VintageGent’s Menswear Daily

1974: Wear Your Shirt In a French Way

It’s 1974 week, everybody! In honor of SOMEONE’S birthday (The VintageGent-ette), the Daily will bring you all sorts of retro goodness from the 4th year of the Decade of the Creepy Moustache.

Ah, Paris! The lone acordian player on the street corner. Baguettes. Red geraniums on a wrought iron balcony. Mimes. LOTS of mimes. Forget the Italian suit; no man’s wardrobe would be complete without the French style shirt.  But, as the Arrow ad contests, the shirt is not merely French, the reason for wearing it is VERY French too.  Does that mean the wearer suddenly decide that Marcel Marceau is a genius and started eating pom frites? This ad appeared in current events and men’s magazines in 1974.

Luckily, the folks at Arrow decide to clue us in on exactly what this all means.  And it has nothing to do with mimes. Just read the fine print, Monsieur and Madame:

Is Arrow implying that the shirt was created by women so they could determine if a man was arm candy material or not? Just take away all the amply cut windowpane plaid blazers to check out what one is really advertising? But what if the gentleman is not slim and trim but rather round and um…untrim? Do ladies still want to see the “shape of a man’s body?”   In the 70s, arm holes were smaller and shirts and jackets were more fitted in the shoulders than their modern counterparts.  Overall, I think that it is a smart looking albeit basic shirt…relatively speaking…but the ad description is a hoot.  I am sure if I went to France and interviewed 100 men I would get a few guys spitting their French Roast out their nose if I asked them “If every Frenchman wears shirts cut to show their shape.”

But is that why “American Men Look So Good?”  Then why not call the shirt “American Style.” Ah, but one has to make a blue button down shirt sound a bit more exotic than that.   Or maybe this shirt is put away, and in a couple of years, this guy gains some weight so he wears it unbuttoned and dons the latest fashion accessory - a disco chain.

Christmas Means Norelco!

I remember my brother and I staying home with a babysitter while mom and dad went Christmas shopping. We had a really cool babysitter named Renee. We would play games and record radio shows on our tape players. We played “Truth or Dare” and one of the silly dares was to walk outside in the snow without any coat on and yell, “I LOVE NORELCO!” for all to hear. Why? Maybe we heard that slogan on a commercial. We thought it was a funny thing to say, at least when you were five and eight years old.

I remember the Norelco Santa commercials, but had no idea they kept remaking it over the years. For your enjoyment, here is three decades of Santa

Norelco Santa from the 1960s. The commercial was stop motion claymation, produced in the CBS studios.

Here is Santa, as he appeared in 1978.

Here comes Santa Claus….1994 style.

There is one more Santa that I think I remember. He had a pointy hat and looked like he was made of gumdrop material, but perhaps that was for another product.  If anyone finds that one, point me in that direction.  Have you or a loved one ever went on a razor spending spree for the holidays?

Merry Christmas from all of us at VintageGent’s Menswear Daily.

1974: How to Turn Her On!

Step One: Take her out and treat her like a la-dy…

No, that’s the wrong year and that song is kind of stupid.

In 1974, Clairol knew that the way to “turn her on.” or more properly, connect her to a large supply of electricity that prevented her from going near water, or otherwise there would be an accident. You buy her a Clairol 3 Way Mist Hairsetter, an Air Brush, or a Crazy Curl! And remember those mirrors that made everyone look like they were sitting in front of a bug light and made everyone look orange? Yeah, that’s the way to a woman’s heart.

Take that, 1984 and your jelly bracelets or 2009 and your ipod!  This Christmas, ladies know what they REALLY want.

Clothing Songs: St. Cecilia and the Knickers Ban

There are a number of popular songs that mention fashion designers or specific articles of clothing. Today I was thinking that fashion that ends up in song may not be reflective of the actual attire of the time, as it seems that for something to make it into song, it has to be outrageous.  Someone usually needs to obsessively love a fashion or piece of clothing, or is pointing out something unusual.  After all, your everyday socks don’t inspire artistic expression.  For example, the polka dot tie that I mentioned in the song Pink Shoelaces.

Sometimes, it is amazing to ponder how sensibilities change in such a short amount of time.   In 1971, the group with the ever so pious name of St. Cecilia, was kicked off the air for their tune Leap up and Down (wave your Knickers in the Air) for singing a “rude song.”  Of course, with the “knickers” title, this created an uproar in England, as it wasn’t referring to the synonymously named faux jodhpurs that were so popular with middle school girls in the 80s.

In the early 80s, when tastes changed, and people calmed down about the song, they were able to perform it and it was considered rather tame, and a little silly.  In fact, the song makes many lists of worst songs of the 70s, despite the hoopla.   A decade after the song saw light, we of course started seeing people’s behinds on network television, such as on NYPD.  Apparently waving one’s knickers around had become passe’ and “no knickers” was the “new knickers”.

Oddly enough, I have not been able to find the lyrics transcribed anywhere unless I got cracking myself.   Are there any other crazy clothing songs among your favorites…or least favorites?

Sizing Notes for 70s menswear

It might be very tempting to occasionally trade in your double breasted suit, and with 70s elements always seeming to pop up everywhere in fashion, you are probably tempted to try it.  But for you, a modern imitation will not do, you want the real thing. There are a few tips to consider when shopping for 1970s wear online or in a shop

• Do not be surprised if a size on all platform shoes are not printed inside. Usually they are, but occasionally the ink has faded with time or it wasn’t there to begin with.  Always try them on. If you cannot, and are shopping online, follow the lead of the ladies. Gals are more accustomed to measuring the inside of a similar pair of shoes of a similar pair and choosing “new to you” shoes that way. Look at what the platform shoe essential is at the basic level. Is it a loafer, a sandal, a boot, or and measure comparable shoes accordingly.

• The arm holes on most trendy blazers and suit coats were cut higher and smaller than modern suit coats. If you have a slim build, you may find that 70s jackets may flatter you well.  If you don’t, or broad shoulders, you may want to see if the next size up fits you better.  Remember, though, that the fit in many things is supposed to be slim and your size regular size may indeed fit. You just have to get used to the cut.   Most clothing was not made to be baggy with miles of “ease” room.

• Not everything was poly.   Polyester was a big staple of the 70s, but if you have an aversion to it, there are plenty of other choices.   Wool and other classic fabrics were still used in abundance.   The idea that people have is that if it was wool in the 1970s, it must be boxy and plaid.   Some of the other popular cuts were actually available in wool.

Dress That Man is a site that I had stumbled by quite some time ago, and can’t believe I have yet to mention in the “Daily.” The 1970s are alive and well and expressed in fashion at the site. Hipsters, Rockers, and Halloween party attenders alike can find something to love. Browse the aisles and try on a pair of sky high platform shoes or a shirt.  Of course, you can’t really “try them on,” you have to know your size.

Summer Memories at Morey’s

My brother and I were going through old family photos, and it really brought back a lot of memories. One such memory was recalling that, as a child, one of my loves was going down a giant fiberglass slide at the park. They gave you a mat, and you would make your journey up the staircase again and again. It was interesting for me to discover that there is a whole amusement park that based itself around an initial slide like the one I liked so much as a child.

Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey started out with two brothers, a giant fiberglass slide and a dream. In the 50s and 60s, Bill Morey operated a boardwalk concession stand, while Will was a developer. They spotted a giant fiberglass slide languishing in Fort Lauderdale, and thought it was the perfect thing to attract more business to the boardwalk. But where do you put a giant fiberglass slide?

The brothers bought a mini golf course as well as a languishing restaurant to complement the slide, and Surf Side Park was born. The photo, at left, shows the slide circa 1969, and after 1976. The ape you see had been a part of a Planet of Apes Themed attraction/ride at Morey’s Piers, and the Ape is seen here at its new spot in the park. Way back when, the park was two piers separated by some municipal land, but it has grown by leaps and bounds since, hence the plural “Piers” in the name. It was the start of many great New Jersey attractions, all on one property!

Fast forward to today, and Morey’s Piers is a crown jewel among New Jersey amusement parks, roller coasters and other great attractions. As an added attraction, the Radio Disney Concert Series will be offered free to the public this summer. It begins next month and runs through August. Check out the Morey’s Piers website for details and links to accomodations as well.

The Piers are not just a place for having a great time eating more cotton candy than you can eat and riding the rides, but it is also a great spot for a Jersey Shore beach Vacation just like it was in decades past. Below, a beach scene from the 1970s, contemporary to the time of Morey’s Piers’ beginnings.  Make your own memories this summer. Who knows, maybe the photos you take will give your family plenty of laughs in the future of what you all wore for bathing suits in 2009! The seventies can’t be the only decade of interesting fashion choices.

It Smells Like…The 70s!

I was having a conversation this week about cologne. Some of the descriptions of this Scent or that sometimes makes us laugh. Some colognes proudly tout that they smell “like saddle leather.” One in particular was the main source of conversation. That was Brut cologne. While we pondered the different high and low notes of various male and female scents (of course today, there are also unisex scents but that is another topic), we decided exactly what Brut smells like.

“Brut smells like the 70s.”
“The 70s…you mean the DECADE? Or do you mean the age.”
“Oh, the decade for sure. As far as the age…I don’t know. I know if you are in your 80s, the scent is probably brill cream.”
“Ok…”
“Tell me that when you smell Brut, you don’t automatically think of the colors brown and rust, and creepy moustaches. Close your eyes and see what happens…”

Well, Brut is still around and hasn’t changed.  If it has, then it is something that the casual nose can’t pick up.  It once was the darling of scent counters, and now it is at every pharmacy and dollar store in America.  I wonder: Does a new generation wear Brut, or are all the people buying Brut people that were preteens and teenagers in the height of the 1970s?  Or do you think there are truly people “discovering” the somewhat musky smell?

That is a question to be pondered….

I guess it is best that an era smells like something recognizable.  I am still trying to find out what “teen spirit” smells like.  Not “Teen Spirit” the deodorant, but the Nirvana version that is probably the LACK of wearing Teen Spirit.  Sweat Flannel.  Jolt soda.  I should know what it smells like because I am more of that decade as far as chronological age goes.  I can just imagine sitting in my rocker with a grandchild on my knee reminiscing that “In my day…we didn’t have no Brut cologne.  We just smelled like Doc Martens and grape Hubba Bubba…and we liked it.”

In the meantime, rock on 70s dudes, rock on!

The Name Remains the Same, The Meaning Has Changed

There are many designers that the mainstream just are not aware of from the past unless prompted to study academically because their fashion houses often closed upon their retirement many years ago. Unless, of course, one has studied them academically or they struck a chord with a particular social movement or clothed a Hollywood star. There are exceptions. There are greater opportunities today to license one’s name to insure that one’s moniker will be recognized in average households far beyond a usual time frame for a designer to have worked and then retired, and far beyond death. Pierre Cardin, who began his career following World War II was the first to come out with a “ready to wear” line. He was also revolutionary in bringing his fashion to China and Russia.

According to the Vintage Fashion Guild Label Resource:

“Some see his couture accomplishments eclipsed by his reputation as “The License Man.” After all, the Cardin moniker is affixed to more than 500 licenses. Caroline Rennolds Milbank states in her book, Couture, “Today, Cardin’s diversification overshadows his work in couture. His current reputation rests more on the variety of his endeavours…as well as on his undaunted efforts to dress (or somehow effect) every human being in the world.”

So what does one do with so much clothing? There has to be a way to know what to look for, with Cardin items existing from the couture on down to discount and from the 40s to months from now. As far as strictly the eye of the vintage lover, it is important to note that Mr. Cardin had a hand in design up until the very early 70s. In particular, this Creation Pierre Cardin label from a silk tie that is shown at the bottom of the photo is a good example of one of the Cardin labels to look for, though there are other earlier ones as well.   After that, Mr. Cardin was more of a figurehead and a marketer.  Other people designed items, if indeed they were not produced elsewhere, or even sold under other names, and just affixed with a Cardin label.

A Recent East West Musical Jacket on Ebay

An East West Musical Leather Jacket was featured on Ebay recently. The item was bid up to $1,625.00, but the reserve was not quite met. Unreasonable? Maybe not.  East West Musical jackets are very sought after, and are considered one of the “ultimate” leather jackets to own and I have seen particular examples go for upwards of  several thousand dollars.

All the jackets have an artistic bent to them. Sometimes it is very obvious, such as hand painting of the leather, or the leather pieced together to create a specific pictorial design. Often, other times, even if a jacket is monochromatic, the tailoring and cut is very inventive. The jacket pictured, offered by designervintagelabels4u, falls into the latter category.  Pay special attention to the pocket design and how the front stitching/yokes play a visual part.  I would put the value at of course less than the louder and more intricate jackets just because people are willing to pay higher for a theme, but this one is also a very handsome example as well.

If you see an East West Musical label, it is definitely worth taking a second look at the item.  You will more likely find them on the west coast, but of course, as anything, people migrate with their possessions.  If you are a vintage fashion collector and you spot one at a steal, check the condition of course, but try not to hyperventilate.

I’ve Got a Brand New Pair of….Roller Skates??

“I rode my bicycle past your window last night.
I roller skated to your door at daylight.
It almost seems like you’re avoiding me.
I’m okay alone, but you got something I need.Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates,
You got a brand new key.
I think that we should get together
And try them out you see.
I been lookin’ around awhile,
You got somethin’ for me.
Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates,
You got a brand new key…”

Do you remember the song “Brand New Key” that was first recorded by Melanie and then covered a million times?  I think it was also on the Sony and Cher show.   I somehow don’t think the song will come back again as a hit because kids just don’t have any need for a roller skate key because they have wheelies.  Well, be on watch, wheelies:  There is a brand new mode of foot transportation that has been invented and they are called Orbit Wheels.

Do you know how some people answer those quizzes that ask you what animal you would want to be if you could pick?  This is for those people who answered “fiddler crab” and love seeing the world go by sideways.

Well, with those you certainly couldn’t enter the world roller skating championships. I doubt if that still goes on these days. Maybe it just happens in New Zealand. Who knows. At any rate, in 1981, Billy Richardson & Holly Valante were the world rollerskating champions.

I have been taken to task on my skepticism on the popularity of old school skating. There is actually an entire forum dedicated to skating. In fact, I stumbled upon it by searching for Richardson and Valente who gave their red jumpsuited and skating skirted all. People on the forum referred to it as “our sport,” so I guess I stand corrected. It is good to know that regular ol skating is alive and well and not everyone has been sucked in to the latest thing. Maybe when I have kids someday, metal skates will be big again and Melanie will get lots of royalties.

Someone Needs to Buy These

Here and there for the past few days, I have been rolling out an encore of “Joe Famolare and the Platform Shoe,” which is a summary of a workshop that was conducted several years ago. As I was surfing around, I came across a pair of Famolare skates with the iconic bicycle label. I did not know about the existence of skates before. I have not seen them in any older ads, nor do I remember them.

These are not for men, but for a ladies size 8, so ladies, you might want to snap these up right away. I don’t know when I will ever see another pair like them. They are available on Etsy from the VinnyandVernelle’s. CLICK HERE to grab them before they are gone!

Joe Famolare and the Platform shoe: Part III

Joe Famolare and the Platform Shoe - Part III in a Series

Part III Joe “Gets There”

Despite many naysayers who thought he was crazy, when Joe saw the “writing on the wall” at Marx and Newman, he didn’t cultivate his long list of business connections from all over the world. His business ethic and the personal commitment he made to the company just wouldn’t permit his conscience to.

He totally started from scratch with his new company. He had to start over with being the new guy and pitching his ideas to investors to get nickel one. But in the end, he charmed them with his ideas and his sense of showmanship.

An early product was a molded clog, for which he won a Coty award in 1973.

Even though the clog was a sensation in the fashion world from a design perspective, what really showcased Joe’s abilities as a self promoter was the “Get There”

The Get There took the world of platform shoes by storm.

The secret behind the shoes, while many platform shoes of the day left one teetering, the Famolare platform shoe was well balanced and practical.

The patented, 4 wave sole promotes posture and balance. Instead of having a main area of balance underneath the ball of the foot and then one under the heel, with a hollow at the arch, creating the “figure 8″ style foot print, the foot print is a series of waves that helps one “roll” and flow when they walk as opposed to the other two mobility situations with platform shoes.

The next ad appeared in magazines and newspapers everywhere as the “birth” of the Get There…featuring an implication that the Get There was carved out of marble like a masterpiece sculpture…

Not only did he use the traditional means of print advertising to promote his product, such as shown below, but he even choreographed the “Get There” dance, and ran a contest for an aspiring song writer to perform the “Get There” song on a 45 rpm record, and the record was released and it became the theme song for them.

Joe envisioned it as a yearly contest to find aspiring talent and spread the word about comfortable platform shoes that you could actually walk in! This didn’t turn into a yearly contest, but it was something that burned the Get There in everyone’s memory. They could read about it, dance about it and listen to it!

The shoes not only hold a patent but are on display in the Smithsonian museum, and is also featured at the Costume, Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. So next time you are in the neighborhood…pay the exhibit a visit.

To Be Continued…

Joe Famolare and the Platform Shoe - Part II

Joe Famolare and the Platform ShoePart II.

The Capezio and Bandolino Years

Capezio was founded in 1887 by Salvatore Capezio and still exists today as a tristed source and household name for dance shoes, later on fashion shoes, and now competitive ice skates. During Joe’s tenure he designed shoes for the Bolshoi Ballet and many others. Other highlights were designing shoes for the legendary Twyla Tharp’s Dance company.

His designs and selections also most notably appeared in the original Broadway Production of West Side story. The “Dance Oxford” created by Joe especially for West Side Story is still in use on the stage to this very day.

In my opinion, heading for the theater not only gave him an understanding of what was required in active shoes but gave him a lot of inspiration on how to be savvy, unconventional marketer and promoter of his product. One instance later found him skating on a float in a Thanksgiving Day parade to promote his shoes!

He left Capezio in 1965 over irreconcilable differences. Capezio was heading more and more into putting fashion before function, and wanting to break into the fashion market more while eliminating some comfort features in shoes, and Joe wanted to concentrate a little more on function.

His next stop along the way, was in 1965, as an executive for Marx and Newman. He was in charge of their popular division, Bandolino shoes that were sold at Neiman Marcus and elsewhere . He not only was executive vice president but designed while he was there. I am not sure exactly which models he designed, but they all were at least selected by Joe even if he didn’t design every single model during his tenure there. The company started to take a turn when Mr. Newman left the business, and as the company got more political, Joe decided that it was time to leave.

In 1969, Joe formed Famolare shoes…and the rest, as they say, is history.

Tomorrow: Part Three…Joe “Gets There”.

Joe Famolare and the History of Famolare Shoes Part I: The Beginning

On August 16, 2005, “Joe Famolare and the History of Famolare Shoes” was presented in workshop format as a part of The Vintage Fashion Guild’s “Fashionable Summer” designer workshop series on week #7 . The presenter was the author of this blog. The following article is a synopsis of presented information. Text (c) VintageGent, and The Vintage Fashion Guild. and the additional photos are copyright their respective sources (advertisements, press photos) or contributors (shoe photos). Use without permission prohibited, but may be obtained under certain circumstances and permitted in writing.

Joe Famolare and the History of Famolare ShoesPart I: The Beginning.

Joe Famolare grew up in a third generation shoe making family. He was born in Boston and grew up in Chestnut Hill, which is a neighborhood/area on Boston’s south side. His father, Joe Sr. owned Famolare Shoe Engineering, which was opened in 1934. The company made cutting patterns for the shoe industry. Joe Jr started working at the family business at the tender age of 12. Very cognizant of the child labor laws, Joe Sr. required him to pay income tax and file at that age. When he became the age of majority, he had already designed shoes and was a young executive at the family business.

Despite this early sucess he deviated from the family business and started singing in nightclubs for tips! According to Joe himself: ” I hated the shoe business. It was so dusty and boring, and the people didn’t seem happy. I could sing, and I studied voice seriously, and I found that people liked to hear me sing. So I went to Emerson to be an actor.”

For the next several years, he attended Emerson college in Boston and pursued a degree in the musical theater. Midway through, his dreams were put on hold. He was drafted by the US Army. Joe served at the very tail end of the Korean war as a radio operator, broadcasting having been a minor in college studies.

After he left the millitary, at age 23, he soon decided that a singing career was not for him. Despite his disenchantment with the shoe business, he learned that long, highly irregular hours of a musical career and the irregular and meager pay brought forth by relying on tips was not for him.

Joe Sr. demanded that he could not just wander around “finding himself, that Joe Jr. needed to get a job. So, Joe was again hurdled into the shoe business and took night courses to finish a degree.

His decided deviation from his roots was short lived indeed. He melded his two interests leaving the family business being hired at Capezio, reknowned in the dance shoe business… in 1960.

Tune in for Part II…