In Part One, 2020 is the year of a Roaring Wedding, we reviewed the styles of the 1920s-1950s. Now let's take a look down memory lane to explore the 1960s to the 1970s.
The Swinging 60s
No other decade like the 1960s experienced a diverse turn in styles and wedding trends, almost year by year. Fashion was drastically overhauled by the designers, the media, film/television stars, plus even major news events like the Vietnam war and the hippie or 'Flower Power' movement. The 1960s was a decade of social change and fashion was heavily influenced by this.
Jackie Kennedy set the trend for fashion when in 1961, she commissioned Oleg Cassini, a French designer as her official wardrobe consultant. A-line dresses, a wonderful decorative belt, vibrant, yet subtle colours, gloves, and pill box hats set the trend.
 Jackie Kennedy wearing Oleg Cassini designer clothing above Source: Telegraph.co.uk
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 Jackie Kennedy wearing Oleg Cassini designer clothing above Source: Telegraph.co.uk
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The A-line dress cut was used for wedding dresses in traditional white complete with a belted tighter fitting dress and a pill box hat. Here are two examples from the 1963, both taken from pinterest.com
Also in 1963, Vogue Magazine declared a new wedding dress trend - mini dresses should be baby-doll style with a high-waist silhouette. Also floral patterns (daisy transparent fabric) or hair flowers were also common. Here are some pictures of various wedding styles from the early to mid-1960s.
Beautiful actress Sharon Tate marries Roman Polanski in 1968. Sadly, she was murdered by the Manson family a year and a half later. (Photo source: google images)
Don't forget the garter belt! Source: Team Jimmy Joe
I adore this photo - Frankie Avalon marries Kay Diebel, a beauty pageant winner in 1963. Frankie while playing a card game at a friend's house and he met her and he claims 'it was love at first site'... He told his manager "I am going to marry this lady." His manager said it would affect his teen idol image. But he didn't listen and the couple still remain married today after 57 years of marriage and they had eight children together! (Source: yahoo images)
Lastly, this dress below combines sexuality, glamour (with the tiara), the mini dress, and the floral pattern including the stockings, in addition to a train on the gown. (Photo Source: Pinterest)
The hippie movement that spawned from the San Francisco protests of the US in the Vietnam war in the mid to late 60's heavily influenced fashion trends worldwide. Also, many looked at peaceful influences such as Eastern religion and spirituality. Here's a few photos taken from that era in time.
A 1968 Hippie wedding in San Francisco..(Source: flicker - adavey)
Eric Burden (from the Animals) marries Angela King in 1967. Both are wearing Eastern influenced clothing - She is wearing an East Indian sari and he is dressed a tunic. (Source: Google images)
John Lennon marries Yoko Ono in 1969 in casual, yet unique attire. His song "Give Peace a Chance" swept the music charts around the world! (Source: Google images)
1960's JEWELRY TRENDS included:
- Bold, larger gold necklaces - especially after Elizabeth Taylor portrayed Cleopatra in 1963
- Trafari and Monet, a popular department store brand, promoted jewelry made of metals (faux gold and silvers), in place of the pearl necklaces.
- With the Vietnam war, FLOWER jewelry to promote LOVE and PEACE was extremely popular
- With the Mod style in England, black and white jewelry (two-tone) was popular
- Various large Plastic jewelry was introduced in the later 1960s
- Dangle earrings - especially plastic
Here are a few advertisements and influences from that era:
Trifari, 1966 advertisement for gold tone bracelets.. (Source yahoo images)
This Trifari advertisement from 1967-68 also highlights the plastic jewelry trend. (Source: Yahoo images)
To experience a true taste of the 1960s style, I highly recommend watching the critically acclaimed series, Mad Men, on Netflix or other streaming services. It highlights the diversity of the decade and touches on politics, fashion and history. I love it and I miss the series terribly! (Photo: facebook)
To Summarize: The 1960s trends changed almost year-to-year, unlike any other decade. Short Mini, Maxi, A-line dresses, along with bold metal or plastic jewelry, plus the hippie movement meant a diverse change in styles.
1970s - The Decade of Transition
In the 1970s, fashion was all over the map with the trends from the previous decade still dominating. The decade was not as adventurous at the 1960s. When I think of the 70s, I think of the end of the hippie era (The US pulled out of Vietnam in the mid 70s), pant suits, man-made fabrics including polyester, disco and Elvis with his white jumpsuit.
In 1968, Oscar de la Renta designed the Maxi dress, which turned into a great fashion trend in the late 60s and was even more prominently featured in the 1970s. (Source: google images)
Here are some highlights of wedding trends from the decade:
Long 'hippie style' hair and a Maxi-style dress late 1960s trademark, along with 1970s polyester clothing are adorned in this photo. (Source: It's a WASP's life blog)
This picture sums it up.. the veil and Maxi dress that trended in the 1960s. What about the Princess Leia hair on the right? (Source: pinterest)
Mick Jagger marries Bianca in 1971 and the hat trend influenced many on their wedding day. The bride wearing a hat became a common trend. (Source: pinterest.com)
1970's JEWELRY TRENDS included:
- Bohemian pieces, initially worn by hippies, including ethnic East Indian styled jewelry was still common
- Materials made out of wood, bone and stone, enamel, and plastic
- Larger statement pieces were worn as a result of disco and BLING - flashy, large pieces including rhinestone and lots of sparkle
- Woman layered chain necklaces and wore large gold earrings
- Colours like brown, white, greens and oranges were very popular and other less subtle colours
Here are two great advertisement outlining the trends in the 1970s.
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SUMMARY: The 1970s was a free-for-all fashion decade with the last years of the hippie 'Flower child' movement, 1960s maxi dresses still predominating, polyester suits, disco and statement jewelry including 'bling.'
Peppermint-twist-vintage carries items, mainy, jewelry from the 1960s and 1970s that would be perfect for weddings including brooches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Here's some recommendations.
This 60s iridescent purse is fantastic. It would look stunning for the bride any bridesmaid and it's the perfect size too. You can lock the handles in the bag and make it a clutch.
This Trifari Valencia set from the 1960s is the most incredible item. I would keep it but the bracelet is only 7" and I have wide wrists.
We carry the bracelet and earrings -- what a fabulous set of jewelry to wear on that big day!
1960s FLOWER POWER jewelry - looks great on dresses, the mother of the bride of bridesmaids. Examples of items we carry are below:
This is a fantastic Sarah Coventry Floral Brooch and Earring set from the 1960s
We carry a large selection of earrings for 1960s themed weddings including...
These are absolutely stunning, large, 1.5 inch, early 1960s clip-on earrings.
These statement iridescent crystal disco ball dangle earrings would be great for a themed wedding from the bold 60s or the disco era 1970s.
These are great 1960s lucite with rhinestone statement earrings that would look fantastic with a themed 1960s wedding.
Clear heart shaped CORO hallmarked earrings are ideal for a wedding bride.
These are wonderfully unique pink and gold tone dangle statement earrings. 
This is an ideal pink thermoset pair of earrings with a nice necklace.. 
For more inspirational ideas, visit our entire WEDDING COLLECTION
In our next feature, we will explore the FUN 1980s and 1990s - to current trends. Until then, I leave you with my favourite wedding photo from the 1960s.. Elvis marries Priscilla in 1967. The bouffant hairdo, tiered cake and shiny suit says it all. (Source: Pinterest.com)
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Until next time,
Nancy