Beatnik fashion was at its peak during the 60s and was loved by everyone who were looking to restore their dull life and want to stay away from obedience. Beatnik style was also very popular among artists as well like Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, and many more.
Today we will be looking at what exactly beatnik is and what are the different trends which you can consider making an outfit. The generation in which Beatnik got popular was also known as the beat generation.
What exactly is a Beatnik?
During the early years of 1950s, adapting to the majority was a huge thing and can be seen almost everywhere from the foods they eat to the outfits they wear. Similarly, if look at men’s fashion during that era, then it consists of the typical fashion pieces like black suits, dress shirts, etc.
In any place consists of adaptation to the majority, then it reduces the chances of being rebellion, which brings us to the beatnik fashion. The main change in fashion was actually brought by different artists, novelist, musicians, etc. which just hit America like a storm.
This change in fashion was effortless and didn’t have any features of adapting to the majority fashion sense and was eventually known as beatnik in 1958.
To explain male beatnik fashion in simple words, then it is a fashion which allows you to express your creativity with a touch of rebellion. When it comes to the style of beatniks, then it consisted of different pieces from turtlenecks to rugged jackets.
Dressing like a beatnik
The beatnik style can be considered as timeless a creative which just sounds like something which fits in today’s fashion world. After so much information about beatnik you might be wondering how you can pull this style off.
Fortunately, this style is pretty easy and simple to pull off. Therefore, here are some essential items which you will need to have a Beatnik outfit.
TurtleNeck
Turtlenecks are an essentials in today’s fashion world mainly because of the versatility and class it offers. You can style a turtleneck in different ways depending on what style you are looking for. Coming to the Beatniks, then turtlenecks were popular during that era as well and continued to be a part of men’s fashion world.
You can wear a turtleneck on its own or layer them with different outerwear without facing any major problems. The best part about turtlenecks is that you can wear them the whole year without worrying about looking out of the place considering you pair them with correct pieces and fabric.
If you are looking to have that beatnik fashion, then start things off by getting a turtleneck in darker shade which fits you perfectly to have that masculine appearance.
Dark and Oversized Glasses
If you are looking to add some accessories in your beatnik outfit, then always remember that less is more. Nonetheless, there are some exceptions here, oversized glasses. These big glasses were a big part of 80s men’s fashion, and they still hold some class in them.
If we look at different outfits from the 60s, then you will find a lot of them with a classic wayfarer shades, cat eyeglasses, and basic ones with black rims. If you are looking to have an outfit which just stands apart from others, then playing with some of these shades would be a great idea.
Wide-leg pants is an underrated piece of fashion because it offers great level of comfort along with a casual look. For a beatnik styled outfit, you have to consider wide-legged pants as it was seen in a lot of artists of that era.
This outfit will give help in getting that relaxed look without affecting the style of your outfit. Pair your wide-leg pants with some simple apparels and you are good to go. To make an outfit with wide-leg pants you can try pairing them with a printed shirt and layer some loud accessories.
If we look at today’s fashion world, then we can see that flare pants are popular in different shades of white and are paired with a contrasting top. However, it is not necessary to follow this color combination when you are styling in beatnik.
Striped Shirt
As we are talking about classic apparels, then leaving behind the striped shirts might not be the best thing which you can do. These are iconic piece of fashion coming from the beatniks. For the striped shirts you can try looking towards some monochromatic striped shirts. These shirts were seen as something which is straightforward in terms of fashion while being super refined.
You can style a striped shirt solo or just layer it with a jacket. For striped shirt you do have different option in the sleeve length ranging from short to long. For the color section it is advised to stick to the classic option of white and black.
Black Jacket
If you have googled beatnik fashion before, then you must have come across some images which consisted of people pulling off some stylish and fitted black jacket. Having a classic and stylish black coat is really important because it acts like the finishing touch to your outfit. This is one of the main reasons why you should include them in your outfits.
You can try going for some practical peacoat or the classic leather jacket depending on what suits you in the best possible way. Irrespective of what type of jacket you are going with always make sure that it fits you perfectly. For the color of your jacket try sticking to shades of black or grey.
Skinny Jeans
When we are talking about skinny jeans then we are talking about something which is slim and smart. As we are styling in beatnik fashion, then the main idea behind the outfit is going against the usual traditions. Therefore, skinny jeans were used in the beatnik style because it was a rebel against the usual loosely fitted pants.
The best part about skinny jeans is that you can easily add them to today’s modern wardrobe without having any second thoughts. You can just go with any washed skinny fitted jeans and pair them with a basic turtleneck, and you will be good to go.
Loafers
Footwears are considered as the finishing touch to any outfit which also makes them very important. when it comes to footwear in beatniks, then they are more on the relaxed side but do come with that trendy feel. Coming straight to the point, loafers are great option to have to finish off your beatnik outfit. You can try going with some black loafers which are comfortable and offer great style as well.
Beret
If you have seen a lot of beatnik outfits, then you must have an idea that beret is a common item in most of them. When we are talking about beatnik fashion, then it did focus on being minimal, but this does not mean you cannot add accessories in your outfit.
For the beret, then you can stick to the classic black option which is classy and goes perfectly well with most of the beatnik outfits. Apart from berets you do have the option to go with some fedoras as well. This change will help in adding that modern touch to your beatnik outfit.
final word
Beatnik fashion was at its peak during the 60s and this was an article with some of the important factors which you should know about beatnik fashion to pull it off. Obviously, there is always enough room to add some of your own fashion touches to the outfit to have that retro and stylish looking outfit.