Happy Sunday, peeps.
Who remembers Lana Turner’s quiff?
Whether it’s on the news or walking into town for my weekly latte with my girls, it struck me that we were surrounded by quiffs! Quiffs everywhere! Along with bomber jackets like the Fonz in Happy Days! Remember him?
Spring - oh where for art thou, Spring - fashion has been struck by the jitter bug. It’s a blast from the past. A moment where the carefree and slightly wild side of the fifties is rocking the high street in Britain. Capri pants are back (they’ve never gone from my wardrobe) and plimsolls. And boys are now combing their hair (thank God) instead of that weird reverse blow dry look some of them had going. You know what I mean, the one where Justin Beiber (I am not a fan 😦 ) just came out of a wind tunnel backwards with droopy bangs down to their chin and the pants so far down their hips we can see their calvins. Why did anyone think that was a good look? What were they thinking?
Anyway, from what I’m seeing we also have a return to the high street of what I call ‘the peacocks’ led by Olympic cyclist Bradley Wiggins. I can’t say I’m fond of his skinny body in lycra, but he can work a suit.
But the man who works a suit best is the awesome Savile Row tailor, Ozwald Boetang. Seen here wearing one of his own. I use Ozwald’s suits for my heroes in my romances. The man is a master.
But back to the quiff!
Here’s the lovely Kate Beckinsale working the look beautifully. And I’m seeing lots and lots of young girls working this look too.
So ultimately, what goes around comes around.
Thank you, fashion designers, for bringing back the age of the mod and the rockabilly and Fred Perry!
You know I adore hearing from you, so tell me:
What was your favourite time in your youth?
Were you a mod or a rocker?
Did you wear winkle-pickers and pancake on your face girls?
And boys did you keep a comb in your back pocket?
As an aside to all of this, Run Rosie Run is being highlighted on the lovely Michael Gallagher’s Kindle Books and tips blog today for a steal at $.99cents. So grab it while you can!
Christine xxx
CC MACKENZIE - USA Today Bestselling Author 
Never stopped shaving. Never stopped combing my hair. Still carrying carrying century-old technology in a leather holster and waiting on Jesus. Time can do what it wants.
I can tell you’ve never stopped shaving or stopped combing your hair. The century old technology in a leather holster I suspect is a gun! And Jesus is already here!
Oh yeah! Just wanting to get past that “evidence of things unseen” stage …
OK, Winklepickers a definite but no comb in the pocket and I’m torn. Neither a mod nor a rocker. More a hippy with a taste for Edwardian clothing which has never changed. I loved it when the frock coat made a come back with the new romantics in the 80’s. Time that fashion made a re-run so I don’t have top view the bike-park every time someone bends over or see these grotesque trousers where the waistline seems to start at the knee so it looks like people have oompa-loompa size legs. What’s wrong with smart? Doesn’t have to be boring. Except for the brothel creepers and brylcreamed hair the Teddy Boys were OK. Plenty of colour in their drapes ( and No, I don’t mean curtains).
Hi David,
I remember the new romantics! I love smart and you’re right it doesn’t need to be boring! Haha! Love the drapes!
OMG I was a rocker !!!!!!!!!! hair spiked and everything , i will have to find a pic and show you ..
Jean’s tshirts and high top sneakers ..
Why am I not surprised you were a rocker! I used to wear high top sneakers. But I was teaching exercise at the time! LOL!
I’m waiting for double breasted suits, men’s hats and Tommy guns to make a comeback. Unlike my friend Dale, I own a comb, but never use it, I shave when I must, and can only carry old-fashioned Pencils with pink erasers in my holster (Thanks New York!)
I do like fashion, though. I’d love to never see another person out of doors in pajamas again!
Cheers, CC!
LOL!
Hi CC.
Ha! Mods and rockers. I had a character put on a sharp suit and thin black tie in my book, so I called him a mod, but the term isn’t really used over here, so I had to take it out! 😦
The best time in my youth was around 16-18. Loads of parties, old enough to get away with it in a pub, playing guitar, friends in bands, and I had a car. Ok, it was an old escort van, but hey, it went 🙂
Cheers!
They don’t know what a mod is? We must spread the word! An old escort van, eh? I’ll let my vivid imagination work out the rest! 🙂
LOL. I’m sure your imagination will be far more interesting that reality!
LOL!
Okay, what the heck is a winkle-picker and plimsolls? Translation please. Oh wait. Maybe I don’t want to know. lol. Yes, I remember Lana Turner. I must say that she aged very gracefully. Beautiful woman. Ageless really. Well, until she died. And who didn’t love the “Fonze”? I saw Henry Winkler at an Elton John concert (this was previous to becoming a Sir of course.) at Dodger Stadium just weeks before hubby and I got married. He smiled at me and I blushed. But, I’m with you on the Capris. We’re still rockin’ those skinny minis, which is what they are called this year. Ah, got to love fashion. At least we can still be fashionable Christine! That’s because you’re ageless! 🙂
LOL! Winkle-pickers are long pointy-toed shoes/boots that pinched the small toe. And plimsolls are sneakers! Yea, you blushed at Henry Winkler! I love Capris. Skinny minis? I like it! We are ageless, Karen! 🙂
I was what was called a ‘baby hip’ in my day, i.e. a wannabe hippie. I wore the bell bottoms and tie-dyed T-shirts and long unruly hair (which was a really bad idea with my frizzy mop!) But I was too chicken to drop out and turn on, other than smoking a little weed.
And I love my capri pants. No one will ever wrestle them away from me, no matter what the fashion moguls dictate!
Hahaha! I need a translator for this one. A quiff must be an updo and I just looked above and plimsolls are sneakers. Winkle pickers??? Love it! Capris have been in style here for a long time.
Love the post!