Society frequently romanticizes the Swinging Sixties as a time of colorful clothing, rock music, and partying. However, many of the biggest ’60s trends have entirely disappeared from society, though boomers remember them fondly. We’ve compiled 17 once-popular ’60s trends that only boomers now remember and appreciate.
Tie-Dye Clothing
When we think of bright ’60s clothing, we think of tie-dye. The Guardian reports that the tie-dye trend began in the US when hippies started dying secondhand fabrics to protest consumerism and symbolize free-spiritedness. Soon enough, everyone was wearing colorful tie-dye; we miss it dearly!
Go-Go Boots
Go-go boots are the most iconic 1960s shoes, but apart from vintage fashion, they’ve fallen out of style nowadays. Women went particularly wild for white go-go boots, which were considered the trendiest. Unlike many uncomfortable modern boots, they were low-heeled, square-toed, and mid-calf length, making them ideal for everyday wear.
Muscle Cars
The 1960s were an incredible decade for cars, so much so that driving muscle cars became a popular trend after they were invented. These two-door cars had powerful engines, perfect for drag racing and road trips. You rarely see muscle cars on the road anymore, so only boomers truly appreciate seeing one.
Peace Signs
There’s hardly a gesture as iconic as the 1960s peace sign, which entailed raising two fingers in a V-shape with the palm facing outward. It is commonly associated with hippies and became a fierce anti-war trend in the ’60s to protest the Vietnam War. Thankfully, it’s still common to see to this day!
Banana Bikes
Young people today will struggle to imagine what a banana bike could look like, but boomers remember them well. Invented in the ’60s, banana bikes were bicycles designed to look like chopper motorcycles, with tall handlebars, a small front wheel, and a long seat that resembled a banana.
Long Bottom Lashes
Nowadays, it’s on-trend to have long top eyelashes, but bottom lashes ruled the ’60s beauty industry. According to BAZAAR, they were called ‘Twiggy lashes’ because they were popularized by British supermodel Twiggy, who used bold, spiky lashes to make her eyes look wider. Unsurprisingly, this look quickly became a Mod makeup trend.
Mary Janes
Contemporary fashion is slowly reclaiming Mary Janes, but they likely won’t reach the popularity levels they did 60 years ago. People couldn’t get enough of how chic and elegant they were with their thin straps and blocky heels. They were particularly popular for dancing in, ideal during the Swinging Sixties.
Drinking Tang
People did many questionable things in the ’60s, so it’s not outrageous to believe they also drank orange water. Tang started trending in 1966 thanks to NASA advertisements preceding the moon landing. It was a vitamin-filled powder mix that people put into water, turning it bright orange. In hindsight, that was pretty weird!
Troll Dolls
Troll dolls still exist, but they’re nowhere near as popular as they were in the 1960s. They were also known as good luck dolls and became one of the biggest American toy trends of the decade. Many people amassed enormous collections of troll dolls; some boomers still have them in their homes today.
Psychedelic Rock
Music was a massive part of social gatherings in the ’60s because young people were eager to dance and enjoy themselves. Psychedelic rock began trending thanks to the popularity of psychedelic drugs, which inspired the music’s sound. Songs often featured long instrumentals, reverb, delay, and unconventional structures. It’s still about today!
Dancing the Twist
The twist was the most iconic dance of the ’60s; it began trending after Chubby Checker’s 1961 song, ‘Let’s Twist Again’ shot up the charts. The Los Angeles Times describes how dancers on American Bandstand, Truman Capote and Marilyn Monroe were ‘twisting,’ and everyone on the dancefloor was too!
Mood Rings
Mood rings were a massive 1960s jewelry fad that society has all but forgotten. They featured chunky stones that changed color to supposedly reflect your mood. If the stone turned black, you were stressed, red was scared, blue was calm… there were so many colors! They resurfaced in the ‘90s, but only briefly, sadly.
Love Beads
Hippie fashion trends also extended to interior design, such as ‘love beads,’ which were long strings of different-colored glass beads hung over doorways to imitate traditional curtains. Hippie beads caught the light and brightened up many homes, and by contrast, modern curtains are much less exciting. Bring them back!
Crazy Tights
Young boomers embraced all sorts of outlandish fashion trends 60 years ago, including crazy tights. These colorful patterned tights were worn by women even if they clashed with their outfits. Some modern fashionistas brand them one of the worst fashion trends of the past, but people loved how fun they were.
Drive-In Movies
Going to a drive-in theater nowadays is an exciting new experience, but it was the trendy way to watch movies in the ’60s. People would pick up friends or dates and drive to outdoor theaters to enjoy the latest movies. Sadly, drive-in theaters are no longer practical and have been forgotten.
Big Hair
The ’60s are known for their iconic big hairstyles, which were rocked by popular celebrities like Diana Ross and Brigitte Bardot. Fashion Gone Rogue lists the stacked beehive and fluffed-out curtain bangs as examples of the decade’s trending hairstyles. Modern hair trends are much smoother, so only boomers embrace ’60s volume.
Smoking Everywhere
Finally, there’s a stigma around smoking nowadays, but that certainly wasn’t the case in 1960s America. Back then, everyone could smoke wherever they wanted: at work, in bars, on planes, anywhere! Thankfully, we’re more health-conscious now, making this one ‘60s trend we’re glad to see gone.
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