How To Dress Like A Hippie

Whether you plan to go as a love child to your next Halloween party or just want to get in touch with your inner granola cruncher, learning how to dress like a hippie means ditching your fresh-from-the-rack department store look. Embrace a vintage, go-with-the-flow style from your toes to your hair and you will look like a cast member for "Hair."

Things you'll need:

• Tie-Dye T-shirts
• Worn, dirty jeans
• Peace symbol accessories
• Leather or suede vest

1. Go Barefoot Free your feet from tennis shoe oppression and let grass tickle your toes for an authentic hippie look. If your soles can't stand the hot concrete, try sandals instead. Avoid athletic sandals and go for a natural look; cork soles and leather buckles show your hippie credentials.
2. Grungy Jeans You've heard the term "dirty hippie." You don't have to actually be dirty, but embrace vintage jeans--preferably with bell bottoms--that have serious grunge appeal. Rips and tears create a perfect hippie look, as do dirt smudges and grass stains. Let holes fray or patch them with peace signs and happy faces. Whatever you do, do not wash them.
3. Tie-Dye that T-Shirt It might seem cliché, but if you want to dress like a hippie, you have to embrace tie-dyed T-shirts. After all, those psychedelic swirls fit perfectly with the "Summer of Love" lifestyle. For an authentic look, tie-dye shirts yourself using fabric dyes from the local craft store. If crafts freak you out, buy handmade tie-dye shirts at the local farmer's market, vintage clothing store or arts fair. Avoid fake commercial tie-dye "prints" that scream "phony."
4. Vest Up Get yourself to the thrift or vintage store and find a well-worn leather or suede vest, preferably with fringe.
5. Flash the Peace Symbol Wear a peace symbol necklace as part of your hippie outfit. It might seem a bit feminine to wear a charm around your neck, but remember that hippie styles for men broke through gender boundaries, making it acceptable for men to adopt women's fashions.
6. Long, Beautiful Hair "Hair" was not just a musical; for hippies, it was a way of life. To dress like a hippie you have to let your hair down. Keep your tresses messy to avoid looking more "heavy metal" than hippie. A middle part looks most natural--something any hippie should strive for. While you're at it, grow a messy beard, too.