back to the '60s - swinging london

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If anybody ever builds a time machine available to the public my first trip would have to be to the 60's. I've always been fascinated with this period. The late 60's exploded into a wild fashion frenzy and cultural awakening. There was a young generation who had something to say.

Swinging London was the term used to describe the fashion and cultural scene that flourished in London, in the 1960s.

It was a youth-oriented phenomenon that emphasized the new and modern. It was a period of optimism and hedonism, and a cultural revolution. One catalyst was the recovery of the British economy after post-World War II austerity which lasted through much of the 1950s.



The Kings Road in Chelsea became one of the main clothes centres of Sixties London, following the success of a small lane behind Regent Street near Oxford Circus, called Carnaby Street.
These were the fashion shrines of British youth in the early to mid Sixties. By 1965 Carnaby Street had become the mecca for boutiques, with all the latest clothes for the dedicated fashion followers of 'Swinging London'.

An article in the New York Times in May 1966 described Britain (i.e. London's King's Road to Soho area) as 'the new Sodom and Gomorrah'.

This is where Mary Quant opened her Bazaar boutique and sold the legendary mini skirt.

The model Twiggy with the famous A line dress

Jean Shrimpton was called 'the face of the 60's'

And of course there was the music... The British Invasion, the pirate radios...
There's no need for words to describe the 60's music scene... I only want to mention the film - the pirate radio/ the boat that rocked - which would give you a very good feeling of those times



And I kind of saved the best for last. Cause as much as I love these black and white photos, the 60's were all about vibrant colours and I am so happy that I found this video... you really must watch it! It gives such a genuine feeling of the swinging London and the fashion scene, presented with a typical English humor.




I still have loads of 60's music and fashion in my computer... there are so many aspects of that time I'm in love with...I could probably write the longest blog post ever!

Thanks for taking a trip back in time with me ! :P