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  1. #1
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    I wish there was a new "Supremes" with the same class.....

    I wish we had a new Supremes for the modern era, with the same class......I would actually see this new group in concert.

    An' i don't mean Destiny's Child or TLC or the others- I mean like a group taking new take on the gowns!

    AND NOT THE DREAMS! THAT'S FICTION!

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by IMissFlo93 View Post
    I wish we had a new Supremes for the modern era, with the same class......I would actually see this new group in concert.

    An' i don't mean Destiny's Child or TLC or the others- I mean like a group taking new take on the gowns!

    AND NOT THE DREAMS! THAT'S FICTION!
    You'll never see that happen. The mindset of the world is so radically different from what the world was like in the 60's. Even back then, when The Supremes were taking the world by storm, their glamour was actually a throwback to the era of the 30's/40's Hollywood Glamour style. The girl groups look, initially, was that of "The Girl Next Door". When The Supremes started, that was their look too.

    Berry Gordy and the whole of the Motown organization was just so incredibly forward-looking, they knew appearances meant EVERYTHNG, especially with their Black artists looking to break into the mainstream. While rebellion was becoming the norm in popular music, Berry knew his acts, especially The Supremes, had to be groomed to offend no one. Formal attire would be the rule at Motown. But- The Supremes had such an innate aura of class that was incredibly uncommon amongst practically everyone else in the music world at that time. There was no way to manufacture that.

    If you were able to view publicity photos of random R&B, Soul, Country and Pop artists from the 60's, you'll see very little of that look of class The Supremes had. Oh, you'll definitely see a lot of women in formal gowns and such, but none of them carried it off as well. Most looked like they were just wearing the gowns for effect, while The Supremes actually looked as if they were sort of born into nobility; The Supremes exuded the charm, charisma and class; The Supremes gave the impression they had grown up going to finishing schools and modeling schools their entire lives. To me, the only other group that even approached the look and carried it off well, were The Marvelettes. Once Motown started allowing them to grow up, Katherine, Wanda and Gladys actually looked quite sophisticated in a natural way as opposed to just dressing up for show.

    Today, I just don't see that there is anyone coming on the horizon who would feel as if it were worth anything to dress with such style and class. Years ago, people would dress in suits and ties and dresses to go to parties! Even going to a baseball game, people would don suits and dresses. Today, you can't even get anyone to bother to dress even halfway formally for worship services. People are so taken with comfort and the right to dress casually everywhere that a group dressing like The Supremes today would almost make no sense.

    But that's just an opinion...

  3. #3
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    Two words...
    Maxine Powell.

    What that woman did to bring class to Motown's artists has never been paralleled by any other person for any other organization. I can't recall which book I read that had a chapter devoted to her, but it became clear to me SHE actually made Motown acceptable to a larger audience.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance View Post
    You'll never see that happen. The mindset of the world is so radically different from what the world was like in the 60's. Even back then, when The Supremes were taking the world by storm, their glamour was actually a throwback to the era of the 30's/40's Hollywood Glamour style. The girl groups look, initially, was that of "The Girl Next Door". When The Supremes started, that was their look too.

    Berry Gordy and the whole of the Motown organization was just so incredibly forward-looking, they knew appearances meant EVERYTHNG, especially with their Black artists looking to break into the mainstream. While rebellion was becoming the norm in popular music, Berry knew his acts, especially The Supremes, had to be groomed to offend no one. Formal attire would be the rule at Motown. But- The Supremes had such an innate aura of class that was incredibly uncommon amongst practically everyone else in the music world at that time. There was no way to manufacture that.

    If you were able to view publicity photos of random R&B, Soul, Country and Pop artists from the 60's, you'll see very little of that look of class The Supremes had. Oh, you'll definitely see a lot of women in formal gowns and such, but none of them carried it off as well. Most looked like they were just wearing the gowns for effect, while The Supremes actually looked as if they were sort of born into nobility; The Supremes exuded the charm, charisma and class; The Supremes gave the impression they had grown up going to finishing schools and modeling schools their entire lives. To me, the only other group that even approached the look and carried it off well, were The Marvelettes. Once Motown started allowing them to grow up, Katherine, Wanda and Gladys actually looked quite sophisticated in a natural way as opposed to just dressing up for show.

    Today, I just don't see that there is anyone coming on the horizon who would feel as if it were worth anything to dress with such style and class. Years ago, people would dress in suits and ties and dresses to go to parties! Even going to a baseball game, people would don suits and dresses. Today, you can't even get anyone to bother to dress even halfway formally for worship services. People are so taken with comfort and the right to dress casually everywhere that a group dressing like The Supremes today would almost make no sense.

    But that's just an opinion...
    I remember we use to dress up if we were flying. Did it if we were going to a dept. store downtown too.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    Two words...
    Maxine Powell.

    What that woman did to bring class to Motown's artists has never been paralleled by any other person for any other organization. I can't recall which book I read that had a chapter devoted to her, but it became clear to me SHE actually made Motown acceptable to a larger audience.
    She worked wonders, because let me tell you.Some of the artists that many would go on to idolize etc., you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley somewhere LOL!

  6. #6
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    Class. That’s what is missing today. Whatever happened to class?

  7. #7
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    You are not kidding. Remember dressing up for trips to Hudson’s! During the mid 60’s, my dad made us wear dress clothes when we flew to Florida for Easter vacation.
    The Motown acts had so much class and pride in their appearance and personality. My dad had the opportunity to visit the Motown buildings on W Grand Blvd. for business and had always mentioned how well mannered everyone was.
    Just lust look at 60’s concerts on YouTube and the guys were wearing jackets!

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    Two words...
    Maxine Powell.

    What that woman did to bring class to Motown's artists has never been paralleled by any other person for any other organization. I can't recall which book I read that had a chapter devoted to her, but it became clear to me SHE actually made Motown acceptable to a larger audience.
    WOOOO! PREACH IT! You are telling nothing but the 100% truth on that!

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    I remember we use to dress up if we were flying. Did it if we were going to a dept. store downtown too.
    In a way, I miss that I grew up just as all that was going out of the window. I like the fact that people would dress up for things. I think when you dress a certain way, it can actually affect the way you act, interact with others and even see yourself. I saw an old photograph of how people used to dress where I work. They were meter readers, but they had on some pretty snazzy dress trousers, dress shirt and a tie! I decided I was going to do the same. Went to the thrift store, bought some dress slacks, shirts and black ties. At first everyone kept asking about it and I got some ribbing, but now, it seems they've gotten used to it. I think it's actually made me work more effectively and professionally [[ever try digging a hole in dress slacks? lol)

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by zani57 View Post
    Class. That’s what is missing today. Whatever happened to class?
    Class started to go out when the Summer Of Love came in. The college kids were starting to rebel against becoming miniature carbon copies of what they saw as phony, plastic adults who valued appearances over honesty. Actually, I was surprised at a movie from '66 that I was watching one night. A middle-aged, suburban woman was complaining about how phony she felt people were. She went into a long speech about people dressing up to go to baseball games, dressing to go shopping, dressing for this and that and everything. She was wanting to get free of all of that. Like I said, to me, it was surprising because she wasn't of Love Beads/Tune-In, Turn-On generation. Maybe class slowly disappeared because the people who grew up with all that just got tired of it all.

    Still, I MISS IT!
    Last edited by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance; 09-29-2019 at 01:42 AM.

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