1962 Clothing Trends
MEN’S CLOTHING TRENDS
o Suits were primarily single-breasted
o Suits were broad at the shoulder and
narrowed at the waist. Pants were narrow and
emphasized the natural shape.
o Two-button suits were made popular as they
were sported by President John F. Kennedy.
o Dress shirts were worn in white and variations
of white; colored shirts were considered
informal. Variations were shown in the collar:
point collars were the most prevalent, but pin,
spread, and rounded collars were also
popular. Many men wore shirts with French
Cuffs, accented with simple cufflinks that
peeked out from the suit coat.
o Ties were typically narrow and frequently
patterned. Simple, solid-colored suits were
accented with dramatic patterned ties. Solid
ties were often dressed up with tie clips or
pins. Patterned and solid bow ties were also
popular choices for men.
WOMEN’S CLOTHING TRENDS
o Women’s fashion in the early ‘60s was similar to the 1950s look of classic elegance.
o Hemlines on skirts rose to the knee and just below the knee.
o Many women were inspired by the style of Jacqueline Kennedy, who wore
A-line skirts and square-shaped, collarless jackets. Suits and separates were
extremely popular items. Most suits were solid-colored. While straight skirts
and wide cut jackets complimented Mrs. Kennedy’s rather long, boxy figure,
many women found that they could not achieve the look.
o Daytime and evening wear emphasized women’s waist, chest, and hips.
Clothing was cinched in at the waist and created roundness to the hip and
bust-line.
o In the early 1960s there was a disappearance of shoulder pads. Jackets, dresses,
and sweaters had narrow shoulders and skinny ¾-length sleeves that made the
arms appear long and narrow.
o Collars tended to disappear and cowl necks, v-neck, and plunging necklines
emerged.
o Evening dresses were long and column-like, emphasizing a slim waist. Fabrics
were easy and flowing. Ruffles added style and elegance to dresses.
o Many evening dresses and daytime outfits had full skirts, but petticoats and
underskirts had almost disappeared by 1962.
o Sugary, pastel colors were popular in fashion and blues were prevalent in
all shades
o In the early 1960s women became
more playful with patterns. Typically
patterns were simple and seen in
modest colors, but more vivid
patterns in louder, more vibrant
patterns were not uncommon and
grew in popularity as the year
progressed. Patterns were often
mixed—plaid partnered with polka
dots and stripes paired with a variety
of patterns.
o Jewelry pieces made a statement.
Jewelry pieces were frequently large
and ornate, but the number of pieces
worn at a time was limited.
o While hats weren’t considered
mandatory fashion pieces, hats were
frequently worn to add a dash of
style and sophistication to outfits.
The pillbox hat was certainly the most popular hat style of the early 1960s.
o The pointed-toe, stiletto heels of the previous decade were waning in
popularity; the toes of shoes became more rounded and heels were high to
kitten height.
o Gloves were frequently worn in 6- to 8-button lengths.
o Purses were small and tended to match the color and/or pattern of shoes.
o Hairstyles varied from natural-looking to elaborately styled. Coiffures, beehives,
and bouffants were extremely popular, but required a lot of maintenance. 1962
brought a large increase in the number of wigs purchased. Ladies could style
their wigs in advance and not have to worry about toying with their hair before
an evening out. Wigs also contained much more hair, making larger than life
hairstyles easy to achieve.
Vintage Clothing Stores
BUCKTOWN
Silver Moon Vintage
1721 West North Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 235-5797
http://www.silvermoonvintage.com/
Tuesday-Friday: 11am - 6pm
Saturday: 12pm - 6pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
Store B Vintage
1472 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 772-4296
http://storebvintage.com/
Tuesday - Friday: 11am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 6pm
Sunday: 11am - 5pm
Very Best Vintage
1919 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 226-5530
Visit Very Best Vintage on Facebook
Tues. - Sat: 12pm - 7pm
Sun. 12pm - 6pm
Seek Vintage
1432 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
3125263164
http://www.seekvintagechicago.com/
Monday: 4pm - 7pm
Tuesday - Friday: 12pm -7pm
Saturday: 11am - 7pm
Sunday: 11am - 4pm
Krispyfringe Vintage
Vintage Underground
2130 W Chicago Ave
1834 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Chicago, IL
(773) 710-1006
(773) 252-4559
http://www.krispyfringe.blogspot.com/
http://www.chicagovintageunderground.com/Monday: 12pm – 7pm
Tuesday - Thursday: 11am - 6pm
Wednesday – Saturday: 12pm - 7pm
Friday and Saturday: 11am - 7pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
ROSCOE VILLAGE
Mia Mora
2639 West Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 772-2007
http://miamorachicago.wordpress.com
Monday - Wednesday by appointment
Thursday – Saturday: 12pm - 7pm
Sunday: 1pm - 5pm
NOBLE SQUARE
Dovetail
1452 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 243-3100
http://www.dovetailchicago.com/
Wednesday - Friday: 1pm - 8pm
Saturday: 11am - 6pm
Sunday: 11am - 5pm
Night and Day Vintage
2228 West Belmont
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 327-4045
Wednesday - Sunday: 3pm-7pm
Shangri-La Vintage
1952 W Roscoe Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 348-5090
http://www.shangrila-vintage.com/
Monday - Friday: 12pm - 7pm
Saturday: 12pm - 6pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
NORTH CENTER
LAKEVIEW
LuLu's at the Belle Kay
3862 N Lincoln
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 404-LuLu
http://lulusbellekay.com/
Tuesday- Friday: 11am - 6pm
Saturday: 11am - 5pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
Clothes Optional Vintage
2918 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 296-6630 ‎
Visit Clothes Optional Vintage
on Facebook
Monday: 12pm - 8pm
Tuesday - Saturday: 11am - 8pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm
Viva Vintage
4222 North Ravenswood
Chicago, IL
(847) 475-5025
http://www.vivavintageclothing.com/
Showroom open by appointment only
PILSEN
Comet Vintage
1320 W 18 St
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 733-7327
http://www.cometvintagechicago.com
Tuesday- Thursday: 11am -8pm
Friday - Saturday: 11am - 9pm
Sunday: 12pm - 7pm
Knee Deep Vintage
1425 West 18th Street
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 850-2510
http://www.kneedeepvintage.com/
Monday - Thursday: 12pm - 7pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am - 8pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm
Suburban Secrets
1117 W Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 857-0905
http://www.suburbansecretsvintage.com
Tuesday - Thursday: 1pm - 7pm
Friday: 2pm - 7pm
Saturday: 12pm - 7pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm
LOGAN SQUARE
A Touch of Vintage
2506 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 384-8427
http://atouchofvintage.com/
Wednesday- Sunday: 12pm - 6pm
NILES
ROGERS PARK
The Antique and Resale Shoppe
7214 N Harlem
Chicago, IL 60631
773-631-1151
http://www.antiqueandresale.com/
Monday- Saturday: 10:30am - 4:30pm
Lost Eras
1511 W Howard Street
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 764-7400
http://losteras.com/
Monday - Saturday: 10am -6pm
PLEASE NOTE: Stores are listed in no
particular order and are not directly
affiliated with TimeLine. Hours and other
details are subject to change. Details
compiled as of February 2012.