1960s Fashion: What Did Women Wear?

Women’s 1960s fashion was an extreme style and attitude from the start of the decade to the end.  In the early years, the fashion idol was Jackie Kennedy with her perfect white pearls and tailored suit dresses. By the middle of the decade, supermodel Twiggy had women freeing their minds and bodies into clothing that didn’t require any extra thought or effort.

From modest to “there is no such thing as too short,” 1960s fashion was in many ways like the 1920s flapper revolution. But it didn’t happen overnight.

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Women’s 1960s Fashion Trends

What clothes were popular in the 1960s? Shift dresses, mini skirts, go go boots, flare pants, jumper dresses, colorful denim, cloche hats, turtleneck shirts, flat shoes, pattern tights, and daisy flower prints. Many of these 60s clothes are back in style now.

Even more 1960s fashion  trends were:

• Jackie Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot, and Mary Quant were fashion icons.
• The Youthquake movement created “Babydoll” clothing.
• Short, shapeless shift dresses in bright colors and colorblock patterns became a staple of the Mod look.
• Button-down shirts, turtlenecks, and chunky knit sweaters made up casual outfits.
• Mini skirts or pencil skirts in plaid were a teenage girl’s school outfit.
• Jax pants, stirrup pants, bell bottoms, and pantsuits were new trends.
• Low heel flats, step in boots, and vinyl shoes made up 60s footwear.
• Stockings or tall socks came in all colors.
• Pop Art jewelry was collectable.
• 60s hairstyles could be short and bobbed or long and straight.
• Hippie fashion – Blue jeans, ethnic clothing, psychedelic swirls, tie-dye in the mid-late 1960s.

1960s Fashion Icons

Jackie Kennedy’s style was clean, simple, and well fitted, with perfectly matched accessories. Janie wore dresses without collars and jackets that buttoned only with one large top button.

On her feet she wore sensible low heeled shoes (although many women still preferred high heels). She was the last celebrity woman to wear hats, a pillbox hat, as a necessary fashion.

Jackie O’ put a lot of care into her look, and women both in the USA and abroad copied her style with enthusiasm.

Sadly, after her husband’s assassination, Jackie was no longer in the public eye. Women had to find a new 1960s fashion idol to be inspired by.

Brigitte Bardot was that woman. She was Jackie’s opposite. Jackie was put together, simple and modest. Brigitte was tacky, cheap, bold, and even silly. Her 1959 pink gingham wedding dress with white lace trim was so unexpected that gingham and lace quickly became a new trend in the early 60s.

Mary Quant was another 1960s fashion influence. Her style moved away from “grown-up fashion” to playful “youth” driven clothing. Her shift dresses were short, very short, and her prints were bold and colorful “mod” prints. Her fashion as well as her personality set the tone for the rest of the 1960s: “fashion is fun.”

It was the whole idea of a return to childhood that drove most of the fashion in the 1960s. Oversized collars, bows, and delicate trim miniaturized women and made them appear smaller.

Shapeless 60s mini dresses de-emphasized a woman’s natural form. The flat and boxy look took away women’s curves and made them little girls once more.

Kitten heel pumps, Mary Jane strap shoes, and flat sneakers were all childhood shoes returned to the ’60s youthquake culture.

It was no coincidence that a young culture had a lot to do with half the American population being under 25 and with European countries having a similarly large youth population, too.

After growing up in the ’50s as “little adults,” the youth embraced their fond early childhood memories and fashions. By children’s fashion, we mean babies and toddlers. The 1960s “babydoll” look was incorporated into dress, hair, and even makeup.

1960s Dresses

The full skirt and tight bodice of the ’50s swing dress continued in the early ’60s, with a slightly above- or at-the-knee hemline and modest high necklines.

1960s dress colors and patterns were bigger, brighter, and streamlined with simple necklines and short cap sleeves. This full-skirted look didn’t leave fashion in the 1960s. Instead, it carried through to the 1970s in a pared down, less fluffy form.

The other style of early 60s dresses was the contoured sheath dress. Like the 50s version, it was knee-length, modest, and simple, but tailored to the hourglass curve of the body. By 1963, the sheath was losing its tight curves (a welcome relief) and relaxing into the shift dress.

The shift dress lacked any sort of tailored waistline, but did pinch in slightly around the ribs and skimmed over the hips to just above the knee. This loose but narrow looking dress was very comfortable and easy to wear. It became the primary women’s dress style of the 1960s.

1960s skimmer dresses were a cousin of the shift dress. Skimmers fit straight on the body with a high neckline and (usually) a belt to define the waist, but not shape it.  They “skimmed” the body without touching the skin. The hemline also hovered above the knee- how daring!

The 1960s drop waist dress was a 1920s throwback where the skirt circled the low hip and dropped to the knee. It was a bit more fitted than the shift dress, with a gathered or pleated skirt. The drop waist dress seemed to have been favored by mature women who were more used to a tailored fit.

1960s dresses became shorter and shorter. Anything above the knee was a “mini skirt.” How short a woman’s dress became a sign of how confident she was — not necessarily that she had great legs.

Hem length was directly proportional to how 60s women felt about their own sexual liberation.

1960s short skirts were not meant to attract men for the sake of sexual interest, but instead were a way to attract attention so that a WOMAN could be the one to decide if his attention was wanted. It was sexual power through fashion.

The jumper dress was a Mary Quant invention that captured the youthful, playful side of 1960s fashion. That style immediately made a 20-year-old look 10, a welcome change from the ’50s mature fashion. Big bows, large round collars, pastels, and polka dots were all dress details that made women look like a little girl’s dolls. The more innocent, the better.

 

Colors and prints were at first inspired by the pop art and modern art movements, AKA “Mod” culture.

Checkerboard, horizontal stripes, windowpane, polka dots, colorblock, honeycomb, houndstooth and Campbell’s soup cans were all placed on short shift dresses with contrasting white cuffs and collars. Black and white was especially MOD.

Psychedelic swirls and prints introduced a trippy edge to clothing that was picked up by the hippies around 1966-1968. Being over the top was never too much. Large paisley swirls, neon flower daisies, and tropical beach prints all made an appearance. Bright yellow, orange, hot pink, and lime green were the favorites. These bold colors and loud patterns were seen on dresses, skirts, tops, and pants.

Shop 1960s style dresses here

There was also a trend of earth tone colors, especially as the 60s decade moved toward the hippie movement. Moss green, earthy browns, mustard yellow, and burnt orange were common colors  year-round.

See more examples of vintage 1960s dresses here.

Hippie outfits are popular 60s party costumes. Learn more about who the real 1960s hippies were and what they wore.  Shop more 70s style hippie dresses too.

1960s Cocktail, Prom, and Evening Dresses

For swanky 1960s cocktail parties, the party look of the ’60s was the same short shift, tent, and skimmer dress styles in luxury fabrics, mostly in black … or white.

The two-piece jacket dress was a classic with mature ladies.

For the young, dressy shell tops and cigarette pants were a welcome change from dresses.

In the late ’60s, wide-leg jumpsuits became a type of hostess dress, acceptable for evening house parties.

In the 1960s, pastels were worn in the summer and rich jewel tones in fall. Lace was a popular 1960s fabric as well as velvet or a classic light crepe. Most cocktail dresses were undecorated, but some had braid and metallic mesh trim around the necks and hems. “Minimal” was the sixties look to achieve.

For 1960s evenings and prom, the choice was between short or long empire waist dresses.

Usually sleeveless, the longer dresses were shaped like a column with pleats at the back. The top was often a contrasting lace or damask material cinched in with a bow on the front or back.

Short 60s evening dresses looked the same as long dresses, just shorter. Many were tent shaped or A-line instead of the slim column shape.

Learn more about 1960s cocktail party/evening wear/wedding party attire here.

1960s Tops, Sweaters, Coats

1960s women’s tops, shirts, blouses, and sweaters all took direction from casual clothing in the 1950s. The primary change was that shirts and sweaters now fit straight on the body, with no emphasis on the bust or waist.

1960s tops could also be worn untucked. Gasp!

Women’s 60s tops hung out over pants and skirts and grew longer as the decade advanced. Necklines also grew higher, back to the modest look of the 1930s.

The mock neck blouse or knit shirt was a classic. Sleeveless in summer and typically called shells, the fit was always boxy. They were casual solid tops worn with pants and shorts.  Long sleeve black turtlenecks were a uniform of the Beatniks in London, but in the USA horizontal stripes were worn by every young person.

Big roll collars, round Peter Pan collars (often in contrasting white), big bows, and pointed shirt collars called attention to a thin neck and short hair.

Women’s 1960s button up shirts took on the look of menswear with round or straight hems, oversized collars, and bold prints.

Bright colors and big prints made colorful statements when paired with a solid color matching pant. Learn more about 1960s blouses, tops, and shirt styles for women.

Shop 1960s tops and shirts here.

1960s knitted sweaters were usually solid colored pullovers or in the boxy cardigan style.

’60s knitwear designs favored texture — thick textured cable knits and wide rib knits were very popular. Many had large fold-out collars and oversized roll necks. Cardigans were usually collarless with some unique print in the early to mid-’60s such as small argyle, checks, chevron, or florals.

Read more about 1960s knitwear and sweaters

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For winter wear, a good wool coat was still necessary. 1960s women’s coats narrowed down and shortened up to fit over new, thinner, clothes.

Round collars with big buttons, flap pockets, geometric prints, and maybe a belt kept 60s coats looking cute and fun. Outerwear came down to just above the knee so that long, lean legs would continue to be the focal point.

Women’s 1960s legs froze in winter. Only a warm pair of stockings, tights or tall socks could save them.

Short jackets in the 60s, especially those made of suede and leather, were popular options for the young and casual girl.

Shiny plastic-like vinyl was even more trendy with the space-age loving mod set.

Most 60s women, however, chose a blazer-type jacket that was dressy enough to be worn with dresses, but also casual enough to be worn with pants on the weekends.

Shop 1960s coats and jackets.

 

1960s Skirts

Women’s 1960s skirts came in knee lengths with classic circle skirts/swing skirts, straight pencil skirts, and box-pleated A-line skirts (school girl style) in the early to mid 60s. Plaid patterns were very popular in the fall and winter, and solid pastels in spring and summer.

The late ’60s saw the first shocker – the mini skirt – enter fashion. Mini skirts were 4-6 inches above the knee in box pleats or A-line button front shapes.

Plaids, pleats, corduroy, and heavy knits were perfect for 60s mini skirts.  They were worn with tights and tall go go boots by teens and trendy college-age girls.

Mature women didn’t wear minis. They went the opposite direction – longer! Button front knee-length skirts, knee-length skorts, and at-the-knee denim skirts were all newer options for 1960s women.

The maxi skirt came about at the end of the 60s decade too. Women and girls of all ages loved them.

Long skirts were gathered at the waist, sometimes with a tie bow, and hung down in a column shape. They took inspiration from prairie dresses and were made in hippie loving calico prints or swirly psychedelic eye poppers. In the evenings, long skirts were quilted or made with shiny taffeta fabrics.

The 1960s style skirt has returned to fashion this year.

Shop mini skirts, A-line skirts, long maxi skirts, denim skirts, and more.

 

1960s Pants

1960s Jax pants with a very high waist, shaped hip, and slender leg continued to be favorites from the 1950s.  Women’s 60s pants were usually lined, with side zippers and no waistband.

Women’s 1960s pants could be worn with blouses tucked in, but more often had longer tops untucked.

Crop tops were a favorite in 60s summer — never too short, but occasionally long enough to overlap the pants’ waistband.

The 1960s stretch pant and stirrup pant took advantage of a new kind of knit fabric.

Easy to sew and wear, the elastic stirrup under the foot kept pants smooth and straight. It didn’t matter that the stirrup was visible. When ankle boots came into fashion, suddenly visible stirrups were taboo. Boots must be worn!

All 1960s pants / trousers came down to just above the ankle until the late ’60s, when longer pants became the new trend. They also still zipped up the back or side for most of the decade, but moved to the front for trousers and jean styles.

Pants in the 60s were high waisted (circling the belly button) except for the youthful hip hugger styles that appeared in the mid ’60s. They were more popular in Europe than America, and very trendy with the Mods and Beatniks.

1960s denim jeans followed the fit and style of slim pants: high waist, tapered leg, ankle crop, and in many more colors than just blue. White was especially trendy. Blue jeans were not as common as you might expect. They somewhat disappeared in the 1960s, only to return with a vengeance in 1969 with a flared boot cut.

Flare jeans and pants may have started in the 1960s, but didn’t go mainstream until 1969 and into the 1970s. There were a few casual flared leg pants designed as early as 1967, but for the most part, flared jeans and bell-bottom pants were not part of the 1960s. Even the hippies wore straight-leg pants in the 1960s. Learn more about 1960s pants, capris,  jeans and culottes.

Shop 1960s style pants here.

1960s Suits

Women’s 60s suits, like the ’50s, were dresses (or skirt and top separates) worn with a matching short jacket. They were the most professional choice for looking polished and lady-like.

Mature women liked the tailored suits with pencil skirts and cropped jackets, while young women embraced the knit suit with an open cardigan style jacket or light blazer.

As shocking as a 1960s mini skirt was to society, there was an equal confusion over the new pantsuit. It was a look directly copied from men’s suits, but tailored down to feminine proportions.

Some 1960s work offices and establishments forbade women from wearing pantsuits. There was confusion over whether they were an insult to femininity or empowerment for women (which “disrespected men”).

While 1960s fashion magazines debated, women flocked to the stores to buy pantsuits. Women were already wearing casual pants everywhere else, so wearing dressy pants seemed only natural.

Jumpsuits were another outfit that emerged in the late 1960s. These ultra wide leg one piece top and bottom overalls came in dramatic prints with big belts to match.

Many 1960s jumpsuits were sleeveless but could be worn over a blouse.  They could be worn for lounging around the house or hosting an elegant house party.

They differed from the 1970s jumpsuit with a straight, wide palazzo leg.

Two peice jumpsuit looking sets were a matching tunic top and palazzo pant. Shop 60s and 70s jumpsuits. 

 

1960s Shoes and Stockings

With women’s 1960s legs now fully exposed by short hemlines and the youthful girl look on-trend, shoes took a drastic turn from high fashion with high heels to street fashion with low to no heels. Flats were in. Cheap was in. Color was in. Sophistication was out.

Thanks to new materials, notably PVC (Vinyl), women’s 60s shoes could be mass-produced for cheap and come in a lot of bright colors to match dresses. The low heel made them easy to walk and live life in.

All the footwear designs of the earlier decades– loafers, Mary Janes, T-straps, monk straps, ballet, saddle shoes, and Oxfords — were designed into a low heeled shoe for the ’60s.

Tall and skinny stiletto heels were still an option for evenings in the 1960s. The single strap Mary Jane came back in fashion, as did the slingback with cutouts on the sides.

Even 60s boots had flat heels. Thanks to an interest in all things futuristic looking, tall boots in white or silver became the new black. Everyone wore them.

1960s boots looked great with short dresses and mini skirts.

Tall white boots were called go-go boots, named after night club dancers in LA who wore them.  Teens loved them and wore them with mini skirts to school (if they were allowed). Go Go boots are the most iconic shoe of the 1960s.

In the late ’60s, suede boots in natural colors dominated fall and winter fashions. Both tall and short boot styles were worn with short shift dresses. Booties could be worn with long pants too.

Most 1960s boots were step in or pull on styles with a side zipper. The lace up boot was coming into style closer to the 1970s.

In the summer, it was the 1960s sandal heel, flip flop, and mule that had women feeling cool in the heat.

1960s summer shoe colors were bright and the straps were either very wide or very skinny.

Women’s 60s sandal heels had a closed square toe, whereas casual sandals had a large open toe. Sandals were every woman’s new favorite shoe.  They could be worn with almost any outfit at any time of day, and not look out of place.

Women’s 1960s casual shoes were canvas flat sneakers that we often refer as the brand name “Keds” today.

Keds were either slip-on loafers or lace-up sneakers in bright, happy colors, chosen to coordinate with an outfit. They were cheap, so women could afford to have one in every color. In the spring and summer, they were worn without socks.

Read more about ALL the 1960s shoe styles here.

Shop 1960s Style Shoes.

 

1960s Colored tights were worn with short skirts and dresses in a variety of colors and textures: white, black, purple, yellow, green, orange, fishnet, herringbone, ribbed, and lace. Tights covered up ugly knees and didn’t cause garter straps like sheer stockings did.

Once pantyhose were perfected, they were the savior of women’s legs anywhere. 1960s pantyhose camouflaged hair, bumps, bruises, and wide kneecaps. Even skin tone tights were thick and dark. To go bare-legged with dresses in the ’60s was still too immodest. Ironic?

Shop colorful tights and socks inspired by the 1960s.

Tall socks could be worn instead of tights in the sixties. Chunky rib knits with a fold-down cuff were a mainstay for teens and young adults. All primary colors were worn as well as deep textures: waffle, cable knit, ribbed, honeycomb and others.

1960s Jewelry

Colorful women’s clothing needed equally colorful 1960s jewelry.

In the early 60s, traditional jewelry continued to favor textured gold, white pastel, and colored pearls. These pretty and safe designs complemented the feminine 1950s style clothing.

The one change to traditional jewelry was the length. Longer pearls and tassel tip necklaces were preferred over the older short styles.

1960s necklaces hung down low on plain front shift dresses but were usually of a matching color so as not to distract from the dress. Round button earrings or small chandelier earrings matched 60s necklaces.

The new youth with their obsession with fake plastics, vinyl, and bold colors favored jewelry inspired by Pop Art.

Geometric shapes made their way onto over-sized dangling earrings.

Large chunky bangles or stacks of thin bracelets jingled up and down bare arms.

Novelty shapes were still popular, but they embraced brighter colors and more comical themes.

The same went for flowers, now made from plastic resins. They were cheerful pastel or primary-colored clusters hanging from 60s necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.

Learn more about 1960s jewelry styles here.

Shop 1960s inspired jewelry.

1960s Hairstyles

Without a hat to call attention to a woman’s head, 1960s hairstyles became a new focus for women. The 60s bouffant hairstyle teased hair to new heights… literally.

Guiche curls kissed her cheeks (made possible by a bit of nail polish to keep them pointed to a crisp). All that volume made faces appear smaller and more doll-like.

60s hair length rose from shoulder to chin to cropped above the ears as the decade progressed, only to come crashing down again in the ’70s.

See more examples of 1960s hairstyles here.

Headbands were a trendy 60s hair accessory. Simple, wide satin headbands swept hair away from the face.

Hair scarves/bandannas were also trendy in the later half of the decade.

Cloche hats experienced a revival with the mod look.  Pillbox hats and flower pot hats were in style with the early 60s looks.

Shop hats, hair accessories, and wigs here.

1960s Makeup

The early 60s makeup saw the exaggerated cat eye and full red lip continue.  Eyebrows were shaped into subtle peak instead of a high curve. Pink blush was subtle and almost non-existent.

There were also 1960s makeup styles for the mod look (AKA babydoll face), specialty products for black women, looks for eveningwear, and others.

• Powder – Flesh tone.
• Blush – Soft rose pink.
• Eye Shadow – White-pink, purple, light blue, aqua.
• Eye Liner – Dark brown or black, top and bottom lined and extended outwards.
• Lipstick – Deep pink, orange-red.
• Eyebrows – Shaped into a soft peak.

Learn more about 1960s makeup.

Late 1960s Fashion: The Hippie Look

The late ’60s saw a movement of anti-fashion, a political statement that grew so popular it became a mainstream fashion style. Real hippie clothing and hippie fashion were completely different.

Early on in the 1960s movement, festival going hippies wore mainstream fashions such as the shift dress in psychedelic colors of 1966-68.  Tye-die was popular in 1968, taking plain white men’s undershirts and dyeing them with multiple colors.  The more color, the better — and the gaudier the colors, the better!

In 1968-69, the fashion shifted to earth tones, faded denim jeans, embroidered tops and tunics, and handmade accessories such as headbands, friendship bracelets, and hair wraps.

The flower child decoration of patches, embroidery, painting, and peace signs were added by many hippies to make their jeans feel less commercial or to make an anti-war statement.

60s Hippie fashion influenced mainstream designers who turned back to the down to earth, homemade, ethnic arts and crafts styles. Forest green with brown suede, and sunshine yellow with denim blue were signature colors of the ethnic-hippie ’60s.

Crochet pieces, suede vests, wood beads, headbands, sandals, and embroidered trim decorated shift dresses or flared jeans. It was a blend of current silhouettes and folk art decoration.

Learn more about 60s hippie fashion influences, history of 60s hippie clothes and check out these 10 hippie outfit ideas.

The 1970s continued the hippie trend into mainstream fashion. The youth-oriented looks turned to the complete opposite — granny style.

Romanticized granny clothes from several generations ago, like pioneer women, returned fashion back to long dresses and sleeves, ruffles, lace trim, small cotton prints, and long hair (worn down this time, not up).

The age of the mini skirt “grew up” and turned into adults, not like their parents but instead like those of generations before, which seemed to have a simple life that hippies idolized.

Continue learning about 1970s fashion here.

More 60s History and Outfit Ideas

• 10 Hippie Outfit Ideas for Women
• 1960s Women’s Outfit Inspiration
• 60s Costumes: Hippie, Go Go Dancer, Flower Child, Mod Style
• How to Make a 1960s Mod Dress
• 1960s Sleepwear, Pajamas, Robes History
• 1960s Black Fashion, African American Clothing Photos | Gallery
• 1960s Colors and Fabrics & Women’s Fashion
• 1960s Wedding History: Brides, Bridesmaids, Mothers
• Even more about 1960s fashion, read up here.

 

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