The first generation of 1960s fashion, led by Quant, created the "minimalist" look - clothes that were childlike and easy to wear, yet daring, rebellious and provocative. Modelled by Twiggy with pale faces, big staring eyes, suggesting childish innocence.
Fashion and science were entwined with the use of white plastic for boots and brightly coloured PVC for raincoats and skirts. Strong geometric shaped were popular, and this included the Mary Quant "bob".
The second wave of designers included John Bates, Ossie Clark of Quaorum, Barbra Hulanicki of Biba and Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin who founded a studio on Carnaby Street. They created bright, fun dresses, skirts and tops, and were among the first to experiment with making women's trousers into flattering, sexy garments.
John Stephen was the "King of Carnaby Street". He designed cheap but flamboyant clothes for men, and was famous for his cravats, tight red corduroy trousers and fitted black shirts. Popular music was another means in which the young forged a separate identity. Recently developed transistor radios offered cheap and portable means of keeping up to date with the latest releases. Young people could enjoy almost continuous "pop" by tuninginto once of the offshore radio stations or, from 1967, BBC Radio One. Television programmes (Ready Steady Go!, Top of the Pops) helped spread the latest trends in music, dance, jargon, attitide and dress. Cheap plastic record players, records, and record shops, and, for some, discotheques, live concerts and festivals, made music available to all.
Elvis Presley heralded the arrival of a new type of youth music in the mid-50s. With is tight trousers and gyrating pelvis, the link he established between music, fashion and sex.
Skiffle groups began exploring this new rock style and from these emerged the British pop groups of the 1960s.
The development in 1960s pop was also dependant on technological change, including improvements in the production of singles which lowered prices and the advent of cheap record players and radio. Televisions, films and magazines also played a part of and they turned pop into a cult. The VSC harnessed ill-feeling in an outburst of radical activity including demonstrations in 1967 and again in 1968. On 17th March, 1968 there were violent scenes at an antI-Vietnam demonstration in London, near the American Embassy in Grosevenor Square. The same month, CND held a peaceful anti-war demonstration and six demonstrators were allowed to hand in a petition at the door of no. 10. A third protest took place, and still more violent, became known as the Battle for Grosvenor Square. The final demonstration in October 1968 in which 30,00 took part, was relatively peaceful
At Sussex, a speaker on the Vietnam War, was covered in red paint, while at Essex, 2 conservative MPs were physically attacked. Patrick Gordon-Walker, the Labour Secretary of State for Education and Science, was shouted down in Manchester and Dennis Healey, the Labour Defence Secretary, almost had his car overturned by Cambridge students.