Styles in the 1960s

Advertisement Showing Women's Coats
Examiner Group and Carlow Nationalist.

This advertisement from Shaw's Department Store, Tullow Street, Carlow, shows a range of women's coats from the late 1960s. Life in Ireland was by then emerging from the shadow of the Second World War.

The styles shown reflect a more generous use of fabric and luxury trimmings. Bold checks and large buttons were popular. The local Carlow shops offered a wide range of clothing in fashionable styles.

As more and more people had access to televisions, they became influenced by the famous people of the day. Many women loved the style of Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John F. Kennedy of the United States.

The 1970s brought new developments in fabric technology. New man-made fabrics like 'crimpelene' and 'tyrolene' made life easier for housewives, as these fabrics could be washed and dried very quickly. Skirts could be pleated in finer wool fabrics. This made pleated tartan pinafore dresses and skirts a popular choice for girls throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.