Dads 1979 Shirt.

1979. Black heavy cotton army shirt, with a leopard skin collar and zips across the chest.

Originally it had metal loops and clips (like a dog lead) down the sleeves.

I was going to art college and wanted to stand out and fit in at the same time. Punk and New Wave was new and it really felt like my thing.

But I’d come from Roxy Music/Be Bop Deluxe, so I was more into the interesting and nicely(ish) tailored end than the spit, split, torn and safety pinned Sex Pistols/Clash end.

I loved that shirt and seldom took it off.

I felt that I was very brave wearing it out and about in 1970s Liverpool, but I took all the metal-wear off the sleeves (I thought that was an affectation too far …it already had zips and leopard skin for God sake!), so I wasn’t that brave.

But it has had a lasting effect as I still can’t resist anything with a zip in an unexpected place.

Mission creep then took me into a pair of black plastic trousers and a plastic mac.

So that was my art college uniform for several years.

But I couldn’t quite get rid of the Bryan Ferry floppy fringe and moustache. Which looked like a pretty stupid combo.

I could happily wear that shirt again but I wouldn’t touch the hair and ‘tache with a barge pole.