A Brief History of Stripes in Fashion

Zebra, pedestrian crossing or bar code – stripes! They have been ruling the world of fashion for the latest 150 years and counting.
We do not exactly know when the first piece of striped clothing was worn but we have got loads of interesting information on stripes anyway.

Rewinding the time back to the Medieval times – it was only prisoners, clowns, prostitutes, hangmen and all the condemned that wore the striped garment as the pattern was seen as being evil. A French cobbler was sent to death only because he had been caught in striped clothes!

Lets fast forward to more friendly times for stripes though.  In the end of 18th century stripes have finally become chic. All thanks to well know at these times people.

In 1846 Queen Victoria dressed her four-year-old son, Albert Edward in a sailor suit to board the Royal Yacht. Ever since then the public became entranced and adored any kid wearing stripes.

The whimsical look was also popularized by Franz Xaver Winterhalteanr’s painting in 1847 showing a boy wearing striped marine jacket. These days no one knew that the sea-to-land look would be the basisand a mainstream trend that would span more than 150 years.

Eventually swimmers also adopted the style, wearing smart, navy blue and white striped bathing suits, in the standard these days neck-to-knee fashion.

The striped shirt has been a beloved institution in fashion since mid 19th century. A navy blue and white shirt with 21 striped symbolizing each of Napoleon’s victories became the uniform for all French navy men. The Breton shirt – named after the Breton workers who increased its popularity throughout the later half of the nineteenth century.

In the beginning of the 20th century Mademoiselle Coco Chanel took a trip to the French Rivera. When she arrived there, she saw the workers in the marina wearing their knit navy and white striped shirts. Not surprisingly the inspiration for a new nautical collection was born. The always influential Coco Chanel beloved the stripes’ minimalism. Right after the visit to the French Riviera she knew she wanted to take the bold stripes mainstream and started selling them in France at her Deauville shop in 1917.

Mademoiselle Coco at her house in La Pausa with her dog Gigot. 1930

Thanks to still very influential Coco Chanel – The Nautical stripe fashion craze began.

Later in the 20th century the Breton shirt was adopted by almost every group possible. Artists such as Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol took the Breton shirt back for the male population and made it their own.

Pablo Picasso at his home wearing his favourite striped shirt

Andy Warhol

In the 1950′s movie stars like Marilyn Monroe , Audrey Hepburn or Brigitte Bardot looked absolutely stunning in their stripes.

Audrey Hepburn beloved different types of striped clothing – not only the Breton ones

Brigitte Bardot is still remembered for her remarkable beauty and the sultry persona that earned her the nickname “sex kitten.”

I ‘sea’ stripes – Marilym Monroe

Do not forget James Dean wearing Breton shirt in Rebel Without a Cause. In the 1960′s, the Beat Generation literary movement took the Breton stripes and incorporated it in to the hip fashion of their subculture.

Rebel without a cause but with the stripes.

Stripes become favorited not only by movie stars – musicians loved them too. Especially the grounge ones. Remember Kurt Cobain in Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Kurt wearing basic black & white tee

Washed-out, cult now T-shirt, with green and brown stripes. One of the most wanted. Video

During the 60s and 70s stripes were seen as a rebellious, hipster pattern and were worn only by those looking to question the fashion authority du jour with an artistic intrepretation.

John Lennon?

John Lennon in red and black striped pajamas

We could add many more photos of artists, musicians, movie stars and other wearing striped clothing. The telnyashka has been covering adults and kids, boys and girls, workers, seamen, anarchists and pacifists, different subcultures’ followers, soldiers, film directors and movie stars, role- and fashion models, politicians, architects and artists, freelancers, photographers, prostitutes, prisoners and fashionistas around the globe. We all love stripes.

Before showing you what striped beauties we posses in our stock – few rules to follow for wearing stripes:

1. Go vertical – vertical stripes will make you optically look taller. Wearing horizontal stripes comes with the unfortunate side effect of making overweight people look even more overweight. It is only an optical illusion though! 🙂

2. Avoid very thick stripes – thin ones look more stylish.

3. Be careful with colour combinations. Unless you want your outfit to look loud and funny.

4.  Mix stripes carefully. Two pieces of clothing should have stripes of different weight.

Now – Stripe It Up!

We think it might be the best band to listen to while shopping in our ASOS Boutique now:) Enjoy ♪♫

H&L, xx ♥

Happy Shopping!

The dungaree is back at H&L Vintage!

The dungaree made a welcome return at Harper & Lewis Vintage, and we’ve welcomed it with open arms. Get your pair before it’s too late – it is an absolute bestseller at the festivals this summer! Choose your favorite colour and pattern!

The Forgotten Judies

Who doesn’t love a kick-ass female vintage inspiration? This week we were absolutely inspired by the 1950s gang. Androgynous, preppy, stylish, black and white – another great tomboy style inspiration.

You might have heard of the Teddy Boys – also known as Teds – a 1950s British rebel youth subculture characterized by an Edwardian dandies inspired style of dress which famous tailors from Savile Row Street in Central London had attempted to re-introduce in Britain after World War II. Teds were basically a generation of rich kids leaving school. In 1950s the National Service imposed two years in the Army (boys aged 18 – 20) and because the young adults had money to spend they saw no purpose in taking on poorly paid apprenticeships when they would learn a trade in the Army anyway. These wealthy young men, mostly Guards officers, were educated well, had money, and they took on the new outfit style and cranked it up a level. At that time, the Edwardian era was then just over 40 years earlier, and their grandparents or even their parents, wore the style the first time around. The kids were out of control, and worse still, even after spending two years in the Army didn’t make a lot of them settle down. Teddy Boys became the image of villainy and thuggery in a society which regarded them as being totally ‘beyond the pale’. To make matters even worse, a new music craze called ‘Rock’n’roll’ arrived which immediately became identified with these awful rebellious people.Teds formed many gangs across London – from East London to North Kensington and became high profile rebels in the media.

Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls became associated with and American rock and roll  music, prior to the advent of that genre, Teddy Boys primarily listened and danced to jazz and skiffle music. A well-known dance that the Teddy Boys adopted was The Creep (hence the name of the creeper shoes!) a slow shuffle that was so popular with Teddy Boys that it led to their other nickname, Creepers. The song “The Creep” came out in 1953, and was written and recorded for HMV by Ken Mackintosh. Although this was not a rock and roll record, it was widely taken on by the Teddy Boys of the time. From 1955, rock and roll was adopted by the Teddy Boys when the film, Blackboard Jungle, was first shown in cinemas in the UK, and Teddy Boys started listening to artists like Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and Eddie Cochran.

But an important 1950s forgotten subculture of the Teddy Boys, an unlikely female element, has remained all but invisible from historical records. Meet Judies – The Teddy Girls.

Teddy Girls were just a little-known aspect of Teddy Boys subculture – the working class Londoners. The Teddy Girls are considered to be the first British female youth subculture. They, as a group, remain historically almost invisible.  Not many photos of them were ever taken and the only article on the female representation of Teds was published in the 1950s. They were unfortunately considered less interesting than the Teddy Boys.

Teddy boy culture was a ‘run-away’ from the family into the street and the cafe.  They were spending their evening on trips ‘into town’. Teddy Girl were just dressing up and going out, either with boy-friends or, as a group of girls, with a group of boys – within the same subculture naturally.

We’re here to talk about the fashion though. To get The Teddy Girls style we need to start from the roots – Teddy Boys’ style. The Teddy Boys wore long drape jackets usually in dark shades, velvet trim collars, slim ties and rolled up trousers usually exposing the socks. They also began to pair the look with thick rubber-soled creeper shoes and the ‘greaser’ hairstyles of their American rock’n’roll idols.

Teddy girls would still dress up in their own drape jackets, rolled-up jeans, flat shoes, tailored jackets with velvet collars and put their feminine spin on the Teddy style with straw boater hats, brooches, espadrilles and elegant clutch bags. Their choice of clothing was not only for aesthetic effect: these girls were collectively showing their rejection of post-war austerity. The important fact is – they were young working-class women, often from Irish immigrant families who had settled in the poorer districts of London — Walthamstow, Poplar and North Kensington. They would typically, similarly to the Teddy Boys, leave school at the age of 14 or 15, and work in factories or offices. Teddy Girls spent much of their free time buying or making their trademark clothes.

This week Herper and Lewis vintage is all inspired by the rebellious Teddy Girls’ style. The 1950s tomboy masculine style cannot be forgotten. The Teddy Girls and Teddy Boys were considered to be a shame subculture od the 1950s. Say nothing of troublesome reputation of Teddys – well, in fact most of the violence and vandalism was exaggerated by the media, but there were notably a few gangs that chose a darker path – their stylish masculine outfits had a great impact in subcultures’ styles.

50s Teddy Girls Tomboy style – ponytail, plain white bottomed up men’s shirt, 70s waistcoat, black rolled up trousers and Dr Martens boots. Masculine minimalist style perfect for work and business meetings.

Another smart Judies’ inspired look – white shirt, black pencil skirt and all important for Teddy Girls accesories – elegant clutch bag and black and white scarf.

We did not forget about the tailored jacket. Here in combo with a pencil skirt and a white blouse with a ribbon – you can also go for the black ribbon around your neck for even more edgy look.

 

Looking for something more feminine but still 50s gang inspired? Put a black boat neck dress on and do not forget the black or white neck-band. The point here is to add lots of visual interest to the black color scheme by playing with accesories.

Go with black and white combos for special occasions. It’s a timeless look that takes great to sexy fabrics like lace or silks.

Now – go black & white tomboy masculine style with Harper and Lewis Vintage.

xx

I ♥ 80s

All Trends Make a Comeback

Who remembers 80s fashion showed up on the night time soaps like Dynasty or on the first Madonna’s video clips? – boxy shoulders, large buttons and necklaces.
80s blazers with footballers’ shoulders best look in combo with light washed Levi’s 501 shorts or chlorine soaked jeans with the top blue denim lyer removed. Cut-offs, white jeans with blue undertones and 80s boyfriend oversized jackets – everything available now – at Harper & Lewis Vintage. xx

Boyfriend blazers available here