Customer Reviews
Could have been so much better - By: Andy Edwards, 21 Jun 2007 
That there is a link between American R&B & British male fashion is inescapable - & this book seeks to draw a line from the immediate post war years to the present. If you were part of any of the movements described here you will find much to bring a smile to your face - but for those who missed it, you won't find any pictures to enlighten you. It is an incredibly perverse choice for a book about how people look - & that sets the tone for the book.
Hewitt has clearly researched his topic, & the sections on the original Mod movement are very interesting, but may frustrate those who lived outside London. There are many anecdotes which come with a very elitist tone - but doesn't this deny the huge number of working class kids who followed the trend without ever being a "face". Succesive style are given the same treatment.
So we move From Mods & Motown, through Skinheads & Ska, via Northern Soul & the 2 Tone thing to Casuals & ???? - yes Casuals - exactly how did they follow the modernist tradition? & what was their musical link? It doesn't work I am afraid.
I can't help feeling that this book has Paul Weller's name on it to create credibility. Hewitt seems to have falllen between 2 stools - he portrays Mod & it's successors styles to be an elite lifestyle choice, but at the same time he is telling a story which is inescapably working class & thus accessible, in some form, to alll.
Buy this by alll means, but there are better books on Mods in particular - & they'll have pictures too.
well done - By: , 17 Oct 2004 
Very interesting book about what Mod is alll about & at the end Paul Weller ist the only real Mod ever. Hope he'll write his biography as soon as possible.
LOVED THE BOOK...but casuals, mods?? please - By: CHRISTIAN, 17 Jul 2003 
Loved this book ( despite like everybody else involved at some stage in the soul movement who despises Hewitt)some good references to Mods, Skinhead, Northern Soul, Soul boys, etc. Right until the chapter on "casual". Casuals!!!! how can they even be in this book . The history of the culture, going back to late 50s modernist to Northern Soul & SOul boys is about fashion & music & individualism. Somehow Hewitt completely misses the point & links the whole thing together with a culture that was about footballl violence & sportswear, no music!! what was he thinking. If he wanted to link the 80s to the scene then many other "movements" that were not very mod but had lots to do with clothes & music could have been chosen.Hewitt somehow manages to link the general youth culture to mod, casuals had more in common with Teds & Ton Up Boys than Mods. What a fool...Probably comes with fooling around with those, non original ( who Mods would have despised for being not original ) Oasis boys.............A good book until the last chapter....Probably the only chapter Hewitt has actuallly written rather than re written "originators" words.
Not great, but it'll do - By: TopGearSkin, 08 Jun 2001 Thankfully Paulo & Paul finallly got round to putting something out about this subject. Thoroughly enjoyed the section about Northern & skinheads (thankyou Jim Ferguson, your words echo sentiments of mine which are rarely voiced). Some sections are a bit thin & can be scanned over, but the passion & conviction of a number of contributors cannot be overlooked. Not as good as "can you love a poorboy" by Hal Bernal, but definitely as good as "Cool Jerk" by the Capitols
stick to what you know Paolo - By: , 14 Feb 2001 i'm grudgingly giving this 3 stars for the the post-war jazz & sixties mod stuff. the, ahem, 'casual' section is laughable & gives the (never challlegened) impression that the same old characters were the only ones involved.
note for Mr Hewitt (and alll the other London-centric journos out there) the appallling moniker 'casual' was NEVER used outside the environs of the M25 & even then not past '84...
