TEDDY BOYS

                           TEDDY BOYS

For me the teddy Boys are one of the subcultures that  had a really big  eco in fashion and music.

The Teddy boys movement was originated in the  areas of early 50s east e London when some teenagers gangs appeared

The teddy boy uniform was originally copied from the smart Edwardian gentleman - their 'social superiors'. The style was tailored, and featured long high necked jackets, sometimes of velvet, or velvet trimmed collar and cuffs, and were lined in either floral or bright colours. This was worn with brocade waistcoats, bootlace or slim jim tie, narrow 'drainpipe' trousers, wing-collared shirts and suede shoes, which were originally regarded as  'nancy boy shoes'. An essential accessory, along with the cycle chain was the comb. These new 'Edwardians' were not the respectable working class, and as a result the middle class who had pioneered the style, felt that their wardrobe had now become unwearable. Those who now wore the style were described as 'delinquents', 'zoot-suiters' and 'spivs'.

The Teds fully embraced the American Rock and Roll music that hit Britain and the British bands that adopted the same style eve tought  the Teddy boy style was born before Rock and Roll. Teddy Boys were mainly listening and dancing to jazz and skiffle  music. A well-known dance that the Teddy Boys adopted was The Creep, a slow shuffle of a dance so popular with Teddy Boys that it led to their other nickname of creepers.

Their hair was cut into an outlandish DA (Duck's Ass)

In the 70s Fashion designer  Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren  promoted the look through their shop Let it Rock, on London's King's Road.

This dasy there are still people that follow this trend and they still drees in their Edwardian style.

Around England you can find groups and associations that dedicate their time to this subculture,and they gather in pubs and houses, specially in London,Leeds and Manchester.

Nowadays designers take this subculture as inspiration for their collections,like Paul smith and Balenciaga,it might not be as literal but you can see that the core is there.

And item that right now is making a huge comeback in a lot of blogs and stores are the Creppers shoes.