25 Things From the 1960s That People Today Would Never Understand

Life for women in the 1960s was very different from life today. There was less of a range of choices, less modern tools, and a lot of good social rules. There was a certain way women were expected to behave, a certain way in which women were expected to dress, and a certain life that women were expected to live around the home and the family. What was commonplace for women in the 1960s would seem off balance for people now. There was a one major difference in clothes. Almost every day women wore dresses or skirts. Not all the time was pants considered acceptable attire for women, particularly at work, school or formal venues.

Things From the 1960s

Women wore gloves, hats and stockings to their outings. Neatness and good dress was of primary importance. The modern woman can wear jeans, shorts, sneakers or just about anything today. Hair was also a big part of fashion. A lot of woman spent a considerable time to make their hair perfect. Large haircuts were in. Women used to use hair rollers for sleeping with their hair rolled up for the night. To keep the whole hairdo in place they used strong hair spray. It was not uncommon for some women to visit the beauty salon weekly.

It was also more difficult to do household chores. People didn’t have the modern machines we have now in our homes. Cooking was longer and cleaning was more tiring. Often, women were expected to take up most of the household duties. They prepared meals, washed clothes, cleaned the house and looked after the children. It was not the norm for men to contribute as much as they do now. There were also fewer job opportunities available for women. Many were teachers, nurses, secretaries or shop workers.

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Dating was also quite a different thing. Often, young women had to wait to be asked out by men. Parents might be strict when it comes to dating. A girl may need to return home at a specific time. So, there were no mobile phones or SMS or social media for couples. If anyone wished to communicate, they would have to call the home phone. Sometimes a parent answered before the child, and this sometimes embarrassed her. The shopping experience was another one of the differences. No Internet shopping.

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Women would have to go to shops to purchase clothes, food or household goods. They would make lists on paper and bring cash. Beauty rules were also in force. Women were expected to have their hair done up, wear make-up and look pretty. For many, the 1960s were a good time to be around, but for many, there were limits in life for women. In today’s world, women have more freedom in their clothing, work, relationships and everyday lives. The 1960s demonstrate the changes that have taken place in the world.

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