier, it was in the 1960s that an enormous manufacturing plants for synthetic fibers sprang up worldwide. This made the other industries start constricting at a shocking rate, especially the Yorkshire woolen industry leading to job losers. In those days the new man started making yarns company in region with inheritance of spinning and knitting and also in areas with the people with the understanding (Pina et al, 1968, p. 15).
Some companies like the DU Pont and ICI were the leading manufacturers of the synthetic fabrics this is because the fiber bases could be used as mass or well yarns dependent on fiber extrusion technique and final concluding. This also brought about separation as the fiber was named after the county it came from or the plant that produced the fiber for instance the Enkalon was Irish and it made nylon while Caylor, an acrylic yarn was prepared in France. In the process, there came other adapted acrylics fiber such as Dynel and Teklan, which were first used to make fake items like the furs and hairs for hairpiece in the sixties (Thomas, 1960).
Fashion-era.com was a site that talked more about the women’s attire and style history and examines the mood of the era. It also talks more about the changes in expertise, liberty, and work, cultural and moral values. Homelife and politics donates a lot to the life style inclination which in turn manipulates the clothes we wear and make any age of society extraordinary in relation to the study of the attire of a time. This site had no liability for any information which could cause loss or for any cost incurred from the use of the information direct or indirectly (The people history, 2008).
Conclusion
In conclusion, fashion over the years has been diversified; this is evidenced by the different kinds of fashion that have been changing over time. No anyone fashion that lasted for long since it was immediately replaced by another different fashion that attracted the attention of many people, especially young people. Also it is clear that what was fashionable some years back at one point was no longer fashionable, but after a certain period of time it becomes fashionable again. Fashion in short keeps on evolving over time.
List of references
- Banner L, 1983, American beauty, Knopf Publishers
- Pina L, Korosec C, Korosec C, 1968, fashion fabrics, shifter Publishers.
- Shih J, 1997, Fashionable clothing from the sears catalogs, Schiffer Publishers.
- The people history, 2008, 1960’s fashions including prices, Web.
- Thomas P, 1960, the 1960s mini skirt fashion www.fashion-era.com (c) Fashion in 1960s