? Many people talk about the 60-70s Chinese clothing, said it is a gray, blue, green. This is largely true, but it doesn't sum up the whole picture. For example, when I was in elementary school, white shirts and blue pants were standard. White shirts and blue pants were required, especially for important festivals such as June 1 Children's Day, 11th National Day, and important events such as school commencement and graduation ceremonies. Girls (primary and secondary school students) are required to wear white shirts and flowery skirts.
? In the late 50s, there was a huge poster on the streets of Dongdan, Beijing, with the slogan "Girls dress up", showing some girls in "brags", which was obviously influenced by Soviet clothing. In fact, I am afraid that the white shirts, blue pants and red scarves of the students, and the Lenin outfits and caps of the adults were all part of the Soviet cultural influence at that time. In some cities, Harbin, Dalian, Changchun and Beijing in the Northeast, there may have been more influence from Soviet clothing. And Tianjin, which is close to Beijing, has more influence from European and American clothing. Shanghai, needless to say, the "sea" clothing can clearly see the influence of the old tenant world of ten miles of foreign markets has always existed.
? In the 60s, there was a play, which was later adapted into a movie called "Don't Forget". In it, there was a young worker, Ding Shaochun, who was considered to be the quintessential pleasure-seeker. He hunted wild ducks to sell them at the behest of his mother-in-law, and liked to wear a leather jacket, woolen pants and leather shoes. That story is about a factory in the northeast, which shows that at that time, at least in large and medium-sized cities, there were some workers who still dressed well.
(A photo from the 1960s, reflecting the lives of female factory workers. They are trying on Bragi style dresses)
? In the 1960s, there were parades and celebrations every May 11th. Primary and secondary school students, workers and citizens dressed up in beautiful clothes. In Beijing, it was already cooler early in the morning on the 11th National Day, so many people still wore sweaters and undershirts. Participating in the parade of young people, brightly dressed, clean, showing the style of that era.
? In the 60s, there was a documentary on President Liu Shaoqi's visit to Indonesia, and President Liu's wife, Wang Guangmei, and Foreign Minister Chen Yi's wife, Zhang Xi, wore tailored cheongsam dresses, which made a deep impression on them. It is clear that the clothing of the time is still diverse.
? Perhaps it was the public opinion guided by literary works like "Don't Forget", or perhaps it was the ideology of promoting thrift and hard work that continued to play a role. In any case, from the mid-1960s onwards, the social atmosphere tended to be plain. Coupled with the fact that the Cultural Revolution had just begun to "break the Four Olds", many garments, such as cheongsams, suits, and high-heeled shoes, were regarded as products of "feudalism and capitalism", and people's choices of garments became more and more "revolutionary", or rather, homogenized. "or rather, homogenization. The result is gray, blue and green gradually become the mainstream of urban clothing colors.
? Gray blue became the mainstream, there are probably two reasons: one is the dye is ordinary, cheap, and relatively stable quality ? , do not lose color. The other reason is that most of the cadres' clothing in the 50s and 60s was gray, and workers' overalls were common in blue. As for the green color (including earthy yellow, yellow-green, olive green, etc.), it was the basic color of military uniforms at that time. At that time, "the whole country learns from the People's Liberation Army", and the status of the army was so high that military uniforms, even the old ones, became the most fashionable clothing in the minds of young people. At the beginning of the "Cultural Revolution", some of the children of Beijing's army compound turned out their father's old uniforms, which were made of exquisite tweed, the so-called "general's tweed", and when they wore them, a group of people rode their bicycles past them in a rather impressive manner. The impact of the general young people to wear the old uniform as an honor.
? If there is no old uniform how to show yourself? At that time, the more popular clothing for young guys was like this - blue top + suit pants + a pair of black elastic mouth cloth shoes + a white mask. There wasn't much to say about the blazer and pants. The shoes? Well, Beijing kids call them "loafers" or "shoes". The shoes must be black with black tops and black surfaces (not corduroy), white plastic soles (not red plastic soles), and white edges (not black). Here the so-called "not", is not enough "part", not upscale.
? Then again, the mask. At that time, Beijing sandy wind, fall and winter masks are normal. But then the boys get a mask and do not wear, but tucked in the lapel of the jacket, the mask with exposed. Girls covered their faces with masks, only letting others see their eyes. Such a dress, now in the park, those who dance sailor ladies are still fashionable, young girls seem to have inherited.
(The photo above is a parting souvenir of a partner who joined the army when we were in Jiangxi Dry School. If you look closely, you can see the mask strap on the lapel.)
? Previously mentioned sweater sweater undershirt, in fact, at that time can wear a sweater sweater undershirt is not simple. Because the wool was expensive and had to be purchased with industrial coupons, and someone had to know how to knit. However, in those days, people talked about helping each other. Neighbors and co-workers could help each other knit sweaters. I once had a sweater that was knitted by an aunt in my mother's unit.
? At that time, Beijing had four distinct seasons, which was reflected in the clothing, summer wear single, winter wear cotton, spring and fall to wear "clip", meaning at least two layers of clothing, or wear a sweater sweater undershirt, or even tweed jacket. So in the past to describe people with money, it is said that people have "four seasons clothes", what "single, clip, cotton, wool, yarn, silk, tweed, leather, mink, otter," to wear. But most people are not that particular. Big undershirts and big pants in summer, big cotton jacket in winter. Spring and fall days if there is no sweater sweater undershirt, some people wear fleece. That kind of fleece, pure cotton, inside a layer of fleece, very warm, the price is not cheap. There are also people sweater velvet are not, a little cold a little set of two coats, and then cold, early to put on the cotton jacket.
? Speaking of cotton jacket, at that time, there is no down jacket and other finished cotton clothing, most people are their own cotton floss do it yourself. That kind of homemade cotton jacket, do beautiful not easy, thin not carry cold, thick seem bloated. Therefore, some young people do not want to wear, would rather just wear a sweater, but also to maintain the shape. Beijing people call this "play single child".
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In 1975, the winter was particularly cold. I work in the bus company has a night shift, my mother gave me a big cotton jacket. The fleet has a big sister touched my shoulder part of the cotton jacket, said a sentence: "surely is the mother to do." What did she mean? Later, I realized that there was a folk saying that "a stepmother wadded up the sleeves and a mother wadded up the shoulders". The meaning is that the cuffs of the cotton is easy to flocculate, this part of the thicker, the general public pulled down the sleeves thought the cotton jacket is quite thick, in fact, people are most afraid of cold place is the shoulders and back.
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With that thick coat, I spent a few cold winters.
At that time, you had to wear cotton shoes in winter. The better cotton shoes were corduroy, plastic soles, and half-high waist. Better, is the army issued "big head shoes". For most people, leather boots or leather cotton boots is unthinkable.
Winter cotton shoes, summer sandals. At that time, the so-called "sandals" of most people might be a pair of cloth shoes, or maybe slippers. Even if you wear sandals, they are a pair of plastic ones. Of course, in Beijing, in my memory, children barefoot in the summer wearing cloth shoes sneakers more, really wear sandals less.
? Speaking of shoes, can not help but mention the sneakers. At that time, I also like sports, basketball, volleyball, track and field and so on like. At that time, to participate in sports competitions is generally a pair of tennis shoes or called track and field shoes, in fact, is the most common shallow gang thin bottom sneakers. At that time, what I wanted the most was the Shanghai-made "Back Power" sneakers. Although the shoes were not comparable to the current Nike shoes, the high-top canvas uppers with natural rubber soles were comfortable. I was at the May 7 Cadre School, often holding a basketball alone and practicing hard, a small goal in my mind is to be selected for the county team, to be able to wear the "back to force" shoes issued. The company's goal is to get into the county team and put on the shoes that I've been wanting for a long time.
? At that time, the clothing fabric is mainly cotton, what click cloth, poplin, tweed, corduroy and so on. Wool, tweed, satin, not the average person can wear up. To the 70s, began to have chemical fiber fabrics. One of the most famous is "indeed good". "Indeed" has a thick and thin, quite scratch, easy to wash and dry, wear-resistant, do shirts, uniforms can be, the feeling is not a cloth ticket. Although the price is a little more expensive than cotton, but many people still find a way to buy a wear. Nowadays, consumer attitudes have changed again, chemical fiber fabrics are a wide variety of products have become a road, cotton cloth has become a high-end product. Think about it, it's really like a lifetime ago.