The Look goes on...



Mr Knightley said:

And in doing so it does not confine the Look to a working class phenomenon .

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The look as English national dress? Now that would be an interesting angle.

covskin said:

The look as English national dress? Now that would be an interesting angle.

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Hmm... that's too much of a challenge for me.

Going back to Mods The New Religion, my old heart leaped when I read the introductory pages. Modernism has always been seen as something of a working class movement and accordingly, when commentators try to set it in an historical context they invariably tend to restrict themselves to Post-War working class youth culture.

I tried, without success, on Mod to Suedehead to argue that the Regency Dandy was something of a modernist, taking traditional sporting clothes and turning them into super-smart town wear. The Dandy's attention to his cleanliness, grooming and his exquisite pared-down wardrobe set him as one of the forerunners IMO. But this was not picked up upon and that theme just died. So, imagine my excitement when I read the introduction in the book, which does not just go back to the early Nineteenth Century Dandy but far beyond - to the Restoration of the English monarch in 1660!

In this way modernism is seen as a key element, not just of Post-War working class yoof fashion, but of the development of (men's) style in modern times.

Visited here today, kopped this lot.

Lots of good stuff on show. Though not sure of the new line FP style tops they're doing...

^ Smedley is not a goto item for me - the fabric is too rich for this ex-skinhead - but better anything Smedley than something like Gabicci. More timeless.



covskin said:

^ Smedley is not a goto item for me - the fabric is too rich for this ex-skinhead - but better anything Smedley than something like Gabicci. More timeless.

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You're right, I get that Cov. It can get a bit clingy!

Still, as you say better English

Quote:
Is that the Lea Mills factory shop? I have always liked that smooth JS look but, as you get older you have to be a bit careful as the Sea Island cotton tops can be a bit clingy as you say. I normally go for a slightly larger size as that seems more flattering. I suppose I could lose some weight but that hadn't occurred to me until just now! Yesterday I visited one of the few remaining decent men's designer stores left in Essex, Choice. I spotted (and almost bought) a pair of plaited leather loafers by Jeffery-West of the kind that would have been worn by mid 60s Mods. http://www.choicestore.co.uk/mens/s...hoes/jeffery-west-woven-leather-shoe-tan.html Something held me back. What is the view of that look today?

Yep, have to be careful of a snug fitting JS!


It is the Lea Mills factory yes, lovely part of the world Matlock, Derbyshire.



Mr Knightley said:

Is that the Lea Mills factory shop?

I have always liked that smooth JS look but, as you get older you have to be a bit careful as the Sea Island cotton tops can be a bit clingy as you say. I normally go for a slightly larger size as that seems more flattering. I suppose I could lose some weight but that hadn't occurred to me until just now!

Yesterday I visited one of the few remaining decent men's designer stores left in Essex, Choice. I spotted (and almost bought) a pair of plaited leather loafers by Jeffery-West of the kind that would have been worn by mid 60s Mods.

Something held me back. What is the view of that look today?

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To me they look like they should be worn sockless or with no-see-em socks, navy oxford cloth shorts and a baggy white linen shirt, sipping a daquiri in Havana.
I personally wouldn't pair them with long trousers but I'm sure it could be tastefully done by someone far more sartorially expert than mesen.
What were they worn with in the mid-'60s?



Botolph said:

To me they look like they should be worn sockless or with no-see-em socks, navy oxford cloth shorts and a baggy white linen shirt, sipping a daquiri in Havana.
I personally wouldn't pair them with long trousers but I'm sure it could be tastefully done by someone far more sartorially expert than mesen.
What were they worn with in the mid-'60s?

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Good point well made.

Use of the word MESEN however takes me back and therefore carries untold bonus points.

Class

Botolph said:

To me they look like they should be worn sockless or with no-see-em socks, navy oxford cloth shorts and a baggy white linen shirt, sipping a daquiri in Havana.
I personally wouldn't pair them with long trousers but I'm sure it could be tastefully done by someone far more sartorially expert than mesen.
What were they worn with in the mid-'60s?

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Yes, good points, Botolph.

Summer is the time of year where things have changed the most over time. You will recall all the holiday pics on the Mod to Suedehead thread of young people wearing pretty formal clothes (by today's standards) even when on the beach.


Here we see Birmingham Mods Gill and Del Evans fishing while on holiday in Torquay in 1966. What a great pic it is BTW. They, and the people in the background are wearing far more clothes than we would in similar circumstances today. That is why trying to pull off the woven slip-on with long trousers in 2014 (as they would have been worn in the mid to late 60s) may well challenge even the most sartorially adept, eh?

Mr Knightley said:

Yes, good points, Botolph.

Summer is the time of year where things have changed the most over time. You will recall all the holiday pics on the Mod to Suedehead thread of young people wearing pretty formal clothes (by today's standards) even when on the beach.


Here we see Birmingham Mods Gill and Del Evans fishing while on holiday in Torquay in 1966. What a great pic it is BTW. They, and the people in the background are wearing far more clothes than we would in similar circumstances today. That is why trying to pull off the woven slip-on with long trousers in 2014 (as they would have been worn in the mid to late 60s) may well challenge even the most sartorially adept, eh?

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This is Gill's description of her outfit on Facebook:

'Torquay 1966 Me and Del mackerel fishing with Mike in the background. I am wearing a pink Moygashel trouser suit which I had designed and made. Trouser suits were just becoming fashionable.'



Mr Knightley said:

Summer is the time of year where things have changed the most over time.

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I would add to that mens wear for going out in the evening (suits) and womens wear generally (skirts). Sometime before the 80s these things changed, but us 80s lot get the blame for it

Another fundamental change in clothing in the 70s, boys wear generally (short trousers). Perhaps if boys still wore short trousers then men would not want to.



Cleav said:

Good point well made.

Use of the word MESEN however takes me back and therefore carries untold bonus points.

Class

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Ah, 'tis not I. My autocorrect is set to Yorkshire!

Reet y'are lad, reet y'are