The 1960s brought us The Beatles, Bob Dylan, beehive hairstyles, the civil rights movement, ATMs, audio cassettes, the Flintstones, and some of the most iconic fashion ever. It was a time of miniskirts, Mary Janes, shift dresses, bright colors, bold prints, bikinis and the rise of “boho.” Names like Jackie Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy and Sophia Loren live on to this day.
A number of designers turned to the '60s for inspiration when they showcased their Spring/Summer collections for 2025. Bored Panda decided to jump on the bandwagon and search for the best vintage photos of 1960s fashion in action. It turns out people have been sharing pics of their parents and grandparents from back in the day, all dressed up with somewhere to go. We compiled our own classic fashion collection for your scrolling pleasure. Don't forget to upvote the ones you'll be trying out next year.
#1 Another Photo Of My Grandmother, 1950s Or 60s I Think
Image credits: raletterat
#2 My American Grandmother Visiting Athens In The 1960s
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#3 My Grandmother Was A Model In The 1950s And 60s
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The 1960s saw a rise in student activism, mass protests, feminism, and of course, hemlines. A British designer called Mary Quant is largely credited as the pioneer of the miniskirt. Along with model Twiggy, Quant started pushing the boundaries of what was deemed appropriate in the early '60s when she raised the hemline of skirts to roughly six inches above the knee. Quant christened the short skirts "minis" after her favorite type of car. And by the late '60s, American women across all walks of life were bearing much more leg than they had dared to in the past.
#4 My Grandpa In The ‘60s Looking Like He Walked Out Of A Ray-Bans Ad
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#5 My Mom Sometime In The 60s
Image credits: Mickey67Mouse
#6 My Grandma In The 60s Looking Like A Model
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"The miniskirt was an extraordinary phenomenon and had a big impact because it was part of the emerging youth culture of the 1960s and it was very much an expression of that youth culture and also of the beginnings of the sexual liberation movement due to the invention of the birth control pill," said Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT. "So it was kind of a historic moment."
#7 My Grandma In The 60s
Image credits: GotThisNewAttitude
#8 Today Is My Mothers Birthday And Father’s Day. I’m Celebrating Their Lives With A Few Groovy Photos. My Parents Fled Cuba As Exiles In The Early 60s. The Met In Miami In The 70s At A Macrame Party. My Dad Was The Macrame Teacher. They Are Still The Coolest People In Miami
Image credits: reddit.com
#9 My Grandmother In The 1960s
Image credits: reddit.com
Although wildly popular, the rebellious item of clothing wasn’t accepted by everyone and created much controversy. As the BBC reported, “Pioneer feminist Betty Friedan saw miniskirts as sexist symbols or little doll outfits that hampered serious pursuits. On the other hand, the American feminist Gloria Steinem argued that sporting a miniskirt was a transgressive act and she wore them to rallies.” Iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel also called the miniskirt “just awful.”
While the mini fast became an activist statement and symbol of women’s liberation, the designer behind its popularity later revealed that wasn’t her initial intention. “I didn’t set out to shock,” said Quant. “I wanted to be able to move around, go to work, go out in the evening to somewhere where I could dance half the night away.”
“Middle age business men would beat on the window and shout ‘It’s obscene, it’s disgusting.’ Extraordinary, isn’t it!” Quant once remarked during an interview with British Vogue.
#10 My Grandmother Late 1960s
Image credits: sashagreylovesme
#11 My Ever So Elegant Grandmother In The 50s-60s. She Did Some Japanese-American Modeling For A Bit
Image credits: reddit.com
#12 My Grandma As Miss Santa Clara With Clint Eastwood In The 60s
Image credits: Ok-Perspective6032
Quant might not have set out to shock, but that's exactly what she ended up doing. Miniskirts were banned in certain places, and some countries even made it illegal to wear them. "Miniskirts were blamed for corrupting the morality of youth, for deteriorating women’s health, and for destroying women’s feminine charms and respectability," reported the Saturday Evening Post.
"High schools across the country banned the style, claiming that the short lengths led to a 'distraction' among fellow students, and employers sought to prohibit their workers from wearing minis to the office."
#13 Grandmother And Grandfather Circa 1960
Image credits: Bravoflysociety
#14 My 28 Year Old Grandpa In 1963, Bucharest Romania
My grandfather was a photographer among other things so we have a pretty big collection of old pictures from him, including this one. Me and my brother decided to make an Instagram account to share his work with the world. If you want to check his “virtual gallery” is gxg.georgescu.
Image credits: Alicewonderingaround
#15 Mom & Pops Back In The 60s
Image credits: thewingedpainter
The controversy around the miniskirt extended beyond those who wore it. To this day, debate rages on about who the true “inventor” was. While Quant popularized rising hemlines in Britain, French designer André Courrèges had also begun experimenting with skirt lengths in the '60s. He showcased his above-the-knee space-age dresses in 1964.
#16 My Adorable Grandmother In The 1960s
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#17 Another Photo Of My Mum In The 60s
Image credits: FoxiCrumpet
#18 My Grandma Getting Ready For Her Wedding, 1960
Image credits: invaderzimm95
The two designers previously both laid claim to being the miniskirt's pioneer. And Quant once tried to put the debate to bed by saying “It wasn’t me or Courrèges who invented the miniskirt anyway—it was the girls in the street who did it.” But, as Bored Panda found out, history shows that she was wrong...
#19 Found This Old Photo Of My Dad Being Cool. 1960s. Mackinac Island. (He's On The Left.)
Image credits: Tron_Passant
#20 Wedding 1950/60s
Image credits: Internet Archive
#21 My Parents On Honeymoon Mid 60s. Still Together And Best People I Know
Image credits: Ducatirules
Interestingly, neither Quant nor Courrèges "invented" the itsy-bitsy garment. There's evidence that people loved flashing some thigh as far back as 5400 BC. From early European civilizations to the ancient Egyptians, there was no shame in showing a little, or a lot of, leg.
"Archaeologists have uncovered ancient figurines dating back to 5400-4700 BC that depict females wearing skirts like the 60s mini, indicating this was a common form of dress in early civilisations," notes fabric print-on-demand company Contrado. "However, it's impossible to say whether this was purely for practicality or other more liberating reasons."
#22 My Grandma And Grandpa In The 1960’s
Image credits: KeyEquivalent5
#23 My Aji (Grandma) On The Right With Her Friend In The 60s
Image credits: reddit.com
#24 My Grandpa And Grandma Getting Married. 1960
Image credits: PearsonKnifeWorx
Regardless of who "invented" the mini, Quant's contribution to fashion can't be disputed. In 1966, she was recognized by the Queen when she received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) medal. "Quant was photographed at Buckingham Palace wearing one of her own trademark jersey minidresses, helping to promote her distinctive look around the world," notes Britain's Victoria And Albert Museum.
#25 My Grandmother, 1960’s
Image credits: dannywat3rm3lon
#26 My Grandma And Grandpa At A Cocktail Party In The Early 60's
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#27 I Love Seeing How Fashion Trends Come And Go. This Is A Photo Of My Grandfather Taken Roughly In The Late 60s To Early 70s. His Tracksuit Is Definitely Back In Style!
Image credits: bianca_insigne
#28 Somebody’s Memaw Was The Life Of The Party! (Late 60s/Early 70s)
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#29 Mum And Grandma In The 60s
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#30 1960’s. My Paternal Grandmother And Grandfather At Their High School Prom
Image credits: Sweet_Landshark_Mama
#31 My Grandfather, Grandmother, My Mom And Her Siblings After Mass In The 1960s. My Grandmother Is Now 95 And Going Strong
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#32 My Grandma, Cocoa Beach 1960
Image credits: mj_murdock
#33 Two Guys 1950/60s
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#34 My Parent’s Band, Late 1960s
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#35 1950s Or 60s Mom And Daughters In Miami?
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#36 My Grandma, Great-Grandma, And Great-Great-Grandma In The '60s
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#37 Someone Posted A Beehive Hairdo Here A While Ago And I Thought I’d Share This Pic Of My Mom In The 60’s. She Absolutely Hated It
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#38 Mother, Me And Grandmother All Dressed For Easter 1960s
Image credits: thrifterbynature
#39 My Grandpa And Grandma In Bogotá, Colombia Circa 1960. Bogotá Was Known As The "Athens Of Latin America" At The Time
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#40 My Grandpa (Left) In The 60s
Time could be off but he looks to me like he is in his early 20s and Google tells me there where coats like that at that time.
Image credits: Mika000
#41 My Grandpa Taking A Selfie In The 1960s
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#42 My Aforementioned Grandpa Being Oldschoolcool Through The Years (60s Onward)
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#43 Mom Was A Cheerleader In College In The Late 60s/Early 70s
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#44 My Grandparents In The ‘60s
I found these pictures i didn’t know i had of my grandparents. My mom never talked about my grandma, looking at her photographs feels eerie because they look so alike. I always thought my mom was the most beautiful woman ever, now i know where she got it from.
Image credits: privatesunoboru
#45 Great Grandma On Vacation. Can Anyone ID The Country??? [1960s]
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#46 My Grandmother And Her Friends (And One Of Them Rocking Ysl?) In The 60's. My Grandmother Is On The Right
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#47 Leaving Church Easter Sunday Morning In Grand Isle, La C 1960
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#48 Gemelas1965
Image credits: Carlos Colomo 25
#49 My Dad Was A Mod In The 60s (Here He Is On The Left Looking Uncharacteristically Mean)
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#50 My Grandma In The 60s
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#51 My Grandmother As A Bridesmaid At My Great Aunts Wedding - 60s
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#52 I Need Help Finding My Grandpa's Location Photo Is From 60's (I Dont Know If This Is The Right Place To Post It But I Couldnt Find Somewhere Else If You Now A Better Reddit For This I Would Apriciate)
Image credits: NextZookeepergame182
#53 My Parents In The Mid 1960s
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#54 My Parents At A Club In Beirut, Lebanon. Somewhere In The Mid 60s To Early 70s?
My dad was a Geologist and his work took them all over the Middle East and Africa for around 30 years.
Image credits: TX_MonopolyMan
#55 My Grandma Modeled In The 60s
Image credits: Anonymoussumoynoua
#56 My Grandma Meeting Debbie Reynolds C. 60s-70s
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#57 My Grand Parents In The 1960s In Baghdad
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#58 My Grandpa And Great Grandpa. Bootleggers From Manitoba In The 60s
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#59 Grandpa Backstage Up To No Good With This Beauty. Late 60s
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#60 My Mother And Father At A Wedding. Late 60s, Ireland
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#61 My Mum And Dad, Mid 60s, Sydney, Australia. The Hair, The Mo, The Skinny Tie Was Peak Fashion When They Arrived From Greece
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#62 My Grandparents In The ‘60s
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#63 My Uncle Jim Showing Off His Christmas Present. Vinyl From A '60s Pop Group
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#64 My Grandparents In The 60s (England)
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#65 My Grandma To The Left, Grandmas Sister To The Right And Their Friend In The Middle. 1960s
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#66 My Grandma Was A Lounge Singer In The 60's And 70's
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#67 My Great Grandparents, My Grandmother, And Her Sisters. Their Outfits Were Iconic (Circa Late 60’s)
(Left to right) My great aunt rocking her bell bottoms and sandals. My great aunt with a stunning pink dress and her iconic beehive. My grandmother stunting in her baby blue pantsuit along with her voluptuous do. My great grandparents in their matching outfits. My great aunt with her long straight black hair and her crocheted bag which she still has to this day.
Image credits: Natural-Knowledge782
#68 My Nana And Pop Pops At The Grand Canyon In The 1960s
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#69 Lady 1950/60s
Image credits: Internet Archive
#70 My Grandpa And My Mother 1960s Brooklyn, NY. Polish Immagrents
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#71 My Grandpa ( Right ) And His Bestfriend, Ca 1960
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#72 My Parents' Wedding, September 1960, Rhode Island. My Mother's Parents Are On The Left, My Father's Parents On The Right
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#73 My Mother 27 Y/O, Christmas 1960
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#74 Great Grandma In 50's Or 60's?
Wife has a family photo album with this picture of her Great Grandmother (who is currently 95) and sisters. We are guessing that this is maybe from the 50's or 60's.
Image credits: combatingcombatants
#75 My Mom, Great G And Grandmother Easter Sunday Morning 1960's
Image credits: thrifterbynature
#76 My Grandparents In 60s London After Leaving Guyana. My Grandmother Turns 93 Today
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#77 My Grandma Belly Dancing C. Late 1960s. She’s Currently 73 And Still Teaches Zumba And Step Classes In Her Spare Time
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#78 My Grandma In The Mid 20th Century (The 1960s) In A Kimono Longyi
Image credits: Kim_Bleuim_
#79 My Grandad And Grandma Looking Cool In The 60's With My Great Grandma
Image credits: FZJ80-96
#80 My Grandmother And Her Then Boyfriend, 1960, New Jersey. A Lot Going On In This Pic
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#81 My Grandmother And Her Sister On Christmas In The 1960s
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#82 Apparently My Grandpa Was A Greaser, Circa 1960
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#83 My Beautiful Parents In The 60's
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#84 My Parents On Vacation In Italy 1960s
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#85 My Parents, Somewhere In Texas, Sometime In The '60s
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#86 My Great Grandfather Told Me He Was "Stoned Out Of His Mind" When He Took This Pic Sometime In The Mid 60's While Working In A Hippy Community
Image credits: JoruusSkywalker
#87 My Mom Passed 5 Years Ago But Check Out Her Gothy 60s Witch Vibe
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#88 My Great-Grandparents At A Michigan Pow-Wow Circa 60s/70s (Cross-Post)
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#89 My Grandparents In The 60s. My Grandma Hated How Her Legs Looked So She Cut Them Out
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#90 My Grandma Sometime In The 60's. We Lost Her 8 Years Ago Today
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#91 People 1950/60s
Image credits: Internet Archive
#92 My Grandfather, Some Friends, And A Monkey. Circa Late 60s/Early 70s
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#93 My Parents In The 60s
If I’m not mistaken, they were 16 and 17 years old. My dad was a surfer and the drummer in a band, and mom was a beach bunny.
Image credits: fla-n8tive
#94 My Parents In The 60s
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#95 My Mom Sitting With Santa In The Late 60s
Wait omg his hand is on her rump ?
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#96 Christmas 1950/60s
Image credits: Internet Archive
#97 Catch Of The Day, 1950/60s
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#98 My Grandpa In The 60s
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#99 My Old School Parents, Sometime In The 1960’s
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#100 Dad Lino And Soccer Teammate
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#101 Grandma And Her Christmas Tree Circa 1960s
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#102 My Dad With What He Considered His First Nice Car. 1960s
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#103 People Outside Of 210 1950/60s
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#104 My Great Grandparents 1960's
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#105 My Mother And Grandmother Demonstrating Safety Standards In The 1960s
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#106 Lady 1950/60s
Image credits: Internet Archive
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