"September 7, 1968: Women's Liberation Protests Miss America.

(WOMENSENEWS)--On the boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., bathing beauties had been cavorting and competing for a title, a tiara and some cash since 1921.

In 1968, young members of a group called New York Radical Women focused on the enormously popular Miss America contest, with its runway parade mimicking the judging of animals at a county fair, forced competition for male approval and ludicrous beauty standards as a symbol of American women's oppression.

After alerting the media, over 100 women went to Atlantic City on Sept. 7, planning an afternoon of sloganeering--"women are not meat," for one--and street theater on the boardwalk. Into a large "Freedom Trash Can" they flung "instruments of female torture," including make-up, high heels, Good Housekeeping magazine, girdles, garter belts and bras. A jeering crowd of several hundred surrounded the protesters, along with newspaper and television cameras. Later, while the "show" went on in the convention hall, a few demonstrators dropped a banner over the balcony railing. It was the nation's first look at the words: "Women's Liberation."

Bra Burners

The bras stuck in the public imagination. Although the plan had been to set fire to the objects in the trash can, authorities withheld a permit to do so. Nonetheless, "bra burners" became the derisive shorthand for women's liberation, partly because reporters had been told everything would burn and partly because, escalating protests against the Vietnam War featured draft card burning. The phrase seemed to some a gender equivalent.

The demonstration and its coverage inspired some women in simple ways--no more leg shaving, for example. Others responded to the larger political message and went in search of a women's liberation group.

For several decades, in many parts of the country, beauty contests continued to be the targets of feminist protestors. Actions against Miss California pageants, for example, came to include thousands of people and theatrical touches such as a protestor's dress made of bologna skins.

While Miss America was losing her home grown commercial appeal--the show was dropped from national television because of failing viewer interest--international beauty pageants thrived, along with those for children like Jon Benet Ramsey and a spate of make-over and plastic surgery shows hit the airways. By the time Atlantic City asked Miss America to leave town, as they did this year, she seemed less like a piece of meat than a lady with a demure tea-cup left over from a bygone era.

Reference: Bernikow, L. (2005) September 1968: Women protest Miss America. Retrieve on 1 August 2012 from http://womensenews.org/story/our-story/050901/september-1968-women-protest-miss-america

This is a news on women protest against the beauty of miss america that women are being seen as a display. I believe that they wanted to voice up that women are not supposed to be judged like this. Throwing all the artificial representation of beauty to show their anger towards this. 

Based on my research, women started to protest, dare to stand for their rights, it somehow collide with the Hippie's idea which appeared in the end of 1960's where people started to go against modern materialism, yearning for individual freedom (Monet, D., n.d.). And of course during the 1960s, women association started to bloom.

"The National Organization for Women (NOW) is founded with the stand purpose of bringing "women into full participation in the mainstream ofAmerican society."

Reference: The Sixties: Moments in time (2005) Retrieve on 4 August 2012 from http://www.pbs.org/opb/thesixties/timeline/timeline_text.html

"..According to W. A. Ewing, for example, 'what put the body squarely in the centre of debate is not fashion but urgency.'"

Reference: Cavallaro, D. (2001) The Body. London: The Athlone Press.

I truly agreed this statement. What causes the body to constantly be a centre issues to talk about/debate is not fashion but such urgency or desire from the human about their body. It is because of human desire, their urge to do something to their body, to be skinny, introducing different kinds of diet product and that continuously keeping this a hot topic. In my opinion, fashion is a culture that it is being reflected in many forms, be it in outfit, make up, hairstyle, accessories, etc. It does not put the body into  a debatable issue, it is human urgency in their heart wanting to reshape their body and that urge lead to many impossible things to happen

The 1960s in context

The 1960s were a decade of political and social upheaval in Australia. Young people challenged the traditional values of their parent's generation and actively opposed the decisions of the government. Women demanded equal rights and others called for racial equality and a new consideration for the environment. Many more demonstrated against the Vietnam War, conscription and the nuclear industry.

Many of these protests were part of wider social movements taking place in other Western countries. Advances in communications technology meant that revolutionary ideas and voices of dissent could rapidly be transmitted and received around the world.

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Australia's population increased throughout the decade, as European and British migrants continued to arrive. The late 1960s also saw changes to the White Australia Policy, which permitted a small number of skilled Asian migrants to settle in Australia.

Women's rights and the Pill in the 1960s

In the late 1960s, many Australian women began to question the restrictive roles that society had assigned to them. Many women felt that there was more to life than raising children and taking care of the home. Others were dissatisfied at being confined to traditionally 'female' occupations like teaching, administration and secretarial work.

Women marched, protested and pressured governments in a bid to gain equal rights in all spheres of life including the workplace, education, politics and sport.

The contraceptive, or birth control pill was introduced in Australia in the 1960s. It had a significant impact on society, granting women greater sexual freedom and allowing them to control when and if they had children. The Pill also sparked much moral debate during the 1960s about pre-marital sex and promiscuity.

Indigenous rights in the 1960s

In a 1967 referendum, Australians voted overwhelmingly to recognise Indigenous peoples as citizens and allow them to be counted as part of the Australian population. This result followed a long campaign by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, who demanded better rights for Indigenous people and highlighted the poor conditions in which many lived.

The 60s hippie revolution

Throughout the 1960s, many young people became disillusioned by what they perceived to be the shallowness and materialism of contemporary society. Towards the end of the decade, many adopted an alternative 'hippie' lifestyle. Among other elements, the hippie movement included a rebellious style of dress, a reverence for nature, Eastern spiritual philosophy and experimentation with drugs like marijuana and LSD.

These radical changes in society were reflected in the new fashions, hairstyles and styles of music that emerged throughout the decade. While rock 'n' roll retained its popularity, the rise of hippie culture permeated mainstream fashion and music.

The Vietnam War

War broke out between communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam in 1959. America and her allies, including Australia, sent thousands of troops to Vietnam in an effort to stop the spread of Communism. In total, around 50 000 Australians served in the conflict between 1965 and 1972. Many of them were conscripted, which means their military service was compulsory.

Australians became divided over the issue of conscription and whether or not Australia should be involved in the war. Towards the end of the decade, thousands of people demonstrated against the government and some protests became violent.

Politics in the 1960s

Robert Menzies served as Australia's Prime Minister throughout the 1960s, until his retirement in January 1966. He was replaced by Harold Holt, who faced the challenge of defending Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War.

On 17 December 1967, Holt went swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria. He was never seen again and two days later was officially presumed dead. His remains have never been found.

After Holt's disappearance, John Gorton was elected as the new Prime Minister. In 1968, in the face of mounting opposition to the war, Gorton announced that no more Australian troops would be sent to Vietnam.

Reference: 1960s Decade in context (2012) Retrieved on 20 July 2012 from http://www.skwirk.com.au/p-c_s-14_u-189_t-507_c-1876/1960s---decade-in-context/nsw/history/australia's-social-and-cultural-history-in-the-post-war-period/social-and-cultural-features-of-the-1960s

Information on the social and political incidents happened in Australia. 

Totally Mod: Fashion, Make up, and Culture of the 60s

- “mod” comes from modernist, a term used in the 1950s to describe modern jazz. 

- Evolved into a fashion obsessed young people and a cult of the super cool in the 1960’s.

- The culture started in London and worked its way around to America.

Mod Fashion

- Ground-breaking mod fashions were brash, creative, and daring. Sixties fashion was owned by London, England.

- Set the scene and the rest of the world followed.

- Fashion revolution was all about the young crowd and started in the streets rather than the runway. Carnaby Street and Kings Road in London were the most popular places in England to shop, with Paraphernalia opening in 1965 in New York being the most famous in America. 

- Pastels from 1950's fashions, gave way to bright, bold color often in geometric designs.

- Mod clothes leaned toward ultra-short and sleeveless. 

- Popular styles were miniskirts, jumpers, shift dresses, patent rain trenches, patent leather go-go boots, and tights. 

- A popular outfit was coordinating a ribbed knit turtleneck with a miniskirt with matching tights with knee boots.

Mod Movies

- The Austin Powers movies show in great detail the mod movement in England, and pokes fun at some of the fashions and attitudes of the era. 

- James Bond movies of the '60's starring Sean Connery, with the Italian vistas, beautiful girls in mini skirts, and scooters. James Bond shows the cutting edge of the mod movement in the 60’s.

Mod movies showed what was hip and happening in London. Many times, these movies featured pop acts like The Beatles and the Dave Clark Five, and prominently displayed the fashions of the time.

Some other movies that personify mod style and culture:

• A Hard Day's Night (1964)
• Blowup (1966)
• Catch Us If You Can (1966)
• Ferry Cross the Mersey (1965)
• To Sir With Love (1967)
• Smashing Time (1967)
• The Touchables (1968)
• Wonderwall (1968)

Mod Hair

- Twiggy and Vidal Sassoon having a profound influence on short hair styles. 

- The most popular hairstyle of the mod era was the bob. Cut short and blunt and stick straight, this haircut was the epitome of '60's mod style. Thick bangs were also a crucial part of this haircut.

- Another popular haircut of the mod era was the "five point" Vidal Sassoon haircut, popularized by model Peggy Moffitt. This look was very similar to the bob - a short, angular five pointed pixie cut.

- The hairstyle in vogue for men at the time was similar to that of mod women. Men sported a shaggy crop of hair or a short cut with a burned in part, much like that of The Beatles.

• Five Point Haircut: as modeled by the fabulous Peggy Moffitt.
• Short Mod Hair: the ultra-short style worn by Twiggy

Mod Makeup

-  Lips were left bare, covered over with foundation, or even painted with white lipstick, so that all the focus could be put on the eyes. 

- Mascara was vital. Each application was so thick that the lashes clumped together looking like false eyelashes, which were also in style. 

- Eye makeup was harsh and heavy. Dark eyeliner was applied all the way around the eye, and eye shadow was applied to the entire eye lid. 

- Big, dramatic eyes were the ultimate fashion day or night. Unlike the natural hippie look of the same era, mod makeup was all about drama.


Mod Accessories

- Large plastic bracelets, huge round plastic earrings, and Lucite rings with polka dots were just a few accessories in Mod fashion. 

- Big or small boxy handbags in bright colors, or geometric designs. Most earrings were so big they had to be clipped on the ear instead of having posts for pierced ears. 

- Pale painted nails to match makeup or jewelry were very popular.


Mod Models

Mod models of the 1960's set the stage for the mod fashion movement, and their fashions were emulated by young women around the world.

• The first teenage supermodel was Twiggy, made famous with her small body, short hair, and classic mod eyes. Her thick, dense lashes had girls of all ages heading to the drugstore for a set of false lashes.
• Peggy Moffitt was an actress turned model and was known for her Japanese inspired looks and for her signature Vidal Sassoon haircut. 
• Edie Sedgwick was an American actress, model and heiress. Andy Warhol, the famous artist, considered her his muse.
• Veruschka was a famous German model known for her six foot frame and size 13 feet. It was said she could seduce a person with her limbs alone. 
• Wilhelmina Cooper was one of the most recognizable models of the 60’s, known for her swan-like neck and big brown eyes. She later opened her own modeling agency.

References: Totally Mod: Fashion, Make up, and Culture of the 60s (n.d.) Retrieve on  

20 July 2012 from http://www.fragrancex.com/Fragrance-Information/fashion-make-up-and-culture-of-the-60s.html

Mod fashion is definitely a very influential style not only in movies, make up even in hairdo, accessories. It was all centered around the young people.

After several attempts of researching the evolution of bohemian fashion during the 1960s, i realised that Bohemian fashion in the 1960s did not last very long. It only appeared around  1968 to early 1970s due to the Hippie's movement which was quite a short period of time. Therefore, i decided to shift my focus onto the 1960s modern fashion instead.

"By 1968, hippie-influenced fashions were beginning to take off in the mainstream, especially for youths and younger adults of the populous "Baby Boomer" generation.."

Reference: Hippie (2012) Retrieve on 1 August 2012 from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippie


Mod Fashion

- Fashion icon Twiggy+Jean Shimpton/ Mary Quant

* Wide eyes curtained by big fake false lashes (top +bottom)
* Bright block colors
* Graphic prints and colorful abstract geometric patterns
* Short, boyish hairstyle
* Masculine flat shoes like penny loafens
* Far fall, swing coats and capes.

Reference:
Braukamper, T (2011) 1960s Fashion: The return of the swinging 60s. Retrieve on 16 July 2012 from http://www.fashionising.com/trends/b--1960s-fashion-7918.html#author

This is basically the characteristics of Mod fashion in the 1960s. Since, the fashion that i want to do is about the Mod fashion of the 1960s, therefore this information can be used to reflect the attitudes of Mod fashion.

Body Image timeline

-By the 1950s, a thin woman with a large bust line was considered most attractive. The voluptuous (size 16) Marilyn Monroe set a new standard for women who now needed to rebuild the curves they had previously tried to bind and restrain.


- By the 1960s, slenderness became the most important indicator of the physical attractiveness following the arrival of model Twiggy. She weighed is at a shapeless six and a half stones had the figure of prepubescent boy.

- Despite America public with increasing body weights, Playboy magazine mag increased the promotion of slimness between 1959 and 1978.

- Miss America contestant were also found to be thinner over time and winners of the pageant after 1970 consistently weighed less than other contestants.

Reference : (2009) Body image timeline. Retrieve on 16 July 2012 from http://www.thesite.org/healthandwellbeing/wellbeing/bodyimageandselfesteem/bodyimagetimeline

This information is about the body image of the 1960s. It mentions the transition of curvaceous body at the end of 1950s to the early of 1960s due to the celebrity marilyn monroe. However, drastic change where people started to be conscious about their body image. Fashion icon twiggy with very skinny body. It also says that during that time american people were actually quite fat. On the contrary, the media did not bother about what was going on. Like playboy magazine, they continue to publish their magazine and in directly promoting the idea of slimness. Perhaps the promotion of slimness was a success that even the beauty pageant started to get concerned about their image and that  being slimmer and slimmer is beautiful. This information can be the supporting evidence on the body image of 1960s.