University of Massachusetts Boston students are able to get into the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) for free with a student ID — a widely unknown and highly valuable benefit. This is an awesome perk that everyone should take advantage of at one point or another in their college career.
If you, like many others, have yet to seize this opportunity and would like to milk your student ID for all it’s worth, get started by heading over to the “Hippie Chic” exhibit at the MFA, where you can travel back in time to the 1960s and 1970s to check out the most upscale psychedelic fashion trends of an era.
“Hippie Chic,” running from July 16 through Nov. 11, is the latest major exhibit to hit the MFA. It attracted an impressive 20,000 visitors in its first two weeks in Boston. Located at the Lois B. and Michael K. Torf Gallery (Gallery 184), the fashion flashback showcases 54 pieces that embody the rock ‘n’ roll inspired style of dress perfectly.
Take a walk through the exhibit and you’ll see that the fashion revolution involved cutting-edge trends including tie dyes, suede jackets, and a whole lot of trippy prints. Keep in mind that the pieces on display aren’t anything you’d find on someone camping out in at Woodstock.
“Hippie Chic” provides a glimpse into the retro styles of designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Geoffrey Beene, and Thea Porter. These Free People-esque fashions are representative of the haute couture which was uniquely inspired by none other than the hippies themselves.
Vibrant colors and ethnic patterns will have surround you as you wander through the exhibit. Materials including velvet and leather, beaded embellishments and patchwork, and fringe are all in abundance.
Strolling through the eclectic exhibit is a trip complete with music of the era playing from a vintage jukebox — the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, and The Beatles. The energy of the time period has been captured so carefully. It is easy to feel like you have stepped into a whole other generation.
Complete with shag carpeting and an Arnold Scaasi sari gown worn by Barbara Streisand in 1970, “Hippie Chic” exudes peace, love, and groovy vibes. Information is posted throughout the exhibit revealing fun facts about where exactly the designers got their inspiration.
Designers were influenced by subjects ranging from rock posters to anti-establishment attitudes during this era of rebellion and sexual revolution. Inspiration was found anywhere “from acid to Art Nouveau,” according to one sign. The idea of making clothes rather than buying them, embraced by many anti-consumerism hippies, played an important role in fashion trends as well. Designers incorporated hand-craftsmanship into their high fashion pieces in order to satisfy the demand for a handcrafted aesthetic.
Curator Lauren Whitley will be hosting a tour of the exhibition on Wednesday Sept. 11 from 6-7 p.m. in the Sharf Visitor Center. Go to mfa.org for more information on “Hippie Chic,” and umb.edu for more on student ID freebies.