The Look goes on...

[Thin White Duke]

Is the cardigan you are wearing under your blazer sleeveless? I have purchased 3 made by Brooks Brothers recently from TKMaxx, a dark blue, mid blue, and orange, l also have one in grey. I bought 2 back in my late teens from Benetton and wore them regularly over button downs, but never saw anyone else on the scene wearing them. Were they part of the look back in the day?

My two cents from oop north - I don’t remember seeing any cardigans during the revival era round ours. Most common were fine knit Fred Perry V neck jumpers over FP polos. My mate spent an entire six weeks summer Holiday kitted out like that with sta pressts or jeans. Similar to how Dave was dressed in Quadrophenia. The jumpers were made of arcrylic back then.

I never took to cardigans and tend to largely avoid knitwear even now. Thankfully I don’t need it much but IMO it’s hard to get right. Too tight and you get shirt buttons poking through, too loose and you get that Bill Cosby paunchy dad look.

When the revival was fading out round ours quite a few lads got into that look we called ‘sunshine boys’ - flat top haircuts, lots of beige clothes and jangly music from The Smiths, Orange Juice, Lotus Eaters, etc and cardigans were the signature look for these lads. Especially in beige! I don’t know if they were readily available new or if those lads raided old mens shops or their grandads’ wardrobes!

I quite like the look of those they call ‘button through’ cardigans or polo cardigans. A bit of the look of Ray Liotta in Goodfellas. They seem to have a sixties look but I don’t know how common they were among Mods. I don’t recall seeing anything like that during the revival but pre internet we were limited to what was available either in high street shops for a short period or else in vintage resale.

I’d been biding my time looking for one I liked at a decent price and just last week ordered one in the FP sale so I’ll post pics when it arrives.

 

[Yorky]

My two cents from oop north - I don’t remember seeing any cardigans during the revival era round ours. Most common were fine knit Fred Perry V neck jumpers over FP polos. My mate spent an entire six weeks summer Holiday kitted out like that with sta pressts or jeans. Similar to how Dave was dressed in Quadrophenia. The jumpers were made of arcrylic back then.

I never took to cardigans and tend to largely avoid knitwear even now. Thankfully I don’t need it much but IMO it’s hard to get right. Too tight and you get shirt buttons poking through, too loose and you get that Bill Cosby paunchy dad look.

When the revival was fading out round ours quite a few lads got into that look we called ‘sunshine boys’ - flat top haircuts, lots of beige clothes and jangly music from The Smiths, Orange Juice, Lotus Eaters, etc and cardigans were the signature look for these lads. Especially in beige! I don’t know if they were readily available new or if those lads raided old mens shops or their grandads’ wardrobes!

I quite like the look of those they call ‘button through’ cardigans or polo cardigans. A bit of the look of Ray Liotta in Goodfellas. They seem to have a sixties look but I don’t know how common they were among Mods. I don’t recall seeing anything like that during the revival but pre internet we were limited to what was available either in high street shops for a short period or else in vintage resale.

I’d been biding my time looking for one I liked at a decent price and just last week ordered one in the FP sale so I’ll post pics when it arrives.

I used to wear cardigans as a fledgling mod back in the early 80's, FP which were usually out of my price range, but a lot of M&S and C&A. I also remember Woolworths being a place that I would go for cheap but decent button downs.
Those button through cardigans were a thing with Mods in the 60's, pics of Steve Marriott wearing them spring to mind, they often get called Yardie Cardigans nowadays.
I still have a few which would now be referred to as vintage which were made by Duffer of Saint George ( they were tres expensive) and are very collectable nowadays, bright coloured with contrast suede trims on the collars and pockets etc, which I bought early 90's from a shop in Leeds called Hip, it's still going today and sells some nice clobber. I used to get 25% discount from the lad who worked there, as I used to put him on the guest list when I was DJing at the Weekly Friday night Brighton Beach in Leeds.
They were very similar to Gabicci, got a few of these as well, they were very popular with the Acid Jazz lot which was a scene that many mods including myself got into.

 

[Kingstonian]

@Yorky good to see you over here, mate.

Yes, it is. I have a few also. Three from Charles Tyrwhitt - orange and burgundy as well as the green. A navy one from Viyella and a beige zip-up version from Smedley. They are a good way of taking some of the formality out of an outfit, I think.

We wore them back in the day, but I don't recall them being especially popular or widespread.

Slipovers(sleeveless v necks) were extremely popular back in the day. They were very practical and easier to wear under a jacket. I have never understood the disdain from people who deride them as ‘tank tops. Knitted waistcoats are even more practical PLUS you get the warmth that a waistcoat from a three piece suit does not offer.

Limited colour options though greys, black & navy are best. The exception is fairisle that goes well with tweed,

 

[Thin White Duke]

Slipovers(sleeveless v necks) were extremely popular back in the day. They were very practical and easier to wear under a jacket. I have never understood the disdain from people who deride them as ‘tank tops. Knitted waistcoats are even more practical PLUS you get the warmth that a waistcoat from a three piece suit does not offer.

Limited colour options though greys, black & navy are best. The exception is fairisle that goes well with tweed,

I call a v-neck under a suit the Cyril Figgis look. (The nerdy accountant from ‘Archer’ - the greatest TV show ever made!)

I never really liked it but I can see the practicalities of it in the endless English winter.

 

[Kingstonian]

I call a v-neck under a suit the Cyril Figgis look. (The nerdy accountant from ‘Archer’ - the greatest TV show ever made!)

I never really liked it but I can see the practicalities of it in the endless English winter.

Don’t know the show, but I have given up worrying about clothes associated with TV characters. Classic case in point is Victor Meldrew who often wears an Aquascutum/Burberry raincoat and a flat cap. Victor’s shirts are not too bad either.

I would not wear a beret but that has nothing to do with Frank Spencer.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Knitwear was an essential part of the Look back in the late 60s. V-necks tended to dominate and there was even a short-lived trend of wearing an M&S botany wool v-neck with nothing underneath in summer. Not for me.

A v-neck with a suit was acceptable but it had to be very fine - again like the M&S botany wool version.

Those button through polos were very popular in the mid-60s I recall. I think we called them ‘caravelles’ for some reason. One time poster, Daniele Savare from Milano does a nice range under his ‘Connection Knitwear’ brand.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Limited colour options though greys, black & navy are best. The exception is fairisle that goes well with tweed,

You don't think the brighter ones can help 'lift' a more sombre outfit? Anyway, I wore a navy one yesterday by Viyella:

 

[Kingstonian]

You don't think the brighter ones can help 'lift' a more sombre outfit? Anyway, I wore a navy one yesterday by Viyella:

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A case can be made for lifting a sombre outfit. I may be too conservative. I would not want the brightness to dominate the outfit though.
With knitwear in general, I usually opt for trusted colours -unless the knitwear is worn as the top layer. That said, where knitwear is available in a large number of colours most of them would not appeal or suit me.

 

[donkeyjacket2]

You don't think the brighter ones can help 'lift' a more sombre outfit? Anyway, I wore a navy one yesterday by Viyella:

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Lookin good mate. Just bought this made to measure suit from burtons from 1972 for 60 quid.

 

[Mr Knightley]

Lookin good mate. Just bought this made to measure suit from burtons from 1972 for 60 quid.
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Thank you. Only the jacket in my outfit was thrifted - from British Heart Foundation a few years ago. It is Timothy Everest in lovely light, stroke-able Italian cloth.

You seem to be the master of bargain-hunting. That Burton's suit looks to be in excellent condition. Still made in England then, I should think and with a Royal Warrant as tailors to the Queen!

 

[donkeyjacket2]

I like the button thing on the label, don't see that very often. The burtons suit is my size too on everything, its not often you get lucky with items like that, they are worth buying at that price cos usually people charge 200+ for old suits

 

[Luigi_M]

 

[Mr Knightley]

I like the button thing on the label, don't see that very often. The burtons suit is my size too on everything, its not often you get lucky with items like that, they are worth buying at that price cos usually people charge 200+ for old suits

I still have not found a suit that I wanted to buy second hand but, as well as the Timothy Everest, I have acquired three jackets over the last couple of years from charity shops, all in great condition. I know that many people on SF do not like to buy used or vintage items, but for me it’s one way of obtaining something a little different.

 

[Luigi_M]

I think that the used clothing market can give some joy, handled with care.
Also, I never had to fork out more than £120 for my best picks.
The British Warm in my previous pic costed me £ 35 and is in almost perfect condition. Also, it's really 'warm'!

 

[Mr Knightley]

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Looking sharp @Luigi_M ?