By Debora Almeida, News Correspondent
The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) gave new meaning to “Throwback Thursday” last week as it welcomed students to its college open house. Students from all around the city were invited to visit the Hippie Chic exhibit, which runs until Nov. 11. The museum encouraged students to dress up in their own hippie chic outfits while viewing the exhibit that showcases traditional fashion of the Woodstock Generation, as the MFA christened it.
The gallery was divided into the different styles of hippie fashion: craft, trippy, fantasy, ethnic and retro. Each authentic look was accompanied by a plaque giving more information on the designer and who may have worn the outfit. The craft hippie section includes samples of handmade and hand-designed clothing. The MFA described it as “a hallmark of the counterculture’s rejection of consumerism” on a sign. This selection of outfits included uses of tie-dye, hand worked leather and suede pieces.
Fantasy hippie displayed example of the hippie’s “taste for theatricality” through their use of styles from the Renaissance. This included garments with high necklines, puffed shoulders and sleeves and details reminiscent of riding attire. Similar to fantasy hippie was the retro hippie display, where the outfits pulled inspiration from the 1930s and 1940s. According to the MFA, the hippies referenced old Hollywood looks resulting in the more glamorous of the hippie styles.
The MFA description stated that hippies were “inspired by idealized notions of exotic cultures and remote lands.” The fashions of the ethnic hippie features designs like bold patterns and fringe that referenced foreign nations and traditions. The ethnic hippie outfits are the most elaborate of the styles, featuring intricate beading and embellishments. This resulted in the iconic caftan look.
Trippy hippie was displayed in the center of the exhibit on rotating shag rug platforms. This portion of the exhibit displayed the “cosmic” and “psychedelic” clothing of the hippies experimenting with music and mind-altering drugs. The MFA aimed to display this “trippy” look through shiny and bright patterns resembling a kaleidoscope.
Mary Kate Lang, a freshman at Suffolk University, attended the event with a group of friends.
“I thought the exhibit was especially fascinating because a lot of the styles that the hippies had are now coming back into style and are kind of trending,” Lang said. “It was interesting to see the different types of hippie style are meshing into one hippie vintage style now.”
The “Throwback Thursday” event also included more interactive aspects. In another gallery, the museum featured the art of tie-dying. Various methods and techniques of tie-dying were taught to students. Each participant could leave with their own work of hippie art. Another way for students to experience the hippie lifestyle involved Volkswagen vans in the front courtyard of the museum. One van was entirely painted with hippie icons and rock stars. The other was styled as one would imagine a hippie van to be – fully decorated with pillows, blankets and rugs. Students were invited to try out the seats to put them in the mindset of a traveling hippie before they went inside the exhibit.
This college welcome helped remind students of Boston that they are always welcome at the MFA, with free admission with a college ID from partnering universities. Boston students also receive discounted film tickets and 10 percent off at the gift store.
Brian Johnson, a freshman economics major at Northeastern, appreciated that the MFA reached out to students.
“I really like the fact that the MFA had a college student night,” Johnson said. “It’s cool to see a whole bunch of college students looking at art.”
