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Welcome back 1960's


WRITER
Anna Nässtrom
60´s. The decade of contrast and changes. Maybe the most important decade in terms of social changes and world development. A perfect period, happy days with the American dream in the first half, and the hippie liberty with peace and love in the second.

Currently, living in a serious crisis, we tend to search for good times and dream away from our present situation. Perhaps this is why we can see a big influence from the 1960´s in today´s evolving society. This influence concerns both our physical appearance as well as our social values. Who is not searching for success and the image of happiness that gives you recognition and attention.

Recently, the media started showing a reality show about Swedish Hollywood wives living the American Dream and the TV series Mad Men about the glamorous days of the 60´s. They both have become a vivid reference for dreamers of a better life. With large modern homes, clean cut outfits, and "values", viewers are more and more seduced by this lifestyle even though there are real backsides to it.

Take for example the main character in Mad Men, Donald Draper. He has reached The American Dream, but is still not happy inside because of his past. His past is the fact that he became an imposter of Donald Draper. His new life with a perfect wife and a perfect career is a cover up and an escape from his own troubles that still haunt him. In many ways its what we do today when we look for happiness from that period.

Donald Draper´s wife, Betty, is feeling really lonely and often wonders where her husband is when he doesn´t come home at night. It __________________________________________________________________________


bothers her and so in return she really tries to be a perfect housewife, like Grace Kelly. So there is a public glamour side to the 60´s and a darker side in its shadow. Maybe the 1960´s is an escape from the present, but it´s back with all of its glamour and beliefs.

Look at today´s fashion for example. Go to one of the big clothing stores and you will find cardigans with rose patterns, 60´s vintage dresses and high waist skirts.

Recently I read an article in a Swedish magazine about Spanx panties and bodysuits. Who would have thought that this product would be back in style. It´s not the most glamorous piece of clothing you could wear but it makes your figure look like a million bucks. Every housewife who respected herself, wore them in the 60´s. These items never went out of fashion, they just needed to be rediscovered. Another example of 1960´s inspiration is the underwear world with Sonia Rykiel´s underwear collection for H&M. Back are the famous "pointy wonder bras" and suspenders. It is very glamourous, yet basic.




After having seen a lot of bright, strong colors, we are going towards light, pastel tints. This applies to fashion as well as interior design and decorative accessories. In the 60´s these colors were very popular because they were fresh, clean and made everything look new and swell.

"Beyond Retro" is The place in Stockholm with the highest concentration of vintage fashion. Elsa Billgren, working at "Beyond Retro" and bloging at Elle magazine, is a living example of vintage. She has a very feminine, fantastic style that takes you back to the good days of the 60´s without feeling "old school" or "has been". On the contrary, it´s really fresh and independant.

Apart from Elsa´s blog which is filled with vintage inspiration, the 60´s spirit is also present in many other blogs such as "The Modern Housewife", the French blog "Le Blog de la Mechante" and "Bleubirdvintage".

While the first part of the 60´s was all about appearance and __________________________________________________________________________




perfection they neglected to take care of themselves and the environment. The women were smoking and drinking while pregnant and the lack of respect towards the environment still has consequences today. Luckily there was a change in the other half of the 60´s when people started to be more concerned about their health, the environment and social change.

In France there is a social echelon of people called "les Bobo" (Bourgeois Boheme). They are young people with good jobs and a high awareness of the environment and the future of this planet. They reunite the two halves of the 60´s where both the American dream and full conciousness of this world is present.

In the car industry, there has been a big 1960´s inspiration as well. Just look at the Fiat 500. It was a great success in the 60´s, now they have re edited it, and it is as big of a success. Not to mention all the muscle cars that have re appeared, the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro just to mention a couple.

I wouldn´t wish to live in any other year than the 2010´s but I find it good that we apply things that have worked in the past. Without the past there would be no future and without the future there will be no past.

Welcome back 60´s!


Credits :
www.beyondretro.com
www.elle.se
themodernhousewife.blogg.se
www.leblogdelamechante.fr / Eleonore Bridge
– Emma Novotny
bleubirdvintage.typepad.com
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March 18, 2010 12:18 by Jonny

Did the sixties ever go out of style!?!? ;-)