The word hippie conjures up many different images. Someone fondly remembers John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Indeed, everyone remembers stories of Woodstock with music and marijuana wafting through the air. Those are good memories but hippies had ideals. Participants wanted a world where people lived in peace. Here’s a look at the movement and what it was all about.
Origins
The Hippie Movement was an offshoot of the Beatnik Movement of the 1950s. The Beatniks protested the wrongs of their day by writing poetry. Male Beatniks wore loose-fitting shirts, goatees, and sunglasses. Females wore loose-fitting clothing as well. Further, they wore lots of makeup and large hoop earrings. The Beatnik movement turned into the hippie movement and the rest is history. Hippies were known for peace symbol jewelry and clothing that featured flowers. Fashionistas who want to see replicas can learn details at jayli.com.
Interestingly, most hippies were white and from middle-class backgrounds. They were united by the idea that they were misunderstood. Some say the movement started in the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco. On the other hand, many believe the movement started on college campuses and spread. There’s also another theory that the movement grew from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Some believed Kennedy’s assassination was part of a government cover-up and there were many conspiracy theories. A lot of young people did not feel safe.
Lifestyle
The common thread among hippies was the desire for a peaceful world. They were opposed to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and participated in the civil rights movement. How did hippies show their support or opposition to something? They used sit-ins, music and plays, and rallies. They were seen as anti-establishment and indeed the movement was. Hippies were free spirits who wanted to get away from society’s mores. One way they did this was by using hallucinogenic drugs and participating in “free love.”
Hippie Music
Many hippies were musicians and music was used as a form of expression. Any big concert was the hot ticket of the day. People traveled miles to attend these concerts where drugs and sex were plentiful. Woodstock, which lasted for four days, was the most well-known of the concerts. Over 450,000 people attended creating a huge traffic jam. The traffic was so bad many state and local laws were passed because of it.
Hippie Influence
The Hippie movement has died down but some aspects of it never will. Many of the clothes worn today are taken from the counterculture looks of the 1960s. Missoni featured pleated skirts and long fluid maxi dresses in the 2020 resort collection. Moreover, there will never be a shortage of young idealistic people. Just look at Greta Thunberg.
Lasting Impressions
One of the most memorable parts of the movement was the 1967 demonstration at the Pentagon. 100,000 hippies and other young people were met by 2500 soldiers. Many of the scenes are similar to those in 2020 when young people protested police brutality.
The Hippie movement is over but things will never be the same. People of all backgrounds are willing to take to the streets to protest for many different reasons. Never again will people be silent. Questions will be asked before the U.S. military invades a foreign country. There will always be someone to lobby for peace. Hippies are also credited with recognizing the benefits of breastfeeding. They promoted breastfeeding when everyone else was using formula.
