The 1960s served as a multidimensional era of changing perspectives, from Pop Art and Psychedelic Music to revolutionary fashion trends, like Twiggy dressing. Twiggy’s rise to stardom marked the decade as one that embraces change and the start of the ‘mod’ fashion movement, creating a years-long trend of vibrant, flowing designs, which pays homage to the legend of the British supermodel, Leslie “Twiggy” Hornby.
The Birth of Twiggy Fashions
Twiggy, born on September 19th, 1949, rose to fame in 1966, after her iconic look was developed. Engaging in the mod movement of the mid-1960s, British Vogue magazine named her “The Face of 1966”. Her revolutionary look was characterized by her photogenic, waiflike facial structure with bug-eyed lashes and signature cropped white hair. Twiggy instantly became the epitome of 1960s modernism.
The Evolution of Twiggy Styles
Twiggy’s fashion statements were widely admired and were the driving forces behind the trends of the decade. As a primary figure in the sixties, her style rules were tailored towards the ‘youth’ and Twiggy’s progressive fashion statement of mini dresses and colorful shoes allowed for mass appeal amongst young women of the era. With twiggy’s rising stardom came a flurry of modern designs that reflected the funky, trend-setting fashion of the 1960s.
The Floral Phenomenon
Twiggy’s typical style of dress featured a colorful, flowery mini-dress. Her looks were often highlighted by lime green, orange and yellow hues, which contrasted against her fair complexion and cropped white hairstyle. This look opened the door for further experimentation with bold fashion statements, such as block-colored short dresses and go-go boots. As Twiggy kept the sixties flower power look alive, bold and surreal color palettes were created to evoke the era.
Twiggy Accessories
Accessories are particularly important in Twiggy’s fashion, as they add a quirky, fashionable layer to each outfit. Her usual accessories included a clutch bag, mini hat, a range of costume jewelry and skinny belts. Additionally, Twiggy often utilized her signature petite specs to help complete her look. The addition of fun accessories allowed for Twiggy’s style to evolve into more intricate patterns.
Paving the Way for the Denim Craze
Twiggy defined the true essence of 60s fashion trends, setting the stage for a denim craze. Denim production skyrocketed in the 1960s, as trendy bell-bottoms, flares, and hot pants flooded the style scene. Twiggy’s style sparked a trend of bright, vibrant clothing that fused bold patterns with loud accessories, designing a wild and youthful fashion culture across Europe and America.
Continued Influence of Twiggy Outfits Today
Twiggy’s fashion to this day remains influential, despite the growth of punk, glam and other fashion movements. Once she came onto the scene, the fashion industry was forever changed. Moreover, her impact is still reverberated through styling today, as popular stars often recreate her iconic looks.
Furthermore, despite the changing fashion scenes over the past 50 years, Twiggy’s approach to fashion continually spark attention. Throughout the years, her carefree, modern styling has influenced not only high fashion, but also streetwear and day to day styling.
Key Elements of Twiggy Fashion
To better understand the influence of Twiggy fashion, here are a few key elements of her style that have inspired fashionistas since the 1960s.
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Mini-Dresses: Twiggy’s iconic dresses were typically fitted, with bold patterns, such as stripes, stars and other geometric shapes, which served as the perfect component for her mod wardrobe. Dresses of this era were often brightly colored, with shorter lengths and stylish necklines for a graceful, lighthearted appearance.
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White Eyelashes: The statement piece of Twiggy’s look was her white lashes, which she worked with Max Factor to invent. Mascara was applied to the bottom and then the top, giving that classic, curly finish that expressed 60s modernism
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Chunky Platform Shoes: While Twiggy championed the mini dress look, her go-go boots were equally as iconic—especially for bringing attention to the lower half of the bodies of young people. In order to elevate however, Twiggy also sported bold colors, stripes, and other patterns with her favorites, chunky platform shoes.
Twiggy’s fashion of the 1960s, while a thing of the past, still continues to influence fashionistas to this day. Her bold look and progressive approach to fashion has inspired generations of men and women, and will most likely remain iconic in the fashion industry everywhere. Going beyond mere trends, Twiggy is and will forever be remembered as a fashion icon, who helped revolutionize an entire era and continues to inspire many today.
