What’s old is new again... in fashion, activism, and the cultural zeitgeist
Growing up in the late 60s & 70s it was all about colour, with a bit of hippie-dippie tie-dye & Flower Power.
Growing up on the Northern Beaches it was all about towelling ponchos & beach jackets (often cut from old beach towels), bucket hats, and surf-o-planes. Go Gidget.
And growing up with my family it was all about chasing the summer sun – to spots like Surfers’ Paradise when we were younger, and later to tropical islands in the Pacific. So, there were plenty of hibiscus-print sarongs (for the men & women), island shirts, and the odd matching Mumu. Aloha!
Mix that all together and you get where My Island Home came from, as well as some of the key beach trends of Spring-Summer 21 – sarongs, terry towelling, ponchos, & bucket hats.
Funny how all these things eventually come full circle over decades, but not surprising when there’s always a sense of comfort & familiarity in looking back.
Away from the beaches, the late 60s also saw rise to the famous “Summer of Love” and the Flower Power movement, with a focus on co-existing with nature. Mother Nature became a role model for the future, and with that came the free-spirited fashion of the bohemian hippie… full of peace & free love! But also, progressive thinking that was trying to find new ways to live, to be kinder to each other & the planet – perhaps the same way Climate Change perhaps has done in this generation.
So, it’s no surprise that today’s powerful combination of climate activism and Covid has also resurrected some of the cultural zeitgeist of that heady era. Over the last few years fashion has already witnessed a strong nod to the hippy in colours & styles with some of these 60s trends rocking the catwalks & sidewalks:
Flowing shapes in caftans & maxi dresses with voluminous skirts & sleeves, flares with bare midriffs and platform shoes
Balloon Sleeve Shirt Aqua Floral
Ethnic patterns in Indian floral block prints, tie dyes & psychedelic colours in acid brights
Handcrafted textiles like linen & cheesecloth in earthy neutrals, with sheer lace & crochet details
Like the hipsters in the Summer of Love, I suspect post-Covid many of us will be looking for a simpler, kinder & brighter future much as we were half a century ago. And what better way to find inspiration than by looking over our shoulders to a time when things seemed more carefree and caring.
So slip on a sarong, pull on a poncho, don your bucket hat and swing into the spirited sixties.
Get fashion-forward with a backwards glance, and shop your bright new beachy you @myislandhome right here…and wherever the sun is shining!
