1960s Mens Clothing

In the 1960s, menswear embraced color and slim-fitting shapes in a so-called “peacock revolution” that went hand-in-hand with the ongoing social upheaval instigated by youth politics. Following the economic boom times of the '50s, teenagers had unprecedented money to spend, and the clothes they coveted set the trend. As the Beatles’ fame spread during the early 1960s, so did the popularity of their shaggy hairstyles, ankle boots, and Mod suits, which copied Pierre Cardin’s famous collarless jacket. Teens followed along as the band’s look morphed into the psychedelic paisley prints and Nehru jackets of their “Sgt. Pepper's” years. From Jimi Hendrix to Mick Jagger, '60s rock stars were idolized for their sense of style as well as their sound. By the late ‘60s, men's fashion was evoking the impeccable tailoring, lush fabrics, and floral patterns worn by Victorian dandies. Colorful ethnic tunics were worn with pants and jackets of corduroy, satin, and velvet. Small boutiques, like London’s Granny Takes A Trip, offered young men affordable and stylish wardrobes mixing modern designs with vintage finds, while couture labels played catch up. Alongside the growing counterculture movements, tattered second-hand clothing became cool—hippie men often wore denim jackets and blue jeans patched with patterned fabric scraps and political patches. However, these alternative looks were soon copied by mainstream retailers who were happy to profit from the flower-child look.