And we could dress a little too!

[arrr&bee]

As a companion peice to the[slow drag]thread let's talk about the cool threads that we wore to those basement partys back in the day,unlike today's youth we took pride in looking good when we partied...ballys[these are dress shoes for you youngsters]hush puppies,johnson & murphys,footjoys,bass weejuns,stacy adams,swiss masters,bostonians...gaurbadine slacks,silk daks,sharkskin,zansabelt slacks[slacks are dress pants for you youngsters]italian knits,alpaka sweaters,cool caps,dobs,velour sweaters...help me out gang.

[tamla617]

what years we talking about arr+bee?
obviously in the uk we had different gear,even going out of london it wasnt the same.go 150 miles out and it was another planet!

[skooldem1]

As a companion peice to the[slow drag]thread let's talk about the cool threads that we wore to those basement partys back in the day,unlike today's youth we took pride in looking good when we partied...ballys[these are dress shoes for you youngsters]hush puppies,johnson & murphys,footjoys,bass weejuns,stacy adams,swiss masters,bostonians...gaurbadine slacks,silk daks,sharkskin,zansabelt slacks[slacks are dress pants for you youngsters]italian knits,alpaka sweaters,cool caps,dobs,velour sweaters...help me out gang.

I'm sure many of todays youth would laugh right in your face after viewing some old episodes of "Soul Train".

[arrr&bee]

I'm talking[1969]back,and these kids can't laugh at anyone from our generation when it comes to dressing-they think that nikes and jeans are dressing up,or and of course a designer teeshirt...hey paladin tell em what i mean by-dressing.

[skooldem1]

I know exactly what you mean. But you must realize that most generations feel that the previous generations fashion sense is corny.

[arrr&bee]

Whooooaaaaa,hold tha hooch,we ain't turning this into a supremes thread here,this ain't about what one generation thinks about another i'm just talking about how we dressed when we partied back in the day a look back fondly my friend fondly.

[skooldem1]

I understand that. Surely you must understand the "stylish" is in the eye of the beholder, thats why I referenced Soul Train. So you say late 60's ok. For every "stylish" outfit you wore, I can find something just as horrible that someone wore in 1969. Much like with todays youth. For every saggin pants wearing person out there, you can find a well dressed person. My first reaction was to laugh when you spoke of the fashions cause in my mind I flashed back to the seventies. You remember that don't you? Thats when GUYS wore high heeled shoes. Collars as big as the state of Texas and plaid and polyester for days. You say "this ain't about what one generation thinks about another" yet your initial post clearly says "unlike today's youth we took pride in looking good". Dont worry its all good. Not as serious as perhaps this post is coming through. There is a tendency in this forum [[no doubt due to age) for everyone to think that everything was better in the past. As far as that group you mentioned YOU mentioned them. But then again its always someone other than a "fan" that brings them up. Go figure. In case it doesn't seem like it, all of my remarks in this thread are in fun. I'm not trying to start a fight. Just thought I'd remind you of the corny fashions of the past.

[Motown_M_1056]

Sounds like someone has been watching Cooley High again and getting nostalgic for the old days. It's not that serious, guys. Every generation thinks its style of dress was cool.

[arrr&bee]

Ok i sort of took a jab at the kids so what they need to be jabbed,but i was really just taking a look back and thought that we'd have some fun but i think the youngsters are in charge so let the pants hang off the butt...i'm out.

[nosey]

I feel your topic Jai. From a female point of view I remember my girl Shirley and I going in town to buy matching outfits of hot pants, pirate boots or a jumpsuit outfit. Our thing at that time was to "match". At the time I wore an Angela Davis afro that was HUMONGOUS and I wore wire framed window paned glasses. True story: When Angela was on the lam the police actually slowed down to get a good look at me once while walking down the street. Scared the crap out of me.

Before the late sixties our hairdos were reminscent of the Ronnettes except that was my real hair. LOL! More later.......

[robb_k]

2666
I wore blue jeans, a T-shirt and tennis shoes [[sneakers) in 1952, and I still wear that ensemble about 60 years later..

[ralpht]

Me too, Rob. Why mess with a winning combo.

[tamla617]

do you miss the real 501's? these levi's today are crap in comparison to the originals [[the 60's version anyway)
i want the blue stained legs and jeans that stand up when i take 'em off! and the smell of that denim

[roger]

Thats when GUYS wore high heeled shoes.

Well .. in England we used to call them "stacked heels", "platform heels", "stacks" or "platforms" ..

Around 1974/5 I wouldn't be seen dead NOT wearing them ..

The trouble was that I was spending so much on records that I could only afford the cheap versions and within a week or two of me wearing them the heels would come loose from the shoe ..

And my solution was .. to buy a tube of super-glue and carry it around with me so I could stop and stick them back together whenever they worked loose.

That never quite worked either and sensibility [[ and lower heels ) eventually kicked in.

On reflection I should have worn RobbK's uniform of jeans t-shirt and sneakers .. but of course I thought that was totally uncool at the time. :)

Roger

[skooldem1]

That's a funny story.

[ralpht]

Tamla,
I agree about the durability of today's Levis. I have had them wear out on the thigh, of all places. That never happened when I was younger.

[robb_k]

2667
I forgot to mention that I wore a baseball cap in those ancient days, and I still wear one now. For about 30 years I was the only European wearing one [[only American tourists did). But, for the past 12-15 years, it's been in in Europe to wear baseball caps [[at least among the youth). I guess people still give me funny looks, as a senior citizen wearing a baseball cap in The Netgherlands and Denmark. In Germany, almost no men wear hats of any kind. maybe they're fans of "Men Without Hats"?!!

[daddyacey]

arr&bee............You said 69 and back ,as in [[Urban), the Alpacca Sweaters ,Pepper Silk Slacks , Playboys , Ballys , Gators and Snake Skins,[[with the shit gripper rubber soles) ,Pro-Keds , Bell Bottoms ,Elephant Bells ,Matadors ,Italian Knits , Eisenhower Jackets from the army surplus stores , Blown Out Afros ,Afro Sheen , Brut and English Leather Colonge and those Granny Shades. Girls with the Mini Skirts , Hot Pants ,Window Pane and Fish Net Stockings ,Halter Tops in the summer time. I know what you talking bout , those were the days. We was "clean as a broke dick dog" and was dressed to impress and to dance ,not profile!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[sunshineonacloudyday]

Late sixties in the Bay Area :-)...mini skirts and maxi coats with brightly colored opaque tights and black granny orthopedic-style shoes...crushed velvet or satin fabrics, African prints, dashikis, Nehru collars..."Sizzler" dresses that were so short they came with matching panties...bell bottoms with the bottom outer seam split and triangles of bright psychedelic cloth sewn in--or maybe velvet or fur [[like we saw Sly wearing)...flowered shirts and pin-striped jeans...and yes, FLOWERS in our hair, headbands, scarves, picks & cake-cutters [[lol), top hats...

Went to the "Renaissance Fair" at the Black Forrest in Marin County in the late sixties with everyone in costume--then sometimes folks wore their costumes daily, as if dressed for a play...

Mostly what I remember was the BRIGHT colors we all wore. I thought that Brit movie Pirate Radio/The Boat That Rocked captured the fashion from that time pretty well :)

[tamla617]

i had so many pairs of 501's,although they we called 'em [[just) levi's back then,i stopped wearing them in the 80's they were not the same thing as before and levi's never told anyone [[that i know of) these were not "original" denim.it might have been the pre-shrunk jeans that changed it all.no more sitting in a bath for hours trying to get "that" fit.and getting pneumonia too!the only other levi's form then i remember were the flaired,orange tag ones.

[tamla617]

'69 to about mid 72 in england this was for the london area,some of it escaped further than the home counties.
the mods were changing to skinheads.here's the "uniform" as you can see its the ivy league look.
shoes
royals wing tip brogues
royals gibsons
royals smooths
royals tassles
bass brogues
loafers
shirts
ben sherman button down collar check or plain
brutus......button down collar check or plain
fred perry polo shirts

thin wool cardigans
v neck jumpers

boots
doc martens
monkey boots
baseball boots
jackets
the harrington [[the baracuta G9) named after [[uk only)rodney harrington in peyton place!
coats
crombie,black,blue and/or herringbone got mine tailor made £28 in '71
dhobi raincoat
sheepskin coat full length if you were flush!
trousers/pants
levi sta-prest
two tone tonics made with 2 diff.colour thread,so it changed colour as the light hit it
treviera
dog tooth check
ever-prest
prince of wales check,with red or blue window check
prince of wales check tonics, rare as hens teeth,but i had 2 pairs
clown checks, these are like the wild golfing trousers
levi 501's
tonic suits,and if a coat or jacket had a top pocket a silk hankie was de rigueur,actually all of the above was!
trousers HAD to be turned up half an inch,with levi's you HAD to have the outer seam opened up so the blue strip showed
narrow braces half inch max.
i had 90% of the above,cost me a bomb.shoes were ten quid,i was on £9 a week as a trainee in the RAF

in 71 we started wearing tank tops,penny round collared brutus and ben shermans
crew neck jumpers
then it all died
flairs,which i hated,so i got tailor made bags 27" bottoms and wide soled brogues [[ducks) corrospondant brogues.
flaired coats
as mentioned the "stack" heels,mine didnt break.ravels didnt anyway.the oxford bags came down to the floor and covered the shoes.could have been wearing flip flops!i stopped with the stacks 74 i 'spose
after that[['77) peg trousers baggy at the top, tightish at the ankle,brierley shirts.thin [[leather)soled oxford shoes.
i still wear ben shermans,got about 20 of 'em and wing tips and loafers i've always had a pair of loafers since 71 and i'm on my umpeenth pair of wing tips.
below is a link to show what ive been on about.most of it is authentic,some is 80's skins
http://www.warriorclothing.org/uk/shop/index.php

[paladin]

Dont forget Flagg Bros Shoes, Eleganza outfits, Smokey Joes & Howards Style Shop clothes......mohair sweaters, high boy [[collar shirts), Sansabelt slacks, zip deck slacks, real wire rimmed sunglasses that you bought from local pawn shops, gouster slacks with pleats, the aforementioned Stacy Adams, Dobbs Hats, cashmere coats, velvet coats etc..etc. etc..... Yowsa !!!!

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2669

[GeeTee(HPK)]

Eleganza ,Bill the Hatter, Flagg Bros and Smokey Joe's ! ROTFL !!!!!! [[yes, I remember ...) :)

[Motown_M_1056]

Eleganza ,Bill the Hatter, Flagg Bros and Smokey Joe's ! ROTFL !!!!!! [[yes, I remember ...) :)


I cringe when I see pictures of myself dressed in the 1970s. Some of the clothes were awful.
One Easter, I bought a double knit suit with no buttons, but a big wide belt. I had big white platform shoes [[they looked llike bricks on my feet) and a wide brimmed hat. I looked like Huggy Bear.
I took a picture with my mom who was a conservatively dressed church lady and I look like her pimp. I'm now ashamed because my mentality was so
warped. But I thought I looked cool.

[nosey]

What was disappointing to the ladies was that when the guys took off their platform shoes they turned out to be shorter than us! LOL!

[jillfoster]

I just loved Tie-dye crushed velvet. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

[tomato tom]

tamla617..I bought a purple tonic suit. [[the shiny one, that changes colours in different lights) black tassle loafers, Ben Sherman shirt, just recently. For a mates wedding. Had a green one years ago. Ah..the memories. Cant find BRUTUS shirts these days. Now, THEY were the shirts you just have to have, along side proper VERY tight 501s. Cant get those either, these days. Well,lets just say, I looked the biz, and had a lot of very good compliments even at my age as we danced along to The Marvelettes, Martha, 4TOPS,Velvelettes, ect at a GREAT wedding reception. GREAT DJ. MOTOWN? GREAT THREADS? Do I love You Indeed I do..sweet,sweet darlin, indeed I do....Paulo xxxx

[paladin]

I'm now ashamed because my mentality was so
warped. But I thought I looked cool.






What was disappointing to the ladies was that when the guys took off their platform shoes they turned out to be shorter than us! LOL!



I hear you both and like GeeTee, I laughing my ass off too, although there was something positive about it, Bill The Hatter and Eleganza were influenced by the designs that their patrons were creating as a form of self expression, this trend started in the ghetto's of America although initially the fashions were subtle off takes of commercialized brands whereby additional lengths and cuffs of the trousers, pointed/rounded collars, special pockets etc, and then all hell broke loose when the pimps and hustlers started trying to out spend and out flash each other with outrageous outfits, one need look no further than the late sixties and early seventies blaxploitation films, or for that matter the first Ali-Frazier fight. Otis Williams of The Temptations used to wear taliored trousers with an inverted v in the front trouser leg. I can clearly remember when every so called cool black man had a "Tailor Made" outfit in his closet. Please people I dont mean the pimp outfits but a tailored walking suit usually made out of silk and wool. To say that you had a tailor and could refer him was really cool back in the day.

Ooops almost forgot some other very popular colonges back then were Jade East and Hai Karate........lol....

[tomato tom]

Remember going to see The TEMPS in 72?. We had our sharp Mod Tonic suits on, and they came out with cheap looking polyster crap uniforms. with RHINESTONES!! And White boots!!! too much. Danced and sang GREAT, but will never forget that awful ensamble. Cravats as well!! Like they were Elvis Presleys background singers.....sweet inspiration not!

[tamla617]

paulo
bens were the shirt,they cost 10 shillings/50p more,the oxford plain colours.brutus "tartan check" shirts were unique but only had 2 darts to the bens 4.you can still get brutus button downs but they are over priced,but rare.
btw i just bought a tonic harrington!and a herringbone crombie,with ticket pocket i might add!
jaytex button down shirts were cheap and 'orrible and worn by "tickets".i ended up taking about 10 blokes from all over the country [[i was in the RAF) to go and buy pukka gear in kingston and THE shop CALLED THE IVY SHOP in richmond.
the closest to royal wing tips are loakes and they're about 150 quid.warrior has a pair for 65 at the mo' if you 've got plates like an elephant they're size 10s or bigger i think!
that puple tonic suit you mentioned,is it the purple/red tonic?that is smart!i had a pair of trousers in that colour.
those were the days,they were!
btw bens do a shirt called the brighton now,short or long sleeve oxford button down,NICE.got about 6 of them.

[tomato tom]

Yes, mine is purple/red. My one years ago was green/red. Did have an ACE crombie back in the day too. YES those were the days! forgot about the jaytex shirts.SHIT. Harringtons have just turned up again down here. Had a great black one with tartan inner back in the day. They want 60 4 one now. Well, at least WE are keeping in style. We had real pride dressing up, did we not!!..Cheers Paulo xxxxx

[theboyfromxtown]

In London, we had the whole Carnaby Street thing. Small Faces, Who and others were setting the trend. I bought those big check flaired trousers. I still have them!

Then around 67/68, we had the 2-tone tonic mohair suits, Ben Sherman button down collars, crombie overcoats, green anoraks with orange lining. Levi's were a staple though. I bought loads when I went to USA and I still wear them. My brother buys original Levi's from ebay these days and pays quite a bit of money for them - it has to be red tag...etc. Keith Rylatt could write a book about Levi's - a man of many talents!

[theboyfromxtown]

When did we wear winkle-pickers.

[tomato tom]

Its the 2-tone mohair suits i refer to. My new one is a classic repro from my younger days. xcact copy. Feel a Ready Steady Go moment comin on..Callin Out Around the World......Paulo.xxxx

[tamla617]

winkle pickers....lol
from about 62 onwards,most people had drifted out of them by late 60's,except die hard rockers!

[tamla617]

paulo
never mind keith rylet,i bought a levi jeans history book!its ace.about 20 years ago.

[tamla617]

paulo
look who it aint!a massive motown fan to boot!
http://www.acefaceclothingcompany.com/tonic-harringtons.php
some tonic suits and colours
ace has had some bad press,quality etc for the price
http://www.acefaceclothingcompany.com/tonic-suits.php
and yours
http://www.nycscootering.com/2009/04/03/nyc-scootering-lust-the-tonic-suit/

[roger]

paulo
look who it aint!a massive motown fan to boot!
http://www.acefaceclothingcompany.com/tonic-harringtons.php


Its ARTHUR DENT!! Wonder what Marvin The Paranoid Android thought of MANDRE .. :)

Roger

[tamla617]

lol..........

[tomato tom]

tamla617..Thats the suit I bought! But I paid £300 not £800!..Shop here in Brighton sells all this stuff. Jump the Gun its called. Have all Mod stuff. Just wish I could afford a bit more..Paulo xxx

[marv2]

Dont forget Flagg Bros Shoes, Eleganza outfits, Smokey Joes & Howards Style Shop clothes......mohair sweaters, high boy [[collar shirts), Sansabelt slacks, zip deck slacks, real wire rimmed sunglasses that you bought from local pawn shops, gouster slacks with pleats, the aforementioned Stacy Adams, Dobbs Hats, cashmere coats, velvet coats etc..etc. etc..... Yowsa !!!!

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2669

I was wondering if anyone else was thinking about the old Eleganza catalogue and then there you go! LOL!!!!!

[tamla617]

paulo
a bargain!

[paladin]

Of course Marv, wouldn't have it any other way.......

[candykamaine]

I'm sure many of todays youth would laugh right in your face after viewing some old episodes of "Soul Train".

I'm 22 and I won't, I love that type of fashion. Better than the 2000+ era of soul train i saw. I find many of the decade's clothing cute actually. :)

[tomato tom]

Motowners were renowned for their great dress sense. Well, us fans do too!

[arrr&bee]

Well i'm glad that there are some oldtimers left who finally figured out what i'm talking about...yes we could[rag] hehehe!!!