1960s Fashion: The Ultimate Guide to 1960s Style, Clothing & How to Wear It Today
When we think of 1960s fashion, we probably think of Twiggy in a graphic shift dress, or Jackie Kennedy in her pillbox hat and boxy collarless jacket. We think of Mary Quant miniskirts, op-art prints, Carnaby Street and the Mod revolution. But the decade opened in a very different place... in the early 60s, women still dressed with the careful formality and refined elegance of the 1950s. Then, with remarkable speed, everything changed (not dissimilar to the vast changes seen in the 1920s). So much transformation was compressed into a few years, and few are as rich a source of style inspiration today.
1960s clothing gives us a perfect example of how fashion responds to cultural upheaval. A decade that began with white gloves and pillbox hats ended with maxi skirts and the first glimmers of 1970s bohemia. In between, London briefly became the most fashionable city in the world.
What Defines 1960s Fashion?
If you want to recognise authentic 1960s style, look for:
- Shift dresses and A-line skirts
- Boxy, collarless jackets
- High necklines: roll neck, turtle neck, jewel neck
- Rising hemlines: from knee to mid-thigh by mid-decade
- Bold colour blocking and op-art prints
- Structured cocktail dresses in rich fabrics
- Pillbox hats, oversized dark glasses, geometric jewellery
The Early 1960s Silhouette: Elegance in Transition
The early 1960s was a transition period in the truest sense ā culturally, politically and sartorially. Women were still dressing with the careful formality of the previous decade: tailored suits, coordinated accessories, hats and gloves as everyday staples rather than occasion pieces. But the silhouette was beginning to evolve.
The extreme hourglass of the 1950s softened, and two distinct looks emerged. The first kept the full skirt and defined waist but shortened the hemline ā reaching just below the knee rather than mid-calf ā with waists now emphasised by ruching, ribbon trims or cummerbunds rather than structured corseting. The second was sharper and more architectural: a boxy collarless jacket paired with a slim pencil skirt or fitted sheath dress. This is the look most associated with Jackie Kennedy ā precise, polished and quietly powerful.
Hair was worn big and bouffant or sculpted into a beehive. The bust shape was softening too, from the conical, pointed line of the 1950s into something more naturally rounded. Colours and prints were becoming hotter and bolder, hinting at the explosion that was about to happen.
Jackie O: The Original Style Icon
No single woman defined the early 1960s aesthetic more completely than Jacqueline Kennedy. As First Lady from 1961, she brought a brand of understated, European-inflected elegance to American public life, tailored wool suits in pale solid colours, sleeveless sheath dresses, three-quarter length gloves and her signature pillbox hat. Her style was built on restraint: clean lines, perfect fit, minimal embellishment.
The pillbox hat, worn tilted back on the crown of the head, became so associated with her that it remains the definitive 1960s headwear reference today. Oversized dark glasses, boxy jackets that skimmed rather than clung, and a love of large simple jewellery, single-strand pearls, chunky gold - all became touchstones of the early 60s look.
Our Jackie O Dress & Jacket is our tribute to this most enduring of early 60s silhouettes.
The Early 1960s Cocktail Dress
The cocktail dress of the early 1960s is one of the most wearable and overlooked pieces of the decade. As immortalised by Joan Holloway in Mad Men, this was formfitting without being tight: rich fabrics in jewel tones or burnished shades, with ruched waistbands and deep pleats creating shape and movement without sacrificing elegance. Satin, brocade, metallic and lace were the fabrics of choice, often in deep colours that would have been unthinkable in the pale pastels of the 1950s.
Early 60s eveningwear also had a strong Grecian influence: floor-length gowns with draped chiffon panels, one-shoulder necklines, billowing sleeves. These are styles largely overlooked or misrepresented today, and simply gorgeous.
The Mid-1960s Mod Revolution: Mary Quant, Twiggy & the Miniskirt
By the mid-1960s, London had replaced Paris as the world's fashion capital. Carnaby Street and the King's Road became the epicentres of a style revolution driven by young designers, particularly Mary Quant, who is widely credited with popularising the miniskirt in Britain. Hemlines that had sat at the knee in 1963 rose rapidly, reaching mid-thigh by 1966.
The Mod Silhouette
The Mod look was a complete departure from the curves of the 1950s. Styles became geometric, graphic and body-conscious in an angular rather than a rounded way. Shift dresses and A-line skirts with bold colour blocking or op-art prints were everywhere. Necklines were often high - a roll neck, square neck or simple jewel neckline - while sleeves were either long and narrow or absent altogether.
Twiggy and the New Ideal
Model Twiggy became the face of the Mod era and represented a radical shift from the hourglass ideal of the previous decade. The new look was lean, youthful and androgynous, with cropped hair, enormous lash-lined eyes and a flat, boyish silhouette. Dresses were often worn with flat or low-heeled shoes and bold geometric jewellery.
Fabrics and Prints
The Mod era embraced new synthetic fabrics - PVC, jersey and bonded wool - alongside bold printed cottons and wools. Op-art patterns in black and white geometric designs, colour blocking in primary colours, and large abstract prints are all instantly recognisable from this period. Designers including Courreges, Pucci and Yves Saint Laurent all contributed landmark pieces to this decade.
The Late 1960s: Towards the Seventies
By the late 1960s, the sharp geometry of Mod was beginning to soften into something more romantic. Hemlines began to drop again - the maxi skirt appeared alongside the mini. Fabrics became floatier: chiffon, lace and velvet replaced the bonded wools and PVC of mid-decade. Colours shifted from primary brights to earthy tones, rich browns and autumnal oranges - a palette that would become definitively associated with the early 1970s.
This is also the period where 1960s and 1970s style blur most productively - the keyhole neckline, the wrap silhouette and the long-line jersey dress all have roots in this transitional late-60s moment. If you love this end of the decade, our 1970s collection picks up exactly where it leaves off.
The Shift Dress
And then there is Audrey's iconic, simple black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961): perhaps the most reproduced silhouette in the history of the LBD, and the perfect embodiment of early 60s eveningwear elegance.
Our Manhattan Cocktail Dress is inspired directly by this early 60s evening aesthetic.
Mod to Boho: The Late 1960s Shift
By the late 1960s, the hard-edged geometry of Mod was softening into something altogether more romantic and free-spirited. Hemlines that had risen sharply through mid-decade began to drop again ā the floaty midi and sweeping maxi appeared alongside the mini, and the silhouette loosened from angular and structured into something fluid and more relaxed. Fabrics shifted from PVC and bonded wool to chiffon, broderie anglaise and velvet; prints moved from graphic op-art into ditsy florals, paisleys and the earthy, jewel-toned patterns that would define early 1970s bohemia. It is a look that feels just as relevant today ā effortless, feminine and quietly adventurous.
Nailing the 1960s Look: Three Key Style Tips
Tip 1: The Hair
The early 60s look was fairly simple but the hair was big and beehive. There are simply loads of videos on YouTube giving you excellent walk throughs and tutorials on how to create great 60s hair.
Tip 2: Accessories
Outfits were heavily accessorised and often coordinated carefully with the dress/suit. You can still get 1960s bags, gloves and other accessories in fabulous condition. Also invest in some large statement necklaces, 3 or 5 string beads ir pearls.
Tip 3 - Winged eyeliner
Still iconic - stronger and finished with a huge pair of false eyelashes.
Your 1960s Wardrobe Essentials
Whether you are drawn to the early 60s elegance of Jackie O or the swinging Mod London of mid-decade, here are the key pieces to build a 1960s wardrobe:-
- A-line or shift dress in a bold print or colour block
- Fitted skirt suit with a boxy collared jacket - the Jackie O staple
- Slim sheath dress in a structured fabric
- Cocktail dress in satin or brocade for eveningwear
- Pencil skirt or cigarette trousers
- Turtle neck or high-neck top
Must-have accessories:-
- Pillbox hat
- Oversized dark glasses
- Block-heeled or kitten heel shoes
- Long gloves for eveningwear
- Large statement jewellery - 5-strand beads or big geometric earrings
- A structured handbag
Style icons of the 1960s:-
- Jackie Kennedy
- Audrey Hepburn
- Twiggy
- Brigitte Bardot
- Jean Shrimpton
- Joan Holloway (Mad Men)
Where Can I Buy 1960s-Style Clothing Today?
Authentic 1960s clothing can be difficult to find in wearable condition and contemporary sizing, which is why many women choose vintage-inspired fashion instead. Reproduction and vintage-inspired garments capture the silhouette and spirit of the decade while offering the fit, comfort and practicality expected from modern clothing.
House of Foxy specialises in exactly this ā recreating the most flattering and wearable elements of 1960s fashion for contemporary wardrobes. From Jackie O-inspired dress and jacket sets to cocktail dresses and shift dresses, each piece is designed in-house and made in our own Yorkshire factory.
Whether you're dressing for a wedding, Goodwood Revival, a party or everyday wear, our 1960s collection offers an accessible way to bring the glamour of the decade into modern life.
About The House of Foxy
House of Foxy specialises in vintage-inspired womenswear, recreating the elegance of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s for modern wardrobes. Drawing inspiration from original garments and historical fashion references, our collections are designed to capture the spirit of vintage style while offering contemporary fit, comfort and wearability. Designed with love and made to be treasured in our own factory here in Yorkshire, England
1960s Fashion from Our Blog
Favourite Vintage Party Dress of the Month
