Style Icon: Bert Stern (3 October 1929)

Bert Stern is primarily a stills and fashion photographer and perhaps best known for the iconic images of a semi nude Marilyn Monroe whom he shot for Vogue in 1962. However, he was also responsible for directing Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1960), which was filmed during the 1958 Newport Jazz festival in Rhode Island, USA. Originally the festival was chosen as a backdrop against which Bert Stern’s own story and script would be set. However, for a number of reasons (including a missing cat!?) this project never quite got off the ground and what eventually emerged was a unique and candid portrayal of the jazz artists, their music, and the  ‘in’ crowd attending the jazz festival. One doesn't have to like jazz to appreciate this film - indeed Bert Stern himself knew very little about jazz, apparently, when he decided to shoot the film - but what is apparent is Stern’s eye for a good shot so it flows from morning to evening to night as series of stills. However, I watch JoaSD regularly; I think Stern's film captures the essence and energy of jazz, a certain romanticism and naivety of a period long gone, and a time when people (well, those who could afford to live in Rhode Island!) knew how to wear clothes and listen to the best music!

 

 Copyright of images is not known

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfLsEH4csQ4

Style Icon: The Alden Shoe Company - founded 1884

The Alden Shoe Company of New England certainly needs no introduction. As the maker of classic shoes, boots, and moccasins since 1884, there aren't enough superlatives to describe this brand. Indeed, I recently invested part of my 5 year old son's inheritance in a pair of Indy 403 boots, justifying to myself that they are so well made he will one day inherit them, and who knows maybe pass them down to his own children!

Another particular favourite of mine is the Alden Arguello Ranger Moc, shown below. As with many of Alden's shoes the Aguello is made from sturdy Horween Shell Cordovan horse leather (the fibrous flat muscle - or shell - beneath the hide on the rump of the horse). However, these mocs feature Goodyear welted plantation crepe soles with leather toe sections. The pair shown below are brown but I have seen them in burgundy and they look great!

http://www.endclothing.co.uk/alden-arguello-ranger-moc.html

Style Icon: Roy Brown (10 September 1925 — 25 May 1981)

My passion for music extends across many genres including rockabilly. In my teens I used to go to a ‘Rockin’ Club’ off Grafton Road in Camden Town. It was one of those places where everyone dressed up to the nines and at times could easily have resembled main street USA, 1956. There was one track I loved called Hip Shakin’ Baby, a genuine bopper, by Roy Brown. I remember at the time being both enthralled and amazed to discover Roy Brown was black because to me it sounded pure rockabilly. Of course, clubs like the one in Grafton Road played plenty of black artists, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Louis Jordon, but in my musical naivety I assumed rockabilly to be recorded only by white artists; after all wasn’t it white artists that copied black artists? From that point I very quickly learned my error and that the roots of great music are, excitingly, never straight forward. However, what Roy Brown and ‘Hip Shakin’ Baby’ did for me is light the long fuse of musical enlightenment, which continues to smoulder to this day.

                                                                                              Copyright unknown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wc0nZ7f4rQ

Style Innovator: Clarence White (7 June 1944 – 15 July 1973)

The more discerning music lover will already be familiar with Clarence White. As an innovator, his unique finger picking guitar style was honed from years of playing traditional acoustic country, bluegrass, and folk music with a number of bands, most notably The Kentucky Colonels, and working on high profile studio sessions during the mid to late 1960s. However, it was his move from acoustic to almost wholly electric guitar where Clarence White makes his greatest impact and the perceived wisdom is that he found his greatest creativity and freedom playing electric. So, in my humble opinion Clarence White did much more than introduce breath taking guitar playing to a rock audience, but he managed to influence and move forward two entire genres of music simultaneously.

Recording-wise Clarence White is probably best known for his work with The Byrds (Dr Byrd & Mr Hyde’, 1969 – and the aforementioned studio sessions), who he joined in 1967, and of course The Kentucky Colonels (1961-1965). However, for me any of his collaborations with Gib Guilbeau and Gene Parsons stand out; the Nashville West sessions (1967) remains on my list of desert island discs, and one record I recommend you listen to if you have not already done so.

                                    The Reasons (from left to right): Clarence White, Wayne Moore, Gene Parsons,Gib Guilbeau
                                                                  Photo courtesy of Alec Palao

CW - Grandma Funderbunk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3tl3APQtyo

Nashville West - Ode To Billie Joe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLTMu6uaqHI

Gosdin Brothers - Tell Me (listen to CW guitar at end)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDUKKaRw9wE

Style Icon: Evie Sands (26 February 1946)

Evie Sands is one of my favourite female recording artists. Gifted with a unique and powerful voice she was signed to the Red Bird/Blue Cat label in New York in 1965. That year she had hits with ‘Run Home To Your Mama’, ‘Take Me for a Little While’, and ‘Can’t Let You Go’ – see youtube link. Less prolific perhaps than most of her soul contemporaries during the 1960s, Evie Sands was one of a new rare breed of female singer songwriters and she went on to become an accomplished artist. If you are unfamiliar with Evie Sands, I recommend you check out her LP ‘Any Way That You Want Me’ (1970).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzleOI8W4yQ&feature=related

Style Icon: Rod Serling (25 December 1924 – 28 June 1975)

Rod Serling was the creator of one of my favourite sci-fi TV series, The Twilight Zone, which originally ran from 1959 to 1964. The programme, which featured short stories with often dystopian themes, will be the subject of a blog in the near future. However, Mr Serling definitely resides in the style zone wearing razor sharp suits, immaculately coiffured hair, and holding an ever smouldering cigarette.

Style Icon: Cool Cars in Film

The Series I Alfa Romeo Spider - The Graduate (1967) - Designed by Pininfarina, the Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto first went into production in 1966 and underwent several design and engine modifications until production of the Series 4 Spider ended in 1993. The early ‘Spider’ was famed for its elegant lines and beautiful lozenge shape and can be seen in the film tearing its way up to Berkeley to the sounds of Simon & Garfunkel.

Style Icon: Cool Cars in Film

Autobianchi Bianchina Cabriolet – The Pink Panther (1963) - The Bianchina was produced by the Italian automaker Autobianchi and was based on the Fiat 500. In my opinion the cabriolet version is probably the coolest microcar and looks no cooler than when being driven by a person wearing a gorilla suit.

 Image courtesy of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum (www.microcarmuseum.com)

Style Icon: Cool Cars in Film

The Sunbeam Alpine Series II – Dr. No (1962) - According to Wikipedia, the Alpine was produced principally for the US market and as one of the chief designers of the car, Ken Howes, had worked for Ford prior to joining the Rootes Group, it was bound to have some resemblance to the first generation of Ford Thunderbird’s. In Dr. No, the first Bond car can be seen out manouvering a 1939 LaSalle Funeral Coach full of baddies.

Style Icon: The Honda S500 (1963)

I have always had a penchant for European style sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s – the Series 3 Sunbeam Alpine sitting top of my list. Neat and nippy, smaller cars just seem to have an understated refinement and elegance when compared to their bulkier brasher equivalents in the United States during the same period.

I recall regularly passing the Honda dealership located at the junction of Camden Street and Camden Road and stopping to admire the 1963 Honda S500 convertible on display outside. All cherry red and chrome, the S500 had a unique charm and I imagined myself driving it around town, soft top down, listening to Booker T & The MG’s ‘Hip Hug-Her’ (1967). The dealership is long gone but I wonder what happened to that car ……

Style Icon: Jean Seberg (13 November 1938 – 30 August 1979)

The 'Madras' Summer Weight Jacket

Known for its breathability and lightweight touch, ‘Madras’ fabric originates from the region of southeast India that gives it its name, making it ideal for summer weight apparel. It is believed the classic check pattern was first designed in the 1800’s by local weavers who were inspired by the tartan patterns worn by the Scottish regiments that occupied southern India at that time.

Ordinarily I would say I am a fairly conservative dresser, opting for a bright or patterned tie on occasions. However, I would wear a bold Madras check jacket with a crisp white button-down, charcoal grey flannel slacks, dark socks and ox-blood or whisky brown loafers.

First Impressions