As I have pondered what I should investigate for my final project, my mind has continuously been drawn to the 1960s. To me, this era represents a turning point for the civil rights, women’s, and counter culture movements in the United States. Because I am not incredibly familiar with the 1960s, I plan to become acquainted with the history and movements that took place in the era as well as the many fashion trends seen in the media and on the streets. Particularly, I want to compare how popular fashion trends in the United States differ in a small, conservative area in the Appalachian Mountains. I wish to explore if and how environmental, economical, and cultural factors influenced the locals’ clothing styles. Does the seclusion that the mountains provide affect how fashion trends and political movements are diffused within the region? How has wealth, or the lack thereof, influenced the buying or making of clothing? Have elements of culture, specifically the beliefs and values associated with Appalachian folk, played a part in local dress standards?

One worry I have regarding the final project is finding appropriate interviewees, not only because I am a rather introverted individual and speaking to strangers can sometimes be a challenge, but because I am not sure where to look for people to interview. A few possible interviewees I thought about are my fiancé’s grandparents who grew up in a nearby town. From what my fiancé has told me, one set of grandparents lived quite differently from the other despite being a few miles apart. Interviewing these family members may help me find some insights on how the environment and economy influenced local life styles and clothing trends within the 1960s era.

I also worry about finding archival sources. Thus far, I have only been able to search my college’s online library catalog. From what I could tell from the library’s web page, I may not be able to find documents or images that focus on fashion. Many of the archival sources seemed to be about coal mining and folk art (mostly bluegrass) within the surrounding areas. While I do plan to integrate these sources into my project, I wish that there were other sources available to me to expand my research. My hope is that I will find more sources once I am able to make a trip on campus. I am excited to see where my research journey will take me and what I may uncover along the way!