If you have to go to a fancy dress party, or if you just want to change your style, dressing like a hippie is not at all difficult; after all, one of the principles of the hippie style is natural is beautiful; furthermore, your garments give you a chance to express yourself, not improve yourself. To dress like a hippie, try the tips below.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: from the waist up
Step 1. Look for used clothing
Shop at a flea market and, if possible, buy old clothes from friends and neighbors. Although you can find "hippie" clothing in other stores (such as new age ones and on eBay), the principle of hippie fashion is to stop buying what the big multinationals sell to wear locally purchased second-hand clothing.
Many hippies love sewing and crafts; if you can make your own clothes, even better. By creating your own clothes, a little effort will give you great benefits; a thing that produced with your own hands will give you much more credit than a purchased thing
Step 2. Choose loose, comfortable and natural sweaters
A simple shirt will work if you have other accessories to match, but prefer faded, old, or used shirts if possible. If you're a woman, wear a soft cotton bra - no underwire or padding - or don't wear it at all. Ironic and retro t-shirts are now abused by hipsters, but you shouldn't avoid using them for this. However, there are other options you can try if you feel like experimenting:
- Wear colorful knot dye t-shirts. You won't be able to wear them every day, but from time to time they will be an excellent alternative.
- Dashikis can add beautiful colors and tribal motifs to otherwise nondescript garments.
- Inspired by Indian clothes.
- Long-sleeved blouses are particularly popular with hippies, because they are elegant without being pretentious.
Step 3. Try on a vest
The vest is a great option that can be used as an accessory combined with other shirts. In the 1960s, during the explosion of hippie fashion, the fringed leather vest was a much loved and worn garment, both by men and women. Many garments are specifically considered "hippie", and will make your look even more unmistakable. Alternatively, any of these vests should fit:
- Long or short
- Colored or solid color
- Narrow or wide
- Floral
- With beads
Step 4. Choose carefully the type of jacket you wear
While the vintage denim jacket is a classic hippie garment, there are plenty of other options for those looking to experiment. If it has beading, embroidery or fancy cuts, wear it. Leather, suede and sheepskin, or even furs (avoid them if you are a hippie who loves animals), are all possible choices. A military jacket may be appropriate in some situations, although some hippies may misinterpret your outfit. In this case, clarify your intentions with pacifist slogans embroidered on the jacket.
- Hoodies, while comfortable, are not generally considered a hippie garment.
- In general, go for old jackets. You may be able to successfully wear a new shirt, but it won't be as easy to create the right look with a jacket.
Part 2 of 5: from the waist down
Step 1. Put on a pair of flared jeans
Worn, ripped, or patched jeans will do if the rest of the clothing is already hippie enough, but the classic hippie pants remain flared jeans. Both men and women wore them; they were the basis of hippie culture.
- Sew a patch with the peace symbol on your pants.
- You can choose jeans, corduroy trousers or fabrics with patterns, the important thing is that they have the classic flared opening at the end.
- Are you struggling to find flared pants in the age of tight pants? Learn to create them yourself starting from classic models.
Step 2. Get some denim shorts, preferably ripped or torn
Or, better yet, transform old pants by tearing and cutting them. If you are a man, change your old jeans into a pair of shorts, if you are a woman change them to a pair of shorts.
The more scruffy they look, the better, especially if you are a man. Your goal is not to wear new-looking, freshly ironed clothes
Step 3. If you are a woman, take advantage of the many options available to you
In this situation, women can really give space to their imagination, take advantage of it. If the weather permits, consider one of these hypotheses:
- Wide and draping skirts (similar to those of gypsies).
- Dresses such as tunics or summer dresses.
- Miniskirts (especially in combination with over-the-knee boots).
- Many hippie men used to wear tunics and even skirts. There are models designed specifically for men. Don't be afraid to wear whatever you like, regardless of your gender.
Part 3 of 5: Shoes
Step 1. Choose the right type of sandals or flip flops
Although hippies often preferred to be barefoot, they resorted to flat sandals when this was not possible.
- The sandals most frequently associated with the hippie style are the Birkenstocks. They have cork soles and leather straps.
- Also try some leather flip flops. They are easy to wear and match perfectly with dresses and skirts.
Step 2. Try on hippie boots
Especially in colder climates, or if you want to look more elegant, you can wear boots. Hippie boots are generally made of suede or leather and if necessary they can resemble ankle boots.
Step 3. Many hippies chose to wear moccasins as well
Any type of moccasin will do as long as it's comfortable. Many loafers have beaded embroidery on the front of the shoe.
Part 4 of 5: Accessories
Step 1. Put on some handmade jewelry
You will get extra points if you make them yourself. For example, try the following jewels to add an extra hippie touch to your look:
- Long beaded and macrame necklaces
- Natural stones
- Shells
- Peace pendants
- Large ethnic style earrings
Step 2. Choose your belt
A wide leather belt, a peace symbol belt, or a chain belt will do. Anything that has a simple or vintage look will do for you.
If you are someone who really loves independence and simplicity, you can use a string as a belt and tie it with a bow. It's a great trick, especially used by those male hippies who don't want to buy a belt, but still want to avoid losing their pants
Step 3. If you don't mind changing your clothes, create some fringes
In fact, you could add some fringes to anything you want. At the time of the hippies, they had trousers, sweaters, vests, jackets and all other clothing and accessories.
Step 4. Embroider your clothes and paint your face
Embroider colorful flowers, stars, birds and words like "peace" and "love" on your clothes. Patches in the shape of the American flag, pins and patterns are just as popular as part of the peace movement. On festive occasions, decorate your face with face painting.
Step 5. Put small bells on your ankle
They might be annoying, and audible hundreds of meters away, but your hippie look couldn't be more authentic (especially if you're a woman). As a precursor to modern silent anklets, ankle bells were just that, bells around the ankles.
Step 6. Wear sunglasses or eyeglasses
In the 1950s, thick black frames were worn (very similar to those so loved by hipsters), which were then replaced by hippies with cute half-moon glasses. If, as they say, it is true that history repeats itself, they will soon be back in fashion!
You can also try wearing funny glasses, or with colored lenses, like those of John Lennon. Hippies didn't care much for peripheral vision
Part 5 of 5: Hair and Makeup
Step 1. Let your hair grow
This advice applies to both women and men, long hair is the norm. The main reason is that cutting them doesn't have to be your concern. You will need to have clean hair, but your care will have to stop there.
- "Disheveled to perfection", this is the look you should take as a hippie. Let your follicles determine your look and swing it gently to the beat of the music.
- If you are a man, let your beard grow unkempt.
Step 2. Put on a hair band
Wear it horizontally, on your forehead, and decorate it with a flower (the daisy is a classic).
- If you want to use a permanent decoration - or if you repudiate the idea of plucking a flower to decorate your hair - look for a flower-shaped hair clip to match the headband.
- If you can't find a headband, you can make your own with stretch fabric. Cotton or inelastic fabric may cause unsightly forehead marks and pain if worn for too long.
Step 3. Style your hair only minimally
Let them grow long, loose, and don't over treat them. Don't treat them with chemicals. The less you suit them, the better. If you are a man, let your beard grow for a scruffy look.
If you need to pull your hair up, tie it into a ponytail or two or a braid
Step 4. If you wish, you can style your hair with dreadlocks
Dreadlocks are notoriously difficult to both wear and make, but they'll be worth it if the end result is satisfying.
It takes time and perseverance to grow dreadlocks. Since this is a semi-permanent hairstyle, you will have to be perfectly convinced that you want it
Step 5. Wear as little makeup as possible
It would be better not to use any cosmetics. A light use of black kajal pencil on the eyes is allowed, but don't overdo it. Avoid lip glosses, lipsticks, and any other extravagant or noticeable touches of color.
Advice
- Hippies often wore Native American-inspired symbols, jewelry, and clothing.
- It highlights the intense colors that were worn as a tribute to psychedelic drugs, and the floral motifs that symbolized a return to nature. In general, prefer natural fibers, such as cotton, wool and leather. Also avoid synthetic fibers as much as possible.
- Take care of your appearance only with natural and unscented products. If you want to make use of perfumes, choose essential oils such as patchouli, jasmine or sandalwood.
- There was a strand of romantic hippies who wore ruffled shirts, velvet jackets and trousers, long dresses, embroidered vests and other 19th century accessories. See photos of singer Donovan at the time of the album "A Gift from a Flower to a Garden". David Crosby often wore an elegant cloak and hat, Melanie Safka of the long kaftans, and the poet Richard Brautigan always had a large hat and anachronistic mustache. Famous designer Thea Porter invented the fabulous styles of Pink Floyd and other hippie musicians, based on The Lord of the Rings and other fantastic stories, then copied by fans of these artists. If this piques your interest, search thrift clothing stores or modify some of your cheap clothing.
- In the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, the center of the hippie movement in the sixties, in everyday life, most of the hippies wore more ordinary clothes, reserving the extravagant costumes for festivals, street dances, etc. However, it was a completely personal choice. You can get an idea by watching the videos of the time on YouTube.
