Style Stalking through time

The recent Good Old Days editorial from DV Man (posted last week) shook me from my state of fashion ennui and reminded me of the sartorial inspiration from old photography. I often forget that there are so many style gems to be found outside of the latest product releases, look books and magazines. I frequently whittle away the hours trawling through old sets of images on flickr soaking up inspiration but at the same time feeling a little odd...I am little more than voyeur on unfamiliar pasts. As wonderful as the found images are, I am unlikely to find out anything more about the captured moment and am frequently left with unanswered questions. When I discovered that our good friend Isobel had unearthed a number of stylish shots of her father I jumped at the chance to learn a little more about the images and thankfully she has allowed me to share them with you. Thank Is for sharing a number of images depicting her father Clive, from the sixties and early seventies. What better way to spend a grey and damp Sunday afternoon than flicking through old photos? Sit down and make yourself comfortable because you are about to go on a style journey...

The May Boat picture from 1964. Clive is top right.

The May Boat picture is from Clive's first year at Cambridge University and shows a fresh faced student trying to keep up with public school chaps (whilst working hard to mask his Northern accent). There is something quintessentially English about this shot of clean cut students and dandy school masters. The chap is the centre is wonderful. Back in February, ACL hoped that the summer would see a return of the boater hat and shared a number of wonderful flickr archive images but this gentleman wears it extremely well.

This image (also from 1964) shows the young student in reflective mood. His studying ensemble includes a brown corduroy jacket, dark striped shirt and narrow black knitted tie. He is every bit the studious young scholar here.

The chiffon neck scarf phase, 1968. "How embarrassing is that?" declares Clive.

What a difference a few years make! Here the fresh faced student student has grown in to his surroundings. Where there was almost over eager and nervous air in the previous shots, now there is an air of cool about him. Isobel feels that he looks a little Byronesque in this shot and I'd certainly agree with that notion. Clive might be a little embarrassed by his chiffon neck phase but he undoubtedly pulls it off with a degree of assured Romanticism.

In 1971 wearing a cape in blue serge!

Last but certainly not least, we have the above shot from 1971. Now, this might be from the early seventies but this look would not look out of place in London Fields today. I love everything about this shot. The length of the skinny jeans, the loafers, the unruly hair and of course the cape. The cape in blue serge is beautiful and I'd love to have something similar hanging in my wardrobe.

If you are at home and have a stack of seemingly forgotten family photo albums gathering dust on the sideboard why not make yourself a cup of tea and flick through them? Let us know how you get on...