Sun, Sea and Sperry's

With all this cold weather around at the moment, I'm turning my attention back to summer, just to stave of any feelings of Seasonal Affective Disorder that maybe lurking in my system.

Last year was a big year for the re-emergence of Dub influenced music, as well as the music being an influence, I think this year we need to be embrace the clothes too.

Maybe too scruffy for some, and also the idea of wearing heavy knit jumpers in the height of summer may seem strange, if not insane, but these guys knew what they were up to, and in a time when wearing an Argyle jumper was seen as a status symbol, I can only salute the musical men of Jamaica.

When we think of reggae or ska we probably think of the Two-Tone suit wearing 80's revivalists or the Trojan Skins of the late 60's, but during the time of the mid 70's - early 80's in Jamaica. People were clambering to get there hands on Clarks Booties, Pringle Sweaters and Kangol Tams, basically anything being imported from the UK or the USA to the island was a must have, and people showed of their affluence through these brands.

So what does it mean to us now, well deck shoes have done the rounds, but mainly by blokes trying to look like they're in a Duran Duran video, I reckon something like a Sperry Topsider is always going to be a classic,

Pair them with your Pringle Socks,

Levi 307 Sta-press trousers

a faded/worn polo shirt (Fred Perry do a few washed out ones),

or casual Bengal Stripe shirt, again Fred Perry do a few or go one better and dig out a vintage one on Ebay.

by the time you've acquired all that, you'll have the look of a man up to his eye-balls in THC and sunshine!

If you want to look deeper check out the Soul Jazz book and album, Dancehall - The Rise of Jamaican Dance Hall Culture by Beth Lesser, and the music of Mikey Dread, Yellowman, Eek-a-Mouse and The Scientist all played a crucial part in the forming of the Jamaican sound of that period.

Also checkout the 1978 film Rockers which runs like a film/docu featuring some of Jamaica's biggest artists of the time like Jacob Miller with his band Inner Circle.