--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the women's movement started in the…" description: "\"When the women's movement started in the 1960s, there was a vision of a future where women didn't wear makeup or worry about how their hair looked, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/gail-collins-3567_1960s_when-the-women-s-movement-started-in-the_2878195.png" --- # When the women's movement started in the 1960s, there was… ![“When the women's movement started in the 1960s, there was a vision of a future where women didn't wear makeup or worry about how their hair looked, and everybody wore sensible, comfortable clothes. It ran into an absolute brick wall.” quote by Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/gail-collins-3567_1960s_when-the-women-s-movement-started-in-the_2878195.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/gail-collins-3567_1960s_when-the-women-s-movement-started-in-the_2878195.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/gail-collins-3567_1960s_when-the-women-s-movement-started-in-the_2878195.png) > “When the women's movement started in the 1960s, there was a vision of a future where women didn't wear makeup or worry about how their hair looked, and everybody wore sensible, comfortable clothes. It ran into an absolute brick wall.” [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The 1960s feminist vision for practical, comfortable attire met strong cultural resistance, halting its adoption. **In simple terms:** Feminist clothing ideas faced cultural pushback. Key Takeaway Recognize cultural inertia. Themes gender fashion social change Mood analytical critical Type historical sociological When to use this quote - fashion design - activist campaigns - media representation Key Concepts sociology cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - Why did the vision clash with norms? - What strategies could overcome such resistance? A Different Perspective Cultural change often requires gradual shifts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brick wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brick-wall/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Comfortable Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable-clothes/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Makeup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makeup/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a child of the Women's Movement. I always believed that I could do anything. That women didn't have to be limited in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foxy-brown/i-m-a-child-of-the-women-s-movement-i-always-believed-that-i-could-do/) [Foxy Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foxy-brown/) > [Out of the Slow Food movement has grown something called the Slow Cities movement, which has started in Italy but has spread right across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-honor/out-of-the-slow-food-movement-has-grown-something-called-the-slow/) [Carl Honore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-honor/) > [When I became a feminist, when the movement started in the late sixties, I started writing because I had something urgent to say. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alix-kates-shulman/when-i-became-a-feminist-when-the-movement-started-in-the-late/) [Alix Kates Shulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alix-kates-shulman/) > [I was a Scout years ago, before the movement started, when my father took me fishing, camping and hunting. Then I was sorry that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-henry-hoover/i-was-a-scout-years-ago-before-the-movement-started-when-my-father/) [Lou Henry Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-henry-hoover/) > [I was working as a volunteer in a village, 25 km. from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, in 2012 when India Against Corruption movement started. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atishi/i-was-working-as-a-volunteer-in-a-village-25-km-from-bhopal-madhya/) [Atishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atishi/) > [My father has a movement that started before us. As his children, we are just the stewards to build on his foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohan-marley/my-father-has-a-movement-that-started-before-us-as-his-children-we/) [Rohan Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohan-marley/) > [When the women's movement began, it was a middle-class phenomenon. Certainly, black women had other stuff to think about in the '60s besides a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/when-the-women-s-movement-began-it-was-a-middle-class-phenomenon/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Sarah Palin is an heir to the women's movement. She has not been constrained by gender. At no point in her life has she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/sarah-palin-is-an-heir-to-the-women-s-movement-she-has-not-been/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [In my house, when I don't bring any makeup, when wearing comfortable clothes and when I'm playing with my kids, that's the moment where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thalia/in-my-house-when-i-don-t-bring-any-makeup-when-wearing-comfortable/) [Thalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thalia/) > [I like comfortable clothes. Most men in the world wear T-shirts every day and jeans. I wanted to always put my street style to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/i-like-comfortable-clothes-most-men-in-the-world-wear-t-shirts-every/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) > [If all girls started wearing no make up and comfortable clothes, guys would have no choice but to fall for girls with natural beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-all-girls-started-wearing-no-make-up-and-comfortable-clothes-guys/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If all girls started wearing no makeup & comfortable clothes, guys would have no choice but to fall for girls because of natural beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/obviously-me-p/if-all-girls-started-wearing-no-makeup-comfortable-clothes-guys-would/) Obviously Me :p > [I believe in comfort. If you don't feel comfortable in your clothes, it's hard to think of anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/i-believe-in-comfort-if-you-don-t-feel-comfortable-in-your-clothes-it/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [A woman is never sexier than when she is comfortable in her clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-wang/a-woman-is-never-sexier-than-when-she-is-comfortable-in-her-clothes/) [Vera Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-wang/) > [I always wanna feel comfortable in my clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-max/i-always-wanna-feel-comfortable-in-my-clothes/) [Ava Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-max/) ## More by Gail Collins > [The Bushes were certainly part of Texas in their mind, but they didn't have the kind of political flavor that you normally find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-bushes-were-certainly-part-of-texas-in-their-mind-but-they-didn-t/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [The work-family divide is the biggest issue for American women. But in some ways it's amazing how adjusted society has become to it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-work-family-divide-is-the-biggest-issue-for-american-women-but-in/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I don't think the folks in the low-tax states really want to go into a fairness discussion. Residents of Connecticut and New York would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/i-don-t-think-the-folks-in-the-low-tax-states-really-want-to-go-into/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I would walk a thousand miles To feel your hugs and see your smiles But then one day we had to part The hardest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/i-would-walk-a-thousand-miles-to-feel-your-hugs-and-see-your-smiles/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [“One law prohibited blacks from testifying against whites in court, and carefully defined “negro” as anyone who had one nonwhite grandparent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/one-law-prohibited-blacks-from-testifying-against-whites-in-court-and/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [“An estimated 400 women disguised themselves as men to fight in the Civil War. Many were like Amy Clarke, who enlisted so she could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/an-estimated-400-women-disguised-themselves-as-men-to-fight-in-the/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Billy Jean King could not get credit when her husband was in law school and she was winning the Wimbledon, because he had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/billy-jean-king-could-not-get-credit-when-her-husband-was-in-law/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Sarah Palin is treated like a bimbo sometimes, but she has never given the public the respect they deserve. She acts silly and doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/sarah-palin-is-treated-like-a-bimbo-sometimes-but-she-has-never-given/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [There's more student debt than credit card debt! Everywhere I go, I run into young people trying to build careers while they keep shelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/there-s-more-student-debt-than-credit-card-debt-everywhere-i-go-i-run/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Women in America will have to find an answer for the pressures of work and family, but if you really care about women's issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/women-in-america-will-have-to-find-an-answer-for-the-pressures-of/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [The idea that 'if you don't like how things are going, you can just leave' is so ingrained in Texas, the secession movement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-idea-that-if-you-don-t-like-how-things-are-going-you-can-just/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I admired the way McCain worked on campaign finance reform. I admired the way Nancy Pelosi stiffened the Democrats' spine during the health care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/i-admired-the-way-mccain-worked-on-campaign-finance-reform-i-admired/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Some of our national heroines were defined by the fact that they never nested - they were peripatetic crusaders like Susan B. Anthony, Clara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/some-of-our-national-heroines-were-defined-by-the-fact-that-they/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [When the women's movement began, it was a middle-class phenomenon. Certainly, black women had other stuff to think about in the '60s besides a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/when-the-women-s-movement-began-it-was-a-middle-class-phenomenon/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Downplaying their faults is pretty much the point of campaigns. But we do count on them living with the constant terror of public rejection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/downplaying-their-faults-is-pretty-much-the-point-of-campaigns-but-we/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) [Explore all 127 Gail Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) ## More 1960s quotes > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-likely-to-disappear-in-a/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [Sometimes a party must sail against the wind. We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ \[In the 1960s\]...you could take LSD but you couldn't wear a pantsuit. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsey-johnson/in-the-1960s-you-could-take-lsd-but-you-couldn-t-wear-a-pantsuit/) [Betsey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsey-johnson/) > [Is it a coincidence that stories from the private life became more popular just as the grand hope for public redemption through revolution was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/is-it-a-coincidence-that-stories-from-the-private-life-became-more/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [I think the general anxiety of the 1960s - '70s spawned our interest in the living dead. When people worry about the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/i-think-the-general-anxiety-of-the-1960s-70s-spawned-our-interest-in/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [“A friend once told me a story about a former Black Panther leader in a Midwest community who in the 1960s had his phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-j-rodr-guez/a-friend-once-told-me-a-story-about-a-former-black-panther-leader-in/) [Luis J. Rodríguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-j-rodr-guez/) > [I was never bothered about my position in the industry. If I had believed in it, I wouldn't have allowed anyone to get ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/i-was-never-bothered-about-my-position-in-the-industry-if-i-had/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [Under the system that we now have to nominate presidential candidates, for instance, I would prefer that we have a system that is closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beschloss/under-the-system-that-we-now-have-to-nominate-presidential-candidates/) [Michael Beschloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beschloss/) > [My son Bill, who came to me in 1960-he was 14 then, quoted the old parable to me: "It is not by their words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/my-son-bill-who-came-to-me-in-1960-he-was-14-then-quoted-the-old/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [There is a book called San Francisco Tape Music Centre:1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde and this book describes everything that you want to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/there-is-a-book-called-san-francisco-tape-music-centre-1960s/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [Much of the art of the 1960s, from body art to video and direct performance, was concerned with similar issues. And then there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valie-export/much-of-the-art-of-the-1960s-from-body-art-to-video-and-direct/) [Valie Export](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valie-export/) > [I went through college in the 1960s without having any idea that I was going to have to make a living. When I graduated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/i-went-through-college-in-the-1960s-without-having-any-idea-that-i/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [“At the beginning of a decade when everything was beginning to seem possible, nothing seemed impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/at-the-beginning-of-a-decade-when-everything-was-beginning-to-seem/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) Browse all 486 1960s quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the women's movement started in the 1960s, there was a vision of a future where women didn't wear makeup or worry about how their hair looked, and everybody wore sensible, comfortable clothes. 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