Rating the Packs and Kits...for the 1960s

Kellogg_J_Kellogg

I didn't know whether to put this in the Packs Discussion section or here...this is a thread about the packs, all of them, but at the same time it serves a storytelling and challenge purpose: If you're going to do a decades challenge or, worse, write a SimLit story set in the 1960s that BECOMES AN OBSESSION YOU CAN'T STOP...erm, sorry for that, where was I? Oh yes, if you're going to do something set in the 1960s how good are the various official Sims 4 packs and kits for giving you the look.

I scored 1 point for each CAS and Build & Buy item that is 1960s appropriate. I didn't include things that would work for previous decades in history but clothes, hairstyles, decor and furniture that are typical of that decade. So in reverse order...

55. Industrial Loft. 0 points. There's nothing here that is specifically of the era. It evokes the 50s or the post 90s gentrification of inner city living.
54. Country Kitchen. 0 points. Again, some of it works for earlier eras but it's not mod enough.
53. Courtyard Oasis. 0 points. Would only invoke the 60s if you set part of your story in Marrakech with Mick, Keith and Marianne Faithful trying to score something.
52. Little Campers. 1 point. There's an era appropriate rug. That's it.
51. Bust The Dust. 1 point. Everyone needs an upright vacuum cleaner, right? "Hi, honey, I'm home" as the wife vacuums away.
50. Carnaval Streetwear. 1 point. For those heart shaped glasses.
49. My First Pet. 1 point. Not surprisingly, this has virtually nothing era specific.
48. Spooky Stuff. 2 points. A Halloween Party looks about the same anytime from 1950 to now but those pirate boots are good 60s fashionwear.
47. Journey To Batuu. 3 points. Considering the design ethos for Star Wars was from 1975 onwards it's no surprise there's not a lot for a 60s based game. A couple of B&B items, that's it.
46. Throw Back Fit. 3 points. There's a couple of women's tennis dresses (and a child version) that is a good match for the 60s.
45. Fashion Street. 4 points. Indian fashion influences were a big thing in the 60s, especially after The Beatles visited there in '68. A few items fit that bill.
44. Blooming Rooms. 4 points. If you want to have your hippy character wearing stuff from Fashion Street then why not deck out their home in lots of hanging plants?
43. Incheon Arrivals. 4 points. A couple of decent miniskirts, some good men's casual tops and a funky pair of go-go boots. Being a kit there's not much but what there is will give you more CAS options.
42. Kid's Room. 4 points. Not much of use in the CAS section as T shirts with intricate prints and slogans and ripped jeans weren't a 60s thing. Scores points for some of the wall decorations.
41. Modern Menswear. 5 points. Notorious for skirts for men, no surprises this doesn't rank highly on the list however it does feature an excellent leather jacket and some sweaters that are appropriate for the 60s.
40. Moonlight Chic. 5 points. An excellent jacket for men, some nice blouses and a sparkly miniskirt and top combo are of good use.
39. Cats & Dogs. 5 points. The critters are the stars here so not much for the human side of things. Those chunky paw print and bone sweaters and cardigans aren't era specific enough but there's a few items that stand out.
38. Nifty Knitting. 5 points. Very twee, very quaint, very homely...not very Sixties.

Kellogg_J_Kellogg

37. Werewolves. 6 points. Scars, scratches, fur...again, not a great deal for the Sixties although there are half a dozen items.
36. Paranormal. 6 points. There's one hairstyle, a pair of shoes, some decent men's casual tops and decor to suit the Sixties.
35. Parenthood. 6 points. Hoodies, ripped jeans and elaborately printed T shirts aren't of the era but there's a good pair of floral flares for hippies and some furniture.
34. Spa Day. 7 points. I love Spa Day but there's only a few clothing and furniture items of use but it did introduce nail polish.
33. Laundry Day. 7 points. A good pair of belted jeans, some hippy tops and wicker furniture (including a wicker egg chair) are the standouts here.
32. Toddler Stuff. 7 points. A cute very short toddler dress, some nice hairstyles, a couple of tops and some colourful floor rugs are all Sixties standards.
31. Backyard Stuff. 7 points. The hairstyles are the stars here, along with some tops and wind chimes!
30. Romantic Garden. 7 points. Even in the 1960s people went courting in romantic gardens, but they're not era specific so while the decor is nice there's the cute floral minidresses and other items of clothing, plus some really good hairstyles.
29. Bowling Night. 7 points. This pack reeks of Americana circa 1962 with the bowling shirts, wall decor, neon signs and some good hairstyles.
28. Decor To The Max. 8 points. About half the stuff in this kit is very Sixties. Mod carpets and rugs, wall decor and tables. Minimalist mod style.

Kellogg_J_Kellogg

27. Perfect Patio. 8 points. A classic men's haircut and polo shirt along with mod black and white minimalist furniture (plus hot tubs) score this one a healthy 8 points for a stuff pack.
26. Vintage Glamour. 8 points. The jewellery is of note here along with the chance to lounge around like Hugh Hefner.
25. Fitness. 8 points. Some of the fitness outfits can be used for mod streetwear.
24. Jungle Adventure. 8 points. Again, you can go all exotic with hippy style clothing and decor.
23. Realm Of Magic. 9 points. More for the clothing than the B&B you get minidresses with collars, cuffs and large bows, patterned tights, men's billowing shirts and stripy pants.
22. Dine Out. 9 points. Lots of points for the hairstyles and men's tops along with some good furniture as well.
21. Island Living. 10 points. Again, for that hippy chic.
20. Outdoor Retreat. 10 points. Another pack with a retro feel to it. Bits here and there in CAS that are very good along with some good casual jackets and tops.
19. Luxury Party. 11 points. You too can recreate Peter Sellers in The Party with this kit.
18. My Wedding Stories. 11 points. Some good B&B items but, alas, none of the formal wear suits the Sixties, where wedding dresses generally billowed outwards. Some good ethnic clothes that evoke the 60s chic though.

Kellogg_J_Kellogg

17. Tiny Living. 11 points. Good for that Sixties sitcom vibe with the furniture.
16. Get To Work. 11 points. Mainly for some of the Indian inspired clothing if your Sims want to tune in, turn on and drop out.
15. Snowy Escape. 11 points. The closest thing you'll get to a Nehru jacket in The Sims 4 and for that reason alone, it's a great Sixties pack to have.
14. Strangerville. 11 points. You get US Army uniforms so that's a bonus right there, for that Vietnam look. Plus some of that cowboy chic is era appropriate.
13. Moschino. 12 points. A bit of a dark horse when it comes to Sixties stuff but, I've looked, and there's some good clothing items and a few decorations to suit.
12. Movie Night. 12 points. The stand out item are those fantastic patterned flares plus a great hat, some good hairstyles and more hippy decor.
11. Vampires. 13 points. Remember, the TV series "Dark Shadows" was made between 1966 and 1971 so this pack will recreate that strange show.
10. Eco Lifestyle. 13 points. More hippy fashion.
9. Cool Kitchen. 14 points. The clothes here are the stand out...especially a Pierre Cardin inspired high neck jacket

Kellogg_J_Kellogg

The top 3 hidden in spoilers for some artificially introduced tension.

8. Cottage Living. 14 points. Hairstyles with Alice Bands, some good tops, pearl necklaces and men's jackets contribute to a higher score than a setting that is more Edwardian England would normally expect but there's the bonus of the British red telephone box and it just has a feel of The Avengers....the real Avengers. Steed and Mrs Peel, that Avengers.
7. City Living. 18 points. A big leap in points but there's a lot here from Indian fashion, decor and a cosmopolitan metropolitan feel to everything.
6. Seasons. 18 points. With the hats and coats you can get a good "That Girl" vibe to your Sims. Lots here and there that's spot on. More the winter stuff than the summer stuff of use.
5. Discover University. 18 points. Go to college, protest something, try to hook up with so many groovy chicks and guys. I mean, that's the Sixties right there and all those layered minidresses and college frat jackets go a long way to create the look.
4. Get Famous. 19 points. Just edging out the previous 3 entries is a pack that offers a lot...don't bother with the costumes, it's the lights! Camera! Action feel of the CAS and B&B that's the stand out here. "Work the camera, baby! Ignore this! Ignore me clicking my fingers...and I'm spent!"

And now...in 3rd place it's...

Dream Home Decorator. 22 points. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it? This is the pack that hardly anyone talks about and yet it's brilliant. A great men's Sixties hairstyle, some decent CAS but it's the mod furniture that's amazing here.

Silver medal goes to...

Get Together. 27 points. So much Sixties CAS to enjoy. Good for male fashion as well. Furniture not so much as there's an olde worlde feel to that.

And the winner, the most Sixties pack EA and Maxis have ever made for The Sims 4...it's

High School Years. 31 points. The runaway, undisputed winner here. Miniskirts and dresses, guy's shirts with puffy sleeves, footwear, flares, dorky hairstyles, cool hairstyles, minimalist furniture, brightly coloured wall decorations...it's a great one for the Sixties enthusiast...I'll wait for the bugs to be fixed first.

OK, I'm now off to get a life...see you later.

InfraGreen

Great list. I'd love to see the perspective from other historical Sims players (while I play absolutely none of that)

Kellogg_J_Kellogg

I'm done with my decade! I'm not doing the others...

simsinmysleep

This is so helpful! I’m bookmarking this for future reference. I’m trying to rebuild my entire Sims game, cc free, in 60s style (giving all the sims 60s fashion makeovers, too) and this will make a handy reference for which packs to check. I’m actually trying for sort of a late 50’s through early 70s era. 🙂