OverDressed for Life

Tracey Thorn in her vintage dress and uber-mod Paul Weller. Circa 1983s. Photo from Tracey Thorn: Besit Disco Queen.

‘What are you gonna be wearing? ‘He asked. 

‘Um well, this,’ we said, pointing at the second-hand clothes we had on. I had chosen another slightly shabby 1950s print dress, and Ben was doing a kind of Jacques Brel look in a white shirt, jeans, and a corduroy cap. 

‘Oh,’ he said. “But, you know, it’s a gig. Maybe you should, like, dress up a bit.’

He himself was wearing a blue cotton short with a razor-sharp crease down the front, white socks, and bowling shoes. His hair was immaculate – spiky on top but sculpted around the ears. Every inch the uber-mod. In the photos I have of the night, I can see he was right, of course. We look a bit rubbish, and he looks fantastic. 

Tracey Thron, British leader singer/songwriter, Everything But the Girl.

Who remembers Everything But the Girl? Pop with a touch of jazz is how I’d (simply) describe the 80s/90s duo, Tracey Thorn and Ben Watts. This little anecdote is from the memoir, Tracey Thorn: Bedsit Disco Queen (Virago Press, 2013.) Ms. Thorn is talking about one of the first gigs she and Ben Watts had in the mid-1980s. The uber-mod is Paul Weller, former member of The Jam.

Clothing and modern music is a fascinating and diverse topic. There is well-clad Motown, showy disco, shabby rock & roll, even shabbier punk, anti-fashion grunge, and all kinds of subcategories in-between. All of which has influenced fashion over the years.

Ms. Thorn musical roots are deep in 70s punk and so her choice of a vintage dress fits. To her at the time that was “dressing up” while still avoiding a mainstream/commercial style.

Actually, I think the three look good together. Click here for a peek. 

And for some EBTG tunes click here.