Mod to Suedehead

[browniecj]

Always wear my Jackets top 2 on a 3 Button Jacketon a 2 Button it would be the top one.I quite shamelessly say I would wear a non BD shirt done up..Maybe this is a throwback to the Mod.

I have always liked Suede(have 2 pairs in the Wardrobe now,including Desert Boots).I was looking at a Shoe that was similar to the Desert Boot-but without the higher sides.I remember having some the very same Style,around `64.I still like them.

Ties,if I wear one,is tied with a Windsor Knot and with a Tie Clip.

 

[Ed Vaughan]



Good article on the Desert Boot Ed. I liked the bit

'Back in Britain, a gentleman avoided suede on his feet – something sly about it, strictly for lounge lizards and worse – but up at the sharp end it was acceptable'

The Clarks Desert boot is my regular footwear of choice for day-to-day wear and I like the idea that at the 'sharp end' suede is acceptable!

... and of course, this was still around the time when a 'gentleman' would not wear brown shoes in the city, as in: "Never brown, in town...'.

 

[elwood]



I said I would try to write something about my experiences.

Although I probably didn’t realise it at the time, skinhead was part of a modernist continuum that began shortly after WW2 in Soho.

In the Soul Stylists, Paolo Hewitt attempts to present a common principle or theme that extends from those early beginnings right up to the present day, through Modernist, Mod, Skinhead, Suede head and Casual.  The principle is one of secrecy and exclusivity, underpinning each individual movement.  The clothes, music and drugs were different but these ideals bring each of them together.

I didn’t really want to be a skinhead.  I had grown up in a ‘Mod town’, Chelmsford about 30 miles from central London.  My love of clothes apparently began almost in the cradle when I loved to sit and help? my granddad polish his boots.  My dad had no interest in his appearance. So after my poor old granddad passed away I had little around me, except perhaps glimpses of stylish people here and there, to influence my style until, at secondary school in 1964 I spotted two six formers ride up to the school gates on a scooter.  They were immaculate in their Crombies, bowler hats (exchanged for caps before they went into school!) and silk paisley scarves.  That was it – I had to be a Mod!  Obviously at 11 I didn’t have the dosh or indeed any of the other attributes necessary.  So I waited and waited until I was old enough to be something.  I joined the Atlantic and Stax appreciation society,  Uptight’n'Outasight (sp?), I persuaded my long-suffering parents to buy me the occasional  Mod piece of clothing – tab collar shirts, knitted ties, Beatle style boots.  I walked around the school corridors with ‘Otis Blue’ under my arm!  And in 1967 at 14 I got my first MTM suit from John Collier.

A year or two later when I started work the world was my oyster.  Regrettably though, the very items of clothing I loved were going out of fashion as everyone adopted some elements of the emerging hippy styles.  All was not lost - we beat a path to Mintz and Davis at Romford and there you could still find those simple and stylish clothes I had first seen back in 1964.  We went further afield to The Squire Shop in Brewer Street, then on to The Ivy Shop.  We tended not to wear boots and braces after flirting with them briefly in 1967 but rather to adopt a softer, perhaps more Mod-influenced style. A typical casual outfit would be Harrington over a BD with jeans or bespoke trousers and Solatios, followed by Royals.  For a night out it was mohair, dogtooth or POW suit, BD and striped or paisley tie. The Crombie was cut too tight to wear over a suit so we would wear a stone colour or navy short fly fronted raincoat.

I remember vividly when a close mate showed me the now infamous Daily Mirror piece.  He said he was better qualified to be a skinhead than me as ‘low-grade clerk’ was one of the occupations referenced in the piece and he reckoned he was one!  Obviously, it quickly  began to dawn on us that while the recognition at first seemed great, that very exposure began to eat away at the ‘secrecy and exclusivity’ that until then we had enjoyed - without really understanding that.  So, we now began to grow our hair slightly longer and dressed exclusively at the Ivy Shop and Squire Shop. 

I won’t take this beyond early 1970 today, but refer you to this thread on Ask Andy where I explore the period from around July 1970 to the early 70s:
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/...-Skinhead-to-Smooth&highlight=skinhead+smooth

The third post includes a link to my earlier piece on AAAC called 'the skinhead'.
 

Mr. Knightley, good post. Interesting about possible influence of grandad, in light of frequent comments on thread about old man's clobber and looking like little old men.

My own grandads took pride in their appearance. Both had jobs that were fairly mucky (yes, it's grim up North etc) and as soon as they were home, off came the overalls and after cleaning up on went the suit & tie, highly-polished Oxfords, overcoat (in winter) and trilby. If they weren't going out, it would be smart trousers and the Wolsey type of cardigan featured elsewhere on the thread.

Not for them the dressing down affected by our current politicians; they dressed UP whenever possible. I remember them being on Blackpool beach in summer wearing suits or blazers. I was told they both had a reputation for being "dapper" dressers in their younger days.

When one of them died in early 70s, I inherited his sheepskin coat (had it for years until it was worn out) and a yellow/gold Paisley silk Tootal scarf (must have been 50s or 60s vintage and I wish I knew what happened to it). Neither were quite as fashionable as they had been a few years earlier but I still liked them and wore them a lot.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Quote:
Yes, it took a bit of stick on fb for being too prescriptive. I'm not convinced that an Englishman needs rules about how to button his jacket, and in any event all rules are made to be broken. I have seen pics of Cary Grant with only the bottom one fastened: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rc...vqU2vRs8xF2dxDqMhRniuR7g&ust=1372939977041008

 

[elwood]



Clothes that I would still wear, and do, from 'back in the day' .
Nearly all shoes ie Smoothes, American Brogues, Walkovers, Clarks Dessies, Beefroll Loafers (Sebago) etc. I do have some DM's but rarely wear them. I would no longer wear Bass Weejun tasseled loafers (my favourite shoe back then). I might wear officer boots and Jodphur boots if I could find a decent pair.
Would no longer wear Levi sta press or jungle greens but would wear beige Levi Cords, Levis and Lee Rider jeans. Definitely no braces any more (I didn't wear them often anyway) although I do have a pair..
Couldn't wear a Tonik mohair suit like the one I used to have.Or the Prince of Wales Jacket. Would still wear a dark blue Blazer. I have always had a Barracuta Harrington in the wardrobe and still wear them. Alpha jackets aren't part of my look, then or now.
I would wear all the knitwear I had in 68-72 . I still wear Fred Perry (but prefer John Smedley).  I wouldn't wear a Ben Sherman from today, but I would wear a 1969 version. I still wear American BD shirts. I would wear a Crombie, to a funeral maybe. I never had a sheepskin. Would wear all my stripped repp ties I used to own. I would love to wear the Fly fronted mac I owned as a 15 year old. White or sky blue boxer shorts are still part of my look as are thick wollen socks.

I would not wear any clothes that I wore from 1972-1974 except maybe my Olive Green Duffel coat.(I had a pair of Blue Swedish Clogs in 1972, one year after I was wearing top quality American shoes).

Good list, Mr. Badger. Here's mine, usual disclaimer about personal opinion only etc.

Do/ would wear:
Crombie
Harrington
Sheepskin (on list for winter)
Fly-fronted mac (still looking)
John Smedley knitwear (shirts, pullovers: long sleeve & sleeveless)
Sta-Prest (nearest equivalent can find; intend to try Brooks Brothers' flat-front Milano fit)
BD shirts (plain or striped rather than check)
Suits: 3-button, narrow lapel etc.
Shoes: longwing brogue, Oxfords, smooths/ Derby, desert boots, loafers

Don't wear/ probably wouldn't wear (but never say never):
denim jeans (haven't had any for 20+ years so just got out of wearing them)
denim jacket (don't seem to see old style without side-pockets anyway)
red socks
tie-pin in pocket

Don't wear but might:
Two-tone Tonik suit (probably not the green/gold I had in 71/72 but maybe something more "muted")
DMs (Wore my mid-70s pair at football through to early 80s when they were relegated to "gardening". As that involved precious little use they ended up binned on a house move in last ten years - pity as they were made in England. Not been tempted by them since then but the William Lennon versions posted recently look pretty good.)

 

[Mr Knightley]

Quote:
Yes, elwood that generation were generally keen to 'dress up'. My dad was of the generation that wanted to dress down and, being a professional man he wanted to show other things were more important......we never really recovered from an early dispute about my need for a pea coat that went unmet!

 

[elwood]



A mate shared this on fb, i wish they would put something similar on shirts regarding the current trend for fastening the top button

Back in the day, it was always top button only (on 3-button - including school blazers) round my way. These days, I'd tend to go top two of three (but sometimes top one only, for old times' sake )

 

[elwood]



Yes, elwood that generation were generally keen to 'dress up'. My dad was of the generation that wanted to dress down and, being a professional man he wanted to show other things were more important......we never really recovered from an early dispute about my need for a pea coat that went unmet!

I had a similar dispute with my Mum about my Crombie, which happily was resolved in my favour ... but I guess we all have "the one (or more) that got away" back then. Longwing brogues certainly did for me (and a few others) but I'm making up for it now

 

[Mr Knightley]

A modern take on the blazer in Madrid. Good to see it alive and well, albeit in a slightly different form.



http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/the-four-amigos-madrid/

 

[Gsvs5]



... but I guess we all have "the one (or more) that got away" back then. Longwing brogues certainly did for me (and a few others) but I'm making up for it now

Likewise Elwood.I have a number of things that I wear now that we're heavily influenced from the past,but are considered quite modern due to updated styling.For example I never liked or wore Desert Boots then ,but come October each year,I live in suede Tod's gommino boots ,jeans and MA-1.
I also wore an earring around '79 .That is something none of us did before that ,as like tattoos,it was considered Ted/Rocker by our lot.I have had a Crombie since,but it was Navy Herringbone,dbl breasted with a velvet collar.I tend to only wear BD shirts as a very casual look,never with a jacket these days,preferring a full spread collar.I rarely buy short sleeves,preferring long,even in polo's.The stance of the buttons on jackets (as well as the number) has constantly evolved and been played with over the years,often determined in conjunction with the jacket length.I still prefer just the top button done,as long as it's not too high up.
I think subliminally my Uncle was my greatest influence.He always wore exactly the same things for as long as I can recall.All Dark brown......suede loafers,moleskin trousers,suede blazers.
I have constantly had all that kit in my own wardrobe to date,in some shape or form.

 

[Gsvs5]



A modern take on the blazer in Madrid. Good to see it alive and well, albeit in a slightly different form. http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/the-four-amigos-madrid/

nice shot Mr K.Seems like the trousers are getting shorter also,showing more ankle than just shoe.I for one will be very glad to see this trend for full unkept beards disappear for good.

 

[Basset]

Current trend?

A walk around any city or a visit to numerous clothing websites, and you will see examples of this on people.
A couple of years ago and you wouldn't have, im sure you understand the point im making

 

[Sirryacus]

Out of that picture Keith Richards is probably closest to the way I usually dress never the top button though of course, I suppose its not a very small look but whatever.

 

[cerneabbas]

Basset. I went to that jeans shop in Bristol yesterday,i have to say that i have never seen so many different styles of jeans in one place ( mostly shite IMO ),i ended up getting a pair of Wrangler Ben ( they were out of Lee 101,except some 23 oz ones ).I think that the Wranglers are too tapered for a lot of people,but as the GF was buying them for my birthday i went along with her advice on what looked best.Anyone buying these jeans beware they are not true to size,i have had to buy a 32" waist and theres no way i am a 32 ( M and S trousers are perfect fit on me at a 36" waist and theres no way i am a 36 either ), so i would say that you have to try them on ,the bloke serving me admitted that there can be a size variation in the same jeans in different washes !. I tried on 2 different pairs of Levis in a 34" waist,one pair fitted ok but i couldnt even do up the other pair,he explained that by saying that they were different cuts !,the 34" Wrangler were too big so i would hesitate to buy online.Thanks for the info on that shop,by the way the bloke serving me was talking to my GF and referred to the shop as a " jeanery " hahaha.

 

[Man-of-Mystery]



A walk around any city or a visit to numerous clothing websites, and you will see examples of this on people.
A couple of years ago and you wouldn't have, im sure you understand the point im making

Indeed I do.