John Lennon glasses, flowers, long flowy hair and dresses. This is the image that comes to mind in the present day when we think of the word “hippie.” Their carefree style is definitely a part of being a hippie but there are other important parts of the subculture that we sometimes forget to take into consideration.
Hippies present themselves with a carefree style, there’s no doubt about that. Their carefree attitude doesn’t just exist in their style, though; they maintain this attitude in their lifestyle and outlook on life. From their well-known preference for being barefoot, comfortability with nudity to supporting certain policies (like legalizing marijuana), hippies definitely stand out from the crowd.
Hippies were part of a youth movement and subculture that supported a sexual revolution and drug use (started in an effort to promote freedom of the mind and to explore altered states of consciousness) in the 1960s. They stood for peace and did not promote war. San Francisco was one of the most notorious places where “hippie culture” was made popular with the start of the Summer of Love and the 1969 Woodstock Festival. At these movements and festivals, rock and roll, folk, and soul music was highly popular. Rolling Stones was among the many bands that reached stardom during this era.
Hippies continues to serve as revolutionaries and leaders in the present day, taking firm stances on certain governmental values and policies. Some of the liberal issues they have fought for include the use of nuclear weapons and the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. They also fought to embrace an eastern philosophy of sexual liberation. In a nutshell, they choose peace, love, and freedom over political authorization (“All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles).
They continue to be an influence in lifestyle, fashion, and state of mind, succeeding by bringing their movement to other countries in the present-day and maintaining their revolutionary image.