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#1 2009-05-30 11:38:51
- baxta59
- Member
- Posts: 117
Ivy League Dementure
I was sitting here pondering the way things were and I came to a bit of a sticking point.
Now I always imagined that the Ivy League style was pre Mod due to the fact that J Simons had his shop open in Richmond etc etc and the Mods kinda cottoned on to some of the styles and started to shop there. But then I remembered Malcolm Critchley and others of his ilk who frequnted what was then the Excel Bowl in Tolworth. Now this was around the mid 70s and the Swing crazw was sweeping London, and of course Canvey. Amongst all tyhe trilbys and demob suits, Malcolm and his crew adopted what only can be described as a Preppy sstyle of dress. Pleated front, slightly baggy trousers, floppy wedge haircuts, jumper slung over the shoulders of a fine polo shirt. Now this was around the time the Chelsea Cruise started up (No, not that type of cruizin) and Malcolm had a Chevvy Camaro convertible....very flash. His cronies drove other various forms of american muscle but all dressed in this american college boy way and seemed to be living a 50s 60s way of life.
This seemed to run parallel with Punk when it started up well into 1977.
Now here is a thing. Would you guys have considered these chaps Ivy League or not?
My timeline gets a bit confused, but I am sure I have the period right because moving from suedehead to swing and then to Punk I was sure these guys were doing something a whole lot different.
As always, many thanks for all your input.
T
#2 2009-05-30 11:51:12
- Ian Strachan's Raincoat
- Member
- Posts: 521
Re: Ivy League Dementure
I wouldn't have thought the Swing moment was in any sense Ivy, to be perfectly honest with you. More soul/Bowie fans rebelling against sodding Peter Frampton records and dirty denim.
#3 2009-05-30 11:58:33
- Ian Strachan's Raincoat
- Member
- Posts: 521
Re: Ivy League Dementure
There was a shop - can't remember what it was called - where the owners drove around in American cars: all short hair and shades. This might have been a little before then, but I still think it was an anti-hippie thing. Actually they weren't even hippies by then, just kids in greatcoats trying to sprout facial hair. No style, nothing. Just waiting for punk to come along and consign them to the dustbin of musical and sartorial history.
#4 2009-05-30 12:35:56
- baxta59
- Member
- Posts: 117
Re: Ivy League Dementure
There was a shop in the kings road...........cannot remember for the life of me. Used to sell second hand americana.
#8 2009-05-31 03:28:58
- Alex Roest
- Member
- From: The Hague, The Netherlands
- Posts: 2165
Re: Ivy League Dementure
Last edited by Alex Roest (2009-05-31 03:29:20)
#11 2009-05-31 05:23:48
- baxta59
- Member
- Posts: 117
Re: Ivy League Dementure
Gents
I do believe you are right...it was Johnsons. And yes, was very expensive. I remember wandering in there one saturday afternoon in the late 70s after buying a pair of those awful painters jeans from a shop near Boy and being amazed at the price of the leather sleeved baseball jackets. Didnt they have an outlet in Kensington Market too, or was that just a similar retailer?
#13 2009-05-31 06:58:12
- Fred
- Member
- Posts: 321
Re: Ivy League Dementure
There was definately a Johnsons in Kensington Market. Upstairs.
#14 2009-05-31 08:04:54
- baxta59
- Member
- Posts: 117
Re: Ivy League Dementure
I am so glad there are people from my era on here to put me straight...unlike that awful Modculture place where I am currently in hot debate with an american cousin who, at the ripe old age of 27, has presumed to tell me that everything I experienced growing up in south london in the 70s was a figment of my imagination and we owe everything to the USA, including Punk. Obnoxious git.
#15 2009-05-31 08:11:33
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: Ivy League Dementure
^ Ahhhhhh - The Internet!
- Do what I do & log on again under a new name agreeing with him 1,000% to such an extent that you switch all his opinions into parody & the Fucker is completely hung out to dry.
That's what happend to 'Harris' after all...
... And all of Harris' followers.
(This trick was an old fave of E. Waugh, btw)
#17 2009-06-01 01:15:36
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: Ivy League Dementure
On Johnson's, from one of our number out there in the real world:
"Started of as Cockell and Johnsons in Kensington Market in late 60s then became Johnsons and moved to the Worlds End. Owned by Lloyd johnson. Attracted some Squire and Ivy Shop customers early on, because they did limited editions. Popular with Rock bands like the Facesy. Went rockabillyish in the mid 70s, They used to get bales of second hand American clothes and Levis."
#18 2009-06-19 15:53:13
- brewerj
- New member
- Posts: 1
Re: Ivy League Dementure
Baxta59 - I used to hand out at the Hard Rock London with Malcolm Critchely, John Elbro, Brown etc - did you go there during that time as well? The clothes were bought mainly from Acme Attractions and also hitting up the charity shops for vintage stuff, also Kensington Market used to have a couple of stalls dealing in vintage 50's clothes