Wednesday, March 10, 2010

M'Lady


"And in comes Roderick Usher with the Lady Eleanor"

Although it's a historical song, the title Lady Eleanor fits in nicely with the thinking of the early Seventies, when there was no shame in calling a song Lady Rose, Lady Rachel, Lady Anne, Lady D'Arbanville.

It's died out now of course, in fact it died out when punk turned up probably. But why? Is it sexist to talk about my lady? Does it make one sound like Johnny Walker? Should one be living it up in the canyon? Admittedly, it is rather dated, but I think it's time for a revival.

It's like shops called Lord John or Lady Jane - how did this groovy nomenclature come about in the first place? Was it Sixties' toffs setting the tone of the time, man, or was it just a fashion? There was a branch of Lord John in Southampton right up until the Eighties, but it made it's excuses and left when such a thing was frowned upon for being dated.

My next door neighbour ran a menswear boutique in a medium-sized Surrey town in the Sixties. He was telling me that it didn't really take off until he paid a visit to Carnaby Street to see what was going on and when he came home he popped the word Lord in front of the name of the shop - let's call it Peter Broome becaue I can't actually remember the name. So Lord Peter Broome became the hippest joint in the town, patronised by the popinjays and dandys of east Surrey.

So let's pretend it's 1970 again. Here's one for all you ladies out there.

12 comments:

Chris Hughes said...

And, of course, there was the Lord Anthony parka.

Mondo said...

Can I add:Lady Jane - the Stones, Baron of Piccadilly, I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet and Lord Anthony did an entire of childrenswear - compuslory for trendy tots and teens in the seventies

I don't know what started the mock-gentry titles trend, but keeping tradition going is Lord Dunsford
a stunning young Illustrator.

Love the tune, have I mentioned Andy Votel's Vertigo comp - it's a non-stop head-spinning whirl of winners like this

Jon Peake said...

Hmm, thanks Mondo. I shall be checking that one out.

Perhaps it was an aspirational thing back then, whereas today titles are held in contempt.

Clair said...

Lady Garden?

Jon Peake said...

Did you see one on Chatroulette?

Kolley Kibber said...

But there's always lovely Lady GaGa, F-C. Maybe she'll spearhead the revival.

Careful what you wish for, eh?

Jon Peake said...

Oh bloody hell, ISBW. She'd completely skipped my mind. Oh dear.

'Paul' said...

And Lady Sovereign.

Jon Peake said...

She's no lady. Not in that floppy-hatted big sunglasses sense.

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