Your Guide to 60s & 70s Outerwear

The 60s & 70s were one of the most iconic periods of time for fashion. A true melting pot of inspiration, we are constantly looking backwards to inspire our wardrobes today, a lot of which is inspired by summer fashion, and particularly bohemian styles. 

With the winter months coming in, we wanted to showcase the beautiful variety of different styles of coats, jackets & capes that perfectly encapsulate all sub-styles of the era, from mod wool coats, to folk style capes, to bohemian shearlings. 

Come with us on our journey through these styles, and learn a little about the history behind them: 

 

LEATHER JACKETS 

Leather jackets became popular with the bikers and greasers of the 50s, however they also developed into mod and western styles heading into the 60s & 70s. Jackets featuring large dagger collars, space age curvy cuts and yokes featured heavily, and became a staple of 70s punk and rocker fashion. 

RAINCOATS

Despite the popularisation of PVC in fashion, raincoats were still available, comprising of a rubberised cloth sew with a top layer of linen or wool. These coats featured lots of contemporary cuts, as well as classic figure hugging silhouettes, which came with accompanying belts and ties.

FUR COATS

Fur coats, particularly at the start of the century were associated with higher class and evening wear, however as we headed into the 60s, cheaper pelts and furs became available and more accessible to lower earners. Furthering into the decade, faux-furs were available, and became an increasingly popular choice with the younger generations to protest against animal cruelty. 

SHEARLINGS

Shearlings were worn in medieval times to keep warm. In the world wars, these coats were vital in keeping soldiers from freezing to death, and as we moved into the 20th century, designers modernised and popularised them to the modern audience. The popularisation of the hippy trail, leading to countries in the middle east, saw the hippies bring back afghan shearlings, which were embroidered with colourful designs.

CAPES

Capes were a common choice of outerwear within this era, with the 60s predominately featuring short, geometric mod cut styles, and the 70s developing more bohemian, floaty styles with more psychedelic prints. 

TRENCH / MAC COATS

The trench coat originally was worn by soldiers in the world wars, and was characterised by utilitarian additions, such as epaulettes, D-rings, storm shields and pockets. Post world-wars, trench coats became a civilian staple due to it's practicality and developed into a symbol of sophistication and style, boosted by celerities and pop culture. 

PVC COATS

PVC was invented in the 19th Century, and used in practical items until the 60s and 70s, where it became iconic in its use in fashion through designers such as Mary Quant and Paco Rabanne. Their designs were heavily associated with the mod and space age culture, with raincoats being a popular and practical go to for raincoats.

SPACE AGE COATS 

Space age coats were characterised by rounded geometric shapes, block colours and unique materials, such as PVC. These coats often displayed geometrically cut collars, necklines and pockets, and were associated with mod culture. 

TENT / SWING COATS 

Tent, or swing, coats were characterised by an A-line cut, which flared from the bust. Originally becoming popular in the 50s after the baby boom of post-WWII, they were a comfortable and fashionable option that "didn't show too much". This style carried on into the early to mid 60s, being popular alongside the mod silhouette due to the boxy nature of the cut.