Mod to Suedehead

[Brideshead]

Going back to Bunty's excellent pics and especially the one of the wedding suit I am reminded what a difficult and painful transition that was for me. We had been used to having the very best stuff we could afford (not as many pieces as we might own today of course) and looking pretty sharp.

Not only did the overall silhouette change, but the items of clothing changed in importance. Suits had been de rigueur in 1969 but by 1971 they were not really on the agenda. Unless like me you worked in a staid office environment which made the pain even greater. You couldn't afford to rush off and buy a Turnbull and Asser velvet jacket and even if you could it would not be right for many occasions. Take 6 eventually began to fill the void for those that needed more 'formal' attire than brushed denim trousers and a slipover. But in 1971 a wedding or other formal outing really did stretch the resources.

Interestingly as ever the girls seemed to have had an easier time of it - note that Bunty's brother's girlfriend (now wife I think) has completed her transformation! And looks great!

 

[Brideshead]

And how did you originals keep up to date with new trends? Things were no longer so certain and it was very hard to achieve a look that was modern in the new way but did not appear 'mainstream'.

I remember one excellent article about the various alternatives to the suit in the autumn of 1971, I think in Club International and it featured new offerings from Village Gate, Squire Shop and Quincy that still stood out as having a degree of taste in an increasingly tasteless world. I have tried to track this edition down but without success.

All you could hope to do was keep some distance between you and the gross high street fashions of the day....

 

[browniecj]

To be honest, in `71 there was a lot of different things about.Being a 21 year old I was not interested in buying stuff-to go down the Disco.I bought my only Suit "off the peg" that year,after that Jackets and Trousers.During the years `71 and `73,Harry Fenton had a Buyer who was getting Clothes,Shoes etc.,that were rivalling Village Gate etc.I have seen two or three Films(from those times)where they are wearing a Shirt or Jacket I had bought from there).There was a Film recently on T.V."Steptoe and Son-Rides Again" with Albert is getting into a Coffin(in one Scene)wearing a pair of Two-Tone Shoes I had bought out of Fentons.

I t would be interesting to hear what Dave Hill had to say aboutwhen they appeared in front of 500 Skinheads and got escorted off the Stage,for their own safety.Which is what happened at Guildford Civic Hall.I bet he will not remember that one!!!! They were Billed as "The Ambrose Slade" then.

 

[Big Muscle]

Some time ago, I post here a link to Man Alive: The Truth about Hell's Angels and Skinheads. But it was in very poor quality (same as those clips on youtube). Today I just found another website where it can be viewed in good quality: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2011/08/the_terrifying_gangs_of_englan.html

Just trying to figure out how to download to my computer. But still no subtitles can be found

 

[Lasttye]

We have spoken a little on the post Skinheads, 71 to 75, Where the Skinheads had a uniform, after that it was a near free for all, You had your Satin jackets Budgie jackets, leather bomber jacket , Bags platform shoes, Beagle collar shirts, One shirt collar thats not mentioned was the swept back collar, Yes Take Six, they had a couple of shops in Oxford St.
I remember near every bit of Skinhead clothing i had, after 71..its a bit of a blur, And no I was not on drugs,

 

[buttons]

I think one thing that's touched on little here is skinhead fashion FROM '71 to say '75.
I know in parts of London, the use of the name skinhead was shunned by some of the cooler lads by the summer of '70 and the look had changed quite a lot by the end of that year. But outside of London, there were a massive amount of skinheads in every town in Britain, all with their regional quirks and interpretations of the style.
As Roy mentioned a while back, the word spread so much more slowly back then. We know how badly it was represented in the papers. There's little reason why you'd go to a club more than 20-odd miles away from where you lived. There was no GQ magazine pointing out what was cool this month. So the terraces became the place to be seen, where kids would eye up what each other were wearing (while often eyeing you up for a scrap). The odd family holiday here and there, lads working away, squaddies relocating .... and that was about it.
So no surprise that skinheads ffrom different towns had their own interpretations and also no wonder the more remote towns often caught on a bit later than others. As well as that, a thriving skinhead style of say 1972, in some northern town is gonna have more of a mix of what's considered part of the uniform and what's available in the boutiques in town. In '68 / '69 London, the Squire Shop, Village Gate etc would almost dictate much of what was cool and would be the cause of what 3 months later was not. In '72 Middlesborough for example, the influences are a lot more varied and to some outsiders a bit mixed up.
So that said, is it still 'skinhead'? Well of course it is. Easy for the East London boys to dismiss it as incorrect as its not what they were doing the year before. But that doesn't mean its wrong. I've spoken to plenty of skinheads in the past, many from the North who were still calling themselves skinheads in '73 and beyond - similar style but with longer hair, wider trousers etc, visiting clubs playing what had now been termed Norther Soul, riding Lambrettas etc etc
Now, I'm not defending some of the modern skinhead set's approach of getting out the '68 to '76 dressing up box and throwing together a colour coordinated but very mis-matched outfit for he weekend. But I think a lot more consideration should be given, from a 'traditional skinhead' point of view to many legitimate non-London variations.

If nothing else, it may stir up a few more memories, rether than some of the tangents this thread's been wandering off on!

Buttons

 

[browniecj]

As an East Londoner I did not look down on anything that was being worn ,time after we had discarded it.We laughed at it because we thought-are they still wearing that? And that was the case from Skins/exSkins in all parts of London.We knew the "Out-Of-Towners" .
If there had been a Fashoin Mag.at that time,I would have ignored it.Lets face it,when the Media wrote Articles regarding what Skinheads wore(and there have been Pictures posted on here)-we moved on!!! The Fashion came from the "Street"-not some Fashion Editors` Brain.Like it is now!!!!

 

[noddy]

just joined up have read most of the thread and know a few of you in real life (hello roy, harry,and bob) I like the picture of the lad at the wedding I have one very similar but from last year when my wife was a bridesmaid for one of her work colleges and I had to put one of my old tonic suits and a pair of norwegians

 

[loempiavreter]

@Big Muscle
Thanks for the link up, seeing it in this quality is a whole difference.

All 4 of them are wearing the braces on top of their clothing

 

[Lasttye]



just joined up have read most of the thread and know a few of you in real life (hello roy, harry,and bob) I like the picture of the lad at the wedding I have one very similar but from last year when my wife was a bridesmaid for one of her work colleges and I had to put one of my old tonic suits and a pair of norwegians

Welcome Noddy, great to have you on board Mate.

Roy

 

[Lasttye]



Now, I'm not defending some of the modern skinhead set's approach of getting out the '68 to '76 dressing up box and throwing together a colour coordinated but very mis-matched outfit for he weekend. But I think a lot more consideration should be given, from a 'traditional skinhead' point of view to many legitimate non-London variations.
If nothing else, it may stir up a few more memories, rether than some of the tangents this thread's been wandering off on!
Buttons

Great post Buttons, Spot on.

Regarding the present day scene, Very few Traditional Skinheads dress correctly, I have seen Skinheads dress from all over the UK that get the look right, and are very smart, but most i'am afraid have got it all wrong, or they just don't care a fcuk.
Down here in London quite a few people who claim to be Originals, {well they are around my age of 57}, have come on the scene, I look at them dressed completely wrong, and think to myself have they bad memories ?, Or maybe they never had a clue in the first place, I'am not saying all Originals was smart cos they was not, But if you claim to be a Original wear the fcuking correct kit., smartly that is ,

 

[Big Muscle]



All 4 of them are wearing the braces on top of their clothing

Yeah, I saw this for the first time half year ago in our local pub. It was some German skinhead wearing braces over his tank-top (sleeveless jumper or whatever it is called) and my reaction was only "What the ****?!" Then I looked at this document and said "What the ****?!" for the second time.

 

[Lasttye]



Yeah, I saw this for the first time half year ago in our local pub. It was some German skinhead wearing braces over his tank-top (sleeveless jumper or whatever it is called) and my reaction was only "What the ****?!" Then I looked at this document and said "What the ****?!" for the second time.

Wearing Braces outside Jumpers, Sleveless pullovers etc happened back in the early days, I think this was due to braces being one of the main parts to the identity of a skinhead, so the young skinheads would like to show their braces off as a badge of office , so to speak. Plus in the winter wearing Jumpers with braces outside was no big deal.
Here in London Braces was only worn for a short time anyway, by late 70 many of us did not bother with em.

 

[harrysgame]



just joined up have read most of the thread and know a few of you in real life (hello roy, harry,and bob) I like the picture of the lad at the wedding I have one very similar but from last year when my wife was a bridesmaid for one of her work colleges and I had to put one of my old tonic suits and a pair of norwegians

Hi ya Noddy.

Im sure people would like to hear some of your input regarding Skinhead dress throughout the years.

 

[loempiavreter]



All 4 of them are wearing the braces on top of their clothing

Reading this back, it sounds kinda weird, what I mean was even the 2 who was wearing a jumper and the crewneck are even wearing braces on top.
I know that M-O-M is kinda against this practice (or it did not happen at all at your manor?).