First, a bit of context on these tumultuous two decades. There were a lot of events shaping what would come to be known as the baby boom generation. Not only did they grow up with routine bomb drills during the Cold War, but they also faced the violence of segregation, the March on Washington, the assassination of both their president and Martin Luther King, Jr, and the violent protests around the Vietnam War. Needless to say, it was a politically charged time, which gave rise to a counterculture embracing an alternative way of living. A way that represented personal liberation, peace, and love.
The individuality and creativity of the “hippie” era (that primarily took hold in San Francisco and New York) translated into a unique sense of style. Vintage flared jeans reigned supreme, and embellishments were common. Whereas boxy, cuffed jeans were the mainstay in the 50s, the 60s and 70s saw the introduction of fitted jeans that hugged the waist and thighs only to flare out around or just below the knee. For the first time, jeans became more than a product of workwear function. Now, it was both a fashion trend and a statement of freedom for American women.
Note that while most people think of flared bell-bottoms during this era (boosted, no doubt, by the commercialization of the “hippie” archetype on Halloween), bootcut were also popular, especially after French activist Brigitte Bardot was photographed wearing a pair in 1966.
Fun fact about these years: Wrangler jeans became so popular in the 1974 rodeo circuit that a custom pair was deemed the official jean of the Rodeo Cowboy’s Association of the USA.
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