Mod to Suedehead

[yankmod]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but,In the 60's kids finished school at 15 and entered the "Adult" world.This excelerated teen time (12 to 15) makes teen rebellion(and cults/subcultures) more important in the UK than in the US where we have a longer teen time.This is just my observation from a distance and if incorrect I apologise.

 

[Oneflewover]

Hi all,

Great thread and just joined to give a couple of recollections.

In 1972 14 at school and from Hull I first got some money (very little) from paper round and grocery delivery (bike with small wheel and basket on the front) discovering girls and able to buy my own clothes / fashion.

We never called ourselves anything, my thought was always suedehead.

Because I and we the family where poor I could never afford the labels so had to make do. 2nd hand and "tribute" labels

Brogues where always wing tip and black. Mine came from the Army and Navy stores. Full heal, sole and tips had seggs (blakeys). Red socks. Airwear boot

Loafers where never an option.. too expensive for me. Richer kids had them. (they where a fashion item and as a result dearer).

Levi sta prest type pants (Lee?), Brutus and Fair Isle sleeveless. Harrington jacket with sewn on Yorkshire Rose badge.

Denim was Wrangler or Lee Cooper and always straight leg with a 1" turn up and had to be sewn and show the selvedge

Crombies and Sheepskins are around but not something I could afford.

This carried on into 73 with addition of fluorescent socks and patch work jumpers.

Into 74 and Skinners came in, tartan appeared on the back of the Harrington and star jumpers.

A couple of random thoughts - some of the girls had short on the top and long on the sides haircuts, Shaggy dog cut?

Football, Hull City and scarf tied on the wrist.

Donkey Jackets where known as NCB jackets - It was the uniform for Barnsley Fans


And now 40yrs later I'm recalling it

 

[corker23]

Thanks for all the advice regarding the DM's fellas. I think for now I'll stick with my chunky soled Loake brogue boots, penny loafers and Clarks desert boots. On an unrelated tip I picked up a Baracuta G9 today, I never knew a harrington could fit so well.

 

[Man-of-Mystery]



It's like the bloody Sealed Knot, re-enacting what they believe the '60s and '70s were like 

Nice image! I can imagine in about three centuries there might be a reenactment society doing 'The taking of the North Bank Highbury' or something.

 

[soulsearcher]

What pisses me off is people who are pretentious snobs about clothing, music etc who are YOUNGER than I am who did not live through the times.

I wouldn't say they have no idea, but they often have very distorted and frankly laughable ideas, and end up looking like complete prats. It's like the bloody Sealed Knot, re-enacting what they believe the '60s and '70s were like

My own view, for what it's worth, is that anyone can be a skin if they want to be, and good luck to them too. We should be helping others, not making them feel inferior (except when they have completely the wrong idea

).

Ive been into skinhead for 30+ years I have no need to re-enact anything, there is no excuse for the way some people dress these days they have turned what is left of the skinhead scene into a joke some of them are so badly dressed

 

[browniecj]



Watermelon man.I agree with both of your posts above.As for browniecj,You nicking yachts again down the marina.I bet thats a good story down the pub on a week night.

I could not steer a Rowing Boat,Yankmod..The Marina was a seedy All Night Club in Portsmouth,and one night got involved in some punch-up there.The Doormen being fairminded People threw me and my Mates out-and banned us

Please correct me if I'm wrong but,In the 60's kids finished school at 15 and entered the "Adult" world.This excelerated teen time (12 to 15) makes teen rebellion(and cults/subcultures) more important in the UK than in the US where we have a longer teen time.This is just my observation from a distance and if incorrect I apologise.

My Parents signed me on until I was 16.At 15,I thought "F*ck this,I want to start earning money".So I left School.

Nice image! I can imagine in about three centuries there might be a reenactment society doing 'The taking of the North Bank Highbury' or something.

I can picture the Scene now,M-o-M.Halfway through and they all stop for Tea and Scones.....

 

[browniecj]

I have just received an email telling me about the Who doing an 8 Date U.K. Tour,doing Tracks from "Quadrophenia".I personally think they should now put that Name to rest.I went and saw them in Hyde Park(a few years ago),when they did another Tour,and John Enwhistle was still alive.Now that he and Keith Moon are dead,that should be it.I have great respect for Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend-but this is for pure money.For that reason I never went to see the Stones-yet in the early and mid 60s I loved them.


Rant over....

 

[Watermelon man]

It

Nice image! I can imagine in about three centuries there might be a reenactment society doing 'The taking of the North Bank Highbury' or something.

It's an appealling idea, must admit Unfortunately, while the mind might be willing the body isn't up to it.

 

[Little Queenie]



Hi all,

Great thread and just joined to give a couple of recollections.

In 1972 14 at school and from Hull I first got some money (very little) from paper round and grocery delivery (bike with small wheel and basket on the front) discovering girls and able to buy my own clothes / fashion.

We never called ourselves anything, my thought was always suedehead.

Because I and we the family where poor I could never afford the labels so had to make do. 2nd hand and "tribute" labels

Brogues where always wing tip and black. Mine came from the Army and Navy stores. Full heal, sole and tips had seggs (blakeys). Red socks. Airwear boot

Loafers where never an option.. too expensive for me. Richer kids had them. (they where a fashion item and as a result dearer).

Levi sta prest type pants (Lee?), Brutus and Fair Isle sleeveless. Harrington jacket with sewn on Yorkshire Rose badge.

Denim was Wrangler or Lee Cooper and always straight leg with a 1" turn up and had to be sewn and show the selvedge

Crombies and Sheepskins are around but not something I could afford.

This carried on into 73 with addition of fluorescent socks and patch work jumpers.

Into 74 and Skinners came in, tartan appeared on the back of the Harrington and star jumpers.

A couple of random thoughts - some of the girls had short on the top and long on the sides haircuts, Shaggy dog cut?

Football, Hull City and scarf tied on the wrist.

Donkey Jackets where known as NCB jackets - It was the uniform for Barnsley Fans


And now 40yrs later I'm recalling it

Hello and welcome: always nice to get a Northern perspective on things..... it gets a bit Southern round here sometimes (I am smiling sweetly as I say this!)

 

[Brideshead]



Thanks for the advice on the DM's fellas, I've never had a pair, so all your comments have been useful. I think for now I will be sticking with my chunky soled Loake brogue boots, penny loafers and Clarks desert boots. On an unrelated tip I picked up a G9 Baracuta today, I never knew a Harrington could fit so well. Its tidy.

Corker, what model is that Loake boot? Is it from the 1880 range?

I spotted a couple of pairs yesterday locally and was tempted.

Thanks

 

[Brideshead]



Hello and welcome: always nice to get a Northern perspective on things..... it gets a bit Southern round here sometimes (I am smiling sweetly as I say this!)

It does! And no need to apologise for wearing 'tribute' stuff - we've all done that.

 

[Bob the Badger]

I remember Dr Martins in 69 as supple and comfortable, you could wear them all day, I bought a pair of Made in England Dr Martins Three years ago, my first pair since the 60s cost £135, still cant break em in.. so uncomfortable,
I have been wearing boots non stop everyday for over 40 years, Skinhead, Work, and Army, I found Timberland boots and Rocky American Military boots as the most comfortable.

I bought my first pair of Martens from Blackman's in Brick Lane in 1968. As you say they were supple and comfortable, almost from day one. We wore 6 eyelet boots with a beige ankle padding around the top. The Southend photo shows at least a couple of boys wearing the same. Very easy to run in, not like the more high-rise boots. They weren't much higher than a desert boot. I believe they stopped making this boot around 1970 because when I went back for a second pair the owner said it had been replaced with a boot having no top padding but a black trim. I bought a pair but they were not as good,even then. When Dr Martens had an 50 year anniversary in 2010 the Covent Garden shop were selling all boots for the price of £19.60. I bought a pair (8 eyelet) and so did the wife. Although we don't wear them often we are still breaking them in!

 

[Bob the Badger]

Yet now I have mates from that younger lot and the age difference makes no odds until we talk about the old days and I have to comment 'yeah but you weren't there or you were too young to know' etc. I am very protective of our era !!

I am also protective of our era. I think it comes from the fact that the media badly distorted what was happening at that time and we feel the need to try and redress the balance. With the internet and sites like this it is possible, to some extent, to do that. A lot of good stuff written here but I've only managed to read the first 100 pages!

 

[Aces and Eights]

I am also protective of our era. I think it comes from the fact that the media badly distorted what was happening at that time and we feel the need to try and readdress the balance. With the internet and sites like this it is possible, to some extent, to do that. A lot of good stuff written here but I've only managed to read the first 100 pages!

I found this site approx 9 months ago after trawling the web looking for my era related items after feeling nostalgic. This was the only site i came across that had original people from 69 / 70 who knew exactly what was going on at the time. When I saw the newspaper cutting on around pages 60, 218, 321 I could not believe that I was seeing something that I had not seen for over 40 years but its memory was as vivid as the day I held the newspaper in my hands and thought "this us, this is how we are" (our mob) not realizing that it was nationwide. When you read the other contributors comments of our age you realize that we were more or less identical.

As I have said before these were great times even though they only lasted a few years before fashion moved us on (although not without a struggle)

It took me a total of 12 hours to read the thread including saving various photos and newspaper cuttings. Being semi retired this tread has now become part of a daily routine of checking for new contributions and responding.

I have no desire to join Facebook and write crap like "I am just putting the cat out" or I am just having a cup of tea". This social network thread if far more interesting. I have remembered some things that I have not had reason to recall since a teenager. You will also find that the similar age guys have lots of like minded memories to share and are a great bunch together with the younger members who have acquired so much detailed knowledge that I have to question my memory sometimes to make sure I am right on some subjects !!

Its a great thread enjoy it

 

[Aces and Eights]

I remember Dr Martins in 69 as supple and comfortable, you could wear them all day, I bought a pair of Made in England Dr Martins Three years ago, my first pair since the 60s cost £135, still cant break em in.. so uncomfortable,
I have been wearing boots non stop everyday for over 40 years, Skinhead, Work, and Army, I found Timberland boots and Rocky American Military boots as the most comfortable.

Your right. I bought my first pair in 69. Probably 6 or 8 hole and we used to rub in loads of 'dubbing' to keep supple. DMs did not have a very long life span on building sites and never lasted more than a year no matter how much you looked after them.

I have not had DM boots for say 20 years although I have the DM dealers boots but these only get used for walking to the pub about once a week so little use.

I have in the last 10 years used DM shoes on a daily basis but in the last 2 years they have been hard / near impossible to break in and have left me with severe heel blisters and finished up in the Euro bin. I have now degraded to wearing Clark shoes and when visiting sites wearing free issue safety boots that are cheap and extremely comfortable and do not need any 'breaking in'.

Its a shame I am not looking to purchasing DMs again. Perhaps they have run their course?