FASHION AND POP FASHION REVOLUTION Role Models Music fashion and style have not always been linked During the first half of the 20th century there was little or no distinct pop culture All of that changed in the 1950s thanks to a revolutionary form of music called rock and roll Rock and roll is important because it was about more than just music Many rock and roll stars had their own distinct style that was soon copied by young people Singers such as Gene Vincent and Elvis Presley wore tight jeans white T shirts and leather jackets They slicked their hair back or sculpted it into quiffs using hair gel and wax such as Brylcreem Movie Magic Not for Parents Musically rock and roll didn't appeal to the older generation Teenagers and young people liked it because it was loud fun and great to dance to And because their parents disliked the music more and more young people started getting into rock and roll The influence of rock and roll went further than the songs of Elvis or Buddy Holly The look and attitude of rock and rol loving teenagers quickly became a big part of popular Hollywood movies too Films such as Rock Around the Clock Jailhouse Rock starring Elvis Presley Don't Knock the Rock and Blue Denim all featured teenage heroes who lived for music and fashion The star sensation of East of Eden JAMES DEAN REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE Rebel Role Model WARNER BROs HALLENGING DRAMA OF TODAY's JUVENILE Perhaps the most influential movie of the era was 1955's Rebel Without In the a Cause starring James Dean film he played a teenager who argued with his parents dressed like a rock star and stood up to local bullies The film was a runaway success It made Popular the idea of the rebel teenager who lived for rock and roll and dressed to impress VIOLENCE WARNERCOLOR
Teddy Boys In the UK rock and roll obsessed teens were called Teddy Boys They dressed differently than US rockers They liked to wear long drape jackets with velvet trim drainpipe trousers white shirts narrow ties and low heeled shoes such as brogues Teenage Kicks The fashion and style that formed around rock and roll music was a starting point for future teen music and fashion trends Ever since the 1950s fans of both popular and less well known musical styles have tried to stand out by dressing differently Today's teenage music fans whether they are into hip hop goth or rave owe a lot to the pioneers of rock and roll British Teddy Boys had a lot in common with US rock and roll fans spending just as much time on their clothes and hair Yet Teddy Boys took the rock and roll attitude to the extreme They hung out in gangs and sometimes caused trouble fighting among themselves or with authority figures In the late 1950s British Teddy Boys defined themselves by the clothes they wore and the rock and roll music they listened to OCKING UNIVERSIT BILL HALEY COMETs BRAND PRICES CUT Sun THURS 28 FEB
FASHION AND POP THE BRITISH INFLUENCE If the rock and roll revolution of the 1950s launched the concept of the teenager the 1960s cemented the relationship between young people music and fashion High Life Many UK music fans couldn't afford the latest London fashions but they could afford the clothes sold in department stores These clothes were inspired by the latest pop trends such as miniskirts and double breasted suit jackets Young fashion became a booming business worldwide as more and more teenagers tried to look like their idols Surf s Up In the early 1960s pop fashion moved away from the aggressive look of rockers toward a more clean cut look This was largely due to the success of US bands such as The Beach Boys whose songs about surfing and hot rods promoted a wholesome way of life Their look of casual pants jackets and short sleeved shirts reflected this ideal The Beatles choice of clothes and mop top haircuts changed the way many people around the world dressed The British are coming The clean living image of The Beach Boys was a major influence on a band that became worldwide leaders in pop fashion The Beatles They'd grown up in Liverpool UK as rockers in leather jackets but their manager Brian Epstein wanted them to replace their rough edged style with a more respectable look 10
Beatlemania Swinging London Because Epstein wanted The Beatles to look smart he dressed them in collarless suits designed by the finest tailors in London He added specially designed Beatle boots and mop top haircuts As The Beatles fame spread these trends became popular with young people all over the world The success of British bands in the United States helped to make London the most fashionable place on the planet By the middle of the 1960s mainstream fashions on both sides of the Atlantic were being set by the bands that shopped on the King's Road in Chelsea or Carnaby Street in Soho GE WATE In the 1960s the King's Road in Chelsea London boasted some of the most trendsetting clothing BOS shops in the world The Scoop Vintage Look In recent years the pop fashions of 1960s London have become popular again This is due to the vintage revival seen in a number of modern pop stars Perhaps the first to hit the headlines was singer Amy Winehouse whose look and sound reached back to the glory days of 1960s pop One of the most famous mod bands of all time The Who wrote an album and film about the rivalry between old fashioned rockers and mods who preferred the new REB music It was called Quadrophenia and it told the story of one young mod s struggle against rockers and the establishment in the United Kingdom 11
