Velvet Bell-Bottom Trousers Worn by Jimi Hendrix at the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair, August 18, 1969

Musician Jimi Hendrix was known for his elaborate taste in clothes, and this custom-made pair of velvet trousers, most famously worn at the Woodstock Festival in Bethel, NY on August 18, 1969, is indicative of his personal style from 1968 through his death in 1970. 

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who gained mainstream prominence in the late 1960s with hits such as “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Fire,” and is now celebrated as one of the most influential electric guitarists of all time. 

Beyond charting new sonic landscapes with his electric guitar, Hendrix was also a fashion innovator who combined late-1960s Psychedelic and Mod clothing with his unique sense of style. His eclectic wardrobe included a rich array of evocative jackets and vests, colorful trousers, floral print shirts, silk scarves, and elaborate jewelry. 

Beyond the Woodstock Festival, Hendrix wore these vibrant trousers at the Northern California Folk-Rock Festival in San Jose, CA on May 25, 1969, and together with a silk robe also in MoPOP’s permanent collection (Accession 1998.118.7), wore the pants at the Newport Pop Festival in Northridge, CA on June 20, 1969 and on the television program The Dick Cavett Show on September 9, 1969.