Mensday: Bowlers, brollies and birds

1970s, avengers, Bowler hats, Inspirational Images, Mensday, menswear, minis

Photo by W. E. Carden

“The battle of the sexes in England, land of stiff upper lips and furled umbrellas – a land, in short, of Ladies and Gentlemen. Some are here seen at an Old Comrades Association parade in London’s Hyde Park in the merry month of May, where the keen eye – and camera – of W. E. Carden,  A.R.P.S. noticed this amusing little vignette.”

Scanned from Photography Year Book, 1971.

I feel an Avengers episode coming on…

Man’s eye view of The Midi

flair magazine, maxis, midis, minis, seventies fashion

Hilarious two-page spread from Flair Magazine, January 1971.

It’s easy to forget just how ludicrously over-hyped the whole mini, midi, maxi debate was as it “raged” through the United Kingdom in the late Sixties, early Seventies. Rather like similarly ludicrous ‘debates’ and ‘trends’ of the here and now, although I suspect I will feel more queasy when, in my Sixties, I’m re-reading articles about the merits of wearing pyjamas in public, skinny jeans (yes, they suit everyone…no, wait, they don’t suit everyone. Bring back the flare!) and the whole harem pant (a.k.a Poo-catcher) debacle. Actually, wait, they all make me feel queasy now anyway.

I wish modern newspapers would always make sure to get the opinion of a ‘freaked out hippie’, a ‘pipe smoker’ and a ‘retired boozer’, it would make life far more enjoyable.

Who’s Right?

Twiggy

bravo magazine, minis, sixties, twiggy

A couple of brilliant German adverts for the Twiggy clothing range. I love that Ban-Lon is ‘Bani-Lon’, but Crimplene is hideous Crimplene in any language…

Both are from Bravo, May and October 1968 respectively.


(p.s I still have an über rare Twiggy-labelled dress for sale over at Vintage-a-Peel)