Holiday Dressing Is Going Full 1960s—Here's How to Get the Look

Jalil Johnson is aBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing editor in residence and New York based writer, fashion authority, and media personality who began his career as a stylist and later spent three years at Saks Fifth Avenue refining his eye for trend reporting, emerging talent, and brand storytelling. He now brings his expertise to his newsletter, Consider Yourself Cultured, and has also been featured in The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times, and Vogue named him one of the “New Faces of Street Style.”

We've officially entered the holiday season, which means repeat listens of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (or, in my case, Wham's "Last Christmas"), the annual sprint of gift ideas and shopping, and a steady stream of parties. Office gatherings where you suddenly learn way too much about your coworkers, dinners with friends, and every other event sprinkled from late November through December are all in play. This means one thing: You need a lineup of looks that can move with all your plans. When it comes to inspiration for holiday dressing, few decades deliver quite like the '60s.

As Anna LaPlaca mentioned earlier this year, there always seems to be a decade resurfacing. The '70s came back around in part thanks to Chemena Kamali's work at Chloé. Nineties minimalism seems to be in perpetual conversation, and quiet luxury and a fascination with Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's wardrobe help stoke the flame. (I wouldn't be surprised if interest in her style jumps again once American Love Story airs in February.) For looks that feel festive and genuinely wearable, the '60s deserve a closer look. The decade holds so many different style threads because the clothes mirrored everything happening in culture. Hemlines rose alongside the sexual revolution. The anti-war movement helped shape the flower-child crowd and the Woodstock aesthetic. The space race pushed designers like Pierre Cardin, Paco Rabanne, and André Courrèges to lean into metallic creations and mod silhouettes that captured the excitement of the future.

Below are five ideas with a direct line to the decade that can bring variety and fun into all of your holiday outfits, whether you're enjoying a charcuterie board in a conference room or kissing someone under the mistletoe at your friend's apartment.

1. Mod

Mod style centers on sharp and clean lines, A-line shapes, narrow lapels, and tailoring that reads crisp and graphic. The silhouettes almost feel architectural. Prints lean bold and geometric. This High Sport set checks all the boxes and then some. For a bit more warmth, layer a turtleneck underneath while keeping the proportions intact.

2. Brocade

Brocade ties into the decade's fascination with futurism and texture. It showed up often in cocktail looks woven in gold, silver, and deep jewel tones. The brocade jacket here does lean slightly '80s because of the sharper shoulder, but pairing it with era-appropriate pieces like a shift dress and Mary Janes brings it right back into the '60s conversation.

3. Color Blocking

Once temperatures dip, it's so easy to slip into neutrals every single day. Break things up by playing with color. Instead of diving straight into high-octane brights, reach for muted tones that still make an impression but feel softer for winter. Top things off with oversize Jackie Onassis inspired sunglasses that instantly add polish.

4. Bold Prints

You probably heard "Pucci girl summer" floating around this year, but that energy can absolutely carry into fall and winter. The trick with those lively, summery prints is grounding them in fabrics that feel seasonally appropriate. Corduroy works perfectly and is a strong alternative to denim in the colder months, which I've mentioned a few times (here and here). Corduroy pants with a subtle flare nod to the era without crossing into costume territory. For warmth, finish with a jacket reminiscent of Kate Hudson's Penny Lane coat in Almost Famous. Even though the film sits in the '70s, the late '60s were already inching toward that look. Think Woodstock and Palm Royale.

5. Metallics

Space was a huge cultural fixation, and designers responded with gleaming finishes, sculptural shapes, and, in Rabanne's case, literal metal pieces. You can bring some of that energy into your wardrobe with a silver sequin mini that feels modern but still nods to the original references. Add tights for warmth, and swap your usual black for white to bring a cool brightness to the look. Silver eye shadow is the final touch to keep everything cohesive without tipping overboard.