Revisiting the "Youthquake"

Landon Jones coined the term “baby boomers” in his 1980 tome Great Expectations: America and the Baby Boom Generation, but, as the book's title indicates, the great horde born in the years following World War II was already distinguished as more than just a baby boom – it was the baby boom. In fact, boomers had been the subject of intense interest and considerable attention from the beginning; Dr. Benjamin Spock’s runaway best-seller, Baby and Child Care, was first published in 1946.

LA's Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip

And then Dr. Spock’s babies grew up.  In 1963, Diana Vreeland, long-time editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, coined the word “youthquake” to define a cultural phenomenon dominated by the young that was a mixture of music, fashion and political disaffection.

Britain figured prominently in “youthquake” culture. Designers like Mary Quant whipped up trendy “mod” fashions and Carnaby Street became an epicenter of style; British models Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy epitomized the waifish, leggy look of the era, and London-born hairdresser Vidal Sassoon created “wash & wear” geometric cuts that revolutionized hair styling. “The British Invasion” swept popular music in 1964 when The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who,  The Kinks, The Animals and a multitude of others generated a flood of hit records. But the U.S. was not without influence. New York, where Bob Dylan made his ascent, had a thriving youth scene and in L.A., where youth is what it's all about (still), bands like The Byrds and The Doors built their reputations at clubs on the Sunset Strip before breaking out nationally.

Twiggy

The Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York has been showcasing “Youthquake! The 1960s Fashion Revolution” since March 6. An exploration of the impact of the youth culture of the ‘60s, the exhibit features clothing, accessories, videos and related media and runs through this Saturday, April 7. Click here for more information.

The Rolling Stones in the '60s

Click here for a link to Sunday Night is Mad Men Night, the blog event that inspired this post...

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Posted by: Tukiyooo Revisiting the "Youthquake" Updated at : 6:00 AM

Thursday, April 5, 2012