Derek and Simon's dad went to those places to take pictures because they knew that they could line up people there who didn't look like people anywhere else in the country at the time. In both cases a handful of people were trying out looks in those places which within a year would be in the windows of everyone's high street.
It doesn't seem to happen anymore. I can't remember when I last came upon a group of outrageously dressed people. If The Face was still publishing today it's difficult to imagine who they would be pointing their cameras at. It's all gone Gap and Facebook.
On the subject of London streets - have a squint at this. Looks like a section from a London street atlas, but everything is a band, album or song title
ReplyDeleteThe Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama still seems to showcase a few examples of special dressing up – well worth a cup of coffee in their lovely new cafe.
ReplyDeleteThe King's Road especially is a shadow of it's formerly groovy and revolutionary self. Nothing but chain stores and mobile phone merchants now.
ReplyDelete'The King's Road especially is a shadow of it's formerly groovy and revolutionary self.'
ReplyDeleteWell, it was always an odd mixture of normal high street and trendy, though I wouldn't say revolutionary, except maybe down at the scruffy end. Did you spot the London School of Bridge, just down from Peter Jones?
Only looked at 1967 so far, but two things strike me - amazing how unswinging everybody looks, by and large, considering this was the Summer of Love; and that far fewer women should have worn miniskirts than actually did...
Hoping to spot myself in 1969/70!
Get with the programme, Grandad.
ReplyDeletehttp://stylescout.blogspot.com/