Beginning with the mid-1960's, figures in the counterculture (from the Beatles to Jerry Rubin) began growing their hair and beards out. How and why was this settled on as a symbol of the hippie subculture and the counterculture more broadly?
Also, by the mid-to-late 70's, the long hair and full beards appear to be the dominant fashion. How did this catch on so quickly and what was the reaction to it by the older generations who had been so opposed to the counterculture?
How and why was this settled on as a symbol of the hippie subculture and the counterculture more broadly?
Rejection of the Vietnam war played a huge role.
Young men who went to fight in Vietnam were required to keep their hair hair short. As the war grew more unpopular, many of those same young men wanted an outward rejection of their time in the jungle. The look was also popular with those who had not gone to signal that they would not go. When the government is treating its citizens as interchangeable fighting units, those same citizens will suddenly see the value in individuality.
How did this catch on so quickly and what was the reaction to it by the older generations who had been so opposed to the counterculture?
Broadly speaking, older people disliked, or hated, the hippie look, but it would be difficult to untangle their feelings about young people with long hair from young people rioting, marching, setting things on fire and generally rejecting the moral structure that had seen the country through World War II.
The "hippie look" was far from ubiquitous, it should be mentioned. Plenty of young people rejected the counterculture and members of the anti war movement often kept their hair short.
Follow up question: Considering the history of long haired men like the founding fathers in the US, and well, Jesus (European art depiction of Jesus anyway); how, why and when did long hair fall out of style?