{"id":2441,"date":"2010-03-15T12:59:42","date_gmt":"2010-03-15T16:59:42","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2010-12-11T14:49:28","modified_gmt":"2010-12-11T18:49:28","slug":"rock-s-unfulfilled-fashion-ideas-the-ves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/rock-s-unfulfilled-fashion-ideas-the-ves\/","title":{"rendered":"Rock\u2019s Unfulfilled Fashion Ideas: The Vest"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I still regret not buying one of these things, which E. Pluribus Gergely can attest to my nearly buying one day, many moons ago.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

As I once stated, the vest may be the only unnecessary piece of clothing cooler – at least in concept – than the poncho.<\/a> However, as with the poncho, the vest has proven extremely difficult to apply to rock ‘n roll fashion.<\/p>\n

Although my posts are usually known for their diligent, thorough research, I’ll state up front that I haven’t taken the time to research the first<\/em> instance of a rock ‘n roll artist featuring a vest. I would bet that vests first crept into rock fashion through country music. Cowboys in Westerns wear a type of vest, right? A highly unscientific stroll through my mind, however, tells me that vests first caught on among rock ‘n rollers in the mid-60s, possibly through American garage bands<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As I first thought about this piece, the following image of this famous rocker and His early band sprang to mind:
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Young Boss with His fully vested early band, The Castles.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Springsteen continues to rock a vest into his middle ages<\/a>. One thing any guy finds when trying to wear a vest is that it helps to stay in shape.<\/p>\n

The Brits had their suits, while American bands inspired by the Britiish Invasion went one step more casual, appearing in photos and on stage in vests. I’m not sure what the point of a vest is, but a vest without a jacket atop it connotes a sense of casual style, as if to say, You should have seen me just a few minutes earlier, when I had my full three-piece suit on<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Up and down the West Coast vests gave bands a little added flare: The Byrds<\/a> and Love<\/a> in LA; Santana<\/a> (sporting a groundbreaking bad Look that we’ll focus on later) and The Beau Brummels<\/a> in Frisco; and The Seeds<\/a> in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

Staying on the West Coast, let’s examine two pioneers in this ultimately failed fashion field.
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So warm and cuddly.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Among their many achievements as a musical and variety show duo, Sonny and Cher<\/strong>‘s legacy may be best defined by their innovations in rock ‘n roll vestwear. These two worked the furry<\/a>, fuzzy<\/a> vest like no other duo in rock. A couple of years later Cher began shedding the vest, as she would eventually shed her partner, but Sonny was loyal to the cause, adapting the vest to fit the popular fabrics of the time, from a Cher-coordinated suede ensemble<\/a> to the ubiquitous mid-70s fabric of choice, denim<\/a>, to classic suit-quality cotton<\/a> to white, Discofied silk<\/a>. Considering the circumstances of Sonny’s death – and this is just speculation, I have no evidence to support this thought – it’s possible that he spent his final hours wearing a yet another variation on his beloved vest<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I believe the Brits were a little late in jumping on the vest bandwagon. Like I said, they were still in their suits. I believe there are some shots of The Beatles<\/strong> working in the studio in just their vest and shirtsleeves. The earliest vested Beatle I could find is George Harrison<\/a>. At the end of their career Paul was seen sporting a vest<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Among the British Invasion bands I can also envision a performance by The Animals<\/strong> with Eric Burdon<\/strong> in a vest, but I’m not finding actual evidence of the image in my mind’s eye. The following is NOT the image I had in mind, but it is a pretty cool vest-poncho hybrid<\/strong>:
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Leave it to Eric!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In the late-60s the likes of British psych-folk bands like Traffic<\/a> gravitated toward suede hippie vests. I often find myself scratching my head when considering the possible practical applications of the vest, but in the Great Unwashed Festival Era<\/strong> it’s possible to imagine that the suede hippie vest<\/strong> served many useful purposes.<\/p>\n

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Free me!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Let’s face it, the vest’s appeal is undeniable. Well, almost always<\/a>. The vest even made it into the punk era. Who can forget Johnny Rotten<\/strong> sporting a hippie-ish leather vest for the Sex Pistols<\/strong>‘ final performance?<\/p>\n

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Talk about Rock’s Unfulfilled Fashion Ideas, dig the sleeve garter!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In the ’80s, the garage rock revival and Paisley Pop scenes reinvigorated the sales of vests. Remember the cool vests that Peter Buck<\/a> and Bill Berry<\/a> wore in the days when Michael Stipe had hair<\/a>? So what led to the demise of the vest as a suitable foundation of a cool rock ensemble? The answer follows the jump!<\/em>
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Sorry, girls, the guns don’t justify this Look when we’re talking rock ‘n roll style.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The sleeveless vest Look is never cool!<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n

Not even The Boss<\/a> can pull it off.<\/p>\n

Once the sleeveless vest caught on all bets were off. Beginning sometime in the ’90s, despite the best efforts by hipsters like Beck<\/a> to keep the vest happening<\/a>, the vest would be the domain of Jeff<\/em> Beck<\/a> and totally creepy old guys in tightly pulled ponytails<\/a>. I’m sad to report that there may be no return.<\/p>\n