Mod to Suedehead - Page 505

Originally Posted by browniecj 

It must be my Age,or something,but I think I have finally sussed out-how "Hard Mods"(then eventually Skinhead) came about.It would fit in with the Skinhead Ethos.I am reading a Book(Fictional) called"Here Come The Nice".In the Story,(set in Modern Britain)the main Character is Researching Carnaby Street-and especially John Stephens.Now it starts off by going back to 1964.A Character who is just called the "Face" is standing outside The "Scene"Club in Ham Yard.The "Face"ends up like a time traveller-but not just yet.Are you following me so far?The "Face" is the epitome of a Top Mod.He buys the latest Clothes etc.,and he knows his way about "Up West".One of the things he is doing(because he believes this is what a"Face" should do)is go with pretty Male Mods,and "Rent Boys".This is just a Story!!!
The Historical Background is very sharp and well researched.There are a number of things that have really got me thinking.John Stephens came from Glasgow(he was Gay).He started up his Tailoring Business to cater for a mainly Gay Clientel.He moved to bigger Premises around in Carnaby Street.This much is Fact.What is thought provoking is-a lot of his Male Assistants supplemented their Income by being "Rent Boys" in Piccadilly.In the 60s,the "Dilly" was known as the "Meat Rack".Being 14 at the time I just assumed it was where Prostitutes hung out,but it was a "Rent Boy"pick-up area.They would do their "Business" downstairs in the Gents.Police would go undercover and be on the look-out ,because Homosexuality was illegal then.Mods had started wearing Eye-liner and to some degree Lipstick.I am not saying all the Mods were Gay,but I think(especially in the West End)a high proportion were.As the years rolled on,the Clothing and Styles got more effeminate and this is when I believe more and more Mods rebelled against this.The Clothing became more Masculine,Boots were worn to show this off to effect.Coloured Shirts etc.,were discarded.In real Terms this was Mod shrugging off the Gay Element.
Funny how years later,The Gay Movement adopted the "Skinhead Look".

Originally Posted by browniecj 

It must be my Age,or something,but I think I have finally sussed out-how "Hard Mods"(then eventually Skinhead) came about.It would fit in with the Skinhead Ethos.I am reading a Book(Fictional) called"Here Come The Nice".In the Story,(set in Modern Britain)the main Character is Researching Carnaby Street-and especially John Stephens.Now it starts off by going back to 1964.A Character who is just called the "Face" is standing outside The "Scene"Club in Ham Yard.The "Face"ends up like a time traveller-but not just yet.Are you following me so far?The "Face" is the epitome of a Top Mod.He buys the latest Clothes etc.,and he knows his way about "Up West".One of the things he is doing(because he believes this is what a"Face" should do)is go with pretty Male Mods,and "Rent Boys".This is just a Story!!!
The Historical Background is very sharp and well researched.There are a number of things that have really got me thinking.John Stephens came from Glasgow(he was Gay).He started up his Tailoring Business to cater for a mainly Gay Clientel.He moved to bigger Premises around in Carnaby Street.This much is Fact.What is thought provoking is-a lot of his Male Assistants supplemented their Income by being "Rent Boys" in Piccadilly.In the 60s,the "Dilly" was known as the "Meat Rack".Being 14 at the time I just assumed it was where Prostitutes hung out,but it was a "Rent Boy"pick-up area.They would do their "Business" downstairs in the Gents.Police would go undercover and be on the look-out ,because Homosexuality was illegal then.Mods had started wearing Eye-liner and to some degree Lipstick.I am not saying all the Mods were Gay,but I think(especially in the West End)a high proportion were.As the years rolled on,the Clothing and Styles got more effeminate and this is when I believe more and more Mods rebelled against this.The Clothing became more Masculine,Boots were worn to show this off to effect.Coloured Shirts etc.,were discarded.In real Terms this was Mod shrugging off the Gay Element.
Funny how years later,The Gay Movement adopted the "Skinhead Look".

Originally Posted by Yankee 

I've been moving a lot more traditional and smart lately since hitting my 30s, more than ever before, and there's great info here. The San Francisco traditional scene has been getting me out again, it's very vibrant, smart, good revival bands and reggae parties every couple of weeks. Still catch oi shows when I can as well, a couple of weeks ago was a huge weekend for bands, people were flying in from across the country.

 

Originally Posted by Lasttye 

I was at a Skinhead meet yesterday we was chatting about Marc Bolan, Ride a White Swan came out in July 70, Which sort of finished the Skinhead scene in London, I was saying my first Heavy Rock album i bought was Deep Purple In Rock, which came out June 70, I remember when Chelsea won the FA Cup in 70 I was wearing a Maroon Harrington that day, A month later i bought the above Rock Album.

Originally Posted by browniecj 

As a Footnote to what I have written.In the 70s,exSkinheads started growing their Hair long and wearing Patterned Shirts etc.When Bowie,Bolan etc.,came along it was Glam Rock etc.The Fashions went effeminate again.....I thought"`ere we go again!!!

Originally Posted by Brideshead 

This has, of course, been going on in one form or another since at least the Middle Ages.
I imagine most of you will be familiar with Diana de Marly’s excellent 1985 work ‘Fashion for Men – An Illustrated History’. In it, de Marly sets out the history of men’s clothing in a wider social context.

When I first read her book I was struck especially by the opening remarks:
‘History shows that human society swings between the male and female principle, so that some periods consider themselves to be masculine, while others regard themselves as more feminine. This redefinition of identity affects the way society determines its ideal males….’ She proceeds to trace the history of men’s fashion from the Middle Ages right up to the mid-1980s and along the way examines Renaissance Man, Neo-Classical Dandies, the buttoned-up Victorians and the blurring of sexual identity in more recent times.
What I have never really ‘got’ is the fact man in the 70s was something of a strutting peacock and yet the economic times were often dire. You would expect the opposite – and I guess that is where punk eventually comes in.
Perhaps we will in the future return to the style of Richard Sackville 3rd Earl of Dorset (1613) taken from the cover of Diana de Marly's book!

Originally Posted by Brideshead 

This has, of course, been going on in one form or another since at least the Middle Ages.
I imagine most of you will be familiar with Diana de Marly’s excellent 1985 work ‘Fashion for Men – An Illustrated History’. In it, de Marly sets out the history of men’s clothing in a wider social context.

When I first read her book I was struck especially by the opening remarks:
‘History shows that human society swings between the male and female principle, so that some periods consider themselves to be masculine, while others regard themselves as more feminine. This redefinition of identity affects the way society determines its ideal males….’ She proceeds to trace the history of men’s fashion from the Middle Ages right up to the mid-1980s and along the way examines Renaissance Man, Neo-Classical Dandies, the buttoned-up Victorians and the blurring of sexual identity in more recent times.
What I have never really ‘got’ is the fact man in the 70s was something of a strutting peacock and yet the economic times were often dire. You would expect the opposite – and I guess that is where punk eventually comes in.
Perhaps we will in the future return to the style of Richard Sackville 3rd Earl of Dorset (1613) taken from the cover of Diana de Marly's book!

Originally Posted by Ed Vaughan 

Possibly, in fact, I'm already saving up to buy a cartwheel ruff, doublet... and silk garters.
A cotton chemise is also a distinct possibility.