How the changing times in America were reflected by the fashion industry.
The beginning of the 1960s saw the beginning of the fashion icon and First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy. During her husband John F. Kennedy’s campaign, she was heavily scrutinized for her support for more French fashion designers than American. To avoid further criticism, she decided to work with American fashion designer Oleg Cassini. Together, Jackie and Oleg popularized a-line dresses, casual slacks, t-shirts, and sunglasses in America.
Her husband, John, also had a distinct impact on American men’s fashion. In fact, after he made a speech without wearing a hat, hat sales in America dropped drastically. Furthermore, his promise to have America land on the moon inspired the iconic “space-age” fashion.
In the 1960s and 1970s, significant pieces of legislation were passed for the Civil Rights Movement. Activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X helped inspire the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther’s had a very particular uniform that they wore (shown below). With these advancements in the Civil Rights Movement, the “black is beautiful” movement began. This emphasized the power in not conforming to white Europeans’ since of style but instead embracing their African culture.
This led to the rise of the Afro becoming the sign of the Black is Beautiful cultural movement. Traditional Afro-ethnic clothing also rose in popularity. Men began to wear dashikis, caftans, and djellabas, while women began to sport batik wrap skirts, Yoruba-style head wraps, and large hoop earrings.
The 1960s was also a time of sexual liberation for women which led to more “scandelous” clothing for the time period.
In ever aspect of the fashion industry today, lies a little inspiration from the 1960s.
References:
Frankel, K. (2013, August 1). American Life and Fashion from Jeans to Jeggings. Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC.
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the photos in this post.
Shay Marie Taylor 
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