The Beatles and their cultural influence
The Beatles and Muhammed Ali in the 1960s.
Background info:
The Beatles were formed in Liverpool in 1960, composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They became widely popular for their rock music style and the band identified with the counterculture of the time. The main songwriters were McCartney and Lennon, but sadly, in 1980 Lennon was killed by a gunshot. Despite this, the Beatles music still lives on and we can examine the influence of this group on fashion and indeed society.
The four men were known for their iconic 'mop top' hairdos, it had a massive influence on many of the youth from 1964 onwards. Back in the late 1950s to the early 1960s, teenagers and young people would wear very trim, dull suits but when the Beatles came about, they changed their looks to something more trendier. The group adopted collarless shirts in their early Beatle-Mania years but by 1967-68, they adopted bright, exciting colours and even adopted beards. Boots even came into fashion, these were known as "Beatle Boots" which were ankle-length and tight-fitting. A change from the traditional black shiny shoes. [1] And even better, long hair was acceptable for men!
Influence: Fashion
The four men were known for their iconic 'mop top' hairdos, it had a massive influence on many of the youth from 1964 onwards. Back in the late 1950s to the early 1960s, teenagers and young people would wear very trim, dull suits but when the Beatles came about, they changed their looks to something more trendier. The group adopted collarless shirts in their early Beatle-Mania years but by 1967-68, they adopted bright, exciting colours and even adopted beards. Boots even came into fashion, these were known as "Beatle Boots" which were ankle-length and tight-fitting. A change from the traditional black shiny shoes. [1] And even better, long hair was acceptable for men!
The lads combing each other's hair.
Impact on people
People strongly began to identify with the group, who challenged music and the rules of society in the 1960s. They also challenged Russia's Soviet Union, which was a strong uphold in the 1960s.
One person named Boris Grebeshikov stated: What the Beatles did [...] they gave us the opportunity to look each other in the eye and to say ‘Look, we are the same. We are the same. And the terms like capitalism, socialism, communism, they mean nothing because we’re human beings.’ Do you want me to prove it? [...] Listen to the Beatles. (“Paul McCartney in the Red Square”)
It seemed like the Beatles wanted the world to drop their differences and accept each other, to be equal. The group were probably the most important trendsetters of the 1960s and capture the true 'Hippie' essence. As of today, they are still strongly rooted in popular culture and I believe they will continue to be for many years to come.
Impact on people
People strongly began to identify with the group, who challenged music and the rules of society in the 1960s. They also challenged Russia's Soviet Union, which was a strong uphold in the 1960s.
One person named Boris Grebeshikov stated: What the Beatles did [...] they gave us the opportunity to look each other in the eye and to say ‘Look, we are the same. We are the same. And the terms like capitalism, socialism, communism, they mean nothing because we’re human beings.’ Do you want me to prove it? [...] Listen to the Beatles. (“Paul McCartney in the Red Square”)
It seemed like the Beatles wanted the world to drop their differences and accept each other, to be equal. The group were probably the most important trendsetters of the 1960s and capture the true 'Hippie' essence. As of today, they are still strongly rooted in popular culture and I believe they will continue to be for many years to come.
1. Taking America By The Storm- The Beatles, https://savannahtrujillo-thebeatles.weebly.com/fashion-of-the-beatles.html.
By Karis Chopping
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