Minis, Mary, and the Mad Fight for Morality

Today most women living in urban areas own a dress with a hemline more than five inches above their knees. It’s become so common it’s no longer a statement but a staple. It might be difficult to imagine a dress so simple holds such a prominent place in women’s history. 

Sixty-one years ago the miniskirt hit the market in London, with Mary Quant at the forefront of modern designers.

Whether you believe she truly invented the look or not, they’re no denying how synonymous her name became with the movement.

Mary Quant started her business in London, at her iconic boutique, “Bazaar.” It was fresh, new and unlike other fashion houses, it was completely accessible to the youth. The mini quickly became a global phenomenon, and just as quickly a subject of heated debate. Across the world schools, collages and businesses were discussing the moral implications of the miniskirt. 

Men in positions of authority questioned if the miniskirt would lead to to young girls becoming more promiscuous, and stated the minis were “a call for the attention of young men.”  (As we have seen many times in history, they were wrong.) Although there’s no denying some girls liked the attention it may have brought, there were so many other reasons girls were flocking to the new fashion. 

The mini represented the shift in fashion being tailored to the culture rather than the culture being influenced by the fashion. It was fresh start for women who could access new styles readily without the need to  have garments custom tailored. The mini also had the advantage of simplicity. Its simple lines and short length made it easy to sew with little fabric making it an affordable and attractive option for women who sewed their own clothes.

Miniskirts became so politicized, when Dior didn't feature any minis in their 1966 collection a group of young women picketed with signs reading "Miniskirts Forever!' (God bless these women, I want to be just like them.) This type of pushback wasn't completely unheard of either, all over Europe and America young girls were demanding the right to wear their skirts however they liked.

Mary Quant famously stated: “I didn’t have time to wait for women’s liberation.” 

It’s a rather simple quote. It wasn’t a matter of wanting to make anyone upset, or become a big hero in the women’s liberation movement. It’s was simply the idea that Mary (and many other women) wanted to wear what they wanted on their own terms. 

In 1966 Mary Quant was awarded the OBE at Buckingham palace, and arrived wearing one of her own miniskirts. Sparking further media controversy and solidifying herself as an icon in both the fashion industry and women’s history.  

Today the miniskirt is largely excepted, and Mary Quant has gone done in history as one the greats.

Finding Fashion

A personal guide for becoming confident in your own style. 

We’ve all been there, staring in the mirror knowing if you actually wear that outfit people are going to notice you. This of course brings the terrifying realization we are constantly being perceived. Will people like it? Will they say rude things about it? What if they pretend to like it and then say rude things behind your back? All of these questions flow into your brain and maybe you decide not to wear the outfit. 

I make bright over the top clothes for a living and still sometimes find myself wondering if I’m being “too much.” Growing up in a tiny mid-western town isn’t an experience I recommend for individualists. As a kid, I would have grown adults telling me I dressed weird. when I was a teenager, I was told by my friends’ parents my dresses were too short and I was being “ungodly” by wearing them. People made assumptions about my sexuality when I cut my hair to a pixie. I even went through a phase where I only wore Bermuda shorts and oversized T-shirts in an effort to fit in. (Hard to believe isn’t it?) When I was in my later teens, I battled depression and anxiety as a result of being bullied and feeling unaccomplished. When I turned eighteen I made a goal; I was going to start doing all the things I’d been afraid to do as teenager because of how people would perceive me. 

I started wearing whatever I wanted, including capes, huge themed earrings and miniskirts. I went to the movies alone, spent my spare time working on my car and saved my money for travel. It took almost a year before I started feeling like myself again. I spent all my savings on two trips the following summer, both of which impacted me on a deeply personal and spiritual level. Then in early fall, I moved to the big city and experienced something completely  unexpected; kindness. Growing up I’d always heard about how rude New Yorkers were, and that’s what I expected to find. Instead I found a community of people who didn’t care how I dressed and accepted me anyway. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of rude New Yorkers! But there’s so many wonderful people there too. 

I took their kindness to heart and learned a lot while I was there. I learned how to express myself without fear of rejection and I learned no matter what you wear, say or do, there will always be people who don’t like it and people who do. 

So why is personal style so important? In short, it’s a practical application of freedom of choice. Wearing the clothes you want to wear gives you a sense of control and comfort. A study I read on Science Direct coined the term “enclothed cognition” referring to how the clothes you wear actually have an effect on how you act. Their study showed people who wore a lab coat to work in the lab were more focused and assured in their work than those who didn’t. They went on to explain that wearing the right clothes often gives us a sense of importance. In an old sewing textbook I read recently the writer suggests “When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through your usual beauty ritual. Have on a clean dress, and file your nails.” 

I initially brushed off the advice as midcentury sexism, (the first sentence just sets wrong with me, but the book was published in 1949, so I guess I shouldn’t set high expectations). Though I hate to admit it, I understand their sentiment. If I choose to stay in my pajamas all day I almost always have a less productive day than if I get dressed in something that makes me feel confident. 

So how do we find our personal style? By experimenting! By wearing whatever appeals to us until it comes second nature. In todays world we have access the internet and some of the most valuable tools for developing our own style: documentation and connection. 

Documenting your journey (whether you post it online or not) is a great way to track your progress and see what outfits feel the most like you. 

Connection is equally important because not only does it build community with people it also becomes a resource of inspiration!  Any social media app tends to be a great place to find connections, if you’re on Facebook try finding a group with a similar aesthetic as yours, on Instagram don’t be afraid to reach out to other creators! Most people love to talk about their interests and all you have to do is open the door for conversation. 

Surround yourself with people who encourage you, and distance yourself from those who want to drag you down. Once you start wearing the outfits and stepping out of your comfort zone the confidence will come with it.

-Coco Elouise Marie

New Year, New TBB

Happy New Year, Babes! There's been so much happening behind the scenes the last few months, I cant wait to share it all with you! However, before I let you in on the excitement and outlook for the brand over the coming year, I want to take a moment to celebrate everything that happened in 2024 and thank each and every one of you for being a part of this journey!

In 2024 The Belated Beatnik...

Cut each collection release in half, lowering the average number of pieces released from thirteen to about seven! Though this may not seem exciting or even worthy of celebrating to you as a consumer, to TBB it was a huge relief! With fast fashion companies releasing new collections every month or even week, it's difficult as a small business to not get caught up in the rat race and try to keep up by releasing as many new things as I can. Realizing I was only burning myself out and deciding to cut back has been an awesome feeling! Now, I have more time to focus on the quality of my designs and enjoy the creative process.

TBB is slowly but surely changing fabric suppliers. I've always made sure to stay true to my pledge of sustainability by purchasing fabric in small quantities and using as much deadstock as I have access too. Over the last six months, I've prioritized finding higher quality fabrics that still allow me to purchase in small quantities .

I also prioritized the TBB Instagram page and grew to over 1,000 followers! This may seem like a small fish in the vast sea of the internet, but if over 1,000 of you showed up in person I would be completely overwhelmed! I also hosted TBB's first ever giveaway with the help of my brand ambassador, the fantastic @emmarosakatharina !

Speaking of Emma, I also had in incredible opportunity to create the first ever TBB wedding dress for her wedding! In January, Emma reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in making her dress. My first thought was a solid, "No." But not wanting to miss an opportunity and disappoint Emma I asked her to send me a picture of what she was wanting and I would let her know if it was within my skill set. To my delight, she sent pictures of Sharon Tate's wedding attire!

I was utterly ecstatic! Not only is the Tate dress one of my favorite wedding looks in history, I had previously created a pattern for the dress for my own enjoyment so all I had to do was tailor the pattern I'd previously created! The dress had recently been put up for auction and I was able to use the photos as reference to get all the little details right.

We decided to fashion Emma's version of the dress after the way the dress looks now in its present condition rather than the way it was worn on Sharon's wedding day. The most noticeable difference being the added blue ribbons. No one seems to know exactly why these ribbons were added, but it's believed Sharon had them added to to the dress shortly before her death with the intention of re-wearing it after the birth of her son.

I took nearly four months working on the dress, hand dying lace (I used a coffee dye bath to age the lace to match the ivory dress), counting and re-counting the buttons to make sure I had the exact same number, and of course finding the perfect bridal satin. I think this reproduction may be what I'm most proud of in my career.

@emmarosakatharina

For the first time since I started this business I was able to pay all my bills through profits from the business!! Back in July, I was even able to quit my part time nannying job to pour my whole focus on TBB! This is a huge milestone as a small business because it means I'm making the shift from "side business" to an actual paying job!

I also had a blast exploring completely different sides of the 1960's by releasing collections inspired by both the High School aesthetic of the mid-60's, and the late-60's medieval revival. The most popular selling piece this year was the "Sam" mini-dress, with the "Cybil" making a very close second! I phased out "Femme Fatale" marking the end of my first collection and the very first time I've phased out an entire collection.

...And last but not least, I adopted a mascot! In October, a very obnoxious and hungry stray kitten jumped on the hood of my (parked) car and loudly demanded I take him home. His name is Eric Von Zipper and he does just about everything with me.

So what does all this mean for the future? 2025 is a big year for my family and I want to have the freedom to travel and spend time with them. I also don't want to burn myself out by trying to keep up with other brands.

Moving forward I'll be making a few changes to the way I run TBB. The most noticeable change will be my approach to our upcoming Spring/Summer collection. Instead of releasing a line of clothes this April my aim will be to bring you a collection of accessories! This will include items such as hats, bags, scarves and the possibility of buttons and jewelry.

The goal is to offer sustainable hand-made items accessible at a lower price point, while also allowing me the freedom to pour my focus of clothing design into the Autumn/Winter collection.

Seeing how accessories often use less fabric than clothes, you can expect to see a higher quantity of vintage and deadstock fabrics. I can't wait to embark on this new adventure and share my goals of creating a sustainable future for fashion with each of you!

PEACE and LOVE

-Coco Elouise Marie