All in Fun.

Young people of the 1960s had started the decade with an air of optimism, a confident exuberance reflecting the prosperous American society into which they were coming of age. They had an unprecedented amount of social and financial freedom to develop their own identities — identities separate from those of their parents. This sentiment manifested itself most visibly in youthful dress. The mod look was cool; the mini was daring; unusual color combinations were exciting. Mostly it was a good-natured stand against the older "establishment," with no hard feelings.

Growing Consciousness.

As the 1960s moved forward, with them came a growing consciousness of social concerns, including civil rights issues and controversial U.S. intervention in Indochina. Many young people, disgusted with what they saw as rampant materialism and the moral failing of American...