Fashion and Style
Baby Boomer Style: A Journey Through Decades of Fashion Innovation
Fashion evolves with the times we live in, and style is the unique way each of us chooses to present ourselves to the world. That said, we believe that between the advent of the turbulent 1960s and the 1980s Baby Boomers transformed fashion as they began to question the status quo and demand change.
We quickly see this in fashion, with the adoption/development of at least three different trends that probably all developed in London. Remember that was the time of London’s Carnaby Street fashion designers with their Mod Look, who, along with the rise of one of the world’s first super models, Lesley Lawson — more popularly known as Twiggy — caused us teen magazine-reading US Boomer girls to excitedly adopt the exciting – actually daring — new British fashion just as we had already adopted their music. (Remember the term “British Invasion?”)
We Boomer girls were excited to ditch our 50s era fashion of voluminous (Poodle) skirts, bobbie sox, and loafers or saddle shoes worn with short, curly hair. Instead, like the song said, we went all-in for straight hair – whether worn long and center-parted like Cher or chopped short into a Twiggy-esque pixie cut. (Twiggy’s British “look” also brought us extremely bold and colorful eye makeup, and the adoption of her waif-like androgynous look, which we now know led many a young teen girl to anorexia, starving herself in order to “look good.”
Fashion boots, as well as earth shoes, sandals, and platform shoes also showed up around this time. With the adoption of boots as a fashion statement (with knee high and thigh high boots worn INDOORS to compliment an ensemble), boots were no longer just protective footwear to be worn outdoors for hiking or mountain climbing – or during inclement weather.
To the other fashion extreme, the anti-war feelings of the late 60s and 70s heralded the advent of what was known as “hippie” fashion, which probably grew out of San Francisco’s counterculture, as well as the popularity of Woodstock and “flower children.”
For women, the fashion involved the braless look, jeans, recycled clothing including the wearing of military surplus coats, bellbottoms, and shirts.
All accessorized with headscarves, and headbands, as well as dresses, blouses, trousers — even jewelry — which were influenced by ethnic styles coming from Africa and Asia.
Who among us Boomers – man or woman – did not once own love beads, or a tie-dyed T-shirt? Not to mention wearing clothing in bright, happy colors? (To this day, one of our cofounders cannot believe he happily wore orange jeans in junior high.)
A love for unique clothing also meant both men’s and women’s styles incorporated beaded necklaces, beaded moccasins, feathers and leather fashions borrowed from Native American clothing styles.
The men’s styles included the growth of head and facial hair, patchwork fabric and hand tooled leather applied to anything, including jeans and jackets, not to mention colorful Mexican serapes, and South American ponchos, as well as fringed jackets and moccasins, long loose Indian caftans, African dashikis, and anything in psychedelic colors.
Hippie culture was not only about peace and love, but also about a preference for handcrafting over machine production, and an interest in world cultures along with the rejection of American values and the cultural imperialism that led us to involve our country in the Viet Nam war.
Additionally, the hippie movement was about sustainability and eco-friendliness, as many young Boomers had already become worried about how industrialization was affecting the environment. Hippies also adopted a DIY mentality, recycling rather than purchasing new.
So with that quick review of our early efforts with fashion and style, let’s look at what is going on now…
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Fashion enthusiast and transformation coach Amanda shares her remarkable journey from the corporate world to a life dedicated to style and inner growth. She breaks down how she conquered her own misconceptions about the superficiality of fashion, unveiling its deep connection to self-expression and …
Fashion enthusiast and transformation coach Amanda shares her remarkable journey from the corporate world to a life dedicated to style and inner growth. She breaks down how she conquered her own misco…
Fashion enthusiast and transformation coach Amanda shares her remarkable journey from the corporate world to a life dedicated to style and inner growth. She breaks down how she conquered her own misconceptions about the superficiality of fashion, unveiling its deep connection to self-expression and authenticity. Listen as Amanda explains the transformative power of dressing with intention and how your wardrobe can elevate your energy, impact your self-perception, and attract opportunities.Amanda also enlightens us on the synergy between color, clothing, and energy, revealing how certain hues…
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Yolanda "Yo" Taylor is a wardrobe stylist and former flight attendant who spent over 30 years working for Delta Airlines. Her career took her around the world, exposing her to global fashion trends, which later inspired her to empower women over 50 to look and feel their best. In this episode, Yo si…
Yolanda "Yo" Taylor is a wardrobe stylist and former flight attendant who spent over 30 years working for Delta Airlines. Her career took her around the world, exposing her to global fashion trends, w…
Yolanda "Yo" Taylor is a wardrobe stylist and former flight attendant who spent over 30 years working for Delta Airlines. Her career took her around the world, exposing her to global fashion trends, which later inspired her to empower women over 50 to look and feel their best. In this episode, Yo sits down with Christina to discuss her journey from a career in aviation to becoming a style icon for women in their 50s and beyond. They explore topics such as the challenges of balancing a demanding job with single motherhood, the impact of fashion on confidence, and tips for curating a timeless wa…
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Every fall there is a flurry of influencers talking about fall fashion ideas. While I don’t subscribe to the fact that we should purge and buy on trending whims, I think it’s helpful to look moder…
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Welcome back to another episode of the Elite Expert Insider Podcast! Today, Melanie Johnson sits down with Leisa Holland Nelson, a seasoned business leader and the Chief Marketing Officer at Astound. Leisa shares invaluable insights on the power of backlinks and SEO, stressing the importance of rele…
Welcome back to another episode of the Elite Expert Insider Podcast! Today, Melanie Johnson sits down with Leisa Holland Nelson, a seasoned business leader and the Chief Marketing Officer at Astound. …
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I must have a thing with sheer items lately, as my last Mimic Monday article was inspired by a sheer top. Today’s idea regarding how to style a skirt overlay is also showcasing a sheer item. This ti…
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Edwin Brenninkmeyer is the CEO of Orion Aviation and this episode was filmed on a Pilatus PC24 jet at Biggin Hill. The Pilatus PC24 can carry 8 passengers and 2 pilots although it can be flown by a single pilot. Edwin started the company back in 2015 as he is passionate about aviation having qualifi…
Edwin Brenninkmeyer is the CEO of Orion Aviation and this episode was filmed on a Pilatus PC24 jet at Biggin Hill. The Pilatus PC24 can carry 8 passengers and 2 pilots although it can be flown by a si…
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In this episode of Too Young To Be Old, Diane Gilman, also known as the "Queen of Jeans," takes listeners on a journey through the evolving world of fashion in response to economic shifts. Titled "Stash the Flash," this episode explores how the current global climate has influenced a move towards un…
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With the extreme heat in Arizona in the summer, we wanted to give examples of how you can still look stylish yet stay cool with a variety of clothing items. The 4 of us approached what to wear in Ariz…
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Welcome to The Janine Bolon Show, where we mix a little bit of zany with a whole lot of inspiration! Buckle up, because today, we've got a double dose of awesome with our guests Deborah Drummond and h…
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How high? Well per the current fashion trend, probably not high enough…if you're a boomer anyway. High socks are in, but who knew? Let's rant about the style change and the colors plus share a few dad jokes that stink as bad as your workout socks after a long hot run---Support this podc…
How high? Well per the current fashion trend, probably not high enough…if you're a boomer anyway. High socks are in, but who knew? Let's rant about the style change and the colors plus share a…
How high? Well per the current fashion trend, probably not high enough…if you're a boomer anyway. High socks are in, but who knew? Let's rant about the style change and the colors plus share a few dad jokes that stink as bad as your workout socks after a long hot run---Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/stcurbcuriosity/support
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Adaptive fashion plays a lot of different roles for a lot of different people, offering solutions that cater to various disabilities and stages of life. From helping those with mobility issues to providing clothing options for individuals recovering from surgery, adaptive clothing is designed to mee…
Adaptive fashion plays a lot of different roles for a lot of different people, offering solutions that cater to various disabilities and stages of life. From helping those with mobility issues to prov…
Adaptive fashion plays a lot of different roles for a lot of different people, offering solutions that cater to various disabilities and stages of life. From helping those with mobility issues to providing clothing options for individuals recovering from surgery, adaptive clothing is designed to meet specific needs that traditional fashion often overlooks. One crucial area where adaptive clothing can make a significant impact, but is often overlooked, is in the lives of autistic children and all children with sensory processing differences. Children with sensory processing differences experien…
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From 3-93, learn how adaptive fashion can be life changing at any age.What is Adaptive Fashion?Adaptive fashion is clothing that is designed to accommodate and make life easier for those with physical needs, disabilities, and age-related changes. Inclusivity in fashion is imperative to a quality…
From 3-93, learn how adaptive fashion can be life changing at any age.What is Adaptive Fashion?Adaptive fashion is clothing that is designed to accommodate and make life easier for those with phys…
From 3-93, learn how adaptive fashion can be life changing at any age.What is Adaptive Fashion?Adaptive fashion is clothing that is designed to accommodate and make life easier for those with physical needs, disabilities, and age-related changes. Inclusivity in fashion is imperative to a quality life for all in society. For everyone, clothing impacts how we feel and how we move about the world. Everyone deserves to have access to clothing that increases their self esteem and confidence everyday. At its core, adaptive fashion is about breaking down barriers and making fashion accessible t…