Way We Wore : A Life in Threads

One day in 1965 the five-year old Robert Elms fell in love with clothes. His brother had just returned to the family’s Burnt Oak home in a new suit he’d picked up from his North London tailor. Otis Redding was laying in the front room. This, Elms realized, was what you grew up for.

This is the story of a life’s obsession. From ben Sherman shirts to boxtop loafers, from bondage trousers to Comme des Gacons, Elms has been there, bought it and worn it. It’s about why you’d rather not go out at all than go out in the wrong sort of brogues, and why you just had to have a Budgie Jacket to cut it in the plaground in 1970. It is also touching, passionate social history of London street fashion; a fond memoir of working-class lads in tumultuous times and leary schmutter.

‘Think of this terrific book as The Rotter’s Club of schmutter and you won’t be too wide of the mark’ - Daily Mail

‘Incisive, obsessive, confessional and quite brilliant’ - Observer

‘provocative, charming and fiercely proud’ - Daily Telegraph

‘insightful and passionate... as stylish and witty as the finery it obsesse over’ - The Independent On Sunday

‘highly entertaining... a must read for anyone interested in fashion’ - Sunday Express

‘Elms’s opintionated stances are half the fun of this book’ - Sunday Times

‘taps into an energy that helped shape post-war Britain’ - Mail On Sunday

‘a hymn to the burning desire of young men to look right and look smart’ - Evening Standard