Funky But Chic- December 2024 Fashion Round Table
with Mel Wansbrough and Jack Ladder
The title of this comes from the opening track of David Johansens self titled solo album of 1978. I loved it when it came out and ever since.
David was, of course, lead singer of the New York Dolls. He comes from Staten Island and is the greatest. A life long inspiration for me. The wit and the energy, the style.
He is quite ill and America in 2025 is a bad place to be that way. There is a fund that has been set up to help him as he suffers stage 4 cancer while bed ridden due to a back injury when he took a fall recently.
https://www.sweetrelief.org/davidjohansenfund.html
“I got a pair of shoes I swear that somebody gave me
My momma thinks I look pretty fruity but in jeans I feel rockin'
I don't wear nothin' not too fussy or neat
I just want somethin' baby to be able to walk down your street
Hey come on baby, let's get on down to the boutique
Let's bring back somethin' that's a funky but chic, I said now
Funky, funky but chic
Funky, funky but chic
I'll get down in any neighborhood I swear that my friends will take me
But the people there they all itch and bitch, oh lord
I swear they gonna break me, sure don't take me
I've got to fly just to get downtown I swear where everybody's crazy
And when I fly on down that street them girls stop acting lazy
I say, I don't wear nothin' not to flashy or neat
I just want somethin' baby to be able to fly down your street
Hey get on baby, who at the boutique
Let's bring back somethin' that's a funky but chic, I said now
Funky, funky but chic
Funky, funky but chic
I got a little car, come on baby let's get drivin' 'round
I got a '56 Mercedes-Benz I had painted cocoa-brown
I don't drive nothin' not to flashy or neat
I just want somethin' baby to be able to drive down your street
Hey good news baby, let's get on down to the boutique
Let's bring back somethin' that's a funky but chic I said now
Funky, funky but - oh chic
Funky, funky but - trash heap
Funky, funky but - what chic
You funky but, funky but, alright, alright, alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Got a pair of shoes I swear that somebody gave me
Momma thinks I look pretty fruity but in jeans I feel rockin', I'm getting strong now
I don't wear nothin' not too fussy or neat
I just want somethin' baby to be able to walk down your street
Hey get out of bed baby, let's get on down to the boutique
Let's bring back somethin' that is funky but chic”
In late 2024 I invited Mel Wansbrough and Jack Ladder to join me in a chat on my radio show on Triple R FM in Melbourne (Banana Lounge Broadcasting) about all things related to fashion.
I have known Mel since the 90s when she worked at MOOKS in Melbourne and helped to get Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes into some vogueish, casual street wear. She moved to NYC in the late 90s and she works for a “collection” called No. 6.
No 6.
Jack Ladder is a very interesting singer songwriter and performer from Sydney. He works solo as well as with Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders, a supergroup who include Donny Benet and Kirin J Callinan.
Jack Ladder and the Dreamlanders.
We talked a lot about mens fashion but its a few months ago so may well be out of date!
When I was a kid in the 70s I occasionally got some new clothes. I like straight leg Lee canvas jeans. I remember once having some two colour V Knee jeans as well. I wore jumpers and jackets and got my hair cut occasionally at womens salons (as everybody did).
Later on I sought out vintage clothes as I did not find anything to my taste on the racks at any shops. I have pretty much stayed that way. I have a wardrobe full of suits and jackets and trousers, shirts with long and short sleeves, a whole rack of leather jackets and coats and many, many pairs of shoes and boots. I rarely throw anything out but am always having to think about doing so.
I like new V neck t shirts (with no designs on them). I also like new jumpers, V or turtle necked. Suits are fine on occasion but I generally prefer a suit jacket with different coloured trousers. My sister gave me a bottle of Old Spice after shave and also one by Imperial Leather. Both great!
I had two stretch denim jumpsuits made in 1994 which I still occasionally wear. One has short sleeves. They were copied from a 1974 Playboy article on “the suit of the future” which imagined what men would be wearing twenty years from then.
In 1997, I had four suits made by a Sydney designer called Sanvero. Two were based on Elvis Presley outfits from his ‘68 comeback special.
Another had more input from our then manager and never really suited me. Weird Prince-like jacket with bulbous, chintzy buttons and tails with checked trousers. The other was more to my taste, a Victorian Western dandy suit with contrasting raised pin stripes and a bowler hat.
I still have them all.
I had a shocking cold when asked - nine years ago - to talk about fashion at the National Gallery.
I have actually gotten rid of some shoes recently…
Some inspirational characters.
Mid period Jerry Lee Lewis was always so well turned out. Buckskin mod style, I would call it.
Joe Frazier. He often sported white turtle neck jumpers. Classic.
Notorius BIG in a Coogee jumper…
A cool 70s brown suit. Clare Moore helping me look even cooler.
I was only playing tambourine so I could achieve the much prized (by Italian film directors) louche suit jacket over shoulder look. Wish I still had those shades. And that hat. Got it in NYC in 2000.
Tony Mahony pictures for the Brother Who Lived. He loves poles and flyovers. Under the Westgate 2003. RM Williams boots I bought in 1994. Still have all this except the hat. Best hat ever. I’m always telling Clare, “they have to find YOU…”
Photo by Kristyn Jones. Inside Panel Board timber mill in Mt Gambier. 2014.
Silk suit made in Vietnam 2001.
Photo Barry Douglas. The Joe Frazier influence on the skivvy.
With the mistLY 2019, sporting my white hat made for me by Blakesby in Adelaide. Stu Thomas on bass is always bringing some style.
I sent some photos of Brian Jones to Blakesby as a template for my white hat.
Bleddyn Butcher shot, 1984. White jeans, belt that my father had grown out of, leather jacket.
Later in 84 in NYC. Brown leather.
Last period of Moodists London 1986. Black leather and peroxide. Steve Miller in satin and upside down Maton guitar. Clare behind her Gretsch.
1999 shot by Tony Mahony. Triple denim (including bespoke hat) digger look. Stuart Perera with karate stance. Adele and Clare from ITV Weekend Television.
Tony Mahony 2003. The guitar was a Canora Flying V copy. Wish I still had that!
Another Tony Mahony shot. 2003/4. He got incredible colours. Probably in his flat in St Kilda. You can see Clare and I are very relaxed with him taking photos.
Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes in Sydney 1992. What a pop star band! Robin Casinader, me, Clare Moore, Gordy Blair and Rod Hayward. I bought that satin 3 piece suit in a Covent Garden charity shop in 1988. There was a rack with five of them. Must have been from a theatre show. I wanted to buy them all for the band.
2023 double suede look.
White t shirt and suit with sleeves rolled up. Adidas Gazelles.
My father Noel in Borneo 1944/45 when he was 17/18. Correct hat angle by both young men.