Fabrics can represent an era or a decade-the colors, patterns, textures, and fibers reveal as much about the culture as do the furnishings and clothing that relied on the fabrics. The decade of the 1960s was one of extremes. Traditional plaids were reintroduced and became popular at the same time as bold prints and geometrics, notably Op Art and "psychedelic" patterns and colors, characterized the decade. Synthetics took off, and phrases like "polyester knit" and "stretch knit" elicit visions of unmistakably '60s staples. The best way to experience the fabric of a decade is to see it, and this book is entirely dedicated to the sensory, the visual. Nearly 600 close-up color photographs with informative captions and index make this book a treat for designers, historians, and anyone interested in fashion and textiles.