Materials of the Future

The 1960s were a decade characterized by a break with tradition. Obvious reflections of this can be seen in the development of space exploration and cultural attitudes, but an equally important phenomenon displaying these changes was fashion. The styles and designers that are considered representatives of that time period can reveal to us the values of 1960s culture. Through looking at several objects in the University of Rhode Island’s Historic Textile and Costume Collection, this paper will provide a brief overview of the unusual materials used in contemporary fashion of the time and how they reveal those values. An object-based approach was used to analyze the garments, an overview of which is provided in the appendix.

Before examining the fashion, it is necessary to look at some key aspects of the culture that helped shape it. From the civil rights movement and Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King and the instability of governments worldwide, the backdrop of the 1960s was one of social and political turbulence (Cole & Deihl 2015). Despite this, it was also a decade of positive change in which the postwar “baby boomer” generation believed they had the power to effect such change. The baby boomers were the new generation of teenagers. As they developed an anti-establishment attitude, fashion provided a medium for them to separate themselves from their parents and express their sense of freedom. Baby boomers also had disposable income, so businesses recognized them as a key market demographic (Bryant 2003).

The space race was especially significant in the 1960s. Because of the Cold War dynamics, the United States and the Soviet Union were in a struggle for superiority in space exploration (Baldaia 2005). To support these explorations, it was necessary to develop textiles appropriate for space. As early as 1961 Women’s Wear Daily reported the beginning of developments for outer space wear from glass, plastic, and metals (Protection Held Key Factor 1961). Fast forwarding to 1969, a feature lists the textile companies that supplied fibers and fabrics for the space flight to the moon. A few examples are Owens Corning Fiberglass, Kendall Co., De Pont, and Fabric Research Laboratories, Inc. The article highlighted flame proof fabrics incorporating Teflon and layered blankets made with plastic films to protect from extreme temperatures as the most impressive items (Moon Yarns 1969).

In art, Op Art and Pop Art were the prevailing movements. Op Art, short for Optical Art, featured a black and white color scheme and incorporated designs to trick the eye. Pop art incorporated elements of popular culture, such as comic books, advertisements, and celebrities, as well as everyday objects into art. Echoing political and social events, the world of fashion in the 1960s was also characterized by rapid change. Designers broke away from tradition and adopted a future-oriented mindset, spurred on by new advances in technology, the space race, and youth culture. London joined Paris as the hub of fashion inspiration, since British designers like Mary Quant and Barbara Hulanicki recognized and seized the opportunity to create fashions specifically for the new teenage population (Bernard 1978). Models were young and slim, and the introduction of boxy silhouettes and shorter hems were meant to emphasize their adolescent looks, which were emulated by young and old alike.

References for all Items in Collection

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Baxter-Wright, E. (2011). 1960s. In Vintage fashion: collecting and wearing designer classics (pp. 112–143). New York: Collins Design.

Bernard, B. (1978). Fashion in the 60’s. London: Academy Editions.

Bryant, M. (2003). The Sixties. In WWD Illustrated: 1960s-1990s (pp. 3–66). Fairchild Books.

Cole, D., & Deihl, N. (2015). The 1960s Fashion for the Future. In The History of Modern Fashion: From 1850 (pp. 267–304). London: Laurence King Publishing.

De Leusse, C. The Accessories: They’re “Dingues”. (1965, October). Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved from proquest.com.

Fleming, E. McClung.  “Artifact Study: A Proposed Model.”  In Material Culture Studies in America, ed. Thomas J. Schlereth, 161-173.  Nashville, Tennessee: The American Association for State and Local History, 1982.  First published 1974. 

Hallmark Cards Joins Bandwagon with Paper Dress. (1966, December). Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved from proquest.com

Hollen, N., & Saddler, J. (1968). Textiles. New York: Macmillan (NY).

Les Fauvres: A Paris Invasion. (1966, October). Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved from proquest.com.

Mars of Asheville. (1968 June 1). [Advertisement for Yellow Pages Dress]. Vogue, 151(10), 53.

Mida, I., & Kim A. (2018). The Dress Detective: A Practical Guide to Object-Based Research in Fashion. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

Prown, Jules David. “Mind in Matter: An Introduction to Material Culture Theory and Method.” In Material Life in America, 1600–1860, ed. Robert Blair St. George, 17–37. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1988.

Schlereth, T., & Fleming, E. (1999). Artifact Study: A Proposed Model. In Material Culture Studies in America (pp. 162–173). Nashville, TN: AltaMira Press.

Seeling, C. (1999). Fashion: The Century of Design, 1900-1999. Cologne: Könemann.

Shorr, M. (Ed.). (1968). Body Covering. New York, NY: Museum of Contemporary Crafts of The American Craftsmen's Council.

The Paper Explosion. (1966, December). Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved from proquest.com.

V(ictoria) & A(lbert). An introduction to 1960s fashion. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2019, from https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-1960s-fashion.

WWDeadline: Walking Ads. (1968, April). Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved from proquest.com.

Zidianakis, V. (Ed.). (2007). Rrripp!!: Paper Fashion. Athens: ATOPOS.