1960-1970
Jackie Kennedy‟s innate sense of style and dress soon made her „Queen‟ of
American fashion. The American designed short-jacketed sheath suits (at
which U.S. based designer Oleg Cassini excelled) captured her passion for
French couture style.
As the first wave of baby boomers came of age, the market shifted
towards a more youthful silhouette. Teens dominated the fashion scene
and in time adults adopted some of the looks of their offspring. The
French „baby doll‟ look personified by Brigitte Bardot comprised shorter
skirts and big hair. Eventually this gave way to the „British Invasion‟ or
„Youthquake‟ movement, with teens embracing the free and fun fashions of
their London contemporaries. The “It” girl Twiggy was seen on the covers
of most fashion magazines, slinking about in colorful shifts and space-age
prints. This helped convince the majority of women in the mid 1960s to try
the new styles.
The movement towards modernity was conscious and international. Italian
designers like Pucci created psychedelic palettes of color, transforming
wearers of simple silk knit gowns into walking works of art. American
designers excelled in casual, uncomplicated sportswear chic. French
couture (mostly under the influence of Yves Saint Laurent) explored other
ideas; one of these borrowed pants and tuxedo jackets from menswear for
the hip, liberated fashion-conscious woman. Some British designers even
attempted to borrow the new mini skirt from women‟s fashion for
menswear. This met with considerably less success, if not a stony silence.