Isabella Darlington

Hippie Has No Boundary

The 1960s in America brought a revolution, one that would drastically affect how clothing and craft were thought about. The Hippie movement of the mid 60s to early 70s shaped the way we approach clothing, from the rise of jeans, women’s pants, and craft such as tie-dye, crochet, and more. Exiting the world of conformity that was 1950s America, a new movement mostly participated in by young people opened doors to clothing that would change the way fashion was thought about. Followers of the hippie movement upcycled, transformed, ornamented, and created their own clothing to reflect ideologies, interests, and personality. The cultural and political atmosphere that led to the movement, including Vietnam war protests, Rock and Roll, psychedelics, and the rise of interest in Eastern religions all contributed to the need to break free of social constructs and be free within clothing. The evolution of fashion in the 60s and 70s was necessary for clothing to be used as a vessel for self-expression and made way for craft to be a larger part of daily wear.

 
Homespun Jeans, Denim jeans, paint, sequins
 

Crochet was just one of many crafts that were prevalent in hippie culture. Birgitta Bjerke came to the United States to expand her craft in 1964, and was very successful in her artistic career. This mini dress is one of her “Hands” dresses, one in a collection of different clothing items in which hands look as though they are covering the wearer's body. Mini dresses became very popular in the late 1960s into the 1970s and were part of both the mainstream and counterculture.

 
Chubby Coat, Acrylic yarn, Collection of the Artist
 

Leaders and followers of the hippie movement alike, many people looked to indigenous and eastern cultures as sources of belief, religion, and inspiration. This was turned into an appropriation of cultural symbols and materials, although some true appreciation could be found. The interest in Native American cultures was based on appreciation of indigenous beliefs, as many hippies were concerned with spirituality and human relationship with nature. This piece is a leather coat with bead work and medallions from Afghani culture.

 
Butterfly Vest, Cloth
 

These denim jeans were painted and decorated by Linda L. Leitnaker. Denim, especially denim jeans, were a foundational part of the counterculture fashion of the 60s, and it became increasingly popular to adorn denim with paint, beads, embroidery, patchwork, and more. This specific pair are bell bottoms, which got their start when people began to add a couple of inches of fabric to the bottoms of their jeans to fit them over boots.

 
Hands Dress, Crocheted Wool, Collection of the Artist
 

This piece is an example of a “chubby” coat. They were first popularized in the 1930s, and made a comeback in the 60s. This particular coat is made of crocheted yarn. With its bright colorful patches of yarn and dynamic texture, this piece could be considered part of “youthquake,” a term made to characterize the youth-lead, wild, free spirited hippie clothing movement.

 
Leather Coat, Leather, beads, silver, brass, Collection of Barbra Moore
 

Marina Beebe’s butterfly vest shown here wonderfully exemplifies personal sentiment and identity through the craft of clothing. The butterfly is a depiction of one she had seen in her and her husband’s sunflower garden. The patch is made up of scraps of fabric taken from her children’s clothing, showing a personal connection to her loved ones while using materials already accessible to her.

Isabella Darlington

(she/her)
Art History ‘23

Isabella is a Junior Art History Major at Tyler School of Art and Architecture. She has a love for fashion and style, and is interested in the craft of creating clothing to reflect identity and experience. She finds joy in other’s expression through fashion, and in her own work and style, she loves to play with color and texture. She enjoys crocheting, reading, and exploring the outdoors.