Woodstock & How It Changed The Fashion Game

Woodstock was a 3 day music festival held on a farm in Bethal, New York in 1969. Event organizers had an expected audience of 50 000 – 100 000 people (after extending ticket sales). Before the fences could go up to surround the grounds, people had already started arriving. Close to 400 000 guests pitched up & it resulted in being the largest festival of its time!! Woah!!

Although event organizers were unprepared for the influx of people, they could do nothing about it. How did 400 000 people with limited food, water, security, utilities & basic human needs… survive 3 days and live to tell the tale?

Surprisingly, it was partly due to the nature of the free-spirited crowd (& perhaps amazing Rock n Roll!). Woodstock hippie’s symbolized self-expression, freedom, peace, individualism, rebellion and love. They expressed themselves through action & fashion.

Ethnic clothing from around the world were mixing together. Promoting cultural authenticity & individualism.

Thriftin ! Old clothes from various decades were re-surfacing. Individual identity & creativity was celebrated. 

Blue Jeans & 'Hip huggers' were for the bad-ass's, as they were banned from many venue’s,'informal attire'.

All the more better to do what you like at Woodstock! 

Flower power & mismatched fabrics. The weirder the better!

Head bands & jackets with fringe were everywhere – Jimi Hendrix closing Woodstock in an Indian American tassle jacket.

Wearing nothing was also a big hit, ‘free the nipple’ … brr!

Bell bottoms only became a big hit in the 1970's, but were inspired by the few seen at Woodstock.

 

It was the start of many movements. Women were pushing for gender equality & men were getting in touch with their feminist side, and for the 1^st time it was accepted. 50 years since Woodstock… we have come a long way!