Time to Get Groovy with Tie Dyes
/Oh the 1960s...
Those who lived through it remember Vietnam and the Cold War, Counterculture, and Woodstock. Those who came after know the legacy of The Beatles, The Feminist Movement, and the ubiquitous print that exploded during the time, the tie dye.
ancient Chinese tie dye source: chinaculturetour.com
A Brief History of Tie Dyes
In ancient times, cloth was folded, twisted, and dipped in materials like safflower, turmeric, blackberries, and sage to color certain areas of the cloth. Different intensities and shades were achieved by dipping the section into dye multiple times. Ancient tie dye styles and techniques likely traveled along trade routes and the Silk Road to evolve into the psychedelic prints we know and love today. While many cultures tie dyed, they did so for different reasons:
- Egyptians buried their dead with dyed cloths
- Low caste peoples in India used tie dye to project higher status
- In sixth century China, only priests and the very wealthy could wear tie dye
- Tie dyeing was encouraged during the “waste not want not” era of the Great Depression to breathe new life into old items
janis joplin 1969 source:boredpanda.com
Tie Dyes of the 60's
Rejecting established norms, tie dyes of the 60's emerged as a representation of youth counterculture and were meant to embody peace, love, and freedom. This existed in stark contrast to the traditional middle class values of the prior generation. Animosity towards commercialism inspired hippies to buy secondhand clothing or get creative by wearing beads, tie dyed shirts, and no shoes.
Despite any personal feelings towards hippies, “Sticking it to the Man” left us, at very least, with a cool style we can reinvent and refresh every few decades.
With a myriad of cheerful colors and designs, it’s no surprise that this embellishment has stood the test of time and touched so many different cultures.
In the 70s, the trend was worn with platforms and bell bottoms, while the 90s saw it oversized and paired with butterfly clips. Luckily, we are far past the trite, yet groovy styles, and Spring 2017 fashion is gearing up for the return of tie dyes.
trend report 2017 Source: wwd.com
Tie Dyes - Reinvented for Today
While classic rainbow spirals may always reign supreme, we usher in new designs in the latest color palettes that some may even call sophisticated. High fashion uses the print in muted, neutral colors to enhance simply designed outerwear and separates in fabrics like cotton and polyamide.
Yet this look can now be adapted to fit a myriad of personalities and lifestyles...
Festival goers pairing a tie dyed kimono with cutoff shorts and crop tops; young women evoking effortless, romantic LA style with a breezy tie dyed maxi dress and sandals; teens wearing cropped, boxy style tie dye shirts with converse and leggings; subtle, lady like pastel gradations on a woman’s blouse are paired with dark rinse skinny jeans; and a gym devotee sports a tie dye sports bra and socks with her workout gear.
This trend now touches every garment imaginable:
- Bathing suits
- Sneakers
- Sweatshirts
- Bodysuits
- Crop tops
- Backpacks
- Tunic Dresses
- Socks
- Kimonos
- Sports bras
- Maxi dresses
- Headbands
- Leggings
Tie dye is a unifier. Everyone wears it and so can you.
Can you dig it?
