For some, hippie style is the opposite of chic, associated with
messiness, the rejection of high fashion ideals, and over-the-top
combinations of colors and fabrics. But in this companion book to
an exhibition of the same name, Boston Museum of Fine Arts curator
Whitley makes a compelling case for hippie chic. The book focuses
on the work of big-name and lesser-known designers who translated
the ideals and aesthetics of the hippie movement into delightfully
wild fashion. Whitley's analysis relies on primary sources such as
photographs, copy from fashion magazines, newspaper articles, and
the garments themselves to get to the heart of what hippie fashion
really meant in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The author
identifies five key concepts and gives each its own chapter:
"Trippy Hippie" (psychedelic fashion); "Fantasy Hippie" (looks
inspired by the distant past); "Retro Hippie" (1920s-40s
influence); "Ethnic Hippie" (fascination with non-Western
cultures); and "Craft Hippie" (interest in homemade and handmade
techniques). The result is informative and visually enchanting. The
book includes a catalogue checklist with details on all the
garments included in the exhibition. Summing Up: Recommended.
Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.
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