When people think of the 1960’s, they can imagine hippies as being a part of that era. Hippies was a subculture or a countercultural movement that began as a youth movement started on college campuses in the united states during the mid-1960s. They were made up of different backgrounds but most of them were young and from wealthy families. Hippies rejected the traditions and customs of mainstream American life. This movement started spreading to other countries around the world like Canada and Britain. The term came from the word “hip” which related to the beatniks of the 1950s such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. They were seen as the originators of the subgroup hippies but there was no particular leader of the group. Hippies felt like outcasts from the society because they believed we were dominated by materialism and repression. This led to them creating their own distinctive communities and lifestyle that were more reflective of their personal beliefs. They became known as the “flower children” as well. They were supporters of peace, love, and non-violence. They promoted openness and tolerance to substitute the control and restriction that were noticed in the middle-class society (Beck & Parsons 2007; Editors of encyclopedia, 2013; Frith, 2013; "Hippie", 2014). Hippies listened to many styles of music but folk and psychedelic rock became an essential part of the hippie culture. Singers Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan became major symbols and spokesmen for the hippie culture. Groups such as The Beetles and Rolling Stones were also seen as being closely identified with the hippie movement. Hippies really embraced the sexual revolution. They practiced open sexual relationships. A popular phrase was coined by this group being “make love, not war”. They also embraced the concept of exploring alternate states of consciousness. This led to them promoting recreational use of hallucinogenic drugs such as cannabis or marijuana, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), and psilocybin mushrooms. Since hippies were so open to these drugs and types of sexual relations, drug addictions and aids became major problems for this group of people and many of them died from the disease and drug overdoses (Beck & Parsons 2007; Editors of encyclopedia, 2013; Frith, 2013; "Hippie", 2014; "Psychedelic", 2014). Hippies style of dress were very different from the mainstream society. They preferred long hair and casual unconventional dress. Their styles often included psychedelic art, which was characterized by rich saturated colors in glaring contrasts that are inspired by psychedelic experiences that are induced by drugs. Women of this culture wore flared pants known as bellbottoms, cotton shirts, pleasant blouses, mini dresses and skirts, maxi skirts, and sleeveless shift dresses. They would accessorize with head bands, big framed glasses, several bangles, and long chains. Floral and polka dots were some of the preferred prints during this time. Men’s hippie fashions included wide-legged pants, cotton t-shirts, vests, and colorful shades. They were in-touch with their feminine side so they embraced bright colors. The hippie movement consisted of a huge trend of long beards so many men grew their beards out. Both men and women wore sandals, rimless granny glasses, fringes and beads. The peace symbol was shown on many clothing articles and accessories due to the fact that this was the omnipresent sign of the era (Lad, 2013) Sources
Beck, J., & Parsons, J. L. (2007). Twentieth century dress in the United States. New York: Fairchild Publications. Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2013, December 29). Hippie (subculture). Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/266600/hippie Frith, S. (2013, December 19). Folk Rock, the Hippie Movement, and the Rock Paradox. . Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/506004/rock/93493/Folk-rock-the-hippie-movement-and-the-rock-paradox Lad, K. (2013, May 17). 1960s' Hippy Clothing. Buzzle. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/hippy-clothes-1960s-hippy-clothing.html Hippie. (2014, April 27). Wikipedia. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippie Psychedelic art. (2014, March 5). Wikipedia. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_art
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