Urban Life

Black Leather Jackets, Motorcycles and Rock & Roll

Black leather jackets have left their distinct mark in American culture becasue of what they have come to represent. They have become a form of recognition into a lifestyle that generally opposes the common rule and thread. Like specific colors in a wardrobe would reveal gang members and their loyalty in the streets of LA during the 1980’s, black leather jackets are worn to symbolize a decision into a subculture that sets it own rules.

History of the black leather jacket

The quintessential leather jacket was born out of functionality when they were created for aviators in the First World War. The first leather flight jackets were more bulky than they are today, often featuring shearling-lined collars and lapels to protect pilots from the elements. As time passed the leather jacket has become as essential in fashion as the t-shirt, abandoning its more practical uses in favor of a sartorial importance fueled by pop culture and the evolution of trends.

Above image from Schot NYC 100 Years of An American original  : myfreedamn

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Vintage Rock T-Shirt Picts | Sometimes a Tee Says it All

Vintage T-shirts have been a North American fashion icon since the fighter pilots returned home from WWII wearing them decorated with war slogans as normal weekend attire. Often the pilots stationed in South Pacific during the war would mark up their undershirts that they wore under their normal uniform with all types of pictures and slogans. When they returned home many of the pilots continued to wear their marked up t-shirts around the house or out with their pals. This was during the 1950’s, the era of Ozzie & Harriet and Leave it to Beaver, at the time if you wore a undershirt without a dress shirt over it you were considered a rebel, or a derelict.

As time passed the T-shirt became a symbol of freedom, everyone from bikers, rockers, surfers and more began to make the t-shirt a part of their everyday wardrobe.

The following collection of images from THE SELVEDGE YARD show different rock stars and their fans from the 70’s wearing an assortment of different t-shirts with different sayings that prove that prove that sometimes a tee says it better

SEE MORE PICTS AT THE SELVEDGE YARD

1970's Surf, Sand and Beachwear

It is almost that time a year where many of us get to shed our clothes and soak in some rays down at the local water hole. This year 1970’s fashion is on the rise and I just can’t help but browse through some of favorite photos of 70’s swimwear. From European designer beach wear to southern California surf-wear, 1970’s swimwear had a  a style and appeal all of its own.

There are certain keys to follow when dating vintage swimwear:

-Lastex began to be used in swimwear starting in the late 30’s and continued through the 50’s.
-Spandex, better known as elastane in Europe, began to be used in swimsuits in the late 60’s. Dupont patented this as Lycra.
-Fabric content on labels was mandated in the 1960’s
-Garment care instructions seen on labels beginning in 1971
-Symbols on care labels began in the 1990’s in the US, earlier elsewhere

Model Cheryl Tiegs at the beach in an orange bikini with white polka dots by Villager, with a man reclining on chaise — Image by © Condé Nast Archive/CORBIS

Famous Farrah Fawcett Poster on most adolescent boy’s walls in the 1970’s

Cheryl Tiegs swimsuit pose

Classic One-piece and Two piece swimsuit designs from the 70’s

Modern bathing suit with exact 1970’s glamor cut

Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime with a wig-wearin’ female friend, circa 1970s.

Surf Rats Hanging out at the beach

Christie Brinkley Sporting a colorful one piece

1970’s European Men’s Matching Swimwear

Mark Richards matching his board shorts with his surfboard

Larry Bertlemann pure classic style

Kids 19070’s beachwear

North shore 1970’s beach fashion

1970’s Venice Beach

MR Ripping the Bottom Turn

Style on Wheels | 1970's Custom Van Craze

The 1960’s had their counterculture revolution going on, with war protests and the civil rights moment happening simultaneously with the free love/dope flower children movement. When this group got a little older they continued to express their psychedelic free loving nature through the type of clothing they wore, the type of music they enjoyed and the type of art they liked.

In the 1970’s some of these individuals found a new way of expressing their independent cosmic nature by having murals painted on the side of their vans. These love wagons were somewhat cheep, easy to maintain and great for luggin a van full of stoners to the next Iron Butterfly Concert.

Wait until you see the waterbed I installed in this baby!

 

Who needs a limo when you can drive a van.

 

“Hey man you going to Van Land?”
 

Nothing says, “Hey I am a straight up guy,” like a painting of a horse in a cosmic desert on the side of your van

 

Brown, Yellow, orange and Beige never looked so good together.

 

The horse was a popular theme among these comsic cowboy enthusiasts.

 

Hey girls, guess what I am into?

 

So Hot your Cool, so Cool your hot!

 

The marketing geniuses at the big three automobile companies in the United States producing vans at the time Ford, Chevy and Dodge, all attempted to cash in on the craze with mixed results. Because of them we get to admire or laugh at the great adds that they produced in this era.

 

Vintage 1970’s Ford Van Advertisement Featuring Surfers.

Good Times at the beach – Vintage Dodge van Advertisement.

In the 1980’s the Custom Van movement began to loose momentum as the new conversion van started to hit the market.

Scooter Style

Vintage Vespa Scooters have left their mark on the transportation and fashion industry as an iconic piece to many a lifestyle.  The Vespa scooter brand has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. of Pontedera, Italy—to a full line of scooters and one of seven companies today owned by Piaggio.