Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is the story of the painted knees fad of the mid-1960s.
Sources:
“Girls Find Rouge Helps Knee Dimple,” International News via The Kansas City Post, Apr 3, 1921
“Hand-Painted Knees Latest Beauty Stunt,” Weekly Independent, Aug 20, 1925
Cue, The Weekly Magazine of New York Life, 1965
“Make-Up ‘Kneed,’” Barbara Cloud, The Pittsburgh Press, Feb 8, 1965
“Said Op to Pop, ‘Let’s Find a Party,” Jean Sprain Wilson, AP via The Muskegon Chronicle, Mar 15, 1965
“Makeup Man Casts Vote for the New, Natural Look,” Jerry Wilson, Corpus Christi Times, Mar 23, 1965
“Focus Attention on Make-Up for Knees,” Nancy Yockey, Akron Beacon Journal, Mar 24, 1965
“Lend A Knee and You Shall Hear…,” Fannie Bissette, St. Petersburg Times, Mar 25, 1965
“Eye On Knee Knocked,” Cleveland Amory, The Pittsburgh Press, Mar 28, 1965
“Op Art Orbits Your Orbs,” Frances Cawthon, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Apr 11, 1965
“This Summer’s Fads: Knee Make-Up and Crew Shirts,” Lloyd Shearer, Parade magazine via Independent Star-News, Aug 1, 1965
“Give Your Knees A Lift,” Kay Pedrick, The Herald-Tribune, Aug 10, 1965
“Oneonta Knee-Deep in Fads,” The Oneonta Star, Aug 14, 1965
“Knee Makeup Is In,” Sally Ryan, AP via Pueblo Chieftain, Feb 18, 1966
“Make-up Artists Create Knee Beauty,” Priscilla Tucker, The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2, 1966
“Don’t Knock Knees,” Mildred Whiteaker, San Antonio Express-News, Mar 6, 1966
“Exercise and Art Make Knees Smart,” Jean Sprain Wilson, AP via The News and Observer, Mar 20, 1966
“Knee-Deep in a Crisis: Bare or Not?,” Marji Kunz, Detroit Free Press, Apr 3, 1966
“Keep Knees Covered…With Makeup,” Bette Thompson, Amarillo Globe-Times, Apr 6, 1966
“Cosmetic Houses Discover the Knee,” Beverley Mitchell, The Montreal Star, Apr 19, 1966
“New Cosmetics Appear to Camouflage Knees,” Eugenia Sheppard, Springfield Daily News, Apr 22, 1966
“If Short Skirts Can’t Cover Legs, New Cosmetics Can,” Bernadine Morris, NYT News Service via Winston-Salem Journal, Apr 28, 1966
“New Twist: Decorate Those Gams,” Gay Pauley, UPI via The State Journal, May 16, 1966
“Knee-Knacking Knice Knews To Knee-Watchers,” Beth Mohr, Copley Illinois State Register, May 25, 1966
“Revolution of the Knee!,” Barbara Varro, Des Moines Tribune, May 28, 1966
“Knees In Fashion,” Sylvie Reice, The Baltimore Sun, May 31, 1966
“Sun Set Bares Knee Art,” Lela Vargo, Sandusky Register, Jun 3, 1966
“The News is This: Now Everybody’s Playing Kneesies!” Rhodes Manchester Center via The Fresno Bee, Jun 10, 1966
“Kneedless Art?” Newsweek, June 13, 1966
“Knee Makeup Art Is Here — Uninhibited Nature Helps,” Barbara Cloud, The Pittsburgh Press, Jun 22, 1966
“Experiment In Fashion Shakes Charlotteans,” Pam Hawkins, The Charlotte News, Jun 24, 1966
“Nice ’n’ Knee-sy,” Meta Blackwell, The San Bernardino County Sun, Jun 26, 1966
“Shortened Skirts Beg Made-Up Leg at Fair,” Daily Times-Advocate, Jun 30, 1966
“Fashion Goes Out on Limb,” Mary Ellen Perry, South Bay Daily Breeze, Jun 30, 1966
“How to Keep Your Cool This Summer,” Seventeen, Jul 1966
“Flowers — Out on a Limb,” Harper’s Bazaar, Jul 1966
“Pop Knees, Happening Now,” Margaret Kadison, Ladies’ Home Journal, Jul 1966
“Beauty Industry Goes Out on a Limb,” Rubye Graham, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jul 3, 1966
“This is the Year of the Leg,” Ad from The Los Angeles Times, Jul 6, 1966
“Teens ‘Go Wild’ with Arty Knees,” Charene Mathews, The Birmingham News, Jul 6, 1966
“They’re Painting All Over Town,” Joan Metzner, The Miami News, Jul 10, 1966
“Knee-Knackery Keen Teen Artistry,” Hope Dennis, Honolulu Advertiser, Jul 11, 1966
“Tampans Have Fun with Fad,” Debbie Fitch, The Tampa Times, Jul 13, 1966
“Hiked Hemlines to Herald Fad of Blushing Knees,” Gabrielle Smith, Dayton Daily News, Jul 13, 1966
“Make Yourself a Pretty Picture,” Hamilton Spectator, Jul 20, 1966
“Make-up for the Legs Can Lead to Knee Art,” Jeanne Jones, Omaha World-Herald, Jul 22, 1966
“Knees High In Fashion,” The Omaha Star, Jul 22, 1966
“Make-Up Now Covers the Whole Body,” Ginger Eades, The Evansville Courier, Jul 29, 1966
“‘Easy Kneesies’ Are Here for Fantasy, Fun Designs,” Gillian Ross, The Montreal Star, Jul 29, 1966
“Camouflage Varies for Knees,” The Grand Rapids Press, Aug 2, 1966
“Beauty Spot,” Cecile Nation, Valley Times, Aug 5, 1966
“Campus Fads Colorful Eyecatchers,” Brenda Street, Memphis Press-Scimitar, Aug 12, 1966
“Playing Kneesy,” The Birmingham News, Aug 14, 1966
“Fad-ulous Art On Display Here,” Golda Foster, San Angelo Standard-Times, Aug 31, 1966
“The Knees Are the Thing to Stay in the Swing,” The Daily Transcript, Sep 8, 1966
“There’s an Art in Leg Makeup,” Mary Sue Miller, Memphis Press-Scimitar, Sep 21, 1966
“Short Skirts Reveal Art,” The Evening Times, Jan 5, 1967
“It’s a Woman’s Whirl,” Rosemary, Bossier Press, Aug 3, 1967
“Party Patellas: The Knee Makeup Fad of the ’20s and ’60s,” Hillary Belzer, Makeup Museum, archived via Wayback Machine, December 17, 2024
This is the story of the painted knees fad of the mid-1960s.
Sources:
“Girls Find Rouge Helps Knee Dimple,” International News via The Kansas City Post, Apr 3, 1921
“Hand-Painted Knees Latest Beauty Stunt,” Weekly Independent, Aug 20, 1925
Cue, The Weekly Magazine of New York Life, 1965
“Make-Up ‘Kneed,’” Barbara Cloud, The Pittsburgh Press, Feb 8, 1965
“Said Op to Pop, ‘Let’s Find a Party,” Jean Sprain Wilson, AP via The Muskegon Chronicle, Mar 15, 1965
“Makeup Man Casts Vote for the New, Natural Look,” Jerry Wilson, Corpus Christi Times, Mar 23, 1965
“Focus Attention on Make-Up for Knees,” Nancy Yockey, Akron Beacon Journal, Mar 24, 1965
“Lend A Knee and You Shall Hear…,” Fannie Bissette, St. Petersburg Times, Mar 25, 1965
“Eye On Knee Knocked,” Cleveland Amory, The Pittsburgh Press, Mar 28, 1965
“Op Art Orbits Your Orbs,” Frances Cawthon, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Apr 11, 1965
“This Summer’s Fads: Knee Make-Up and Crew Shirts,” Lloyd Shearer, Parade magazine via Independent Star-News, Aug 1, 1965
“Give Your Knees A Lift,” Kay Pedrick, The Herald-Tribune, Aug 10, 1965
“Oneonta Knee-Deep in Fads,” The Oneonta Star, Aug 14, 1965
“Knee Makeup Is In,” Sally Ryan, AP via Pueblo Chieftain, Feb 18, 1966
“Make-up Artists Create Knee Beauty,” Priscilla Tucker, The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2, 1966
“Don’t Knock Knees,” Mildred Whiteaker, San Antonio Express-News, Mar 6, 1966
“Exercise and Art Make Knees Smart,” Jean Sprain Wilson, AP via The News and Observer, Mar 20, 1966
“Knee-Deep in a Crisis: Bare or Not?,” Marji Kunz, Detroit Free Press, Apr 3, 1966
“Keep Knees Covered…With Makeup,” Bette Thompson, Amarillo Globe-Times, Apr 6, 1966
“Cosmetic Houses Discover the Knee,” Beverley Mitchell, The Montreal Star, Apr 19, 1966
“New Cosmetics Appear to Camouflage Knees,” Eugenia Sheppard, Springfield Daily News, Apr 22, 1966
“If Short Skirts Can’t Cover Legs, New Cosmetics Can,” Bernadine Morris, NYT News Service via Winston-Salem Journal, Apr 28, 1966
“New Twist: Decorate Those Gams,” Gay Pauley, UPI via The State Journal, May 16, 1966
“Knee-Knacking Knice Knews To Knee-Watchers,” Beth Mohr, Copley Illinois State Register, May 25, 1966
“Revolution of the Knee!,” Barbara Varro, Des Moines Tribune, May 28, 1966
“Knees In Fashion,” Sylvie Reice, The Baltimore Sun, May 31, 1966
“Sun Set Bares Knee Art,” Lela Vargo, Sandusky Register, Jun 3, 1966
“The News is This: Now Everybody’s Playing Kneesies!” Rhodes Manchester Center via The Fresno Bee, Jun 10, 1966
“Kneedless Art?” Newsweek, June 13, 1966
“Knee Makeup Art Is Here — Uninhibited Nature Helps,” Barbara Cloud, The Pittsburgh Press, Jun 22, 1966
“Experiment In Fashion Shakes Charlotteans,” Pam Hawkins, The Charlotte News, Jun 24, 1966
“Nice ’n’ Knee-sy,” Meta Blackwell, The San Bernardino County Sun, Jun 26, 1966
“Shortened Skirts Beg Made-Up Leg at Fair,” Daily Times-Advocate, Jun 30, 1966
“Fashion Goes Out on Limb,” Mary Ellen Perry, South Bay Daily Breeze, Jun 30, 1966
“How to Keep Your Cool This Summer,” Seventeen, Jul 1966
“Flowers — Out on a Limb,” Harper’s Bazaar, Jul 1966
“Pop Knees, Happening Now,” Margaret Kadison, Ladies’ Home Journal, Jul 1966
“Beauty Industry Goes Out on a Limb,” Rubye Graham, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jul 3, 1966
“This is the Year of the Leg,” Ad from The Los Angeles Times, Jul 6, 1966
“Teens ‘Go Wild’ with Arty Knees,” Charene Mathews, The Birmingham News, Jul 6, 1966
“They’re Painting All Over Town,” Joan Metzner, The Miami News, Jul 10, 1966
“Knee-Knackery Keen Teen Artistry,” Hope Dennis, Honolulu Advertiser, Jul 11, 1966
“Tampans Have Fun with Fad,” Debbie Fitch, The Tampa Times, Jul 13, 1966
“Hiked Hemlines to Herald Fad of Blushing Knees,” Gabrielle Smith, Dayton Daily News, Jul 13, 1966
“Make Yourself a Pretty Picture,” Hamilton Spectator, Jul 20, 1966
“Make-up for the Legs Can Lead to Knee Art,” Jeanne Jones, Omaha World-Herald, Jul 22, 1966
“Knees High In Fashion,” The Omaha Star, Jul 22, 1966
“Make-Up Now Covers the Whole Body,” Ginger Eades, The Evansville Courier, Jul 29, 1966
“‘Easy Kneesies’ Are Here for Fantasy, Fun Designs,” Gillian Ross, The Montreal Star, Jul 29, 1966
“Camouflage Varies for Knees,” The Grand Rapids Press, Aug 2, 1966
“Beauty Spot,” Cecile Nation, Valley Times, Aug 5, 1966
“Campus Fads Colorful Eyecatchers,” Brenda Street, Memphis Press-Scimitar, Aug 12, 1966
“Playing Kneesy,” The Birmingham News, Aug 14, 1966
“Fad-ulous Art On Display Here,” Golda Foster, San Angelo Standard-Times, Aug 31, 1966
“The Knees Are the Thing to Stay in the Swing,” The Daily Transcript, Sep 8, 1966
“There’s an Art in Leg Makeup,” Mary Sue Miller, Memphis Press-Scimitar, Sep 21, 1966
“Short Skirts Reveal Art,” The Evening Times, Jan 5, 1967
“It’s a Woman’s Whirl,” Rosemary, Bossier Press, Aug 3, 1967
“Party Patellas: The Knee Makeup Fad of the ’20s and ’60s,” Hillary Belzer, Makeup Museum, archived via Wayback Machine, December 17, 2024
