1960s trends on the AW14 catwalks
Sharon Irvine looks at how the 60s are making a come back…
One of my favourite decades has to be the 1960’s not only because it was a decade of fashion revolution and change but also because many of the clothes which are part of my large vintage collection are from the sixties and were given to me by my granny Irvine.
I often look at clothes from the sixties and imagine what it would have been like to have lived in Fermanagh back then.
Not terribly nice I would imagine, due to the beginning of the troubles, but I often look at some of my grandmothers clothes and imagine what she would have looked like in them.
I have to say she had very adventurous taste and I can imagine her standing out from the crowd here in Fermanagh. She certainly wouldn’t have blended into the background judging some of the dresses she has given to me.
I would imagine Fermanagh was pretty backward in the sixties and in modern times it is still struggling to keep up with fashion meccas like London and Dublin and to a lesser extent Belfast.
Many girls my age and younger would have made their own clothes because they just couldn’t get what they were looking for in the shops here and they would often have to make the long journey to Belfast if they had a very special occasion because there just wouldn’t have been the choice at home.
We are very lucky today to have such a selection of high street stores and boutiques and in fact we have so much variety now that a trip to Belfast or Dublin is only called for if there is something really different that you need or you plan on making a weekend out of it.
The sixties are back with a bang this season and I couldn’t be more thrilled as I plan on getting some of those genuine sixties items that I have out on show again. For me the sixties are all about Mod dresses in bright block colours, a-line skirts (no micro minis for me), knee high boots, silk blouses and pea coats.
1960s style is accessible to everyone and is a style that suits every shape. The fashion revolution that came about in the sixties meant that young women no longer had to dress like their mothers but instead were given a new lease of life and access to styles that made them look like themselves and not like miniature versions of their parents.
I would imagine that it took Fermanagh quite some time to catch on to this whole new outlook on fashion during the sixties so hopefully this time around the people of Fermanagh will embrace this new look much more quickly as I would imagine it will only last one season.
If you’re not into bright psychadellic colours don’t worry as the look has been given more of an Autumn/Winter twist with more muted pastel shades taking the lead however if you do like a bit of colour there will also be bold block colours to play with.