In the know with fashion TikTok
By Alexis Zygan, Staff Writer
Fashion trends repeat cyclically. We see the ’60s fashion resurgence in popularity from brands online from TikTok users. Athleisure mogul Lululemon released tie-dyed leggings and bohemian-inspired boutique Stitch & Stone is selling breezy peasant dresses and androgynous dark army blouses.
During the ’60s, frustrated youth organized protests in response to conscription in the Vietnam war and civil rights movements against segregation; black people and white allies fled to the streets. Some would argue that not much has changed since the 1960s with racism still holding sway. The youth continue to attend protests in the name of police brutality and advocate for the government and corporations to enforce change. Fashion is an innate part of society and tied to cultural movements and the pop-culture revolution of the ’6os has made significant waves that impact fashion to this day.
In the early 1960s, the mod subculture trended starting in London with British women wearing miniskirts, coloured tights, and hot pants—and eventually this started trending worldwide. American Apparel repopularized hot pants in the mid-2000s with women in their ads wearing nothing but these pants (no wonder hot pants were slang for a strong sexual desire).
One TikTok user, @emilyriboflavin, shows herself wearing her hot shorts with go-go boots (staple footwear in the 1960s great for dancing to psychedelic rock at the club). Another trend from TikTok is a tutorial on achieving the 1960s dream girl look: mini dresses with bell sleeves for daytime, Twiggy-inspired eye makeup, natural lip colour, and drawn-on bottom lashes to accentuate the eyes, and a cut crease.
Join the trend on TikTok and try out the 1960s inspired fashion style: the Beatles muse. The interconnection between music and fashion dates to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Beatlemania conquered teenage girl hearts as they sought to copy the appearance of groupies and muses to attract the attention of rock stars. TikTok user @aliciavellante takes inspiration from George Harrison’s first wife, Pattie Boyd, in an eccentric outfit that pairs a velvet blazer with a paisley-printed button-up and tan wide-legged pants. On her head, she dawns a floppy hat that people continue to wear when attending festivals such as Coachella to shield their face from the desert heat.
When watching #1960sstyle TikTok videos for inspiration before heading to a thrift store, take notes on the staples: corduroy fabric, clashing bold prints, and flowy jackets. Buying secondhand, you can find clothes from the ’60s and past decades back in fashion while shopping ethically and spending less than you would at fast-fashion chains. Silk scarves are a popular trending item, worn around the head or neck. They are available at Mintage, a thrift store on Commercial Drive, for under $20. A handmade 1960s striped jumpsuit from a thrift store with proper care can stay in shape for decades. Pair it with a fitted jean jacket and high-top converse for an outfit perfect for an afternoon picnic date at the park.
The 1960s revolutionized women’s fashion, inspiring a rebellious and youthful style that inspires how women dress to this day. Speaking of rebels, next week will be about the alternative fashion scene on the TikTok scene subculture of the 2000s. Who can forget “rawr means I love you in dinosaur” and the atrocious skinny jeans in all colours of the rainbow?
