Mod to Suedehead

[Aces and Eights]

The thin sleeveless Cardigan is all but forgotten today.Only the chunky Cardigan is remembered as Skinhead wear.I used to have 4 of them,back then-Navy,Beige,Burgundy and Black.They would look smart with a pair of Strides,as well.

Yes I remember having black and a beige ones and they looked good with either Ben Sherman or Fred Perry shirts - I haven't seen these for years

 

[browniecj]



what about the lacey lady down seven kings high rd, the spooky lady over temple mills in stratford , did you ever get as far as the george pub in wanstead a big west ham pub, or the plough and harrow. the lion and key could be a livley old place then there was the red lion in leytonstone and the heathcote arms dont realy get proper pubs any more there all going skint,

Went to the Lacey Lady,Spooky Lady(some Mates of mine lived that way).Did not go to Wanstead too much-rather Stratford(The Swan),The Pigeons along the Romford Road.Village Gate used to just down the Road towards Stratford.Edward V11th in Stratford Broadway.

 

[browniecj]



Yep i remember the chain of shops Take Six they use to do some nice stuff.
Well we West Londoners had no worries about going over to the East End, we would get off at Whitechapel, over the road for a couple in the Hospital Tavern, then onto the Black Bear, The Blind Begger was of no interest to us ,[ no music in there] we would also get in the Old Globe and the New Globe.
We would also venture right out to the Room at the Top.. and the Palais Ilford. another place was the Lion and Keys Stratford.
We went fcuking everywhere.

Only saying what I was told Roy.

 

[circustavern777]

what manor was you living back them days c. you was well about the plot im 56 now have you hit the six o mate, although none of act old or think old going by all the guys posts who wants to im thinking of having a boxing bout on me 57 th birthday

 

[circustavern777]

i must put in full stops and commas

 

[browniecj]

Moved to Guildford about `69 but kept in touch.Came back into the Manor about`73 and had Digs all over E15,E13, out to Dagenham then back to E.7-finally moving to E16(North Woolwich).I am 62 now.

 

[circustavern777]

Moved to Guildford about `69 but kept in touch.Came back into the Manor about`73 and had Digs all over E15,E13, out to Dagenham then back to E.7-finally moving to E16(North Woolwich).I am 62 now

was you a mod to start col , you have seen it right from the off in 1964 you was around 15 /16 is that about right, what was the main shops for clobber then i was about 9 and was to small to fit in any of it youst to gut me that i couldnt wear a nice leather or suade coat

 

[Lasttye]



what manor was you living back them days c. you was well about the plot im 56 now have you hit the six o mate,  although none of act old or think old going by all the guys posts who wants to im thinking of having a boxing bout on me 57 th birthday

Having a boxing bout for your 57th Birthday? Brill idea, Just make sure your opponent is around your age mate, Fair play too ya,

 

[browniecj]

I was taken to Carnaby Street when I was 14(`64).I bought my first pair of Hipsers from" Donis" then(with money I had saved from various Jobs I was doing).For the next 2 years,I graviated around there-buying Clothes ,going to the Marqueeand seeing various Groups(it was here in `67 I saw the Skatalites,which changed my direction of Mod).Then I had a No.4 got rid of the Coloured Shirts etc.,and eventually became a Skinhead.

The Boxng Bout,I would love to see A.I looked pretty Fit in that Cage Fight.

 

[browniecj]

That was supposed to read:- You look pretty Fit(me I am bloody fat!!!.

 

[browniecj]



Yes I remember having black and a beige ones and they looked good with either Ben Sherman or Fred Perry shirts - I haven't seen these for years

To be honest,I only had one chunky Cardigan-did not go in for them as big as the Sleeveless ones.

 

[Ed Vaughan]



Brilliant thread - a mine of info. that I'm slowly making my way through. As recommended by Ed, Manchester.

Whilst I'm here, anyone know when Brighton Loafers were first worn? I was only born in '69 so memories of the era are a bit vague! Just about to order a pair.

Get them... then post a pic!

 

[Ed Vaughan]



did you get involved in the bowie look i only had the hair still wore dms sometimes but i did have them mad platform shoes remember that shoe shop called shellys i remember buying a pair of midnight blue and silver from a shop down the hollaway rd sure they were around £9 think iwas on £7 a day on the demolition  i thought they were dear but your right wore some mad stuff seeing how smart and clothes concious you was as a skin

Always Ravel for my platforms, leather Budgie jackets from Sunday morning market on Petticoat Lane - down on the 'special' for the Saturday game - dossed in London overnight, then 'jumping' the rattler back to Manchester late Sunday night.

South Sea Bubble jumpers, long leather coat from a 'trade' outlet in Manchester's Shudehill, shirts from H & J (Harvey and Jack), a couple of Jewish guys in the rag-trade... I was lucky, I had younger brothers to pass (flog) my cast-offs to.

Embarrassed to say it, now, had a pair of grey/blue velvet flairs, that were my pride and joy... what a twaat I must have looked, sometimes.

(My hair (then) was jet black, and I tried to have it coloured, 'Bowie'-style... it used to go baby-sick yellow. (Good job the hairdresser - moved on from the local barber, obviously - cut a sample off to try, first.)

 

[Ed Vaughan]



Just had a thought does anyone remember 72/73 ? where the wearing of Jean Shirts worn outside with Jeans with all sorts of embroidery on them, I also remember my first Levi jacket I sewed a American Badge Flag on the upper Arm...showing the V for Victory sign, The Vietnam War was sill on,

And studs, on the back of the jackets and the arse of the jeans - sometimes made into words... and dungarees!

Just remembered: platform boots... with goldfish in the heels!

http://70s-child.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/max-asked-me-to-do-post-of-platform.html

There was a proper dust-up when these were launched.

 

[Aces and Eights]

Memory lane trip

Green glass bottle of Brut about 2 – 3 inches high with silver chain and plaque. Cost about 10 bob (50p). A mate huddled us together and said as if in secret “if you put some of this behind your ears the birds will come flocking after yer” After forking out the hard earned cash on a bottle the only birds that came flocking were seagulls. I really thought that the Brut fragrance was a memorable aroma that all skinheads smelt of until Henry cooper got involved with the ‘splash it on’ adverts and Brut became public knowledge and was the used by your dad and so became un wearable. I still buy the odd can of Brut deodorant now and again just to jog the memories with a whiff of it. Sadly what was a great aftershave smell is now sold in the cheap discount shops. Later after shaves were Aramis and Aqua De Selva

The clothes I remember wearing in the 69 / 70 period were

Ben Sherman long sleeve shirts on Oxford weave in stripe, plain and small check

Ben Sherman short sleeve shirts in thin cotton and plain pale colours

Fred Perry shirts polo shirts in plain colours with the stripes to the collars and cuffs. We never referred to them as polo shirts – always Fred Perrys

¾ length sheepskin coats, Navy or black fly front macs, Navy or black Crombies, Harrington jackets and Levi jean jackets.

Some lads wore folded silk handkerchiefs in the top pockets of their Crombies, but I can’t recall the tie pin being used round our way. I remember buying Levi jackets later in life and they had introduced the front side pockets and inside pockets – I don’t recall these on the original Levi jackets

Levi jeans with a zip fly, ex USA army greens, Levi sta-press in an off-white/ cream? and a grey, Tonic mohair trousers

Made to measure tonic mohair suits - popular ones Blue/gold and green/gold

Dr Martin boots, Royal brogue shoes

A small gold sleeper earring was also worn by our gang members in the right ear. Allegedly meaning you was looking for trouble. Earrings in lads was quite radical 40 odd years ago as the only other people wearing them were gypsies

Most of our gang were heavily tattooed in what is now described as ‘old school tattoos’. These were designs left over from the war years. Our most popular tattooist was Jack Ringo in Woolwich. It was amusing to think now that we would queue up in Jacks small Tattoo Parlour with Greasers and there was never any trouble because although we were from different cults we had to share the same tattooist as they were generally towns apart. So it would mean a travel of 10 miles to the next tattooist if you were thrown out for scraping.

The majority of our gang had the ‘Simon Templar Saint’ tattooed on to our right forearm with cherry red boots on. All these years later its still clear to see and I have never had any regrets. Its part of your life. If I find out how to load photos on I will post a picture of it if anyone is interested. Did other gangs have similar markings?