The Keith Haring thing is definitely WTF worthy, but it struck me mostly as a bad combination of patterns. The pants are more suitable for a member of WASP or Diamond Dave in his prime, I think, but either of those items, if paired with something more neutral would be a bit better.
So I voted instead for the football pants, knee pads and ballet shoes. That seems like a really misguided ensemble.
The long jacket is a perennial loser. To me, it always indicates that the wearer fancies himself a bit of a tough guy/outlaw type (whereas the reality is the exact opposite). It’s a “serious” look, and a seriously stupid one at that.
The football pants are really bad, but Mick was on stage, so I give him some slack. It’s not like he was just wearing them to the grocery store.
But how can justify the football pants as stage-wear and not give a similar free pass to the long jacket? Easy: the football pants are a goof. In his line of work, Mick needs to give the People something to look at as well as listen to. On stage, the football pants give him a unique look, allow for freedom of locomotion, and they’re a bargain, especially when compared to the custom made, rhinestone jump suits from a few years before.
The long coat, on the other hand, was the go-to outfit for every hair metal band when it was too chilly for spandex and a cut off t-shirt.
With the football pants Mick’s giving us a wink and saying, “Of course, I know this is a goofy outfit, it’s only rock and roll, mate!”
With the long coat, he’s saying, “I’m a bad ass cowboy, just like Bon Jovi.”
Thanks. The long coat hasn’t been covered yet in your ongoing fashion series has it? You might want to looking that. Very few people have managed to pull it off. Quite the sartorial Waterloo…
Has anyone but actors in Sergio Leone movies pulled off the longcoat? I’ve thought about featuring it among Rock’s Unfulfilled Fashion Ideas, but I can not find any promise for it that may have been unfulfilled. Is there one rock artist who pulled off the longcoat? Even the Eagles looked dumb in those things, and they went to great lengths to wear them in an authentic Old West setting.
The football pants immediately came to mind before I even scrolled down and saw them here. Saw that outfit in person at Candlestick Park in 1981. Al Franken’s impression is pretty good. But I suppose that the pants and kneepads and tanktop with sportjacket look, however egregious, fit with the ’80s Miami Vice pastel and graphic motifs of the stage sets, which were at least lively. Swap for real pants and you have Sonny Crockett. I mean, as with many things, they didn’t seem as bad at the time, merely…iconic, emblematic? Something like that. But cdm has a good point, the JaBo long coat is awful/serious.
Doug Sahm pulled off the Long Coat, and interestingly, when I saw him live, up-close, he was kind of tiny, like 5’5″, but he always had the look of a tall guy to me.
In researching this piece I noticed that Jagger was frequently wore t-shirts for his own band, a major fashion faux pas in the eyes of many rock nerds (although not this one, who feels it simply shows team spirit). I just came across this old video, in which Mick wears a Stones t-shirt AND plays guitar w’o holstering.
Someone else may have pointed this out but I don’t think that’s even him in the football pants photo; it looks like a wannabe. The outfit made perfect sense as the first leg of that tour (1981) was primarily outdoor stadiums. I still think it was a cool look especially when paired with the hometeam jersey he often added on top. For me the only one that doesn’t work is all the facial hair although I am impressed at the volume of it.
I voted for the football pants. The makeup he wore during that era contributed to a truly frightening Look.
The Keith Haring thing is definitely WTF worthy, but it struck me mostly as a bad combination of patterns. The pants are more suitable for a member of WASP or Diamond Dave in his prime, I think, but either of those items, if paired with something more neutral would be a bit better.
So I voted instead for the football pants, knee pads and ballet shoes. That seems like a really misguided ensemble.
I voted for the long jacket.
The long jacket is a perennial loser. To me, it always indicates that the wearer fancies himself a bit of a tough guy/outlaw type (whereas the reality is the exact opposite). It’s a “serious” look, and a seriously stupid one at that.
The football pants are really bad, but Mick was on stage, so I give him some slack. It’s not like he was just wearing them to the grocery store.
But how can justify the football pants as stage-wear and not give a similar free pass to the long jacket? Easy: the football pants are a goof. In his line of work, Mick needs to give the People something to look at as well as listen to. On stage, the football pants give him a unique look, allow for freedom of locomotion, and they’re a bargain, especially when compared to the custom made, rhinestone jump suits from a few years before.
The long coat, on the other hand, was the go-to outfit for every hair metal band when it was too chilly for spandex and a cut off t-shirt.
With the football pants Mick’s giving us a wink and saying, “Of course, I know this is a goofy outfit, it’s only rock and roll, mate!”
With the long coat, he’s saying, “I’m a bad ass cowboy, just like Bon Jovi.”
I never minded the football pants either, although when you write knee pads and Capezio Ballet slippers that sounds awfully bad. Honestly, on the Tattoo You tour I thought Jagger looked leaner and stronger than in his mid 70’s blousey, junkie outfits:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTNiN_soZZiGAxNsozTrcU61vsdiAebf1ePYzhZ8aONM7OZqsI&t=1&usg=__CaVFSomP7BZBr0unze_SvmtCeQs=
But while searching for that photo, I came across this. What the hell was going on here?
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VIt42ZwDrR4/S4Klqg1rlFI/AAAAAAAADhc/JQOa_gMwy4s/s400/Mick+Jagger-Cant+You+Hear+Me+Rocking+Front.jpg
Military scrambled eggs cap with his own name spelled out in way too big letters, 80’s art T-shirt showcasing a big woody. Not acceptable.
I like your rationale!
Wow, that’s an excellent “Other” vote, k. Hideous!
Thanks. The long coat hasn’t been covered yet in your ongoing fashion series has it? You might want to looking that. Very few people have managed to pull it off. Quite the sartorial Waterloo…
Has anyone but actors in Sergio Leone movies pulled off the longcoat? I’ve thought about featuring it among Rock’s Unfulfilled Fashion Ideas, but I can not find any promise for it that may have been unfulfilled. Is there one rock artist who pulled off the longcoat? Even the Eagles looked dumb in those things, and they went to great lengths to wear them in an authentic Old West setting.
Country Dick Montana wore it well, but that might have just been a raincoat to keep some of the beer off of him.
And didn’t the (U.S.) Charlatans first work that old time cowboy look to decent effect?
And sorry for the Pince Nez, but it’s just “Eagles”.
QED, MJ’s faux pas are the rule rather than the exception.
I know it’s just “Eagles,” but it looked dumb without the article in that context. On behalf of Eagles, I thank you.
Yeah Country Dick could pull it off. Johnny Cash too. Both were big men. And actual badasses, which helps.
oof! i vote for that outfit. so bad. it looks like one 80’s Mike Love’s outfits got fucked by something from Mick Jones’ B.A.D. wardrobe.
The football pants immediately came to mind before I even scrolled down and saw them here. Saw that outfit in person at Candlestick Park in 1981. Al Franken’s impression is pretty good. But I suppose that the pants and kneepads and tanktop with sportjacket look, however egregious, fit with the ’80s Miami Vice pastel and graphic motifs of the stage sets, which were at least lively. Swap for real pants and you have Sonny Crockett. I mean, as with many things, they didn’t seem as bad at the time, merely…iconic, emblematic? Something like that. But cdm has a good point, the JaBo long coat is awful/serious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stones_American_Tour_1981
Doug Sahm pulled off the Long Coat, and interestingly, when I saw him live, up-close, he was kind of tiny, like 5’5″, but he always had the look of a tall guy to me.
In researching this piece I noticed that Jagger was frequently wore t-shirts for his own band, a major fashion faux pas in the eyes of many rock nerds (although not this one, who feels it simply shows team spirit). I just came across this old video, in which Mick wears a Stones t-shirt AND plays guitar w’o holstering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKbCRkMlUM&feature=related
Someone else may have pointed this out but I don’t think that’s even him in the football pants photo; it looks like a wannabe. The outfit made perfect sense as the first leg of that tour (1981) was primarily outdoor stadiums. I still think it was a cool look especially when paired with the hometeam jersey he often added on top. For me the only one that doesn’t work is all the facial hair although I am impressed at the volume of it.