All You Need is Love

So, it's the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love. I am a lover of the 60s, and though I tend to gravitate more towards the mod side than the hippie-dippy-trippy psychedelic side, I can appreciate the aesthetics and culture of 1967.

What would the 60s be without the Beatles? One of my favorite bands, and undoubtedly the greatest band ever to exist, their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band helped to define the era, and certainly stood at the forefront of the Summer of Love. The songs on this album just ooze with that freewheeling, laid back, stare at the lava lamp kind of lifestyle that made the 60s cool. "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"...need I say more?

One of the best things about art is the way it acts as a kind of time capsule. Brush up on your knowledge of rock posters and psychedelic art with these two tomes. Aptly titled Summer of Love by Cristoph Grunenberg is a comprehensive guide to the art of the period through the exploration of album covers, photos, posters, and film. For history buffs like me, there is also an extensive look at the cultural context that shaped these indelible images. High Art, by Ted Owen offers a history of the rock poster, and does so with one of the coolest titles ever. The art in this book is much more interesting than the text, but if you're high on acid do people really expect you to be reading? (P.S. Drugs are bad!)

Tunic from Anthropologie, Sunglasses from Fred Flare, Bracelet and Minidress from Posh Vintage, Sandals by Kate Spade, Shorts from Forever21

Finally, the fashion! No need to be prim and proper and all buttoned up. Stay groovy while lounging in your pad or lying on the grass at some dirty music festival in these 60s threads. Round white frames are a nod to the mod, while an embroidered tunic has hippie cred. Tiny shorts and flat sandals complete the look. But if you're in the mood for something more authentic, slip into this vintage 1960s Missoni inspired Saks Fifth Avenue minidress, and vintage enamel bracelet. Peace and love! And clothes!