Read on to discover the origins of “flower power,” the concept’s influence on fashion, and what flower power fashion means today.
ORIGINS OF “FLOWER POWER”
“Flower Power” is a term widely known throughout the world as a byproduct of the countercultural revolution of the 1960s. This “revolution” marked a period of cultural rebellion from the status quo within the United States. The revolution was mostly led by teenagers and young adults, people seeking a more authentic and free lifestyle than that of their parents.
A Brief History
It really all began with the birth of the concept of the “American teenager” during the years following WWII. As families reunited after the war, many Americans returned to a family-focused life. This focus often became too stifling for the children older than 12, yet too young to be considered an adult. It was no longer commonplace to marry during teenage years as joining the professional workforce became the norm. A child’s “in-between” years of childhood and adulthood became an angsty stage of yearning to leave the nest. The generation (“baby boomers”) of angsty in-betweens also yearned for a freedom from the societal structure and expectations awaiting them outside the nest. It became a time to rebel.
The military draft and U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War also played heavily into the inspiration for the youth rebellion. Many citizens did not find controlling the spread of communism across the globe a good enough justification for risking American lives. Additionally, further civil unrest was spurred by the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement occurring at this time. Calls for “peace and love” spread across the country as the anti-war and pro-freedom sentiments grew.
Origins of the Term
In 1965, Beat Poet Allen Ginsberg coined the term “flower power” in his essay “Demonstration or Spectacle as Example, As Communication, or How to Make a March/Spectacle”. “Flower Power” evoked an image of flowers covering the front line in protest. Flower Power represented “fighting” violence with peace. It stood for the promotion of love, kindness and peace instead of the demotion of violent acts.
The youth rebellion and love-spreading campaigns quickly radiated throughout American culture. It became a trend to wear flowers in one’s hair, painted on the face, or sewn onto clothing. The flower became a national, thus international image of the desire for peace in a time of unrest. This desire and image made lasting impressions on the country – and world’s – expression of music, art, education, and fashion.
Flower Power Today
So, the flower became the image for peace.
The flower image has resonated so strongly because it represents a positive, more evolved response to dark truths of our world. People remember the protests of the 1960s with a slight smirk and witty remark because they know it was different.
Would we remember this time period so well had we mainly used more violence against violence? No. We remember this time because of the power of love it spread.
There’s a saying that goes “you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Well, this translates to “we can do more good with good than with bitterness.”
Fast-forward fifty-some years later and flower power is still expressed and worn by the youth. It is still common to see teenagers wearing flower crowns or bohemian free-flowing clothing. Popular music festivals such as Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lightning in a Bottle continue to encourage the positive love-spreading style.
The modern “hippie trend” may be distilled from its origins of strife, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the image of flower power is still supported.
GREAT…so really, what does flower power mean today?
The Power of Flower Power in Image…in Fashion
We are all walking billboards these days. This is simple fact (read this post about why). Therefore, fashion is extremely important as an expression. We make statements in what we wear. So let’s pick the right statement to make.
What doesn’t go out of style? Love and truth.
Truth seems to have gotten a little groggier these days. Well, it’s not. Because the truth is that we are nature. Period. That’s all you need to know.
Flower power means remembering that YOU ARE NATURE. So WEAR YOUR POWER, flower child. Time to support more love and truth. Let’s just be, flower child. Time to be.
