The 1960s: Fads and Fashions

Protestors at the 1969 Peace Moratorium rally in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: Boston Globe.

impact. Much of the anti-war movement was spearheaded by youth angered not only by the war itself, but by the draft, which threatened their lives and forced them into compulsory military service. As the movement continued, activists took more violent tactics such as bombings or scuffles with police to make their points. As the years wore on into the 1970s, the government could not ignore the protests and moved to remove troops from Vietnam.

NOW members protest outside the White House. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

The Women’s Rights Movement

In 1963 Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, a book challenging the role of women as full-time homemakers, launching what many refer to as the “second wave” feminist movement. Activists such as Gloria Steinem and Angela Davis led protests and calls for action to fight for equal rights for women. The establishment of NOW (National Organization for Women) in the mid-60s set the stage for a reckoning as American society moved towards the 1970s.

Protestors after the raid of Stonewall Inn, 1969. Photo credit: Getty Images.

The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement

LGBTQ+ rights groups became more active in the 1960s, but the pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement came when police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York in 1969. Patrons fought back in an event which is often lauded as the catalyst for the modern equality movement.

United Farm Workers call for a boycott of California grapes at a 1969 protest. Photo credit: Associated Press.

The Migrant Worker Rights Movement

In 1962, Cesar Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association and later created the United Farm Workers with Dolores Huerta. Chavez and other leaders led labor strikes, week-long fasts, and other protests. The movement secured better pay and working conditions on many farms and earned workers the right to organize.

The 1960s:

Fads and Fashions

The 1960s were a time full of change, innovation, and the rise of youth culture. These changes were perhaps nowhere more obvious than in the world of fashion. The shapes and formality of the 1950s gave way to several new trends, ranging from the advent of the mod look and miniskirts to the more free-flowing fashion of the later part of the decade.

Jackie Kennedy showing her signature style on a visit to England. Photo credit: Getty Images.

Continuing the Class of the 1950s

While the popular fashion of the 1960s was heavily influenced by youth culture, the formality of the 1950s carried over into the new decade with a sense of decorum and class in many fashionable looks. The quintessential early 60s classy fashion icon was First Lady Jackie Kennedy with her pillbox hats, fitted sheaths, and snappy skirt suits.

Models in mod fashions. Photo credit: Pinterest.

Mod Fashion of “Swinging London”

The mod look came out of London in the early part of the decade, focusing on clean lines, bright colors, and bold geometrics. The groundbreaking designer Mary Quant spearheaded the movement with her fun, child-like looks that were accessible to teens and young adults. In this look miniskirts and minidresses ruled supreme.