A costume idea from the Sixties suitable for couples that could be worn for Halloween, costume or theme parties is that of hippies. The hippies were a youth movement in the United States that came about in the middle of the decade, and later spread to other countries. The term itself comes from “hipster” which was originally used to describe beatniks. Hippies were associated with drugs, particularly hallucinogenic, so that they could explore altered states of consciousness, and the sexual revolution. They came to influence all aspects of culture, including television, films, popular music, literature and the arts, with much of hippie culture being integrated into the mainstream as early as the Seventies.
Psychedelic colours were an important factor in both clothes and art for hippies, with bright, swirling colours being common. Fashions in general were similar for both men and women. Flowers were associated with the movement, especially after a song (San Francisco) referenced wearing flowers in your hair when visiting San Francisco, which is where the term “Flower Children” came from. When choosing clothes, bright colours and patterns are a must.
The Head
For both men and women, long hair is a must. This can be tied into a ponytail, for the men (or possibly for the women), but long, flowing hair, whether straight or curled, is an important part of the costume; if you lack long hair, then a wig is suitable. Also on the head would be worn a coloured headband, to keep the long hair at least somewhat under control.
Beards, and reasonably long ones at that (not neatly trimmed or designer stubble), were common on men.
The Body
For both men and women, clothing worn on the torso tended to be similar. A brightly coloured tie-dyed shirt will do for both sexes, with a waistcoat (or vest) worn over it, with this frequently being brightly coloured as well. Peasant blouses are an alternative for women.
For the legs, bell bottomed jeans, or other trousers, were popular for both men and women. An alternative for women is a long, full skirt. The skirt should not be drab either; flowers and other bold patterns are a good choice here.
The Feet
Hippies regularly had their feet bare, rather than wearing shoes. This isn’t always practical, especially when going out, so wearing sandals is a good alternative to this – although not with socks.
Accessorise
Round the neck, long, beaded necklaces were popular, with both sexes often wearing several. Native American jewellery was also popular.