Newly developed materials such as acrylics, polyesters, and shiny PVC were used in women’s clothing while designers were inspired by pop art and space, like the miniskirt in figure 10 and the dress in figure 11. Miniskirts and minidresses were adopted by Parisian designers as Quant and her contemporaries continued to gain popularity.Īlong with the miniskirt came a craze for the playful, innovative use of new materials and a focus on scientific progress.

Like the short skirts of the 1920s, the miniskirt shocked but was also a highly popular look for young women.

Eschewing the prim below-the-knee skirts of the late 1950s and early 1960s, by the mid-sixties, young women were wearing skirts that fell at the upper thigh. One of the most revolutionary designs attributed to Quant was the miniskirt and minidress (Fig. In her book The Lost Art of Dress, Linda Przybyszewski writes, “Boutiques were groovy places where modern music played and young owners and customers collaborated on new looks that came only in small sizes” (202). Besides the accessibility of the clothes in the shop, boutiques also created a frenetic atmosphere, as seen in figure 5. “Rejecting the constraints of seasonal shows, she produced as many as twenty-eight collections during her early years, creating simple, practical, often mix n’match designs which had an element of classlessness perfectly suited to the mood of the sixties” (261-262).īazaar was in the new boutique style, a revolutionary new way to shop that differed from the traditional designer atelier and the department store. Fashion historian James Laver writes of Quant in Costume and Fashion: A Concise History, It differed from the stuffy looks of the older generation and appealed to young women who embraced the child-like styles Quant produced (Fig. Quant’s simple, colorful designs appealed to teenagers and young people who had more disposable income than any generation before. The designer who led the way in the “youthquake” was Mary Quant who opened her first shop, Bazaar, on the King’s Road in Chelsea, London in 1955. It brought us The Beatles and the miniskirt, Twiggy (Fig. It was a phenomenon that focused on youth, spotlighting music and fashion. The cultural phenomenon termed Swinging London began in 1955 but reached its zenith in the early- to mid-1960s. 4), but as the decade progressed, it became clear that the momentum was towards a new kind of designer in the 1960s. This look was being produced by the likes of Hubert de Givenchy and Cristóbal Balenciaga (Fig. 3), and luxurious coats–all accessorized with white gloves, pearls, and a matching hat. She was admired around the world for her put-together, lady-like look consisting of boxy skirt-suits like the Givenchy suit in figure 1 and navy suit in figure 2, sheath and A-line dresses (Fig. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy epitomized this look during her husband’s presidential campaign and short presidency. Skirt suits and coordinating accessories were emphasized as one decade transitioned into the next. In the early years of the decade, fashion continued along the lines of the 1950s. Along with these diverse styles, there came a shift in the way that women shopped and for whom the styles were created. Broadly categorized, there were three main trends in 1960s womenswear: 1) the lady-like elegance inherited from the previous decade seen on the likes of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, 2) the fun, youthful designs popularized by Swinging London, and 3) the Eastern-influenced hippie styles of the late 1960s.

1960s space age fashion