The BEATLES
Fashion!
There is no doubt about the Beatles’ influence on the music world.
They will be remembered for their incredible contributions in recording
and songwriting, their music is already considered classics today. The
Beatles are not just musicians. They made a remarkable cultural and
sociological impact. They transformed the look, sound, and style of not
only their generation, but also of those that followed. The Beatles very
much influenced the fashion of their time.
Rock and Roll music
 Believe it or not, the Beatles started as leather clad and greasy
haired, looking more like Danny Zucco or Fonzi. They played at the
Cavern Club in Liverpool and at the Kaiserkellerin Hambur. This is pre-Ringo,
by the way.
In Black
When Brian Epstein became the Beatles’ manager, he convinced the boys
to wash their hair and retire the leather. Therefore, they dressed in
dark, matching, impeccably tailored suits, and eventually, the famous
Pierre Cardin collarless number. The Beatle mop-top became such an issue
that the Beatle wig became the hottest novelty since the hula hoop.
Think for yourself
As the Beatles began to experiment with their music on “Rubber Soul”
and “Revolver”, they also began to experiment with their clothes. Their
days of touring were almost over and so were the matching suits.
Turtlenecks replaced white dress shirts as the lads took a more casual
approach to dressing. Colour began to find its way into their once
almost all black wardrobes.
All you need is love
Perhaps one of the most famous album covers of all-time came out in
June of 1967. “Sgt. Pepper” defined the psychedelic “Summer of Love” and
reflected the style. The barriers between men and women began to fall
and the Beatles were at the forefront. Where once it was the women who
displayed fashion flair, now it was the guys’ turn. Dubbed “Peacock
Style”, velvet, satin, and fur were not uncommon in their threads as the
decadent style of 18th century dandies was a big influence.
Adopts own style
As the end of the decade came near, each Beatle seemed to adopt his
own style. Paul was clean cut and professional. George was the earthy
middle-eastern guru. Ringo was quite dapper and still a little
flamboyant. John was the chameleon whose clothes changed with whatever
cause he was supporting at the moment. It was obvious that these were
four individuals who didn’t always think alike and had minds of their
own. |
