Last edited by Daniele (2006-11-07 08:18:23)

Last edited by Terry Lean (2007-02-12 05:39:19)

Last edited by Chris_H (2007-01-17 11:44:17)

Last edited by Alex Roest (2007-01-22 04:44:31)

Hello Alex,

Great to see you posting here. I'm sure you will find there is much on FNB of interest to you. I look forward to your intelligent and always well thought-out comments appearing on this MB.

Chris

Hi Alex, nice to see you here, I think some of your opinions would be of great interest to forumites.   Don't be a stranger!

I agree.  I don't think anyone who understands the history and origins of skinhead would argue that "skinhead" was a reaction against "swinging London" and the hippy-ness that resulted from it.  It was a deliberate attempt to keep the original modernist etho alive.  Whether or not it's true, I've read about one of the first "original skinheads" and how they were actually a mod crew that despised and rejected their peers embracing the hippy-carnabyst-swinging60s creed, and were one of the first to actually be skinheads.  Now this might be some romantic urban myth, but there's probably a few grains of truth in the general concept, of guys disenfranchised with the loom of 60s hippy. 

I like plenty of punk-influenced mod revival and oi music, but stylistically, nothing compares to the original late 50s-early 60s mod and later 60s skinhead style.  Esp in today's culture where "skinhead" and "mod" have taken decidedly commercial and appalling turns to become caricatures, the original ivy style of both cults is much more "rebellious" than 14 hole Docs with the flavor-of-month streetpunk band tshirt, or even worse, the ubiquitous RAF target "mod" tshirt

That's the pic, Tony. Fine work for the '80's. Who'd have thought?

Jason: You're bang on the money again. The whole point of Modernism is that it isn't static. I think as soon as the world woke up to 'Mod' and it became a business the Modernists just left them to get on with it. It meant nothing to them. So back they went to what they loved - Their own choice of clothes & music. Nothing obvious. Nothing easy.

First of all : thanks a lot for the kind words everyone ! Especially Chris ( whom I had the pleasure of meeting before and during the "Night of the 50 Faces" in London in 2004, so I'm not a real stranger apart from the fact that I know Jason and Daniele via Modculture forums ) but everybody else really......much appreciated......

I did some re-reading ( The Look, Soul Stylists, J. Ferguson's Fashion Notebook in Skinhead and http://uppers.org/showArticle.asp?article=698 ) and one of the things that struck me was the comment by Elms that when in primary school he couldn't understand why this other kid turned up in a porkpie hat when he wasn't a Skin. Why not go all the way ( with clothes ) is what he couldn't grasp and I think I'm more or less the same. But then again aren't we all, otherwise we wouldn't be posting on this very board......?

Anyway, some loose comments : one of the times I visited John's shop he actually just hung up on Paul Gorman so we got to talk about that. The whole Mod thing that is.....enjoyed that a lot. In fact all three times I visited J. Simons we happened to have long chats which lived up to expectations after having read his knowledgeable input in The Look and The Soul Stylists. Even used his Covent Garden local for lunch a few times :-)

I've only dabbled a bit with the Ivy League thing myself ( in it's pure form that is and we're only talking basics here, didn't know too much about it back then really, it was all very intuitive ) nevertheless I regard it as the basic ingredient  for my personal sartorial potpourri.
Basically one of the reasons for joining FNB is to learn more about IL, funny how one keeps being drawn back to grassroots like that......

The Suedehead thing appeals to me personally because of its Casual smartness. I'm not much of a suit person ( I do like occasional combinations though ) although I happen to have bought a handsome 2B subtle check number in grey with a brown lining/buttons which makes for some interesting colour combinations. Would have to check for info on material ( heavier winter wool, made in Italy BTW ) so you can see my point I think.....
There's not much point in not adding something modern IMO so I like to be experimenting constantly. Not knowing just exactly where you're going is another quote I like from this topic albeit that it's one from the AAAC link I put up. The Smoothie thing I mean....it all got a little out of hand I suppose, clotheswise, until that quote from the same guy where he mentions the burgeoning designer thing when he visited belgium in'75 ( sorry John, but I feel part of that thing too.......)

Also : there's this very knowledgeable bloke called Bomber ( Skinhead begat Soulboy ) who often mentions The Ivy Shop when he talks about his beloved scene, in that not everyone went total camp that is...in fact they remained smart in a very traditional manner according to him, at least some of his crowd did.....

Well gents, got to go back to work now, sorry......I take it we'll 'speak' again soon.....ta ra,

Alex

Last edited by Alex Roest (2007-01-25 03:23:41)

Last edited by Alex Roest (2007-01-24 07:02:54)