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PHOTOS:

The psychedelic ‘60’s ushered in another cutting edge fad with the popularity of body painting. Using paint on the skin to create anything from little decorations to full outfits gave the emerging hippie movement a new way to express themselves. Supermodel Twiggy was photographed with a flower painted near her eye, completed with detailed petals and accompanying false eyelashes. The powerful look quickly caught on and cosmetics started to do more than just make you pretty.

 

Hippies used body paint to express the emblems of their movement – flowers, peace symbols, and smiley faces. Lady Jayne, the popular store in London, would hand paint anything from a dress to a necklace on a customer. Whatever color or style you wanted, you could just have it painted on for a perfect fit.

 

Not permanent like a tattoo, body paint could be washed off with soap and water, and a new style could be painted right on again. Feel like having a daisy on your cheek today? Or a “Stop The War” message on your arm tomorrow? Body paint was the perfect option.

 

And even though the more extreme hippies went for the painted on clothing, it’s safe to say that painted on clothing never took the place of actual clothes on the popularity scale.