the effects of counterculture in fashion.
by Anoosha Barua
Counterculture began with the Beat Generation. Poets and writers using their words to express tough topics: sexuality, racism, socioeconomic disparity, in the 1950s. Artists Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs pioneered this pivotal movement in America’s history.
Like poetry, fashion is a medium for expression. The way people dress expresses so much about them, without having to say a word.
Should you judge people solely on the way they dress? No. But, does the way they dress tell you a little about that person? Yes. Anyone can see this looking back to their past; those preppy collared shirts and Lilly Pulitzer dresses, or the black leather boots and fishnets all tell a different story, and much like you, they develop constantly, but they are always telling the world how you feel. Who you are. Similarly, counterculture fashion exposes people’s beliefs on specific topics, inadvertently categorizing them.
Some of the more famous counterculture decades include the 60s, 70s, and 80s, each with their respective personas.
In the 1960s short skirts, geometric prints, and bright colors exhibited the radical turn fashion took in this decade. Women had never shown so much skin; men had never had such long hair. Young people rejected traditional clothing and this style anarchy created a new boho look that introduced the hippie movement.
In the 1970s fashion began with the persistence of the mini-skirts, bell-bottoms, and nonconforming hippie look of the 60s, but eventually transformed into an iconic era for fashion. Tight tops and loose bottoms became one of the most famous looks of the decade and paved the way for an anti-conformist casual-chic take on fashion, with styles including sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers --essentially the first taste of “streetwear.”
The 1980s brought the runway to the streets as a new era of street-style emerged. Bigger was better, both in fashion and beauty, and this trait alone stands out in people’s cultural consciousness of the decade. ‘50s poodle-skirts, ‘60s hippies, disco and streetwear of the ’70s, but the ’80s brought a new ballgame, which many prefer to forget. Despite the polyester and hairspray glory of the ‘80s, the era delivered moments of street-style brilliance: boxy and feminine blazers, sneakers with dresses, turtlenecks and high waist pants.
I could go on, but I think it’s clear; each decade illustrates the difference in culture and society in their fashion as well. Whether people purposely do this or not, society has a way of maneuvering us all and forcing us to reflect our thoughts, feelings, and opinions in our unique styles.
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