The 60s saw an explosion of color, pattern, and shape in men’s fashion. Hemlines were shortened, while shirts featured stripes, checks, tartans, polka dots, floral prints, leopard spots, or tiger skin patterns, to name but a few!
Mod style first made its mark with its emphasis on ready-to-wear clothing. One of its lasting legacies from this decade is the Harrington jacket.
The Minimalist Suit
Men in the 1960s often donned simple suits, shirts, and tie ensembles for work and casual occasions. While this look requires little imagination to pull off well, Bryan Ferry was an icon for sporting this look by regularly donning either three-piece suits or double-breasted dinner jackets in this manner.
Shirts during the 1960s were more vibrant than ever and came in every imaginable pattern, from narrow or wide stripes to polka dots, tartans, leopard spots, or paisley designs. Additionally, matching socks were an increasingly popular fashion statement of that era; matching sports coats provided ample opportunity for personal expression.
Slim-fit trousers paired with patterned button-down or polo shirts featuring patterns, as well as a matching vest, were popular choices among Ivy League students on college campuses; later adopted by businessmen looking for a more accessible, less formal alternative than the 3-piece suit. Coordinated colors were another trend, often pairing bright-colored dress shirts with dark blue, grey, or tan sports coats.
Mod was another fashion movement of the 60s that remains one of the most beloved subcultures for men who love dressing well. Baracuta’s Harrington jacket epitomizes this look; for an authentic take, opt for a vintage wool or suede version with tartan lining if possible.
Black roll necks were once popular with beatniks, Black Panthers, and other youth subcultures of their day; today, they remain a great way to add style and flair to your wardrobe. Available in numerous colors and materials today, we recommend selecting classic cashmere or merino versions for optimal quality and fit.
Sidney Poitier was an iconic actor and one of the finest gentlemen ever to walk the earth, but even his more casual attire in the sixties was impeccable. He often donned a white tuxedo shirt layered over a striped tie paired with straight-leg black trousers, then completed his look by accessorizing with a black beret hat and brown brogues for that final flourish.
The Cardigan
In the 1960s, men used cardigan sweaters as an alternative to suits and tuxedos for weekend attire. Pairing these cardigans with plain white T-shirts and slip-on loafers created an informal yet semi-formal look far more comfortable than donning full suits.
Men in the 1960s were much more daring regarding their shirt patterns and colors, including broad stripes, tartans, paisley patterns, leopard spots, and tiger skin prints. Narrow stripe shirts with little collars and slim neckties were still fashionable then but gradually fell out of favor as tie width increased with suit lapel width changes.
As the decade progressed, men began embracing hippy culture’s free-living lifestyle of flower power, psychedelic music, and drug use, creating what became known as an angel dress or micro mini. Made of crocheted lace, velvet, or cotton with psychedelic prints emblazoned on it and featuring an off-center PVC hem that often reached up as high as the calf, worn by models like Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton respectively and popular among women throughout this decade’s women fashionistas.
By the mid-’60s, young men had grown increasingly disenchanted with Victorian rules regarding acceptable masculine attire and were looking for ways to express their individuality through clothing choices and style tribes such as Mods, rockers, and preppies that we still see reflected today in menswear wardrobes.
In the 1960s, Chelsea boots first made an impactful statement and established themselves as menswear staples. Boasting an elasticated gusset and flat heel, these comfortable boots pair easily with slim jeans for casual or formal occasions – even Steve McQueen wore his on tour with Rolling Stones! Today you can find them in various leather finishes and styles like Chukka to Wingtip; companies like Fox Hunt Menswear offer personalized options tailored to you!
The Low-Rise Trousers
Beatniks in the early-mid 1960s and counterculture movements fuelled by rock and roll during the latter part of the decade witnessed a loosening up of style codes, including long hair, paisley prints, tie-dye clothing, and bell-bottom jeans popularized by icons like Twiggy. Although popular initially, this style eventually caused dissatisfaction as critics believed that women were forced into conforming to preconceived ideals rather than being themselves.
Men’s suits of the 1960s carried on the minimalist aesthetic seen in the 50s with slimmer cuts and narrower, notched lapel designs, suit trousers lowered to belly button height, and thinner ties to complement both little lapel coats as well as widening shirt collars that had taken place.
Mod shirts were worn in white, pinstriped, or pastel colors, allowing their outerwear to take center stage in their looks. Ties could either be solid or wide striped ties made of knit material; by the later part of the decade, however, neckerchief styles had transitioned from being conservative and elegant to something more eccentric; turtlenecks were sometimes even used instead of ties for more casual events where formal dress wasn’t required;
For an effortlessly chic 60s outfit, pair dark blue or black corduroy bell-bottom jeans with a striped T-shirt and boots or brogues for an authentic retro vibe. Complete your ensemble by adding a beret or newsboy cap for the added character – perfect for a 60s-themed party or simply wanting to bring retro style into your everyday wardrobe! This look can add that retro feel without going full retro.
The Penny Loafers
In the 1960s, men’s fashion shifted towards more relaxed yet casual styles compared to more formal suits that remained fashionable among businessmen and lawyers. Penny loafers became an essential footwear choice across both types of outfits. Penny loafers became a trendy footwear choice among American college students who often donned them with Oxford cloth button-down shirts, khaki chinos, and shetland sweaters; this Ivy League look was immortalized in classic movies such as The Graduate and Ocean’s Eleven and worn by celebrities like Elvis Miles Davis among others; even punk rockers sported it alongside ripped denim jackets!
Men began switching up their weekend attire by opting for cardigan sweaters or knitted pullover sweaters instead of suits and blazers, often sporting bold colors or pattern block designs such as broad stripes or geometric tile patterns in wool or cashmere for soft texture and sheen, as well as long-sleeve polo shirts with logo-less collars that looked sharp under three-button mohair jackets.
Fashion trends influenced by Ivy League style included vests over dark blue, grey, or tan sportcoats – whether matching colors or in contrasting hues like yellow and red to stand out against darker jackets.
Men’s trousers began to adapt to the more relaxed 1960s by moving away from tight-fitting cuts popular during the 50s. More variations in terms of widths and shades were now widely available, with wide-leg styles becoming incredibly fashionable; these were often combined with belted shearling coats to form stylish yet casual looks in colder temperatures.
Psychedelic culture during the second half of the decade, with its loud music and free-living drug culture, influenced young men, leading them to dress more casually than before. Tight-fitting tailored suits gave way to broader lapel jackets featuring patterns. Relaxed trousers soon became part of everyday wardrobes.
