This History of Hippies

Since the 1960s, many aspects of the hippie counterculture have been assimilated by the mainstream.

In the 60's, hippies sought to free themselves from societal restrictions, choose their own way and find new meaning in life. This made hippies instantly recognizable to one another and served as a visual symbol of their respect for individual rights and their willingness to question authority.

Hippies often chose brightly colored clothing and and the styles for the most part were loose and non-constricting. Styles such as bell-bottom pants, vests, tie-dyed garments, dashikis, peasant blouses, and long, full skirts with nature-inspired patchwork or non-Western clothing with Native American, African and Latin American prints. Much of hippie clothing was self-made in defiance of corporate culture, and hippies often purchased their clothes from flea markets and second-hand shops. Natural and foreign ccessories for both men and women included Native American jewelry, head scarves, headbands and long beaded necklaces. Tie-dyeing was very fashionable in the West in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as part of hippie style and still is today.

Hippie culture spread worldwide through a fusion of rock music, folk, blues, and psychedelic rock; it also found expression in literature, the dramatic arts, fashion, and the visual arts, including film, posters advertising rock concerts, and album covers.

Eventually the hippie movement extended far beyond the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and appeared in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and many other countries.

Neo-hippies, some of whom are sons, daughters and grandchildren of the original hippies, advocate many of the same beliefs of their 1960s counterparts. Drug use is just as accepted as in the "original" hippie days, although most neo-hippies do not consider it necessary to take drugs in order to be part of the lifestyle, and others reject drug use in favor of alternative methods of reaching higher or altered consciousness such as drumming circles, community singing, meditation, dietary practices, and yoga and dance.

The neo-hippie movement also inspired festivals and workshops that advocated alternative lifestyles, clean and sustainable energy, and unadulterated foods. Nambassa is also the tribal name of a trust that has championed sustainable ideas and demonstrated practical counterculture and alternative lifestyle methods since the early 1970s.

The neo-hippie movement has also morphed into the 'Green Movement.' The Green movement is a political and social movement which advocates goals common to Green parties, including environmentalism, sustainability, nonviolence, and social justice concerns. Supporters of the Green movement, called Greens, adhere to Green ideology and share many ideas with the ecology, conservation, environmental, feminist, and peace movements.

Some simply advocate ecological living is a life philosophy. Proponents of ecological living aim to conduct their lives in such a way that they have an all-encompassing awareness of earth and its processes. Each choice made under such a way of life requires a consideration of the consequences of the choice, and the way that the decision will affect the environment and all living things within it. Ecological consciousness and care for the earth are of paramount importance in the decision-making process.

1969 - Woodstock - Hippie Image Collage thru Youtube Video

Today's group of environment-friendly people are very diverse.

Goodbye Yuppies, Hello Greenies?

Cities banning plastic bags...it's a start.

Eco-Friendly in the Mainstream