In Fear Of

[Soulman]

I'm intruigued,

Why are there so many photos appearing in the gallery with people wearing circle skirts and baggy trousers. Musically this is a retro scene in what we listen to and yet it is progressive in the way that it influences todays music. Why then, do we have to find find people that dress in a fashion that has passed time. Music is timeless, dress fashion moves on. Do we really want to become a scene like the TEDS (The Edwardian Dress Society) where it's more about the dress to explain what or who we are than normal people, dressing normally (ie todays fashion) enjoying the musc that we love. Why should an outdated dress sense be part of the progressive culture of soul music. The music itself is sampled and copied, deserveredy so because it is so good. The fashon that went with it is so dated. Enjoy the music and dress accordingly..........

Shoot me down then

Steve

[Quinvy]

It's a free world, and if people want to "dress up" then fair enough. But, I was saddened to see pictures of some youngsters wearing the baggies, vests and circle skirts. I can understand the oldies wanting to relive their youth, but I rather hoped that any youngsters coming to the music would find their own identity. At least the mod revivalists look cool.

Edited May 12, 2012 by Quinvy

[Guest JIM BARRY]

not something i would do, i prefer the mod scooter boy look, fred perry's ben sherman and staypressed look. but to each his own, if it feels good...do it.

[Guest allnightandy]

The youngsters look great , just like we used too , but the oldies ?

If i went to a soul do now i would want it full of youngsters with all that energy and yoof , brilliant !

so for me it would be like going back in time , to a time that i loved , a time that i can never go back to , but also a time where the youngsters look and feel like we did and i can sit and reminisce ,

as i've said before , but it would also make me realise what an old fart i have become

Those Wigan young souls look fantastic

Edited May 12, 2012 by allnightandy

[Guest Bearsy]

are the circle skirts and baggies that get worn today in reflection to a certain time or a certain place ie- Wigan Casino ?? i know i wasnt around back in the days i was still in short trousers at infant school but i am aware that Wigan closed in 81 and also that about that time the fashion on the street wasnt flares and circle skirts so what year or years are these clothes associated with ? was this style of clothing still being worn at soul venues like Wigan Casino in the early 80s ?

[Guest JIM BARRY]

are the circle skirts and baggies that get worn today in reflection to a certain time or a certain place ie- Wigan Casino ?? i know i wasnt around back in the days i was still in short trousers at infant school but i am aware that Wigan closed in 81 and also that about that time the fashion on the street wasnt flares and circle skirts so what year or years are these clothes associated with ? was this style of clothing still being worn at soul venues like Wigan Casino in the early 80s ?

no mate, by then it was bowling shirts and drainpipe jeans and plastic sandals.....fkn awfull style

[Soulman]

It is a free world but going out and looking dated for a music that is so forward thinking in the mind of so many of todays producers just made me think... why would you. Ive a pair of unworn 45" Spencers in the loft... would i wear them ... absolutely no apart from the factthat they wouldnt fit.... but I also wouldnnt want to look a Div as we said in the old days, times have moved on. Appreciate the music and progress accordingly dress wise

My opinion

Steve

[Soulman]

The youngsters look great , just like we used too , but the oldies ?

If i went to a soul do now i would want it full of youngsters with all that energy and yoof , brilliant !

so for me it would be like going back in time , to a time that i loved , a time that i can never go back to , but also a time where the youngsters look and feel like we did and i can sit and reminisce ,

as i've said before , but it would also make me realise what an old fart i have become

Those Wigan young souls look fantastic

Yeah, they look great.... but back then... this is 2012

[Quinvy]

It was fashionable in the early 70's, and if you look at video of the later big events like Stafford, Blackburn etc. then you can see most are dressed in the 80's fashions, with a few still hanging on to the past.

[Quinvy]

The youngsters look great , just like we used too , but the oldies ?

If i went to a soul do now i would want it full of youngsters with all that energy and yoof , brilliant !

so for me it would be like going back in time , to a time that i loved , a time that i can never go back to , but also a time where the youngsters look and feel like we did and i can sit and reminisce ,

as i've said before , but it would also make me realise what an old fart i have become

Those Wigan young souls look fantastic

I don't agree, I think the youngsters in the you tube clips in London look far cooler. The other kids just look like they are in fancy dress.

[Grayman45]

I'm guessing the baggie trousers look doesn't make the scene particularly attractive to young folk. First impressions and all that.

[Guest allnightandy]

Surely this is about taste ? most of us all have different tastes in music even though we all call it northern soul

it spans a long period of time so why can't people dress acording to the period they enjoyed the most ?

Not for me , but neither is some of the music under our umbrella , but i'm not going to knock them

[Soulman]

It was fashionable in the early 70's, and if you look at video of the later big events like Stafford, Blackburn etc. then you can see most are dressed in the 80's fashions, with a few still hanging on to the past.

Exactly.... I was there. Fashion moved on. The hair, the clothes... they moved with the times, the music remained whatever. So why hasn't fashion in the clothes sense kept up Who in their right mind would want to be seen in a seventies style walking down the street looking like ...... well?

[Guest allnightandy]

I don't agree, I think the youngsters in the you tube clips in London look far cooler. The other kids just look like they are in fancy dress.

Ok this is your opinion and that was mine !

[Soulman]

I'm guessing the baggie trousers look doesn't make the scene particularly attractive to young folk. First impressio

and all that.

Exactly, we need to make it fashionable, not only for the music, but for being cool again fashion wise

[Guest JIM BARRY]

the sight of a 50 something man with a vest full of patches ..baggy pants with a beer towel hanging off them is the main reason i dont go to niters anymore.

[Soulman]

Surely this is about taste ? most of us all have different tastes in music even though we all call it northern soul

it spans a long period of time so why can't people dress acording to the period they enjoyed the most ?

Not for me , but neither is some of the music under our umbrella , but i'm not going to knock them

For sure... a tme and a place but the music is timeless... the fashion is certainly not retro We had a period in the seventies where rock n roll came back in fashion Mud, Showaddaywaddy puke... but Northern in one form or another has influenced todays artists... but not in the fashion sense

[Grayman45]

Did that particular look belong to Northern Soul, or was it just a variation on the then current fashion? I remember lots of lads wearing bags who didn't know what Northern Soul was.

[Guest allnightandy]

For sure... a tme and a place but the music is timeless... the fashion is certainly not retro We had a period in the seventies where rock n roll came back in fashion Mud, Showaddaywaddy puke... but Northern in one form or another has influenced todays artists... but not in the fashion sense

Flaires came back a few years ago , i never thought they would as they were feckin awfull first time around

I was more a parellel 's man meself

[Guest JIM BARRY]

back in the day i suppose the hot and sweaty atmosphere of wigan was not the place to wear the very smart look of the mod culture, the sight of guys going out in suits or blazer and smart trousers was great, especialy if in tandem with a scooter. most dancers at wigan were far more acrobatic than at say the wheel and earlier clubs than wigan, so the vest and t shirts were easy to change from, and more comfatable to dance in.

[Guest JIM BARRY]

Did that particular look belong to Northern Soul, or was it just a variation on the then current fashion? I remember lots of lads wearing bags who didn't know what Northern Soul was.

bags were in general fashion mid 70s...yes.

[Guest allnightandy]

back in the day i suppose the hot and sweaty atmosphere of wigan was not the place to wear the very smart look of the mod culture, the sight of guys going out in suits or blazer and smart trousers was great, especialy if in tandem with a scooter. most dancers at wigan were far more acrobatic than at say the wheel and earlier clubs than wigan, so the vest and t shirts were easy to change from, and more comfatable to dance in.

Also Jim if you went in a suit , you would have to change , chances are your bag would walk and you'd end up going home in your sweaty vest LoL

[Soulman]

bags were in general fashion mid 70s...yes.

70's without a doubt

Baggie Hip Hop style jeans of the 90's. Now we are into skinny jeans for those in teens...we as mature adults should dress accordingly... not baggy pants or circle skirts surel?

[Guest Mart B]

Retro clothing looked good in its day 1974/1979 it started to change then to pegs etc.

Alot of venues today folk who wear retro clothing seem to go way over the top, circle skirts looked good back in the day on a 18 year old. not on on a 50 year plus middle aged woman today.

My opinion retro clothing doesnt do any favours to the northern scene at present. fancy dress comes to mind.

Maybe im jealous because i cant get into my spencers 30 inch waist & 32inch leg trousers anymore or even a circle skirt !

Northern soul lives on what ever you wear!

[Guest allnightandy]

70's without a doubt

Baggie Hip Hop style jeans of the 90's. Now we are into skinny jeans for those in teens...we as mature adults should dress accordingly... not baggy pants or circle skirts surel?

Could you imagine us lot in skinny jeans , bring back the parellels !

[Guest allnightandy]

Retro clothing looked good in its day 1974/1979 it started to change then to pegs etc.

Alot of venues today folk who wear retro clothing seem to go way over the top, circle skirts looked good back in the day on a 18 year old. not on on a 50 year plus middle aged woman today.

My opinion retro clothing doesnt do any favours to the northern scene at present. fancy dress comes to mind.

Maybe im jealous because i cant get into my spencers 30 inch waist & 32inch leg trousers anymore or even a circle skirt !

Northern soul lives on what ever you wear!

OK you said it !

I "Skirted" round the issue as i didn't want to be the one to upset anybody !

[Guest Mart B]

OK you said it !

I "Skirted" round the issue as i didn't want to be the one to upset anybody !

Maybe i have lol

[pikeys dog]

I'm intruigued,

Why are there so many photos appearing in the gallery with people wearing circle skirts and baggy trousers. Musically this is a retro scene in what we listen to and yet it is progressive in the way that it influences todays music. Why then, do we have to find find people that dress in a fashion that has passed time. Music is timeless, dress fashion moves on. Do we really want to become a scene like the TEDS (The Edwardian Dress Society) where it's more about the dress to explain what or who we are than normal people, dressing normally (ie todays fashion) enjoying the musc that we love. Why should an outdated dress sense be part of the progressive culture of soul music. The music itself is sampled and copied, deserveredy so because it is so good. The fashon that went with it is so dated. Enjoy the music and dress accordingly..........

Shoot me down then

Steve

This is very much a recent phenomena, prior to around the early noughties, you rarely saw anyone in bags vests and circle skirts.

In fact we once went out fully kitted out as fancy dress for a Xmas do (including wigs) as a laugh, probably 1999 or 2000 - if there had been anyone in Roxy Threads there 'seriously' the joke wouldn't have been funny.

It all ties in with returnees and the misplaced nostalgia in the scene - where people are more interested in what colour piping on there circle skirt matches the ribbons in their pigtails whilst listening to the same 100 tunes, than dressing normally and havig a progressive attitude to the music.

It's ruined the scene for me, and many of my friends.

[Guest GARV]

I can remember wearing dungarees to the casino in about 1980, but i can clearly remember i stopped wearing baggies [ 40 inch things] from about 78.

onwards.

started wearing " parallels " about 28 inch & then pegs. Sorry if this offends anyone but seeing people in " Northern soul fancy dress " just makes my toes curl with embarrassment.

[Guest JIM BARRY]

i feel most comfortable in chino's button down collar shirt and loafers, i would call that a timeless fashion.

[Guest GARV]

i feel most comfortable in chino's button down collar shirt and loafers, i would call that a timeless fashion.

Very American preppy look Jim, early Beach boys ........ timeless classic menswear

[Grayman45]

I can remember wearing dungarees to the casino in about 1980, but i can clearly remember i stopped wearing baggies [ 40 inch things] from about 78.

onwards.

started wearing " parallels " about 28 inch & then pegs. Sorry if this offends anyone but seeing people in " Northern soul fancy dress " just makes my toes curl with embarrassment.

Couldn't agree more!

[Grayman45]

I can remember wearing dungarees to the casino in about 1980, but i can clearly remember i stopped wearing baggies [ 40 inch things] from about 78.

onwards.

started wearing " parallels " about 28 inch & then pegs. Sorry if this offends anyone but seeing people in " Northern soul fancy dress " just makes my toes curl with embarrassment.

Do these people turn up in Ford Escorts and Hillman Avengers?

[Guest gordon russell]

It's a free world, and if people want to "dress up" then fair enough. But, I was saddened to see pictures of some youngsters wearing the baggies, vests and circle skirts. I can understand the oldies wanting to relive their youth, but I rather hoped that any youngsters coming to the music would find their own identity. At least the mod revivalists look cool.

phil you were known for your circle skirts.......have ya still got em lol

[dthedrug]

HI ALL I took afew photos for something else, but if you can connect with this one, you will understand where I come from, as there has never been a fashon to equel it,

[Ceejay]

It is a free world but going out and looking dated for a music that is so forward thinking in the mind of so many of todays producers just made me think... why would you. Ive a pair of unworn 45" Spencers in the loft... would i wear them ... absolutely no apart from the factthat they wouldnt fit.... but I also wouldnnt want to look a Div as we said in the old days, times have moved on. Appreciate the music and progress accordingly dress wise

My opinion

Steve

Unfortunately to some.....................time just hasn't moved on......................neither has the music!!!!

The worrying thing is that some of the youth involved in the scene today thinks that this is 'the norm'.....................which I personally find very sad!!!

[Guest Bearsy]

the sight of a 50 something man with a vest full of patches ..baggy pants with a beer towel hanging off them is the main reason i dont go to niters anymore.

only cos yours dont fit any more Jim

[Quinvy]

phil you were known for your circle skirts.......have ya still got em lol

Of course, I'm wearing one as I type this.

[Russ Vickers]

I wore Spencers & my 'made to measure' Roxy Threads suits with 36" inch bottoms, blazer with badge, buttons to the elbow, ticket pockets every where etc, etc...I thought I was the coolest thing on the planet, we would usually travel to & from in a suit like this & change into ya dancin pants n vest or whatever at the venue.......79 onwards I was in pegs.

I loved the fashions, but they are very unflattering on older folk, I still like my clothes & some would probably still be critical of my dress sense, but its more contemporary these days.

I would prefer not to see Soulies in 'fancy dress', but to be fair, the places I atttend tend not to dress like this on the whole. The London kids on Youtube look kinda cool tho'.

I always like the 'Soul a Billy' look ala Darge n Trickster......

Best Russ

[Mark S]

They look like complete and utter dickheads , a poorly costumed re-enactment society wrong on so many levels .

A similar thing has been going on with the scooter scene for a few years the emergence of the comedy mod and the panto skin .

Just embarassing when you see middle aged people hitting the dressing up box .

[barney]

attended an alldayer the last bank holiday w/end and there were a lot of youngens there wearing the said attire , bags ,skirts etc and they were up for it, dancing to all the classic oldies and it was a sight to behold .

am a bit too old now for bags but think there is nothing wrong with this look and to me its not anyones job to tell anybody what or not to wear ,

Get a life ffs.

Edited May 13, 2012 by barney

[Guest mickeyfish58]

i feel most comfortable in chino's button down collar shirt and loafers, i would call that a timeless fashion.

awww jim i thought you would have been more comfy in baggy skirt

[Winnie :-)]

Each to their own for me, don't wear the 'threads' myself, but I'm not overly worried by those that do and can't see why it should cause consternation. There's already enough people telling us what to listen to, now what to wear?

[Guest allnightandy]

attended an alldayer the last bank holiday w/end and there were a lot of youngens there wearing the said attire , bags ,skirts etc and they were up for it, dancing to all the classic oldies and it was a sight to behold .

am a bit too old now for bags but think there is nothing wrong with this look and to me its not anyones job to tell anybody what or not to wear ,

Get a life ffs.

Seem to me there are some people who can't accept they are middle aged and resent anybody else wanting to dress as they did Think back to the day we didn't like "Newies coming to soul do's , back then , but we were all newies at some point

I think those kids are great

FFS there are people who dress up as vikings and American civil war soldiers every week end and play at killing each other One of the funniest things i ever saw was 150 George Formbys all strumming away together at a reunion , people still dress like Elvis , Even Thunderbirds , So why not northern soul ? At least these kids want to be part of something that changed our lives and will theirs

we live in a scene of original and reissues , but i do not resent people wanting to become part of something and unlike some i want the scene to live on when we are gone , not die , and these kids are the future like it or not !

Edited May 13, 2012 by allnightandy

[Mark S]

I would never dream of telling anyone what to wear but I reserve the right to call them names and avoid them like the plague

[Tony A]

Doesn't fashion go round in circles, (not skirts)

maybe it's return time for some of the styles ?

Bring these beauties back.

[Guest allnightandy]

They look like complete and utter dickheads , a poorly costumed re-enactment society wrong on so many levels .

A similar thing has been going on with the scooter scene for a few years the emergence of the comedy mod and the panto skin .

Just embarassing when you see middle aged people hitting the dressing up box .

I thought there was always Comedy Mod's even back in the 70's ?

to be a real mod you had to have a Lambretta , complete with 100 stolen mirrors and half a dozen stolen hub caps ! you wern't really a mod if you had a Vespa ? LoL

So being a mod now is only for the wealthy as Lambretta's cost a fortune

[Guest allnightandy]

Doesn't fashion go round in circles, (not skirts)

maybe it's return time for some of the styles ?

Bring these beauties back.

All the girl round ours wore these

i never thought i'd find a picture of e'm !

[Mark S]

I thought there was always Comedy Mod's even back in the 70's ?

to be a real mod you had to have a Lambretta , complete with 100 stolen mirrors and half a dozen stolen hub caps ! you wern't really a mod if you had a Vespa ? LoL

So being a mod now is only for the wealthy as Lambretta's cost a fortune

The whole mod thing is oxymoronic modernists stuck in the sixties . Old men on auto scooters festooned with B&Q bathroom tat " we are the mods "

[Pete S]

Exactly.... I was there. Fashion moved on. The hair, the clothes... they moved with the times, the music remained whatever. So why hasn't fashion in the clothes sense kept up Who in their right mind would want to be seen in a seventies style walking down the street looking like ...... well?

I don't know what to say about this really as I appear to have not moved on. I don't think you can get a more classic look than Levis and a Fred Perry, a V neck jumper or button up cardigan, with brogues or desert boots or DM shoes. I've been wearing stuff like this since I was a young teenager and will probably never stop. For playing out with the kids, I'll wear t-shirts and sweatshirts whatever, and I'd never dream of wearing baggies or bowling shirts or that stuff we used to wear in the 70's, but a classic is a classic.