What a Brat Summer Looked Like in 1968

Brat—the album, the word, the green color—has become the defining feature of the summer of 2024, but a look in the Vogue archive revealed that there is a precedent for the Brat palette. This 1968 editorial, “Beauty and the Little Green Dress,” starring Veruschka, is a celebration of viridescent dresses not unlike the cookie-cutter/“Jackie” sheaths that fashion has once again greenlighted.

—Laird Borrelli-Persson

“Beauty and the Little Green Dress,” photographed on Veruschka by Irving Penn, was first published in the April 1, 1968 issue of Vogue.

Green. Grass green. Fastest growing color for spring and summer. Fresh little shoots of it, shooting up everywhere. Bright and clean—and not a second to let the grass grow under your feet. Pick-now. Wear-now. Just as soon as you see each little green dress crop up ... on these and the next ten greening pages. Green grow the ruffles—vivid voile fluttering down an open-throated shirtdress, all in one breeze-rippled row. And sure to stir quite a ripple of its own with such a bright and light beach air. Sheer shirtdress by Rikki for Sport Trio, in Dacron and cotton (Avila voile). Gold-and-gleaming grows the skin—making up to the little green dress, warming the skin, and playing color for all it’s worth about the eyes and on the lips. The word Revlon springs to mind: that’s where the shining natural looks on these twelve pages have sprung from . . . starting, as you can easily see here, with the wide-eyed innocence of their powdered Demi Blue shadow blended wide to each side of the eye.

Spring’s new wrap-up, left: the kimonos shirtdress—grass-green organza winging open at the throat, wingspreading to billowy deep cuffed sleeves; a wide tie makes little of the gathered waist, lightly wrapping up all the transparent greenery. Shirtdress by Adri, in silk. Spring’s gayest little blade of grass, right, just as slim, just as sharp—wool knit with a yoke tucked squarely between panels of unpressed pleats. By Kimberly, of wool knitted in America. Spring’s gold-and-gleam skin, every inch of it just barely warmed by color—the beautiful tinge of Revlon’s Ultima II Leg Makeup as far as the eye can see.

Green with a wide-open air, left: Fibranne coming in close as a halter and plunging just as low—the sash wraps high and twice round the gathered skirt. By Oscar de la Renta Boutique; Herbert Meyer fabric. Green with a wide-open-collar air, right: linen pointing the way of this summer’s freshly cut shirtdress—bare throat, bare shoulders, a wide wide belt, patch pockets delving deep on both sides. Shirtdress by Teal Traina, in Irish Looms linen. And your own beautifully open air—a healthy glowing shine about the face with Revlon’s new Gleamers, and hair skimmed back off the brow to let the sunlight in.

Grass-green slope, left, dropping off at a sudden slant between acres of golden skin—the bandeau tilts from one shoulder to waist, and gives on to a short circle skirt. Dress, in Moygashel Irish linen. Grass green opens up a new golden field, right: the midriff—spanned by gilt chains that hold bodice and skirt fields apart. Bare-midriff dress, in Onondaga textured silk. Dresses, on both pages, by Adele Simpson. The beauty of those wide-open spaces is just as wide-open a secret—the new complexion tone that goes once over lightly: Revlon calls it their Braggi bronzing gel.

Green on a fling, left: grass-green Fibranne with a high-starting panel pleat setting up a flare of movement, and scallops to keep it all going round—scallops at the neck of the snug little top and rounded pockets scalloped at the edge. By Chester Weinberg; Herbert Meyer fabric. Bright and bare, right, a green linen culotte-dress cut out to make the most of a tawny tapering rib cage, all bared in back. White leather belts it and a thin edge of white sharpens the high band of collar. By Shannon Rodgers for Jerry Silverman of Moygashel Irish linen. The case for beautiful bronzy skin all over has never been clearer—or easier to come by: Revlon’s Braggi bronzing gel polishes like sunshine.

Ganymede in green, left: fluid matte jersey, soft as a summer breeze—and bared to catch every one—wrapped and tied high above a full, draped skirt. By Adri of Jasco matte rayon jersey. Green-go-round, right: rounded hem, round scallops, and round green buttons fastening on the side—bright grass- green linen in one of the prettiest shapes going around for summer. By Kasper for Joan Leslie. Irish Looms linen. What makes green everybody’s color— the healthy glow of golden skin. The sun does it naturally—and so do Revlon’s sheer Bronzage Transparent Face Tints.