THE CENTRE FRONT- by A4: TEDDY BOYS

TEDDY BOYS

My grandfarther

"Leo"

Leonard

Glover

My Gradfarther was one of the origional Teddy boys of the 1950's

The British Teddy Boy (also known as Ted) subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes that were partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, styles which Savile Row tailors had attempted to re-introduce in Britain after World War II. The subculture started in London in the 1950s, and rapidly spread across the UK, soon becoming strongly associated with American rock and roll.

The original Edwardian revival was far more historically accurate in terms of replicating the original Edwardian era style than the later Teddy Boy style. It featured tapered trousers, long jackets and fancy waist coats.

Teddy Boys made it acceptable for the first time in post-war Britain for young people to care intensely about what they looked like, and to dress for show, instead of having work or school clothes and Sunday-best. The trend arose as income increased after the war. Teddy Boy clothing was drape jackets, usually in dark shades, sometimes with velvet trim collar and pocket flaps; high-waist "drainpipe" trousers, often exposing the socks. Favoured footwear included highly polished Oxfords, chunky Brogues, Eaton Clubman's and Crepe-soled shoes, often suede (known as brothel creepers). The outfit also included a high-necked loose collar on a white shirt (known as a Mr B. collar because it was often worn by jazz musician Billy Eckstine); a narrow "Slim Jim" tie or western "Maverick" tie, and a brocade waistcoat. The clothes were mostly tailor-made at great expense, and paid for through weekly installments. Preferred hairstyles included long, strongly-moulded greased-up hair with a quiff at the front and the side combed back.

Smart shoes ...

Combined with rocker attitude .....

Teddy girls (also known as Judies) wore drape jackets, pencil skirts, hobble skirts, long plaits, rolled-up jeans, flat shoes, tailored jackets with velvet collars, straw boater hats, cameo brooches, espadrilles, coolie hats and long, elegant clutch bags. Later they adopted the American fashions of toreador pants, voluminous circle skirts, and hair in ponytails.

Sterotypical images

Long Coats

Smart Style

Hair

Pride in apperence

Teddy boy style takes over ...

Although Teddy Boys are associated with rock and roll music, the style actually came before the music. Teddy Boys are and were a totally British phenomenon as opposed to the other styles worn in countries such as the United States. Prior to the advent of 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. The song "The Creep" came out in 1953.