The hippie movement, which began in the 1960s, rebelled against conformity. Individuals who embraced this movement went against the political and social grain of the time and expressed their dedication to the hippie lifestyle through their hairstyles and clothing, which was relaxed and natural. Whether you're dressing up as a hippie for Halloween or during everyday life, there are many simple hippie hairstyles from the 1960s that are easy to recreate.
Length
A prominent feature of the hippie movement was long hair. In opposition to society's standards, which dictated short, well-groomed hairstyles for men and cropped bobs for women, both sexes grew their hair out long. While bangs were optional, most hippies opted to keep their hair simple, natural and all one length.
Braids
In the 1960s, braids were used both as hairstyles and as styling devices. Long hair could be simply pulled back and secured into one braid or, for more creative looks, French braided or divided into braided pigtails. Another popular braided hairstyle was to braid a section at each temple and secure them at the back of the head to keep the hair off the face. Hippies also disliked using styling products and appliances. Instead, individuals with straight hair would braid their hair when wet and allow it to dry, creating loose waves when undone.
Waves
Hippies often wore their long hair loose, flowing and wavy. As outlined previously, those with naturally straight hair could create wavy hairstyles easily, and without the use of styling products or heated appliances, by allowing wet hair to dry while braided. A single braid will suffice for very loose waves but, if tighter, smaller waves are desired, more braids are needed.
Headbands
The hippies of the 1960s adopted headbands that, instead of securing hair away from the face, encircled the forehead. These headbands were often tied or secured with pins at the back of the head and allowed the fashionable long hair of the time to flow freely. Hippie headbands were often made of single strands of leather, braided leather or ribbons. Flowers were often tucked into headbands to add to the natural look of the hairstyle.
Clothing
The hairstyles of the hippie movement were complemented by a variety of clothing trends. Bell-bottom jeans were often worn alongside fringed or leather vests, tie-dye T-shirts, flat leather sandals, leather belts and halter-style tops for women. Hippies embraced accessories such as circular glasses, beads and patches, pins and jewelry emblazoned with the "peace" symbol.