The Vietnam Era

Lou Butcher · **Posted:** Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:57 pm

Speaking of clothes maketh the man or women.

PARRAMATTA 1971

Iwas on duty on the dockside donkey boiler in HK and I spotted this figure strolling along the wharf.

I whistled up the stokers mess to check this guy out.

As he got closer I realized the bloke was negro, but it was the suit that got us.

The jacket was black one side and white on the other, trousers were reverse and top it off a black and white floppy hat.

The guy looked like a huge chess board and he thought HE was the COOL CAT. Until he got along PARRAMATTA and the stokers all cracking up with laughter.

"What's u all lookin at?" he shouted, not one of us could stop laughing to tell him. For most of us it was our first experience with that sort of fashion.

One thing the sixties taught me was not to stand to far out in a crowd, but have a bit of difference.

Besides in the sixties junior sailors especially ORDs couldn't step a shore unless they were in uniform. Senior sailors at one time had to wear a tie and jacket.

The seventies fashion I really don't want to go there. Satin jump suits and platform shoes for men. I won't even talk about the make up for men!!!!!!!
MORE DRINK :drinkers:

bobcat · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:00 am

Lou Butcher wrote:

Bobcat,
How good is your TV memory?

Ever watch a show about "Cobb Co" called "Whiplash"?

Who played the lead role?

:drinkers:

That would be Peter Graves as "Chris Cobb".

Cheers,
Bobcat :cat:

Lou Butcher · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:07 am

Bravo Zulu Bobcat

That question always stumps people at a trival party.

Here is another one.

Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper played in "Easy Rider". Who played one of the hookers in the LSD trip scenes.

When the family and I did a trip to the states in 2000 we stopped in the Big Easy and went on a lot of tours. the one I excelled at was the graveyard tour.

My missus disowned me that day. We had been strolling around the St. Louis #1 graveyard and we wander along on of the "streets" and I spied a very large crypt. It sort of struck a memory cell.
It suddenly dawn on me.
It was the grave that Peter Fonda and Dennis had "partied" hard with the hookers. Of course when the guide ask the $3.40 question I had to let everyone in the group know. That didn't upset the missus, it was the extra descriptive french I used.

If you need a hint who one of the hookers is.
Think of a one hit wonder in the late 70's.

Who remembers the World Champion Wrestlers that hung around the Chevron and TT's. The promotor was reported to VERY happy in those days, today he'd be called gay.

:butthead:

That would not be advisable around that character.

:drinkers:

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:29 am

Regrettably, the closest I saw to 'action' during the 'Vietnam Era' was Jack Thompson fighting the 'Japs' (locals and off-duty PNG Sailors,) on Manus Island, filming Spyforce during the day, and getting pissed at the Senior Sailors and Junior Sailors clubs at night, then heading off to the Wardroom to sleep it off...!!! :-k

tafmo · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:03 am

Lou Butcher wrote:

As he got closer I realized the bloke was negro, but it was the suit that got us.

The jacket was black one side and white on the other, trousers were reverse and top it off a black and white floppy hat.

Lou, are you sure it wasn't Michael Jackson going for pigmentation treatment? :finga:

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 10:54 am

Men's Fashion of the Seventies...!!! :supz:

Lou Butcher wrote:

:drinkers:

Speaking of clothes maketh the man or women....

The jacket was black one side and white on the other, trousers were reverse and top it off a black and white floppy hat.

The guy looked like a huge chess board and he thought HE was the COOL CAT....

...Satin jump suits and platform shoes for men. I won't even talk about the make up for men!!!!!!! :drinkers:

And your point was Lou...??? :-k

Your WEBMASTER, :weedman:

Hippy Chippy :flower:

in more fashion concious days...!!! $\:D/$

Ahhh... The Swinging '70's....
If you remember it, you weren't there...!!!
FLOWER POWER DUDE...!!!

Chippy Ned · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:25 am

Wayne · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:27 am

White shoes and white belt of the 70's

Lou Butcher · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:15 pm

Hippy Chippy

I rest my case. The body shirt and tight trouser not to mention the colours.

Jesus, I'm glad I was a Junior Sailor then, we were restricted to less attention seeking clothes.

2 each Polo neck shirts, 2 pr rugged trousers. I prefered the long stubbie trousers, easy to clean especially if you were on sarfari in the storm water drains in the 'Wang. Or having spilled a little of Moes Campbells Cream of Tomato soap after a hard, but fair might of wrestling Tiger or Anchor Beer.
Lets all face it the hand and mouth co-ordination was pretty well shot by 2359.

Some of the older genration will look back on our fashion sense and cringe. Safe in the knowledge that we got rid of any evidence in the St. Vinny bin. That is until one of our offspring says in passing.
"hey Dad I saw that old purpley green single breast jacket and matching flares, with the dark satin inset down the outside of the trouser leg, on a homeless bag man in the Cross! And Dad it fitted and looked better on him".

And WHO owned a white skivvy top!!!!

Bring back long studdies. and RM Williams boots.

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:45 pm

Lou Butcher wrote:

Hippy Chippy

Bring back long studdies. and RM Williams boots.

I think you've got your stubbies on back to front there Lou...!

The the white polo neck SHIRT was linen, not a skivvy; also had one with frills down the front; those white patent leather boots with the buckle on the side matched the white patent leather wide belt; the red silk brocade tux, frilled dress shirt, velvet bow tie and ox-blood, high heeled, bulbous-nosed, 'Elton John' shoes cost a months pay; the brown suede calf high boots went well with the lace see-through body shirt (well my neice thought so at the time,) everything flared of course... and you just wouldn't be seen dead around the Golden Sheaf (Double Bay) or The Watson's Bay Pub unless you wore the full levi's in the Seventies... :finga:

Then the proud, fashionable 'peacock males' of the seventies slowly deteriorated to become the dowdy, boring, plain, un-unspiring mere shadow of themselves today...! Sad really, now only the girls have fun dressing up...! :dontknow:

The Vietnam Era

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