Sunday, September 18, 2011

Fashion - Sensual Lethal: 60s Mini Skirts, Knee-Length Boots





















Singapore Pop Music Sixties Minis As Short as K-Pop's Blackpink in 2021:

UP TO 3,200 VIEWS

When the girl-group appeared on stage with mini skirts accompanied by twanging strings, the boys on the dance floor with their pint of beer in hand were goggling at the pink flesh on display. They were hardly listening to the guitar music that the band was belting out.

This scene was common in the mid-60s when Mary Quant made her fortune and the mini-dress found its own energy as acceptable female toga both on the entertainment scene and on the streets. From the Liverpool clubs in England to the Lost Horizon in Singapore, the ladies were liberated at last.


















Simultaneously, when the skirts became shorter, ladies' boots became longer and this knee-length footwear became the next fashion icon. Although female boots had been in existence long ago, paired with the short skirt, both slithered their way to a uniquely sensual combination. Knee-length socks too made their comeback.

Taking advantage of the trend, who should come sauntering round in February '66 but the daughter of 'ole blue eyes'. Sultry Sinatra strutted, sang, showed off her legs and insisted that These Boots Are Made For Walking.

Nancy became the pop icon that year and the song soared to the top of the charts both in the US and internationally, gaining recognition as the boots walked right up to South Vietnam to entertain the servicemen there.




















These outfits were truly attractive and sensational, especially when they were first introduced in Singapore and worn by our Asian girl-groups. In the 70s when discotheques charmed our island, night-clubs would have witnessed the sequined version that created Night Fever as they sparkled and shimmered under disco and strobe lights. John Travolta's white suit remained in the shadows.


So whatever the colour combination, whether it's white with red boots, shining silver throughout, florals on white with white boots or just jet black like Nancy's, these girls looked resplendent and held the stage all the way (images).

Finally here's a message to the youths of today. If you think your K-Pop girls (Korean-pop), like today's Blackpink, with their minis and boots are sexy, you should have seen our girls in the 60s. They were the originals. Cheers everyone... And bottoms up!














Images: 
1 YouTube screen grab Nancy Sinatra. 
2 The Reynettes, Hong Kong Pop Group. 
3 The Idaly Sisters at the Lost Horizon, Singapore. 
4 Mimi n Taiwan 
5 Petal Girls, Taiwan Pop Group. 

Thanks to all the generous YouTube contributors with their videos and images.

Original article: Andy Lim.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

show more, show more andy. sixties fashion at its best. its not all music please.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hullo there,

Thank you anon for visiting. I don't know what you mean by, "show more."

Because it's a 60s local music blog I have constraints and fashion postings come indefinitely.

Perhaps you can show more yourself, by revealing your name.

Do visit us again with more comments.

Anonymous said...

From yesterday.sg on Sep 11th 2011:

'If you thought we were racy now…'
Posted by noelbynature under Lifestyle:

If your parents were anything like mine, you might have heard them mentioned at one time or another that ‘girls these days’, particularly pop music entertainers, were getting increasingly ‘daring’, corresponding to the increasing amount of flesh that was bared. But was that really the case, mom and dad?

Andy from the Singapore 60s pop music blog showcases some of the more revealing fashion styles from the 60s.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

The world spins and so does fashion. What's seen today was around yesterday. Our girl-bands wore skirts shorter than short a long time ago.

My thanks again to 'noel by nature' who has been selectively choosing articles from Singapore blogs for publication under yesterday.sg

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

From RP, private email:

Naturally China Doll is the choice. But one needs to be wary.

Sent from my iPhone

Simin said...

Hi Andy!

To think that my mom tells me off for wearing shorts now, I should show her these photos.

ps: I do read your blog!

Simin

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi RP,
Thanks for posting. Appreciate your choice of charm.

And welcome home. It's been a long journey hasn't it?

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

No, no Simin listen to your mom. With long legs, skirts must definitely stay long.

These girls are entertainers and have all the excuses in the world to show them off.

With the cold weather now, you may catch a chill by over-exposing yourself. (Just kidding!)

Thanks for visiting. Please come again soon.

Thimbuktu said...

Thanks for the memories Andy.

The 1960s influence of both music and fashion of the mini-skirt and knee length boots from the west have come and go.

Boots are really made for walking...love this song by Nancy Sinatra.

Cheers!

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Thim,

Thanks for the visit. I don't know that the "mini-skirt and knee-length boots from the West have come and gone..."

In fact, as I have mentioned on this posting, they're still peeking around and get shorter all the time.
Cheers.

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ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

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henri gann said...


alright Andy, you might as well include this comment from another of my "coolest" daughter melanie gan :)
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STEPHEN HAN said...

Mini skirts made the girls with sexy legs look good.