The direct shot from 125th Street to 59th is among the longest on the NY subway system. It, thereby, gives one time to reflect and observe.
I often reflect on Duke Ellington.
While being the author of the iconic jazz piece, the Duke also spent a lot of time in Harlem. He was, however, from Washington, DC. The school of the arts that bears his name is down the street from my former home. The District of Columbia is very proud of him.
Coincidentally, yesterday the US Mint released a DC state quarter stamped with his likeness. It is the first time that an African American has ever appeared on a US coin.
So much for the reflecting part. Now for my A Train observation.
When I was a kid growing up in Summit, NJ, our mothers bought us blue jeans that were way too long so that we would grow into them. Back then, it also took a year or so to get a pair of jeans faded and beat-up just the way you liked them.
To compensate for the added length, we would carefully roll up the leg bottoms. It became a "look." In the 50's, before bell bottoms, before stone washing, before Guess, EVERYBODY wore blue jeans with the bottoms rolled up, even James Dean.
I currently have several pairs of blue jeans that are too long. Perhaps I am now growing down instead of up. It never occurred to me that I might, 50 years later, again become a fashionista by rolling up the legs, but yesterday I saw the fashion future while riding the A Train and I am now sporting my new urban fashion statement.
A group of boisterous high school kids got on at the 165th Street Station (Washington Heights...home to my idol Manny Rameriz). They were mostly wearing black North Face jackets, sneakers, blue jeans, and Yankee caps with the store seal still on the brim.
One kid had the legs of his jeans rolled up. Poor guy, I thought, but it made me think fondly about my mother and times long gone by.
Then with my head bowed, lost in my iPod, I noticed that the kid next to him, and the kid next to him ALL had their pants rolled up...perfectly. So I figure I'm on to something.
I have since been keeping a close eye out. After my walk across the bridge this afternoon I ran into a pack of Ft. Lee HS kids. Most had on their North Face, sneakers, Yankee caps, and, yup, all donned carefully rolled-up jeans.
My stylish daughter Martha may tell me that this has been going on for years, but I don't think so.
New York is on the cusp of exporting this new urban look to America and the world.
By spring?
Rolled up blue jeans coast to coast!
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6 comments:
Great stuff....and interesting!
But you keep saying "jeans"....are they the same as "Levis"....the ones that bled blue dye on everything for the first five washings, that were so rough they chapped your legs for the same period. During the era when cars also had to be "broken in"? Are those what you call jeans? Do they have copper rivets today?
Wow, John...now you've got me looking too. Sadly, however, the A Train will have to be just a tune!
To us they were Levis, but there were other less fortunate families who were relegated to Lee Riders and Wranglers.
when did we stop calling them dungarees?
dungaree
"cotton cloth from india" from the Hindi dungri
They're jeans to me but were referred to in my Exerer handbook as "dungarees."
I remember because I had to ask my mother what they were in 1992 while studying up on my then new school. They were, surprisingly, allowed, and, due to my mother's then unflaggable hope that I would grow beyond my then (and current) five feet six inches, two inches too long.
I, along with many other classmates with thrifty families wore them folded up as well.
John, I loved the flow of this piece: the A train, Duke, dungarees and style. I thought dungarees was a Canadian word like dressing gown...brought to New Jersey by Mom. Did Exeter have the same roots as Mom...would Mom have called them dungarees in 1992! Does Exeter ever revise its handbook? Why should they? Afterall, they're Exeter...steeped in tradition like Andover...isn't that right? Nevermind the decade we're in.
I think Levis came from California in the 1960's along with Sandra Dee and The Beach Boys and everything that was cool. Did jeans come when San Francisco Riding Co invented "Stickey Finger " jeans and the price went from $14.95 for shrink to fit Levis to $42.00...for jeans!! That would be 1982; Gretchen wouldn't go to school in anything but Sticky Fingers with just the right pockets on her butt.
As for the roll-ups...Peter Lizotte has been rolling up his preshrunk, semi faded pre-washed, urban casual jeans for at least a year now. But hey, we're west coast...glad NYC is catching on!
Thanks John. I always love to see what you're thinkin' about!
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