return of the hippie

photo%3A+antonia+digiacomo+%2F%2F+model%3A+lilith+kocian

photo: antonia digiacomo // model: lilith kocian

Summer 2022 will surely make us all question whether we have been transported back to the 1970s. With the increasing love for crystals, tarot, flare pants and crochet tops, we will all have to remind ourselves that we are in fact not at Woodstock vibing out to Jimi Hendrix. New age spirituality had its rise on TikTok and now there are crystal and metaphysical shops popping up on practically every street corner. The real kickstarter for many of us seeking out new hope in a different kind of spirituality came in large part as a reaction to the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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  • photo: antonia digiacomo // model: lilith kocian

  • photo: antonia digiacomo // model: lilith kocian

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This whole era has contributed to a general feeling of pessimism for many. Quite frankly, it’s also led us to spend a disproportionate amount of time alone with our thoughts. But the good thing is that after any period of hardship, you can witness the birth of new hope and new ideas. There has been an uptick in New Age spirituality, Wicca, belief in astrology and backlash against organized religions. These same characteristics were found in the hippie movement of the 1970s. There is a feeling of spiritual connection to the universe and the energies that are present here on earth. As they did in the ‘70s, many people today are embracing New Age ideas like manifestation and tarot divination. There’s been a surge in crystal use and holistic healing too. Metaphysical shops are now commonplace—you can walk down the street and smell the incense burning from a block away. This kind of connection to the earth and the idea that we may be able to change our own destiny through manifestation is appealing to many who may have felt at a loss before. It is no surprise that our generation is drawn to these concepts that push back against organized religion, either. We are, on average, much more progressive than the generations that have come before. 

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  • photo: antonia digiacomo // model: lilith kocian

  • photo: antonia digiacomo // model: lilith kocian

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This spiritual craze brings with it trending style pieces and fashion aesthetics. Case in point: the rise in all things crochet, flare silhouettes on pants and funky patterns and prints that are all reminiscent of the ‘70s. This Coachella season had even more influencers and celebrities than usual stepping out in hippie-inspired looks. Instagram and TikTok are bursting with images of style icons combining elements of ‘70s fashion with their very own twists. Fifty years later, counterculture is mainstream again. 

 

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