Mod to Suedehead

I think this is relevant -

From Danny Baker's book, 'Going to Sea in a Sieve'

'Martin Connor, a boy about my age who I knew quite well, had

browniecj said:

King Tubby-a Genius of the First Order.

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I agree with browniecj.Bunty great excerpt.Tragic and funny.



bunty said:

I think this is relevant -

From Danny Baker's book, 'Going to Sea in a Sieve'

'Martin Connor, a boy about my age who I knew quite well, had

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I don`t know whether to laugh or cry at this Bunty.Mind you ,I know what he felt about Trousers that were very hard to come by....

With regard to regional differences - all of the following were reputed to have been skinhead wear but I don't recall any being worn near us. Where they popular elsewhere?

Collarless 'Union' shirts
Grandad vests
Army Greens
Donkey Jackets
Thick woolie cardigans (you know, the type your Dad might have worn)

'Trilbies' - in various styles - only very rarely worn. ( as previously mentioned, I saw lots more berets than trilbies)

I remember we were all scathing about the photo on the front of the novel "Skinhead" - style less shirt and scruffy boots - would never have stepped out of the house looking like that!

roytonboy said:

With regard to regional differences - all of the following were reputed to have been skinhead wear but I don't recall any being worn near us. Where they popular elsewhere?

Collarless 'Union' shirts
Grandad vests
Army Greens
Donkey Jackets
Thick woolie cardigans (you know, the type your Dad might have worn)

'Trilbies' - in various styles - only very rarely worn. ( as previously mentioned, I saw lots more berets than trilbies)

I remember we were all scathing about the photo on the front of the novel "Skinhead" - style less shirt and scruffy boots - would never have stepped out of the house looking like that!

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Collarless 'Union' shirts- Never
Grandad vests- Never
Army Greens- Teamed up with officer boots, these were worn for about 6 months by my mob. We became smarter and more 'Ivy' as we got older and wanted to visit dance halls,clubs and pubs with a certain dress code.
Donkey Jackets- Some boys had these but we preferred Sheepskins, Crombies , Harringtons, Macs. Donkey jackets didn't fit into our social life but scruffier herberts wore them. And they were workwear of course.
Thick woolie cardigans (you know, the type your Dad might have worn)- Not real thick woolies but these were worn by me right through that period, particularly with Levi Sta-Prest and beige Levi cords and dessert boots. Casual wear at the seaside or football, not for going out in.

'Trilbies' - in various styles - only very rarely worn. ( as previously mentioned, I saw lots more berets than trilbies)- I saw plenty of trilbies but my crowd didn't wear them. Don't remember berets.

East London and Essex. But we travelled all over London.



Bob the Badger said:

Collarless 'Union' shirts- Never
Grandad vests- Never
Army Greens- Teamed up with officer boots, these were worn for about 6 months by my mob. We became smarter and more 'Ivy' as we got older and wanted to visit dance halls,clubs and pubs with a certain dress code.
Donkey Jackets- Some boys had these but we preferred Sheepskins, Crombies , Harringtons, Macs.  Donkey jackets didn't fit into our social life but scruffier herberts wore them. And they were workwear of course.
Thick woolie cardigans (you know, the type your Dad might have worn)- Not real thick woolies but these were worn by me right through that period, particularly with Levi Sta-Prest and beige Levi cords and dessert boots. Casual wear at the seaside or football, not for going out in.

'Trilbies' - in various styles - only very rarely worn. ( as previously mentioned, I saw lots more berets than trilbies)- I saw plenty of trilbies but my crowd didn't wear them. Don't remember berets.

East London and Essex. But we travelled all over London.

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We wore Donkey Jackets and Jungle greens 68/69. Cherry Red Commando boots..and heavy cardigans... but as B the B says as we go older and got a job we dressed smarter.

Granddad vest ,Union shirts never saw anyone wearing these items in West London.

Got these Robinson's "Andrew Jackson" brogues today. Thick double oak sole, probably a 1.5" heel, beautiful leather, sturdy-as-fook shoes. Maybe not 100% "skinhead", but paired with the dark navy Crombie and some grey trousers I think they're gonna look pissa.



Botolph said:

Got these Robinson's "Andrew Jackson" brogues today. Thick double oak sole, probably a 1.5" heel, beautiful leather, sturdy-as-fook shoes. Maybe not 100% "skinhead", but paired with the dark navy Crombie and some grey trousers I think they're gonna look pissa.

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Love em,

Bob the Badger said:

Collarless 'Union' shirts- Never
Grandad vests- Never
Army Greens- Teamed up with officer boots, these were worn for about 6 months by my mob. We became smarter and more 'Ivy' as we got older and wanted to visit dance halls,clubs and pubs with a certain dress code.
Donkey Jackets- Some boys had these but we preferred Sheepskins, Crombies , Harringtons, Macs. Donkey jackets didn't fit into our social life but scruffier herberts wore them. And they were workwear of course.
Thick woolie cardigans (you know, the type your Dad might have worn)- Not real thick woolies but these were worn by me right through that period, particularly with Levi Sta-Prest and beige Levi cords and dessert boots. Casual wear at the seaside or football, not for going out in.

'Trilbies' - in various styles - only very rarely worn. ( as previously mentioned, I saw lots more berets than trilbies)- I saw plenty of trilbies but my crowd didn't wear them. Don't remember berets.

East London and Essex. But we travelled all over London.

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Cheers B the B.

The first time I ever saw Army Greens on a Skinhead was in 1981. Worn with black DMs.

The beret thing (like the driving gloves, I suspect) was very much a Manchester/North West thing. and possibly a Soul influence going on there. Worn with Levi/Wrangler Jacket and Jeans late 1969. Very much a 'uniform' thing. I get the impression that in London clothes styles were a bit more varied. In season 1969/1970 virtually every skinhead on the Kippax was dressed exactly the same, drenched in denim. - hundreds of lads, virtually indistinguishable from each other to outsiders. Liverpool was just the same - Mr. Wrangler could have retired on the takings from these two cities alone! The berets was a short lived thing, lasting a matter of months - cut a dash though!

roytonboy said:

With regard to regional differences - all of the following were reputed to have been skinhead wear but I don't recall any being worn near us. Where they popular elsewhere?

Collarless 'Union' shirts
Grandad vests

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Grandad vest -yes,we used to Dye them ourselves.I distinctly remember wearing my yellow one with a green fair Isle.

Collarless shirts-Yes.The Police Blue issue with the two military style flapped breast pockets were the most common.

Never saw Army Greens or Donkey jackets unless they had WIMPEY on the back and walking off a building site.

Lasttye said:

We wore Donkey Jackets and Jungle greens 68/69. Cherry Red Commando boots..and heavy cardigans... but as B the B says as we go older and got a job we dressed smarter.

Granddad vest ,Union shirts never saw anyone wearing these items in West London.

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I can only remember seeing Donkey jackets worn on one occasion - by Aston Villa fans, also brown Doc. Martens. As City were Away this particular Saturday, we went to Rochdale as we thought there would be some Villa fans there and therefore plenty of 'excitement'. I would have been 15 at the time - so young, so naive! F*ck me, there was THOUSANDS of 'em. After a short scuffle behind a goal prior to kick off they saw off the few Rochdale fans who had gathered there leaving just Gaz and myself totally surrounded - Custer's last stand job - they stared at us, we looked back. Whether they admired the fact that we didn't run or whether they just took pity on 2 little skinheads, I'll never know, but they parted and let us walk away. I've had a lot of time for Villa fans ever since! These guys were the real deal - many of them looked 18 or 19 and oozed 'the look' (apart from the donkey jackets, obviously.... )

How strange to remember that some wore brown DMs - well, there's the Skinhead eye for detail for you!

Gsvs5 said:

Grandad vest -yes,we used to Dye them ourselves.I distinctly remember wearing my yellow one with a green fair Isle.

Collarless shirts-Yes.The Police Blue issue with the two military style flapped breast pockets were the most common.

Never saw Army Greens or Donkey jackets unless they had WIMPEY on the back and walking off a building site.

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Gsvs5 - where/when was this?



Gsvs5 said:

Grandad vest -yes,we used to Dye them ourselves.I distinctly remember wearing my yellow one with a green fair Isle.

Collarless shirts-Yes.The Police Blue issue with the two military style flapped breast pockets were the most common.

Never saw Army Greens or Donkey jackets unless they had WIMPEY on the back and walking off a building site.

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Oh I saw donkey jackets, worn by borstal school work gangs.

Stafford around '68 if my memory serves me right.I did see the odd Donkey jacket in the Boothen End but they were DEFINITELY blokes who had come from work to the game and not a fashion item.One thing that has bothered me for years-with every revival of Mods or whatever is the fact that back then we ALL took pride in the way we looked.Sometimes I feel like telling some of the kids today that they are a disgrace to the style.

Stamford Bridge .. probably revival skins late 70s