Dan's Papers - August 3, 2007

The swinging 60s was a time of free love, bright colors, and bare skin - it was a time to let loose after the stiff suits of the American dream and the 1950's. Because this part of American history is so cool and seems to be making a revival lately in the '06, I asked my mom to be an authority on how I could dress as a 60's hipster. "I really wasn't groovy enough [to venture past flower patches on my bell-bottoms]" is what she said to that...what a nerd.

Anyway, I turned to some fashion experts (my glossy-magazine-obsessed friends) to see what it was all about. In the beginning there was Lilly and Pucci. Bright colors and prints helped to turn the bland, uniform fashion of the fifties to a new era. For some though, the loud animal prints of Lilly Pulitzer were too preppy and instead those hippies wore their bright clothes in colorful swirls called tie-dye. With the help of psychedelic drugs and The Beatles, hippies, too, found their way to colorful prints, but these tunics were not designed by a lady named Lilly. Instead this trend was inspired by these musicians' trips around the world. Hippies and garden-party prepsters were not the only cliques walking the 1960's runway - there was also Twiggy and mod. The working-class chic look of London, with long skinny legs, go-go boots and mini-skirts definitely made its way to the good ol' US of A in the 1960s. American housewives no longer were covered up head to toe in drab solids and scratchy fabrics, they were instead showing off all their goods for the world to see. With the help of the Vietnam War and its revolutionary attitude, woman's hair was cut short to the pixie cut and the bob and high school girls across the nation were getting detention for their non-regulation length short skirts. For a visual of this British invasion, check out Austin Powers.

When I think of the 1960s, given that the only sixties I will be apart of will be in 2060, I think of rebellion, self-expression and individuality. So, the individuals set the trends and the masses followed, but in a totally original way, man - it was a "do your own thing" trend. To dress as if you are living in the 60s, there is one thing you need to decide first: mini-skirt or tie-dye?

Dressing like a hippie isn't that hard to do. A unisex outfit would be some worn in bell- bottoms with no hole left un-patched by a peace sign patch or paisley fabric. Wear a tie-dyed t-shirt or a Mexican embroidered tunic on top. These days, it's pretty easy to pick up vintage concert t-shirts for unreasonable prices, so that's another way to dress like a sixties hippie. Don't forget to wear an Indian-beaded headband with your long hair worn down and stick a flower in it too. If you're a woman, embrace the feminism of the 1960s and go sans bra. Though hippies were young and groovy, one could say the real way to go was mod. Andre Courreges' mini-skirt was made popular by Mary Quant and soon the 6-7 inch above the knee simple, straight skirt spread from the youth of London across the world. Mod, short for modern fashion was something totally youth dominated as these bare-all pieces looked best on young, skinny legs. Thus, Leslie Hornsby, also known as Twiggy, with her skinny, boy-shaped body, became the face of the 1960s mod fashion. Short, straight shift dresses and mini-skirts came in bright colors and loud prints. Emilio Pucci's colorful, swirling prints were hip for any article of clothing and Yves St. Laurent brought Pop Art to fashion with the well-known Piet Mondrian-inspired shift dress.

Dressing mod would actually make you very fashionable in 2006 as the 60s style is making a comeback. Having in your possession any vintage prints makes you a shoe-in to dressing the perfect, 1960s part. But authentic Pucci is not necessarily a must, as you will be very fashionable and sixties savvy going the anti-material route. Dress like a beatnik wearing a large black wool sweater or turtleneck over leggings and top it off with a black beret.

Since the sixties are coming back man, I suggest you raid your attic and thrift stores if you want to be a real cool cat and put an outfit together yourself before going out and buying the re-creations that are so hip right now. Do your own thing, let loose, and start feeling groovy.