Talking of Sportswear and clothing...

[ph437]

Seeing the tread about trainers made me think about the labels that were cool (with casuals anyhow)when I was younger, things such as Fila, ellesse and Diadora but are now considered very secondary brands.

Lacoste still seems desirable and of course all the stone, burberry stuff.

I see Lonsdale is making a bit of a comeback - used to be a repected brand (amongs the mods and scooter boys anyhow) and fairly expensive but now they are cheap as chips.

I still like me lonsdale stuff though- even though it was from Madhouse - when I was young the hard kids wore Lonsdale coz it was a boxing brand and the Modfather weller himself used to wear it a fair bit too.

Still like the old fred perry v neck and polo shirt look too!

Oi Jimmy - your'e not normal- oh yeah whats normal then lol

Rosehills was great, and if you were feeling rich a trip to Melandis and The Cavern in Carnaby Street was always good....never like the boating blazers or jam shoes though!

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Rosehills! Regular Saturday morning visits.

Once went around town looking for bowling shoes; lost count of the number of times that I was offered crown green bowling shows c/w spikes! Eventually bought a couple of pairs in Carnaby Street, along with a rather splendid "original" parka which I still have ...

 

[ph437]

We used to "borrow" our bowling shoes from the pier bowling alley...they were quite stylish but had numbers on the heel!

I miss my parka (US army with separate lining of course) - the big target on the back wasn't so clever though - especially the morning we decided to walk through the old kursal funfair and got jumped by about 50 rockabillys. (Well about 10!)

Anyone remember the scooter run in Southend culminating in a mod march down the high street- amazing day - never forget that!

My mate had one of those "Scooter Boys on the pi$$" patches on his jacket - funny thing was he never had a scooter.

One night we nicked it and changed it to read -

" Scooter boys on the Bus"

He didn't think it was funny!

 

[Mad Cyril]

Rosehills was THE place if you wanted a salmon pink / lemon yellow Lacoste cardigan or a pair of faded Lois Jeans.

They did a nice line in Leo Gemelli jumpers as well.

I think a little piece of Southend died they day Rosehills closed.

When I was at school if you didn't have a Gallini sweatshirt you were nothing.

The strangest fashion craze I can remember was around 1990 when everyone seemed to be wearing lilac 'Explosive Fibres' Sweatsuits.

 

[Wessex Blue]

Quote[/b] (ph437 @ Mar. 13 2006,21:41)]We used to "borrow" our bowling shoes from the pier bowling alley...they were quite stylish but had numbers on the heel!

I miss my parka (US army with separate lining of course) - the big target on the back wasn't so clever though - especially the morning we decided to walk through the old kursal funfair and got jumped by about 50 rockabillys. (Well about 10!)

Anyone remember the scooter run in Southend culminating in a mod march down the high street- amazing day - never forget that!

My mate had one of those "Scooter Boys on the pi$$" patches on his jacket - funny thing was he never had a scooter.

One night we nicked it and changed it to read -

" Scooter boys on the Bus"

He didn't think it was funny!

Any of you chaps used to go down Leigh Community centre on a Friday night circa 1982 - 83. Mod heaven, apart from the frequent rows with the library gardens lads.

My bowling shoes were red white & blue purchased from Shelleys in carnaby street. Happy days!

As for the mid eighties casual brands, good thing then was that the fashion evolved and changed with some speed. these days it's just fat 30 something's in SI or Burb clobber or under fives in fake SI or Burb. Absolutely no imagination from year to year, v boring!!!!!

 

[Guest]

Exactly.

Anyone can look hard with a shaved head and a SI jacket.

It takes a special breed to pull it off wearing a sheepskin jacket and a pair of white lois cords.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Whatever happened to 'Rucanor'?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

How I would love a pair of Diadora Bjorn Borg tennis shoes with the gold flashes. Lois jeans made a brief comeback too but I can't source them anywhere.

 

[Firestorm]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Mar. 14 2006,13:53)][Any of you chaps used to go down Leigh Community centre on a Friday night circa 1982 - 83. Mod heaven, apart from the frequent rows with the library gardens lads.

My bowling shoes were red white & blue purchased from Shelleys in carnaby street. Happy days!

I lived in Billericay in the Mod days (moved to Southend in 82)

I remember seeing the Jam in 1979 and meeting up with a load of Southend Mods , also at Canvey paddocks , August Bank Holiday for the March of the Mods gig and of course the Speedball / Chords gig at the Valkyrie club

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

Quote[/b] (Firestorm @ Mar. 14 2006,15:55)]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Mar. 14 2006,13:53)][Any of you chaps used to go down Leigh Community centre on a Friday night circa 1982 - 83. Mod heaven, apart from the frequent rows with the library gardens lads.

My bowling shoes were red white & blue purchased from Shelleys in carnaby street. Happy days!

I lived in Billericay in the Mod days (moved to Southend in 82)

I remember seeing the Jam in 1979 and meeting up with a load of Southend Mods , also at Canvey paddocks , August Bank Holiday for the March of the Mods gig and of course the Speedball / Chords gig at the Valkyrie club

Oh sh!t were you there that day? That was a defining moment of an era. The Purple Hearts stealing the show from Secret Affair and Squire showing some slick moves but little imagination in the music department. 2000 mods and skins going mad all day and some seriously classy scooters parked outside. I wore my parka all day and lost about 2 stone in fluid, christ it was hot that day. Danced ourselves stupid and even managed to get served at the bar. Fantastic day rounded off by 30 Ilford boys riding two a breast up Long Road without helmets ala Quadrophenia. Happy memories.

By the way, nail vanish remover got rid of the number on the back of bowling shoes.

 

[ph437]

Leigh com on Friday nights were legendary - I only went once and the next week it closed down forever! The night I went some kid got run over after being chased up elmsleigh drive - can still picture him lying in the road - he was ok in the end I heard.

I remember going to Zhivagos on a monday with a mate wearing his bransd new two tone tonic suit - big mistake - got knocked about a fair bit dancing to Masquarade.

It was much more innocent then though, no one got seriously hurt and its about 100 times worse today I reckon!

Oh yeah, the old nail varnish remover trick.

Makes a change from sniffing it!

We didn't need Ferdy for blues, just a bottle of tippex thinners and we were well happy - explains a lot really!

 

[Wessex Blue]

In a way I feel sorry for the kids of today, that whole youth cult / tribe thing has disappeared. You get the odd stray goth or punk around but not much else.

It's all the adults that are nostalgic for those days.

I had a couple of Vespa's and a Lambretta in the last 6 years and did the Isle of Wight scooter rally a few times. That was awesome. Five thousand scooters riding around the island for 4 days. The smell of the 2 stroke smoke is f***in lovely. Top sounds as well from soul, revival, ska, reggae right through to punk. Rideout on the Sunday attracts 2000 plus scooters, it's an awesome sight and there's some unbelievable scoots. Definitely recommend it if you're around the Pompey / Wight area over August bank holiday

 

[The Artful Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Mar. 14 2006,22:01)]In a way I feel sorry for the kids of today, that whole youth cult  / tribe thing has disappeared. You get the odd stray goth or punk around but not much else.

It's all the adults that are nostalgic for those days.

I had a couple of Vespa's and a Lambretta in the last 6 years and did the Isle of Wight scooter rally a few times. That was awesome. Five thousand scooters riding around the island for 4 days. The smell of the 2 stroke smoke is f***in lovely. Top sounds as well from soul, revival, ska, reggae right through to punk. Rideout on the Sunday attracts 2000 plus scooters, it's an awesome sight and there's some unbelievable scoots. Definitely recommend it if you're around the Pompey / Wight area over August bank holiday

Yep great memories, the great riot of 1986 and seeing the beer tent collapse in flames...

 well weren't that clever I guess.
IOW rallys were excellent. "Paddy Smith" patches to prove you went. I've still got my Ma jacket from 1980-86 covered in rallys and patches. (doesn't fit me though, I might frame it with pix of my old skeleton scooters)
I remember thrashing my old Vespa PX all the way to Redcar/Morecambe/Scarborough/Blackpool etc, that thing never blew up no matter how hard I pushed it. 15 crashes and two near death experiences . Great days  

 

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

Had a old Vespa 90 back then. Three gears, pi$$ed over anything away from the lights ( for about 2 foot) and went through more gear cables than i've had hot dinners ( I had my own parking space outside Alspeed and Kegra) Anyone else remember the old Chestnut Hall in Pitsea that held Northern Soul nights? Classic memory was the old Ilford Plaley (sp?). Watched the Hornchurch Scooter Club arrive 50 strong. All parked, switched off and walked away. Three bikes feel over and they didn't bat an eyelid, cool as f%&k!! The Yarmouth 48 hour Soul Weekends were fantastic to attend and the Yarmouth Mods used to turn out every scooter in town to put on a show. Funnily enough, one of their faces was from Benfleet and supported Southend, small world eh? Name escapes me, Dave something. The great scooter rally to Southend of 82 stiks in the mind. My mum even went down there and relived her youth (original 60's modette don't you know) and it brought a tear to her eye. She even smiled when the throw back Teddy Boy got a crash helmet right between the eyes under the pier when he offered a finger to twenty odd scooters passing by. (marvellous shot from a moving vehicle) Did I feel silly wandering around Southend seafront with my mum during the biggest scooter rally of the year? No chance, she put a few of them right on what being a mod was all about and she was given serious respect. Nice one mother!!

 

[elmo putney]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Mar. 14 2006,15:40)]How I would love a pair of Diadora Bjorn Borg tennis shoes with the gold flashes.  Lois jeans made a brief comeback too but I can't source them anywhere.

theres a website/shop in barnsley that specialises in old school casual trainers...theyve got the re issued bb's on there...think there £50..i think they look the b******s myself......anyway it's called original footwear

 

[ph437]

Ha ha -this site is just full of scooter boys and mods!

 

[elmo putney]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Mar. 14 2006,13:53)]

Quote[/b] (ph437 @ Mar. 13 2006,21:41)]We used to "borrow" our bowling shoes from the pier bowling alley...they were quite stylish but had numbers on the heel!

I miss my parka (US army with separate lining of course) - the big target on the back wasn't so clever though - especially the morning we decided to walk through the old kursal funfair and got jumped by about 50 rockabillys. (Well about 10!)

Anyone remember the scooter run in Southend culminating in a mod march down the high street- amazing day - never forget that!

My mate had one of those "Scooter Boys on the pi$$" patches on his jacket - funny thing was he never had a scooter.

One night we nicked it and changed it to read -

" Scooter boys on the Bus"

He didn't think it was funny!

Any of you chaps used to go down Leigh Community centre on a Friday night circa 1982 - 83. Mod heaven, apart from the frequent rows with the library gardens lads.

My bowling shoes were red white & blue purchased from Shelleys in carnaby street. Happy days!

As for the mid eighties casual brands, good thing then was that the fashion evolved and changed with some speed. these days it's just fat 30 something's in SI or Burb clobber or under fives in fake SI or Burb. Absolutely no imagination from year to year, v boring!!!!!

the fat balding chaps in s.i gear sounds a bit like me and seb weetabix !!

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

Quote[/b] (elmo putney @ Mar. 14 2006,22:41)]the fat balding chaps in s.i gear sounds a bit like me and seb weetabix !!

Your balding Elmo, im just old

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

And fat.But prefer cuddly.

 

[Firestorm]

Quote[/b] (Sebastian Weetabix @ Mar. 14 2006,20:33)]Oh sh!t were you there that day? That was a defining moment of an era. The Purple Hearts stealing the show from Secret Affair and Squire showing some slick moves but little imagination in the music department. 2000 mods and skins going mad all day and some seriously classy scooters parked outside. I wore my parka all day and lost about 2 stone in fluid, christ it was hot that day. Danced ourselves stupid and even managed to get served at the bar. Fantastic day rounded off by 30 Ilford boys riding two a breast up Long Road without helmets ala Quadrophenia. Happy memories.

By the way, nail vanish remover got rid of the number on the back of bowling shoes.

Yeah, Been to the Lyceum the night before to see the previous night of the tour Similar line up (no Squire) but plus Mo-Dettes, Selecter and Madness, so gave the sea front a miss during the day....

Saw the Affair (as secret affair are now called) a couple of years ago at the rytymn factory, Same old stuff really. Blown off stage (IMHO) by Southend band Bif Bam Pow...