Remember the song reminding you to wear flowers in your hair if you're going to San Francisco? That was the hippies' generation. It was the back-to-nature binge and many of the pseudo hippies ransacked the surplus clothing shops undermining better and bigger retailers. It was a time of "what-do-you-care-what-I-do" tongue-in-cheek fashion. This was the ?60s and fashion was not always about non-conformity. It was about revolutionized chic.

?60s haute Couture

The counter-revolutionaries or the hippies left a fashion culture that changed some of the way people looked at haute couture. Granny skirts and peasant blouses were in and haute couture was out. But what were the adult non-hippies wearing?

The ?60s haute couture took on a new look - a new fashion genre that to this day remains one of the best loved styles - the empire-waisted mini skirt and the Nehru look.

If your grandma kept her 1960s clothes, you'll be seeing a lot of styles from Mary Quant, influences of the Asian mystique. She might still have one of those paper dresses that had a short-lived but spectacular existence. Who would have thought of paper dresses? Only the ?60s fashion moguls were able to think of it and produce 2-D paper dresses with bold graphic prints - ideal gifts back then.

The Mini Skirt, The Wedge Haircut, and Men's Fashion

Want to be different? Try the mini-skirt and have your hair cut in the wedge style. If your hair is long, wear it loose. For your makeup, wear the palest foundation and emphasize your eyes with kohl, false lashes, and mascara.

Scrounge for more vintage clothing in your grandmother's chest or from flea markets. You might find those stunning space-age silver outfits combined with colored prints. The wet look is another alternative to turning heads. Flaunt your style and adapt that ?60s slogan - "What do you care what I'm wearing?"

How about your brother or your boyfriend? There's the collarless jacket and cigarette pants and boots and vibrant printed shirts. The styles were going unisex - you and your partner can team up with those tight-fitting pants, Nehru jackets, and boots that gleam with a polished buckle. What a pair!

The Tea Set

If the hippies were wearing flowers in their hair, granny skirts, and peasant blouses, the other formal grand ladies were wearing ensembles of double-breasted coats over short sleeveless dresses. The corduroy suits were also the orders-of-the-day. Dark polo-necked shirts completed the look. Corduroy suits were used only for furnishing back then. Who would have thought of this fabric for clothing? Only the ?60s fashion designers would have dreamed it up.

The shift dress with a short or high-waisted jacket was a favorite street wear for fashionable ladies. Custom-made buttons heightened the appeal of the A-line shape dresses worn above the knee. For evening wear, it was the sculpted shape that Balenciaga designed. These looked like religious frocks but with a dramatic twist. The dress and cape added more drama to the total look. The hats and gloves were worn less, and no less than the late Jackie Kennedy-Onassis went for the simple but smart clean cut designs.

Bangles, necklaces, and bracelets featuring bright plastic balls, opaque beads, and Asian motif jewelry were popular. You can find some of these items online to complete your ?60s fashion look.

Tired of today's hum-drum look? Go for the ?60s' retro look - dress, hair, and fashion accessories. You'll make a sensation and receive those admiring looks from men and become the envy of women for your classic and fun vintage fashion.