Hi ,

My name is Sue and I'm currently studying Investigating Fashion Design MA at Bath Spa University. I've had a professional interest in fashion for 20 years working as a costume maker/stylist, but it was the Northern Soul scene in the 70's that first made me excited about fashion. So it seemed fitting to go back to where it all began for me, with Northern Soul

I'm trying to define the look which summed it all up, for me it was home made circular skirts with weighted hems and polyveldt shoes

Has anybody got any images or stories from the 1970's of fashion or fashion related objects from the Northern Soul scene. If so could you please post comments, stories or links here or on northernsoulfashion.blogspot.com

Could you also let me know: -

Where you bought them?

If you made them?

What you felt were the essentials to get "the look"?

Please let me know if it is OK to post images here.

Thanks, can't wait to see your pics!

Hi

 

I will have to hunt through my loft for photos, but I do have something to share.

 

I was very much into the fashion of Northern Soul when I  came on to the scene around 1977. the fashion over the next 18months to two years changed completely.

My first visit to Wigan Casino was in 1978 the guys I went with, and the majority of lads at the casino tended to where Bags, these were either Spencers with the multiple flaps on the rear pockets and multiple pleats at the front.  The also were  30inch wide and  generally wore slightly half mast. I couldnt afford these or at least wasn't in a posisiton to buy them since they were sold at the Casino.

For us in Stockport of my age  (still at school) we got ours from Bogarts in the Arndale Centre in Manchester. Mine were Grey  (Cotton I think) 40nch bottoms with 10 pleats at the front.

Footwear at this time was usually brogues  or Gibsons.  A polo or tee shirt on top. The most important apparel was the Barafia blazer (black) with the Wigan Casino Oldies All Nighter badge on the Left poket . The tendancy was to have multiple silver button from the wrist to the elbow on each arm.

Within 6 months the fashion changed, and  Pegs and the classic Harrigton jackets was the norm. The footwear was loafers with tassles, but in the classic real shoe style.

By 1979  the fashion and the music became was heavly influenced by Southern scene and arguably was the beginning of the decline of Northern Soul from its peak, the clothes we were wearing was Haweiian shirts with baggy jeans (a pleat sewn in, the full length) with a white belt with end part of the belt left hanging downards. The footwear was moccasins.

After this period the fashion was heavily influneced by the revived mod/Ska scene that started as a consequence of the Quadraphenia movie.

I was in Manchester city centre on Wednesday , There was a young suede head with button down tartan shirt (Brutus I think) skinner jeans ,blood red docs , Crombie coat & Umbrella .. he looked the biz :-) probably had braces as well

Hi

 

I will have to hunt through my loft for photos, but I do have something to share.

 

I was very much into the fashion of Northern Soul when I  came on to the scene around 1977. the fashion over the next 18months to two years changed completely.

My first visit to Wigan Casino was in 1978 the guys I went with, and the majority of lads at the casino tended to where Bags, these were either Spencers with the multiple flaps on the rear pockets and multiple pleats at the front.  The also were  30inch wide and  generally wore slightly half mast. I couldnt afford these or at least wasn't in a posisiton to buy them since they were sold at the Casino.

For us in Stockport of my age  (still at school) we got ours from Bogarts in the Arndale Centre in Manchester. Mine were Grey  (Cotton I think) 40nch bottoms with 10 pleats at the front.

Footwear at this time was usually brogues  or Gibsons.  A polo or tee shirt on top. The most important apparel was the Barafia blazer (black) with the Wigan Casino Oldies All Nighter badge on the Left poket . The tendancy was to have multiple silver button from the wrist to the elbow on each arm.

Within 6 months the fashion changed, and  Pegs and the classic Harrigton jackets was the norm. The footwear was loafers with tassles, but in the classic real shoe style.

By 1979  the fashion and the music became was heavly influenced by Southern scene and arguably was the beginning of the decline of Northern Soul from its peak, the clothes we were wearing was Haweiian shirts with baggy jeans (a pleat sewn in, the full length) with a white belt with end part of the belt left hanging downards. The footwear was moccasins.

After this period the fashion was heavily influneced by the revived mod/Ska scene that started as a consequence of the Quadraphenia movie.

 

Barathea blazer.

Yes Martyn

That 'skippy' dance they did - it wasn't quite shuffling but it was like that.

I think I know the girl you're talking about but I don't think it's Wendy. Would I be right in thinking that she wore her hair quite long and that it was jet black?

Anyway, great times -strange clothes!

Mick

Pia Thomas!!!!

Well, in the 1970's I was into the funkier side of the scene. Wedge haircut,  Mecca sounds... you get the picture. I hated the classic soul boy look. Spencer bags, beer mat in the trousers and cap sleeve tee shirt. Now luckily for me my dad was a tailor. He made me an ankle length leather shawl collar coat. Wish I still had it. One day however I told him I was going to Wigan and had nowt to wear. He grabbed a load of fabric, got this tailor's chalk out, and fashioned me a pair of Harlem pants / Wide pegs which he made in a jiffy and I wore to the Casino that very night! I still have those trousers somewhere  now  I think ! 

Well, in the 1970's I was into the funkier side of the scene. Wedge haircut,  Mecca sounds... you get the picture. I hated the classic soul boy look. Spencer bags, beer mat in the trousers and cap sleeve tee shirt. Now luckily for me my dad was a tailor. He made me an ankle length leather shawl collar coat. Wish I still had it. One day however I told him I was going to Wigan and had nowt to wear. He grabbed a load of fabric, got this tailor's chalk out, and fashioned me a pair of Harlem pants / Wide pegs which he made in a jiffy and I wore to the Casino that very night! I still have those trousers somewhere  now  I think ! 

 

Harem pants.

 

P.S. Spencers were for tourists weren't they?

You mean bit like this? Crombie a cool £79crombie.jpg5.00

 

was nigel into northern

Hi

 

I will have to hunt through my loft for photos, but I do have something to share.

 

I was very much into the fashion of Northern Soul when I  came on to the scene around 1977. the fashion over the next 18months to two years changed completely.

My first visit to Wigan Casino was in 1978 the guys I went with, and the majority of lads at the casino tended to where Bags, these were either Spencers with the multiple flaps on the rear pockets and multiple pleats at the front.  The also were  30inch wide and  generally wore slightly half mast. I couldnt afford these or at least wasn't in a posisiton to buy them since they were sold at the Casino.

For us in Stockport of my age  (still at school) we got ours from Bogarts in the Arndale Centre in Manchester. Mine were Grey  (Cotton I think) 40nch bottoms with 10 pleats at the front.

Footwear at this time was usually brogues  or Gibsons.  A polo or tee shirt on top. The most important apparel was the Barafia blazer (black) with the Wigan Casino Oldies All Nighter badge on the Left poket . The tendancy was to have multiple silver button from the wrist to the elbow on each arm.

Within 6 months the fashion changed, and  Pegs and the classic Harrigton jackets was the norm. The footwear was loafers with tassles, but in the classic real shoe style.

By 1979  the fashion and the music became was heavly influenced by Southern scene and arguably was the beginning of the decline of Northern Soul from its peak, the clothes we were wearing was Haweiian shirts with baggy jeans (a pleat sewn in, the full length) with a white belt with end part of the belt left hanging downards. The footwear was moccasins.

After this period the fashion was heavily influneced by the revived mod/Ska scene that started as a consequence of the Quadraphenia movie.

Personally was always into the Mod type fashion even as a 16 year old back in 77 influenced by my dad who still had a scooter from his younger days got a bit of stick at the time from kids my age which subsided as you say around 79 stopped going to Northern nights around 84-5 i don't seem to remember folk wearing baggy trousers at this point.

                     

After returning to the scene late last year after kids etc I have noticed varying degrees of fashion depending on which part of the country I have visited. I get the impression from some folk that if you don't wear baggy pants and have a shirt with a sown on badge your not a true northern souler maybe it's me being paranoid but my fashion sense seems to give others the impression that I love ska couldn't be further from the truth. So what's the future fashion ? for me it's whatever those kids taking our music on feel comfortable in as long as they don't wear those horrendous bay city roller type jumpers anything is fine by me.

Several of us from Norwich wore the polyveldts - black or tan. Someone buffed the tan ones up with cherry red polish to spruce them up! Andersons store at the back of Norwich market sold soul bags (30" bottoms) - I had a bottle green and navy blue pair and got really upset when my family used to say I looked like a clown!! Moved onto a brown pair of 40" Spencers, christened them at Wigan and the waist button came off so sold them straightaway. Also had a pair of patchwork denim jeans - sent off for them from, I think, Spencers.

 

All the best

 

Mark C

 

Just remembered when I decided to move forward, a couple of us went for the "Bowie" type pegs with pleats all the way round the top. Decided to go for a white pair but asked my mum if she could dye them burgundy. You guessed it - they came out a nice shade of pink! (and went in the bin) 

Edited October 26, 201410 yr by professorturnups

Use to have my trousers made at Julian jeloneks mansfield high waistband 3 or 4 zips plus 4 pocket flaps on the back and got my loafers from Chris hattons also in mansfield records from sat market stall and upstairs syd booths Phil kings wood emi discs under the counter

Has anyone mentioned army trousers? The soul boys at my school all wore them in the late 70s along with black V-neck jumpers.

think the army trousers ie the olive green or camo cotton ones were a scooter boy thing

Anybody mentioned Saxone como shoes in ox blood and anyone got a picture of them?

Use to have my trousers made at Julian jeloneks mansfield high waistband 3 or 4 zips plus 4 pocket flaps on the back and got my loafers from Chris hattons also in mansfield records from sat market stall and upstairs syd booths Phil kings wood emi discs under the counter

yeah..got a pair of tan cords from JJ's..about July '74..

Anybody mentioned Saxone como shoes in ox blood and anyone got a picture of them?

Haven't got a picture of them, but I remember in 1971 finishing my paper round and getting the last pair of 5 and a halfs in the sale. They were the bollox. Been trying to find something similar for years. I think Loakes do some. Got some nice similar looking shoes last birthday, UK made oxblood DMs.

 

Paul

Edited October 26, 201410 yr by Paul r

Knitware was big early 70's too.

Slazengers and sleeveless V-necks (hated tank-tops with the U-neck)

Then came the "Football" cardies which were like knitted American college jackets with 2 bands on the sleeve and jester jumpers.

Then the twin sets with Argyle golf or herringbone pattern.

Had to make do with acrylic snides off the market 'til my older sister discovered "Reaction Boutique" in Oldham, then I could borrow her skinny rib Sterling Cooper crew-necks which gave me that sprayed on tight fitting look....wearing them in the niter also gave me terminal acne...my spotty back looked like a dot to dot map of the London Underground!!

Best shoes I had for dancing red leather royals from the army store think they were officers shoes ?

£5 wakefields army store chesterfield in 77 had the re-soled about 3 times until the uppers split these were only ever used on the dance floor never went out in them used to carry them in a plain black holdall with towel spare shirt and trousers on and a bottle of brut!

Polyvelts? Looked ok on girls can't remember any of my mates wearing them

Wasn't too keen on the crossovers either

Keep on dancing

i don't suppose you know of anywhere that still makes them?

On 09/04/2012 at 15:33, spike1 said:

 

That must be some wicked gear to make steam come out of your ears !!;)

🤣

On 22/02/2015 at 15:18, mart16 said:

 

i don't suppose you know of anywhere that still makes them?

Loake 771 is about the closest thing I found https://images.app.goo.gl/sUDEpJ4HAfpXXsy66

very similar in style, but the front was more rounded like a crossover shape front 👍

 

3 hours ago, mart16 said:

very similar in style, but the front was more rounded like a crossover shape front 👍

 

Is it something off here you are looking for ?

 

https://www.solatio.co.uk/

 

i have not heard to term crossover relating to shoes but it gets a mention on above.

 

for smart casual now i would wear a pair of cheaney or trickers brown leather brogues.  Timeless and very well made.  Cost quite a bit but last years.

On 26/10/2014 at 21:08, Paul r said:

Haven't got a picture of them, but I remember in 1971 finishing my paper round and getting the last pair of 5 and a halfs in the sale. They were the bollox. Been trying to find something similar for years. I think Loakes do some. Got some nice similar looking shoes last birthday, UK made oxblood DMs.

 

Paul

Trickers tramping shoes very similar to above comes in all sole types and lots of different uppers.

https://www.trickers.com/uk/m7906.html

most uk shoe companies will have a style like this its a classic shape.

i was referring to solatio crossover's which i already have 3 pairs of, imho the best dancing shoes currently made 👍

does anybody remember BATA shoe shop on the moor Sheffield, you had to pay a deposit to order their moccasin type shoes

then pay the remainder when they arrived from Italy??

we called 'em bata's, were all the rage...….got mine in '71 when I woz sweet 16 !!!

also MORTIMER'S army stores on the wicker, they would regularly get stocks of suede surfer type jackets & leathers but you needed to be lucky-soon sold out

I remember a pair of baggies I had all with denim patches and very wide. They were very strange to walk in, and they had multiple pockets everywhere to put things in (or hide them) 😂, OK until it rained on them massively heavy, never looked cool in them either

1 hour ago, Stephen Houghton said:

I remember a pair of baggies I had all with denim patches and very wide. They were very strange to walk in, and they had multiple pockets everywhere to put things in (or hide them) 😂, OK until it rained on them massively heavy, never looked cool in them either

I remember a seeing a guy in Wigan with a pair of baggies made from beer towels. And you think you didn't look cool.

What's this tons of pockets on the back of pants all about all tiered underneath each other half way down your legs, horrible 

😀Hi Spook,

didn't know you were such a Fashinista.😎

I hope my Tartan trouse did not offend at least they were not multi-pocketed😄.

KTF.

SouluoS.

Hi fella no your pants were very today, and of course I approve of them. We're off to Southport on Sunday souldoo again 🤗 seeya both soon sj

Hi,

just to revisit the many pocketed Soulie, may be it's a status thing to show how well heeled they are in the Soul Society, a bit like the rankings in the forces.

Have a great time in Southport and let us know what the new venue is like.

KTF

SJ