An Edwardian Fashion Movement

It was the start of something new, a wind of freedom in the early 1950's in England. Teenage gangs appeared in the East End of London; they were called the Cosh boys. These Cosh boys horrified English society: razor attacks, robberies, fights among gangs and also against law enforcers. 

After the Second World War England woke up with a headache!The Press looked-for a new term to call these gangs with their numbers escalating each day. The word selected was Teddy Boys.It seemed that the 1^st  newspaper that used the name Teddy Boy was the Daily Express on September 23rd 1953. 

The teddy boys in their "uniforms"

The teddy boy uniform was initially copied from the stylish Edwardian gentleman like those under the control of Edward VII (1901-1910) - their 'social superiors'. This fashion trend was tailored, and featured stretched high necked jackets, at times of velvet, or velvet trimmed collar and cuffs, and were ruled in either flowery or intense colors. This was paired with brocade waistcoats, bootlace or slim jim tie, narrow 'drainpipe' pants,a wing-collared top and suede shoes, which were formerly regarded as 'gay men's shoes' or 'nancy boy shoes'. A crucial fashion accessory, along with the cycle chain was the comb.

The Teddygirls adopted American fashions like toreador pants and circle skirts, though they tend to wear low cut tops to make themselves look less prissy.

All teddy boys went to immense lengths to keep their hair in place. Fighting messed up the hair - hence the ever at hand metal comb. The DA was the main style while there were many kinds like 'the bop', 'the Tony Curtis', 'the be-bop', 'the tevee', 'the panama' or the 'back sweep and crest'. It was greased and usually with sideboards.

The new generation of teddy boys

The British pop boom of the 1960s brought with it fresh music and new youth culture.The original Rock and Roll pubs appeared as do Rockers who liked the same tune and rode great British motorcycles. Teds and Rockers went well among each other and the leather motorbike jacket became the standard wear for many Teddyboys and Teddygirls for day-to-day use and for rough pubs. The bike jacket could guard against motorcycle accidents, razor attacks and spilled beer in a way that the drape jacket by no means can. 

The 1970's saw Glam Rock and Rockabilly styled bands in Britain and, while the Teds loathed most of this music, it brought a resurgence of interest in Rock and Roll. Many young people bought second hand wrap jackets, hid holes with badges and became a new generation for Teddyboys and girls.The new generation of Teds developed a tough personality: hair lacquer happened to change grease, the drapes were brighter and, occasionally, the drain-pipes were tighter. Steadily, the new generation were exposed to one of the roots of R'N'R : Rockabilly and Country Music. 

As the time went on, the urban working class association with the 'Teddy Boy' dress spread further and with the commercial hits of movies like 'Rock Around The Clock' and resultant media attention. a person causing nuisance of any kind was blamed on Teddy Boys. Just as all health problems today are held responsible on 'smokers', it became almost fashionable (and it sold papers) to blame any unsocial crime on 'Teddy Boys'. A youth only had to have a Tony Curtis haircut and he was instantly labeled 'a Teddy Boy'.

Metal Polka Dots

To tiny metal “polka dots” to golden cones, they come in many shapes and sizes and had come a long way from a mere decoration

The Sex Pistols wearing Vivienne Westwood

The stud is a tiny metal, disc or square, used as an ornament on leather accessories, but also suits, shirts and trousers.They add instant flair to everything from jeans to sandals, and lend a slight edginess to even the fussiest of fabrics. They were first used in the seventies and they were associated with the punk movement, which saw the light in the States but thrived in the UK, especially in London, where various elements of the movement were in fact institutionalized.

Alexander Wang's Brass Studs Duffle Bag 

In the 70's and 80's studs were spiky ornaments that defined a deliberately tough look which was meant to shock society. Among the designers that used them  was Versace, who use studs to decorate suits and jackets which then became one of the symbols of his maison; and Alexander McQueen, who used various elements of the punk style in his ’95 and ’96 autumn/winter collections titled "Highland Rape". In the early 2000 other designers added studs to their collections, like the Chanel jacket decorated with small round silver studs, or the black leather belts that resembled a studded fabric. Alexander Wang created the Brass studs duffle, a bag that has become a cult item ever since it came out and it is now produced in various models with studs and different materials. But the real studs explosion was in the 2010/2011 season, when many designers brought on the catwalk not only some studded accessories, but also clothing.

Versace’s woman is a siren, 

with studs replacing the scales” 

The trend continued on the spring 2012 shows, where studs made an appearance on various items: Donatella Versace’s woman is “a siren in neoprene with studs replacing the scales”; and Valentino presented new versions of his famous Rockstud bags. For the studs, Shoes became the accessory where they create the most original effects, which reflect Westwood’s motto: “when in doubt, exaggerate”.