"Are You Being Served" is always a pleasure (not least of because of the Carry On nonsense for me).
Capt Peacock always makes me wonder why the black lounge jacket (Stroller on AAAC) plus grey pants/ striped pants with white shirt hasn't stayed around. despite his efforts at playing stuffy - the whole thing doesn't look all that stuffy to me.
Mr Humphreys (Are you free?) is proof that the 70s styles (even if it started in the 60s and ended in the 80s) can be inspiring and, (can I say this?) relatively timeless.
The rest of the cast dress to English stereotypes of the times and largely serve as a background to these two.
I've been watching a 24 episode set of Get Smart.
Max, the Chief and 99 are a delight to watch. I'm sadly a Mel Brookes tragic. Max always looks natty (dressed by Botany 500) and has several costume changes every episode. I see it as a USA take on the UK mod look.
Short jackets, 3 and 4 buttons, often side vents, narrow pants, interesting details - flaps on all pockets including breast pocket. A range of colours and material - almost always working well. Simple enough casual gear, G9, G4 jackets etc.
Except that his trousers are unaccountably too short (I wonder why) Max always hits the mark.
Or at least 90% of the time. Well would you believe 50%? OK I once saw him hit the mark. Or at least he only missed it by this much.
The Chief is a Brooks Bros /Ivyista's wet dream. Raised seams on soft shouldered tweed jackets with throat latches and other details and buttons downs with Rep ties.
The baddies are nearly always in too big loose fitting crappy suits.
99 is always in pop fashion and shines in bright colours and a USA interpretation of Carnaby Street.
No wonder they dress well with Mel Brooks being one of the main people behind Brooks Brothers.
Last edited by fxh (2012-01-24 18:48:17)
Vicar of Dibley is useful to watch as they dress a limited range of characters in stereotypical outfits of the english rural village setting and class differences. It seems to me, and I'm sure NJS knows more accurately, that it is a reasonable facsimile of the styles, colours and materials that were/are "traditional " english.
Similarly "Midsomers Murders" uses English clothing "rules" to illustrate character, plot and place. Theres even an episode built around the village tailor where the main detective (forget his name) not only has to interview the tailor but gets a suit or jacket made. A nice, if a little cosy, look at the process and issues around clothes.
Last edited by fxh (2012-01-24 18:55:59)
Can we possibly find some non-British style icons? There must be one or two that we can dust off.
More pictures of cool old Japanese guys in natural-shoulder suits with a cigarette on the go please.
Last edited by formby (2012-01-25 14:22:32)