Hippie Chic

I was a child in the 60's. When I was young, I couldn't wait to grow up and dress like a hippie ~ I didn't actually know what being one involved, but they made it look so cool! I loved the whole look, from beads and bangles to bangs, from headbands to huaraches. One of my sisters somehow scored a leather jacket with fringes and another one a fringed leather vest, but the closest I ever came were the moccasins I got every year in South Dakota.

I loved all of it ~ I still do ~ but my very favorite item has always been the 'hippie dress'. The actual name for these dresses is 'peasant dresses', but in my mind, they will forever be associated with the 60's collective that wore them. When it comes to clothing myself, I have spent my entire adult life keeping an eye out for simple, flowing dresses in paisley, flowers or batik. I love cotton, silk or rayon cut on a bias, preferably with an ankle-length handkerchief hem.

In my mind, these styles are associated with exhilaration and freedom; they call to mind fields and flowers, although for some reason I often associate them with city life and travel ~ all of which I love. Finding and wearing the perfect dress is like exposing my passion for life and adventure to the world, advertising that I am open for friendship or a kind word.

I have a bit of an obsession with color; for me, words, names, numbers and feelings have colors. Music has colors and lyrics can change the hues of a song if they hold meaning for me. So while I was never big into tie-dye, I do find so many of the patterns and vibrant jewel tones in the culture of the 60's intriguing. The loose-flowing, unbelted vogue was, to me, graceful and feminine in a self-confident, expressive way.

Long, fluent hair, unrestrained except for the afore-mentioned headband is, to me, an accessory. Growing up, I had long, thick, kinky hair that I would have traded in a heartbeat for smooth locks and bangs that didn't stick straight out sideways. Although I have always had a bit of a fetish for shoes, I loved bare feet best, both for the feeling of release and just because bare feet compliment the designs.

We cannot overlook the jewelry when discussing the hip mode! To me, a black choker has always been the ultimate in chic, with or without a dangling sterling silver trinket. Also necessary for any outfit was the spoon ring ~ the more baroque the better. Beads! I spent a ridiculous amount of time stringing colored wooden beads into necklaces and bracelets, but my favorite bead accessory was those same beads tied an inch apart on a thread and braided into my hair in one long, thin braid on the side of my head.

Another feature of the beatnik lifestyle was the creative aspect of the fashions. Clothing and jewelry were especially treasured if the were 'home-made'. I still look for that quality when choosing specialty items ~ even better if you know the person who makes them.

Looking back, I think that what I most loved about the flavors of the 60's was the way they could tell a story about who a person was. People fascinate me to no end. In these days of mall shops and Target stores, people-watching isn't nearly as engrossing as it used to be because, for the most part, people dress in fairly uniform styles. I remember, both when I was a child and when I was a teenager how I would try to piece together people's personalities, world views and tastes and weave them into a kind of biography of distinctiveness, each one unique and captivating.

I do find it ironic that the original versions were created by people who had no money, they created their worlds from scratch and necessity; now, to find the same items in thrift stores you practically have to empty your piggy bank for one awesome find.

So I say, "Bring back the bell-bottoms, the groovy blouses and the pixie cuts." I don't care if I am on the wrong side of 50, let's bring color and fun styles back into our lives!