Hey guys, Hanna here!
Whether you're going to a costume party or changing your style, looking like a hippie isn't really all that hard; after all, one of the tenets of being a hippie is that natural is beautiful – and that your hippie clothes are a chance to express yourself, not enhance yourself. To dress like a hippie, try the following suggestions.
☮ Wear used clothes. Shop at thrift stores, flea markets, and, whenever possible, garage sales. Though you can find gear designed to look “hippie” in other places (like New Age stores and eBay), the whole point of hippie fashion was to stop buying what big corporations were selling in favor of used clothing that was purchased locally.
☮ Choose loose, comfortable, and natural tops. A simple tee will work if you have other accessories to dress it up with, but try to opt for faded, old, or used tees. Hipsters have largely claimed the ironic and retro tees, but that doesn't mean you can't dabble, too.
☮ Try out a vest. A vest is a great option for accessorizing with other tops. In the '60s, at the height of hippiedom, the suede fringe vest was a classic option for man and woman alike. There's a lot that says "hippie," but this screams "hippie."
☮ Carefully choose your kind of jacket. Although the vintage denim jacket is classic hippie, there are other options if you want to spice things up. If it has beads, embroidery, or patterned trim, go for it. Leather, suede, sheepskin, or even fur (although if you're an animal-conscious hippie, you may want to steer clear) are all fair game. An army jacket could also be appropriate in some situations, although some hippies might misinterpret the clothing. You could embroider peaceful slogans on it to make your intentions clear.
☮ Go for denim bell bottoms. Faded, torn, or patched jeans will work if the rest of the outfit is sufficiently hippie, but the holy grail of hippie bottoms is none other than the denim bell bottoms. Men and women both wore these; they're a staple of hippie culture.
☮ Get some denim shorts, especially if they're ripped or torn. Or better yet, rehab your old ones by fraying, ripping, or tearing them (although it's not strictly necessary).
☮ Choose the right kind of sandal or flip-flop. Though hippies made a point of going barefoot, they often wear flat sandals when this isn’t practical.
☮ Try on some hippie boots. Especially in colder weather, or if you want to dress up your outfit, you can try on some boots. Hippie boots are generally suede or leather and could almost pass for booties in a pinch.
☮ Put on select hand-crafted jewellery. Bonus hippie points if you make your own.
☮ Choose your belt. A wide leather belt, peace-symbol belt, or chain belt would work nicely. Anything that says DIY or vintage pretty much goes.
☮ If you don’t mind altering your clothes, add fringes. In fact, add fringes to everything you can get away with. Back in the day, this was done to pants, shirts, vests, jackets, or anything else that could feasibly be fringed.
☮ Grow your hair out. Whether you're male or female, long hair is the norm. This is mainly because you're not going to bother getting it cut! It should be clean (you still bathe!), but it doesn't have to be anything beyond that.
☮ Wear a headband. Wear your headband horizontally over your forehead, not vertically over your hair, and accessorize it with a flower (a daisy is classic).
☮ Style your hair minimally. Leave your hair long, loose, and low-maintenance. Don't put any chemicals in it. The less you style it, the better.
☮ Consider getting dreadlocks if you think you could deal with them. Getting dreadlocks is notoriously difficult, but they're definitely worth it if you think that you can pull them off. They're a labor of love.
☮ Keep the make-up to a minimum. For women, go practically bare. A bit of black kohl outlining your eyes is okay, but not much more than that. Stay away from lipstick and any outrageous, obvious coloring. You're a child of the earth, after all.
And this it it. Hope some of you try it out!
xoxo
-Hanna
