I absolutely adore the fashion of the sixties. This was one of the first times in history when women began to dress the way they wanted, even when faced with much-expected criticism. I think the sixties style translates well to the 21st century because the looks could be seen as modern without batting an eye. My love for this fashion era inspired me to style outfits based on some of the icons from the decade. While it is impossible to cover every fashion icon, I chose the ones that stuck out to me. So without further ado, here are ten outfits inspired by sixties fashion icons.
Audrey Hepburn
Hepburn was a European actress who cemented herself as a fashion icon through her movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Sabrina. She would typically wear Givenchy and was known to style herself. She became one of the faces of the “little black dress” with the one she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, considered the most iconic dress of all time. (1929-1993)
We drew upon Hepburn’s immaculate street style when styling her outfit. We went with a black turtleneck shift dress and a light brown coat. We paired the look with Mary Janes, vintage Dior sunglasses, and Chanel earrings, courtesy of our model. Most of Hepburn’s iconic fashion moments came from movies, so we wanted to base our look on something she would have styled for everyday wear.
Jean Shrimpton
Shrimpton is an English supermodel widely considered the first “supermodel” and one of the faces of Swinging Sixties London. She covered all of the major fashion magazines at the time and served as the muse for many designers like Mary Quant. She often wore neutral colors and patterns on pencil skirts, jackets, and blouses and was the face of chic and fun 60s fashion. (1942-present)
With Shrimpton being a model, we had a plethora of inspiration pictures to choose from. We decided to style a printed sleeveless turtleneck with an off-white leather coat and a brown leather mini skirt. For shoes, we picked white gogo boots, a staple of 60s fashion. We wanted the look to give off a feminine 60s vibe but also remain very modern at the same time.
Sharon Tate
Tate was an American actress best known for her role in Valley of the Dolls. She wore many fashionable pieces and was known to combine many styles to fit her theme. She often wore mini dresses and was known to go barefoot because she did not like the feel of shoes. Her style is the most modern looking, and I can see myself wearing most of the outfits that I have seen her in. (1943-1969)
One of the most iconic pictures of Tate is her sitting at a cafe in Paris in a blue dress. We knew we had to style the outfit around a shift dress; that is just what we did. We chose a flower-patterend shift dress with a pearl collar necklace, a brown furry jacket, sunglasses, and white boots. The whole look screamed Sharon Tate, and I am so happy with how it turned out.
Twiggy
England-born Lesley Lawson, aka Twiggy, is one of the most popular models from the 1960s. Like Shrimpton, she was one of the faces of Swinging Sixties London and was known for her short haircut and bright eyes. She often wore brightly colored tights, shift dresses, turtlenecks, and mini skirts. (1949-present)
The face of 60s fashion was Twiggy, so we had to do her justice. We styled a black and gray shift dress with bright red tights and a matching beret that perfectly emulated Mod style. We paired the look with drop earrings, a vintage bead necklace, and black flats for a look that totally screams Twiggy.
Jane Birkin
Birkin is an English singer with a very laid-back style that could be considered classic with notes of beatnik and hippie. Her style can be compared to the “french-girl” style seen all over current social media. Her last name was used to name the highly-coveted Birkin bag by Hermès, even though she often carried a wicker basket. (1946-present)
Birkin was more on the laidback style, so we wanted to ensure we honored that and styled a fun outfit. We chose a white baby tee and light-wash mom jeans and paired them with a brown crocodile blazer. Of course, she had to carry her wicker basket and accessorize with black loafers.
Diana Ross
Ross is an American singer who started with the famous group “The Supremes” before she broke into her own solo career. She is known for her sequined fashion and bright colors that she is still rocking. (1944-present).
This might just be my favorite outfit that was styled. Ross had an over-the-top wardrobe, so we had to bring in the sparkle and glamour. We styled a gold fringe top with a black mini skirt and black boots. We had vintage sparkly earrings and a headpiece that tied the look together and screamed 60s glamour.
Jackie Onassis Kennedy
Kennedy was an American first lady known for her classic American style. In the sixties, she was credited with popularizing many famous fashion trends like pillbox hats and tweed suits. Her lasting fashion influence is still around today, with one of Gucci’s most popular bags named after her. (1929-1994)
The first piece we got for Kennedy’s outfit was a pink tweed blazer; we just had to style around it. We knew there was no way we could do an outfit for her and not have a tweed aspect. With the jacket, we paired it with a black dress, flats, and a pearl necklace for an elegant and sophisticated look fit for a first lady.
Nancy Kwan
Kwan is an actress that was born in Hong Kong. She moved to England and later America, where she would kickstart her film career. She became a prominent figure in Hollywood, which would lead to the hiring of more Asian actors in the movie business. She was known for her short hair, dubbed “The Nancy Kwan Cut,” and often wore neutral colors, a-line dresses, floral patterns, and turtlenecks. (1939-present)
Kwan’s style was like Jane Birkin’s in that it was not over the top but still fashionable. I can’t lie when I say that we did struggle to find something that worked well, but I am happy with what we put together with the floral dress, black gloves, and pink flats.
Janis Joplin
Joplin was an American singer who became extremely popular in the rock scene. She was one of the faces of hippie fashion, and her impact remains today. She often wore flowy pieces, fur-lined jackets, oversized clothing, boots, and fur hats. (1943-1970)
This outfit was the most fun to put together because we got to layer many pieces. We styled a printed vest with matching pants, a crocheted vest on top of that, and then a blue furry coat on top of everything else. We accessorized with a brown braided belt, yellow-tinted sunglasses, and brown boots.
Brigitte Bardot
Bardot is a French entertainer and bombshell. She is known for her bouffant hairstyle and gapped front teeth that she made so chic. She retired from acting and dedicated her life to becoming an animal rights activist, which she still does to this day. Her style consisted of oversized sweaters, skirts, dark colors, silky headbands, and boots. (1934-present)
As the face of neutral French girl fashion, we had to do her justice with an all-black monochromatic outfit. We styled a black turtleneck with a black skirt, hair ribbon, and boots. On top, we had a two-toned black and white jacket and black sunglasses to tie the look together.
The sixties was such an amazing time for fashion. The number of trends that originated in the decade that are still popular now is astonishing, and as a fashion fanatic, I will always be grateful for the pieces and icons that came from this time.
STYLISTS: Cameron Crews and Ava Stewart
PHOTOGRAPHER: Cameron Crews
MODELS: Paige Hill, Gracie McNair, Alyssa Rockwell, Adeline Marcheski, Elizabeth Denise, Brae Williams, Audrey Colopy, Zoe Chu, Ashley Martin, and Kelsey Bohn.
LOCATIONS: Hillsborough Street and NC State University Crafts Center Photo Studio
CLOTHES PROVIDED BY: Edge of Urge, Cameron Crews, and Ava Stewart
SPECIAL THANKS: Ony Otiocha, Katy Masden, Sarah Devoti, and Katy Walls