1960s Party Dresses
The 1960s fashion era was a time when femininity dictated style. Taking inspiration from pop culture, fashion photography, music and art, 1960s feminine party attire evolved throughout the decade from frilly baby doll dresses to mod mini-skirts. Feminism and advances in the production of synthetic fabrics also had heavy influences on female fashion in the 1960s.
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Full Skirts
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Full skirts were still popular at the beginning of the 1960s, as they had been in the 1950s, according to the site Fashion-Era. The signature look of a party dress at this time was a nipped-in waist with a full skirt, constructed from a floaty, frilly fabric such as tulle or chiffon. Dresses in this style were often made in pastel colors which completed the ultra-feminine look.
A-line and Dropped Waist Skirts
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The dropped waist skirt was a style that became popular in the early 1960s. It featured a skirt that sat lower on the hips and closer to the woman's body than the full skirt. Later in the decade, A-line dresses became popular, which were a sleeker style of dress that skimmed the woman's body and was considered modern at the time.
According to Fashion-Era, A-line dresses provided a natural continuum between full skirts and short mini skirts which came later in the decade.
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Mini Skirts
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The mini skirt became popular in the second half of the 1960s. Its popularity is often attributed to the designer Mary Quant, according to the site, Rewind the Fifties. The mini skirt look by Quant was often dubbed the "Chelsea Look" as it was heavily embraced by young women in London. The rise in popularity of the mini skirt also helped to usher in the mod look that became a signature style of the late '60s.
Signature Fabric Prints and Decorations
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The early 1960s saw party dresses that were often one solid color, adorned with faux florals or bows. Later in the decade, dresses were often featured in prints such as paisley, brightly colored psychedelics or mod which featured color-blocking and patterns with geometric shapes.
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References
- Photo Credit George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images
