What Were Hottest Pop Culture Trends of the 60s

The 1960s is one of the most memorable and iconic decades in American history. From go-go boots to hippies and miniskirts, most of us will agree that the 60s is one of the decades that witnessed bold fashion trends and revolutionary movements. That’s why in this article, we are going to take a look at some of the hottest pop culture trends from the 60s.

Afros

Back in the 60s, everyone, whether they’re young or old, had an afro or at least tried to grow one. The afro or the “fro” was the hairdo of choice back in the 60s for both men and women alike. The bigger your afro, the better.

Bell-Bottoms

Bell bottoms were inspired by Navy uniforms, and back in the 60s, these pants were the fashion statement for hippies, which later became a trademark of the 60s era. Bell-bottom pants were worn by famous celebrities such as Sonny and Cher as well as the King of Rock himself, Elvis Presley. Bell-bottom pants are wide-legged pants that became popular with the younger generations.

Barbie Dolls

The 60s is the decade that witnessed the birth of the Barbie doll sensation. During this decade, sales of Barbie merchandise reached a total of $100,000,000 in 1965. Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie dolls, thought of the idea of making a 3-dimensional doll after she witnessed her daughter playing with paper dolls. Ruth decided to name the doll she created after her daughter, Barbara.

Beatle Mania

The British rock band, the Beatles, became a massive hit with teens and kids back in the 60s. This band also helped define this decade. The Beatles were so popular. It came to the point that some of their crazed fans would faint at their concerts. The Beatlemania became so extreme that fans would pass out even if they are just watching the band perform on TV.

Lava Lamps

This lamp was invented in the mid-60s, and it definitely became a decorative novelty in this colorful decade. Back then, people were fascinated at how the lava lamp, which is made of an illuminated glass cylinder that’s filled with the colorful wax-like concoction, glowed like lava when they are heated. Nevertheless, lava lamps surely lit up the 60s.

Go-Go Boots

Created by the leading French fashion designer Andre Courreges in 1965, the go-go boots became an instant hit that is worn by women at night clubs from Los Angeles to New York.

Miniskirts

After the conservative era of the 1950s, miniskirts became a part of the Women’s Liberation Movement of the 1960s. These short dresses and skirts reached their peak of popularity in 1967 because other than being a sassy fashion statement, they also became a sign of rebellion. “Showing a lot of skin” became the new trend, and the past conservative and demure trends went flying out of the door real quick.

Turtlenecks

in 1967 was hailed as the year of the turtle because of the turtleneck sweater. It was a fashion statement that was worn by several high-profile celebrities such as Steve McQueen, Senator Robert Kennedy, Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr, and Paul Newman.

Smiley Faces

With the popularity of the smiley face up until today, most of us would expect that its designer would have made a six-figure profit for his work. However, Harvey Ross Ball, the designer or the smiley face, was only paid forty-five dollars in 1963, and he never trademarked it either. Ball was working for an advertising agency in Massachusetts during that time, and he was hired by a client to come up with something that would comfort their employees. Surprisingly, the smiley face ended up spreading positivity all over the world.

Tie-Dye T-Shirts

The art of tie-dying shirts reached its peak of popularity in the ‘60s. It enabled people to transform their dull and boring white t-shirts into vibrant colored and boldly designed shirts. With all the trends that existed in the ‘60s, it’s no wonder that the hippies wanted to make their trends stand out through their clothes. Today, the art of tie-dying shirts still lives on.

The sixties will always have a place in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to witness and experienced these trends and more. The sixties were, in fact, one of the most defining decades in history.