CHANNELLING THE SWINGING SIXTIES

When I first started to develop my own personal style I found myself getting a lot of inspiration from the 1960s. This was the era of Brigitte Bardot, Tippi Hedren and Twiggy. There were so many fashion icons and famous trends that still have a massive impact on style today. Not only am I a fan of the 60s fashion but I also love the music, listening to the likes of Elvis Presley and Dusty Springfield fills me with inspiration. As I am a massive film geek, I also admire the movie classics from this decade such as, The Birds, The Sound of Music and of course, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It seemed like such a magical time that I can only dream of recapturing through my style.

One of my favourite trends that has carried on from the sixties is the polo neck, which was worn by the likes of Jane Birkin and Edie Sedgwick. My wardrobe is filled with high neck t-shirts and polo neck jumpers as they go with literally everything and are perfect for an everyday look. It is a great way to give a nod to the 60s without having to go all out. I didn’t own a high neck dress until I came across this baby so I knew I had to have it.

Another trend this dress captures from the swinging 60s is the iconic miniskirt. There have been debates throughout history as to who created this trend as both British designer Mary Quant and French designer André Courrèges both began experimenting with hemlines in the early 1960s. However, Quant famously once said, ‘it wasn’t me or Courrèges who invented the miniskirt anyway—it was the girls in the street who did it.’ Women all around the world were rocking this daring trend but it was supermodel Twiggy that became the unofficial poster girl for the miniskirt. This trend is very much still alive and kicking today.

Another aspect of this dress that I was drawn to is the bright red colour and busy pattern. In the mid 60s, Pop Art started a fashion movement and introduced lots of loud patterns and a bright palette of colours which became hugely popular to a mainstream audience. I feel like this dress reflects this trend perfectly.

DRESS, COAT – TOPSHOP, SHOES – RIVER ISLAND, EARRINGS – ACCESSORIZE

I love how the clingy bodycon material of this dress curles around my curves and creates a sultry silhouette that I think definitely mirrors the iconic Mary Quant quote, ’60s style should be arrogant, aggressive and sexy.’

I almost paired this outfit with my trusty red boots but I decided that was too much of an obvious choice for me and that I needed to try something a bit different. As the Chelsea boot is also a staple piece that has remained a classic after making an appearance through the 60s, I decided to go for these silver boots. I love how they also add a modern twist with the space-like colour.

There was a lot of experimenting with vinyl through the sixties as Pierre Cardin introduced a futuristic style in 1966 by pairing it with jersey dresses. However, the vinyl coat seemed to become most popular in the 80s but I couldn’t resist adding it to this outfit, to create a look which I like to call streetwalker chic … which isn’t to everybody’s taste I must admit.

There are so many trends from different eras that I love to incorporate into my outfits to add a little something special to my look. Which decade is your favourite?