The Supernormal Project by Rosie Leggett

Created by Rosie Leggett

THE

supernormal PROJECT Created by Rosie Leggett

we are supernormal

â&#x20AC;&#x153; Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.â&#x20AC;? - Jack Kerouac

With thanks to Emily King, Jermaine Francis, Norwich Medics RFC, and Della Reed.

Foreword

Chapter 1: Functional

Interview:

An introduction

Londoners and what’s in their pockets

Emily King on the supernormal

Interview:

Chapter 2: Kit

Visual Essay: Jeans

Della Reed on the supernormal

Norwich medics get their kit on

How jeans joined the supernormal

Chapter 3: Collar

Interview:

Chapter 4: Colour

One man and his buttons

Jermaine Francis on the supernormal

“Preferably grey, likely khaki”

106 Outro

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing?

CONTENTS

FLEECE Colin Grace. 55, Quality group leader for external supply at Glaxo What single garment is key to your personal style? Zipped fleece jersey How many fleeces do you have in your wardrobe? Probably five What is it specifically about these that you love? Comfortable, practical, warm, versatile.

Are there any specifics about them that will inform your purchases? For example, my work shirts must have at least five pockets, my t-shirts must have a left breast pocket for my glasses, etc. Preferably plain, no designer logo, or can tolerate discrete logo for specific ‘activity’ brands. E.g. North face.

What informs the way that you dress? Comfort and warmth. Can I walk a line between indifference to fashion while avoiding slipping into late middle-age sadness: beige slacks ‘n’ Tesco shoes Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Gah.... M&S, John Lewis, Cotswold. I try to avoid clothes shopping.

Do you have a dress code for work? Does this influence what you wear? You will hate this. Business casual - which I interpret as M&s shirts, trousers and brogues. Fridays we guys let rip and wear a pair of jeans and a checked shirt. Just try to avoid being stared at. (I’ve no idea what the women folk do). What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Comfort and joy. Avoid the tie and or suit at all costs. I have a descending order of preference: t shirt, casual shirt, formal shirt, shirt and tie, suit.

SURVEY

FLEECE

“ What informs my dress? fashionably neutral people”

SURVEY

we are supernormal

“ What type of garment is key to your personal style? The work shirt. How many work shirts do you have in your wardrobe? About ten. Five of which are black and look exactly the same. They are all variations on the theme of black and grey – very forgiving colours – and various thicknesses for different times of the year. What is it specifically about these shirts that you love? Through sheer practicality the work shirt has become the most vital part of my wardrobe. It is the Swiss army knife of clothing, with a compartment for everything I may need when going on Foreward tour. I wear them so often that they have become part of my persona. I may not be alone in this habit but I have a ‘Hayden Uniform’ that I have to wear for the job of being me. When I put a work shirt on I think “Okay I’m ready to be me now, let’s get the day started.”

- Hayden Thorpe for Fantastic Man

FOREWORD The Supernormal project documents the style and dressing habits of men who don’t align themselves with fashion in any way, shape or form. Men who dress for practicality, comfort, ease, and individual pleasure – ‘Why did you choose to wear that shirt?’ ‘Because I like it’. This group is not often catered for in the fashion market, and less often observed. Men who associate themselves with fashion follow trends and take inspiration from contemporary design to inform their clothing choices and habits; where do these “supernormal” men get their clothing styles from? How do they decide what to wear when they roll out of bed in the morning? Whether there is in fact anything that truly informs their decisions, and whether they care at all, is explored in the Supernormal project. The term Supernormal originally comes from the work of product designers Jasper Morrison and Naoto Fukasawa. Fukasawa had his immaculately designed stools – due to be exhibited at the Milan Furniture Fair – pushed to one side and mistaken for exhibition seating for tired visitors. Whilst expressing his dissatisfaction to fellow designer Jasper Morrison, Morrison responded with the compliment that it was ‘super normal!’ for the stools had the ability to integrate seamlessly into the lives of the visitors at the exhibition. Combining function and form to create a product that was never questioned by passers by. The second occurrence of the Super Norm came after Morrison bought a set of ancient hand-blown wine glasses in a second hand shop. “At first it was just their shape which attracted my attention, but slowly, using them every day, they have become something more than nice shapes … If I use a different type of glass, for example, I feel something missing in the atmosphere of the table.” The term merges into fashion with supernormal items of clothing like jeans – denim and jeans in particular have become a supernormal casual item, being a ‘go to’ for lazy fashion and every day wear – and through the style of supernormal dressers which have been examined through photography and interviews. These supernormal dressers clothe themselves instinctively rather than self-consciously, their dressing habits integrate seamlessly into their everyday lives, much like Morrison’s antique wine glasses.

The Normcore trend is comparable to this idea of supernormal, but there is a difference. This difference concerns the intent and consideration behind the outfit. Normcore is a style of dressing that involves the deliberate and fashion conscious choice of unremarkable or unfashionable casual clothes. Whereas, the supernormal dressers, clothe themselves in an unremarkable or totally ordinary manner instinctively. Choosing function and practicality over form and style. With this style of dressing comes a pedantic, geeky and obsessive nature about certain aspects of clothing. Certain things, it seems, absolutely have to be a certain way. Every decision concerns practicality and comfort, and if an item of clothing or accessory doesn’t meet their requirements exactly it will be cast aside, no matter how fashionable or stylish. Hayden Thorpe, lead singer of The Wild Beasts, wears work shirts to perform in, dubbing them his ‘Hayden Uniform’. When interviewed by Jop Van Bennekom for Fantastic Man, he explained “It’s all about the pockets. You want an inside secret pocket, two pockets on either side of the lower torso – ideally with a smaller pocket within those – then at least one chest pocket to top it off. You’re usually looking at around 4 or 5 pockets minimum for a good work shirt. My favourite has six.” And without these pockets as a minimum requirement, the work shirt would not work as part of his ‘Hayden Uniform’. The Supernormal Project examines men’s supernormal, practical, and instinctive dressing habits by looking at specific elements of clothing. Starting with a Londonwide survey, the first chapter looks at the way men use their clothing as storage, photographing pockets, backpacks, etc. Accompanied by a study of collars. Some of the most interesting survey responses concerned specifics about shirts, collars, and buttons. Then follows a study of sports kit, examining how people become very particular about the way they wear their training kit, and a final exploration of colour. As well as exploring how denim has become part of the supernormal in its own right.

CHAPTER 1:

FUNCTIONAL The Supernormal Man gets out of bed in the morning, looks at his plans for the day. He considers the weather, thinks about the potential social engagements he may have, and decides what would make him feel most comfortable. Then he decides what he is going to wear for the day. He considers practicality over most other factors when getting dressed in the morning. Even down to the thickness of a shirt fabric and its subsequent capacity for warmth is mulled over. But each man is different, and the habitual dressing that comes with this manner of style produces some interesting quirks. These images detail a selection of men in the east end of London, wearing their everyday clothing, and explaining why they choose to wear certain things with such specification. Pockets. Storage. Bags. Accessories. Comfort.

“Two pockets simply aren’t enough – this has 6” Commercial street, E1 6NF

Chapter 1/Introduction Storage

“ I don’t actually work for deliveroo – the bag just has so much space for my things” Brick Lane, E1 6PU

FUNCTIONAL

“I always carry a rucksack, but I still need big pockets to keep important things to hand.” Hanbury Street, E1 6QR

“ I just keep all my possessions in my coat pockets, I really do have everything in there, but he carries that little bag everywhere we go” Brick Lane, E1 6PU

FUNCTIONAL

“ My jeans are too skinny to keep anything in the pockets.” Brick Lane, E1 6PU

FUNCTIONAL

INTERVIEW

EMILY KING On the 14th of March we interviewed Emily King about her sense of the supernormal. We discussed the supernormal in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relation to fashion, Levi 501â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, school changing room taps, and Uniqlo. Emily King writes books, curates exhibitions and contributes articles to national newspapers, previously holding the role of design editor at frieze magazine. She has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (the one that all the politicians have), a Masters from the Royal College of Art and a PhD from Kingston. (Needless to say, it felt like we were the ones being interviewed while talking to Emily.)

EMILY KING

INTERVIEW

EMILY KING

We know that you wrote about the origins and meaning of the supernormal for Freize, how did you become aware of the phrase? Emily King: My husband and I are good friends with Jasper [Morrison], so were always aware of his work. We then tried to keep this idea in mind when designing our house – looking for the default tap, the default sink etc. But as soon as you start looking for these things they become really hard to find, even though you see them everywhere. What does the supernormal mean to you? What images does it bring to mind? For us, before we read more about designer Jasper Morrison, it was the image of something being so normal and everyday that became a fashion choice by default. In a design context is appears to mean much more than that, what does it mean to you? Emily King: It reminds me of a child being allowed to dress itself! [laughs]. The idea of comfort and practical clothing totally regardless of the style. Just wearing what they want to wear. It’s the default image of everything, like the most basic and standard version – think the school changing room taps. And in terms of fashion you can relate it to jeans. Although they’ve become something that people just throw on there really is no such thing as a default pair of jeans anymore. When I was young I used to wear men’s Levi 501’s, really straight legged and quite shapeless. They were the, kind of, basic default jean. But then jeans became very skinny and low to the waist and something that I wouldn’t ever dream of wearing. I don’t think that there is such a thing as the default basic jean anymore because every pair has some minute detail that the designer has thought about incredibly hard. You imagine jeans as an item that isn’t given much consideration when it’s designed, but in reality that’s not the case, they are such a commonly worn item and there are so many variations. In one of your interviews with Naoto Fukasawa, one of the champions of the supernormal, he uses the phrase: “People don’t need design; they need tools for their life. Design shouldn’t be the goal”. This reflects completely

the dressing habits and intentions of the men documented in this book, what is your take on this idea? Do you think it is something that is acted on so subconsciously that few people are aware of it? Emily King: I think that it is subconscious, these people dress for total ease and personal comfort. But at the same time is it whether they aren’t thinking about it, or whether it’s just a really boring template. Going back to the school tap for example, it looks on first glance like it hasn’t been considered and the design and beauty of it hasn’t been addressed, but obviously it has been designed by someone it’s just according to a really boring template. I mean, could this be the same with your supernormal dressers? It’s interesting that you say that because one of the key things we’ve been exploring is the obsessive specifications that these guys set for themselves when dressing. On one hand they look like they haven’t considered their outfit at all, but on the other hand they have set themselves this really specific set of rules. They are just following a very boring template, but it’s a template that seems to help them function in their day to day lives. Emily King: You have to consider, as well, lots of these people will think they’re acting to be non-conformist, people are setting themselves these set of rules which are regardless of fashion, but at the same time allow them to fit in with a certain tribe. My daughters never wore uniform to school, and I always thought that they and their friends all looked exactly the same, but they obviously used to make such subtle changes that, in their tribe, allowed them to identify themselves. Their decisions weren’t necessarily fashion based, but they were definitely to do with conforming and fitting in, even though in their minds they were making themselves individual in their crowd. Thinking about the future of the concept, do you think that more people becoming aware of the supernormal will lead to it becoming more niche and exclusive, something that people have a desire to be a part of?

INTERVIEW

EMILY KING

Emily King: The conscious rejection of fashion is becoming a luxury trend at the moment. Luxury brands like Permanent Collection and Egg don’t release seasonal collections and all of their products are intended to be your almost default collection. There’s basically one or two of each product. People who can afford to shop in a luxury market want to avoid the set of rules that comes with a fast fashion turnover. I mean the stock in Zara changes every 10-15 days or something like that so it encourages people to be impulsive with their purchases, and they have to stick with the trends Zara are pumping out. But by shopping in this supernormal basic collection and rejecting trends they’re buying into something they don’t have to worry about changing with trends. Uniqlo is another good example, even though it’s not luxury, I mean all of their stuff is like reflecting this idea of super basic and totally functional clothing. I suppose there’s also the idea of Normcore and the Vetements stereotype collection but Normcore was always about wearing quite crappy low end products. Wearing something undesirable and unremarkable that can be thrown away. I suppose it’s another way of rejecting fashion trends, but in this case it’s by adopting another throw away trend that just distances itself slightly from fashion.

“ I ACTIVELY TRY AND TURN OFF THE AESTHETICALLY DRIVEN PART OF MY BRAIN, I ALWAYS FEEL SOME SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT IF I COME OUT WITH A REALLY UGLY PAIR.” When I pick running trainers I’ll always consider how they fit me feet and how they affect my running style over how they look. I actively try and turn off the aesthetically driven part of my brain, I always feel some sense of achievement if I come out with a really

ugly pair. Ski boots are the same, they totally 100% functional but they’re so ugly and horrible. The uglier the better, I wonder if the uglier looking ones are more effective. Alternatively, do you think that the more people begin to identify with this idea, the more diluted it will become? At the moment it appears, to me, to be more an instinctive and subconscious thing, but do you think it has the potential to become something people buy into and used as a marketing tool? Emily King: Like I said before, it is already something that people are starting to buy into. People create these rules for themselves and put themselves in a box even though they think they are being nonconformist. There is always a group of people that dress in this certain way and you may align yourselves with them accidentally. It kind of brings into question how authentic individuality is. Would you say that you had any particular or obsessive dressing habits of your own? Is there a particular garment that this relates to? If you do, could we ask you to describe it and why? Emily King: I’m currently wearing a Uniqlo Heattech jumper. I’d say those are definitely my most supernormal item. I wear them pretty much every day. My kind of default outfit would consist of a uniqlo heat-tech, high denier tights, and Margaret Howell Jeans. I want to be able to walk into a room and I don’t want people to look at me and think about my clothing choices. I want to be able to go seamlessly under the radar like the school changing room tap. Nike Air Force trainers as well maybe, I think they’d definitely be my default, normal, basic trainer. Or the most normal one I’ve been able to find. I felt like I was searching for something like that for a long time and then when I bought them I came home and my daughter told me that they were the trainers worn by the girls that used to bully them in school! I felt terrible! It changed the connotations a bit definitely.

INTERVIEW

â&#x20AC;&#x153; I always tell new graduate recruits that, within reason, you can never be over-dressed so, err, stay on that side rather than risk being under dressed. Conformist, eh?â&#x20AC;?

“ I dress for n e c e s s i t y ‘this looks f i n e ’ ”

BEANIE

What informs the way that you dress? The social situation. What I wear casually isn’t really influenced by much except the weather. If I am going to a function or an eveny then I like to dress smart-casual or smart-smart.

Matthieu Light, 22, Junior Technician

What single garment is key to your personal style? My beanie. How many beanies do you have in your wardrobe? Four

Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Burton, Topman, Asos, Primark

What is it specifically about these that you love? It means I don’t need to do my hair in the morning and I get to represent brands that I have a connection with.

Can you describe the state of your closet? Is is tidy, messy, super organised, boxed, folded, etc? I hang up my shirts but my T-shirts and everything else is just sort of thrown in without much thought.

Do you have a dress code for work? Does this influence what you wear? No. What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? I dress for semi stylish comfort day to day. People take the piss out of me at work because I’ll be wearing a jumper, beanie, and shnood no matter what the situation is. The beanie is my identifiable factor though.

SURVEY

T-SHIRT

Joseph Leggett, 19, Student What single garment is key to your personal style? A T-shirt How many T-shirts do you have in your wardrobe? Probably over 15. What is it specifically about these you love? They are versatile - comfortable, casual, thematic if you’re going to an event of some sort, you can wear them under a shirt, they can be worn under things as an extra layer in winter but then they’re also practical in the heat. What informs the way that you dress? Usually colours, if I’m not spending the day to myself I tend to focus on what looks right paired with something, and the practicality of what I want to wear for what I’m doing that day. Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Wherever has something I like and isn’t too expensive - nowhere specific all the time. It tends to be wherever presents itself by chance and I rarely seek things out. What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Practicality.

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Practicality.

SURVEY

we are supernormal

INTERVIEW

DELLA REED The Supernormal Project interviewed Della Reed of Velvet Eccentric about being separated from the supernormal, and her experiences from the outside of it looking in. We discussed her work, flip flops, painting with fabric, and workplace conformity. Della is a fine artist and fashion accessory designer with a degree from Norwich School of Art. Her work has been featured in magazines, films, and on catwalks around the globe, yet she still considers herself part of an ‘anti-brand’. Would you say that you had any particular or obsessive dressing habits of your own? Is there a particular garment that this relates to? If you do could we ask you to describe it and why?

D: I would say, not in a trend way, but I’m a seasonal dresser. My summer wardrobe and winter wardrobes are totally different. In the winter I would say my uniform becomes the ‘English gent’. That’s how I dress in the winter. I wear my tweeds, I wear my boots, a waistcoat with a shirt underneath. I’ve even got a little watch. And a jacket. That, for me, feels like quite a practical wardrobe in that it gives me layers for winter. I can take off the jacket it the waistcoat and I’m left with the shirt. I’ve also got some plus fours. I love the androgyny of it. I think its very different when women dress that way – men just put it on, women have to own it. I used to dress like a Russian when I was in my teens. I found this amazing sheepskin waistcoat, I love waistcoats I have lots of waistcoats, and I found these billowing trousers and these boots. People used to say to me I looked like Rasputin. I didn’t know who that was, but I loved feeling that comfortable. It was all about finding things. But in the summer I just wear a dress. I love that I can just wear one layer and flip flops and still be warm. I’m a masculine winter dresser and a feminine summer dresser. There I think I go a bit supernormal because I wear flip flops all the time.

DELLA REED

Are you aware of the supernormal? Della: I wasn’t! Not until you sent me your questions anyway. What does Super Normal mean to you? What images does it bring to mind? For us, before we read more about designer Jasper Morrison, it was the image of something being so normal and everyday that became a fashion choice by default. In a design context it appears to mean much more than that. What does it mean to you? Della: For me it’s a certain functionality. It’s all about function over form. There’s nothing about it that is trend focussed or anything like that, it has to serve a purpose. In it’s original context everything I pictured was like Muji homeware. It’s quietly beautiful and serves a purpose, but using things like tubular metal and plain fabrics in a way is a statement in itself, isn’t it? Because, you recognise it, you don’t think, oh that’s horrible. I mean I don’t think it’s horrible and I’m someone that like a bit of “woah” madness. There’s no sartorial beauty, necessarily, although, there is something I like about it and I can’t really put my finger on it. It means you’ll get a good nights sleep. Yeah, it’s totally functional isn’t it. D: Yeah, it’s a functional thing. But I didn’t know about it [the supernormal] and it’s just been whirring round in my head, you know, because I didn’t want to look up much about it either because I wanted to come at it as someone that’s just been asked a question and doesn’t have a preconception. Do you know what I mean? It’s a really interesting concept, and I can see how you can come at it from a fashion point of view. For instance, Ed and his friends, are looking at it as when they get up in the morning and they need to put something on and it’s just there. ‘I can’t go out naked so I’m going to have to cover myself up with something’. But, I also think there is a thing where they don’t want to stand out, they don’t want to make a statement, even though in a way they probably are, they don’t want to go in anything different, they want to keep within their realm of friends. And I think its particularly true in a work environment. Because you want to go and get your job done, and you might want

to stand out for other reasons but not for being ridiculed for going in something other than the norm. The norm is ‘like that’ and you might add a dash of colour and people just be like – at the water fountain, or it’s the coffee machine these days – ‘oooh what is that bit of red, I don’t like it’. They don’t want it, and they want to feel part of something, part of the norm. They want what they’re doing to stand out rather than what they’re wearing. Say they meet someone new, before they even utter a word, it’s like, I recognise you, we’re the same, we can talk, there’s nothing that concerns me about what you’re wearing. You can just fit in. It’s a bit like the beginning of ‘Ways of Seeing’, think the quote is “The child looks before it can speak”. Before you even say a word to someone, or you might even never say a word to them, but you look at them and you size them up because of what they’re wearing. D: Exactly, it’s an instant thing. It’s comes before even body language in a way. You recognise certain tribes, but you’re all in them even though we might not want to be, to a degree. And in a work situation – and even I’ve had to do this at work which has killed me – I’ve had to conform to a certain norm so that I can do the job and nobody says anything. It happens all the time. But my husband, for instance, he likes his clothes and he likes to have a bit of difference in there, he is in a very male orientated sea of grey, I mean he goes in and it’s just grey. But it’s slightly veering towards, like, jeans and brogues, and a grey jacket. That’s what they all wear, that’s their ‘oh my god look at me’ kind of tribal thing. But honestly, it’s all grey, and also they don’t change throughout the year. So for instance, in the summer David will be delighted that it’s turning warmer and he can get his white linen trousers out. But, everyone else wears the same grey, the same fabric, so they can’t cool down! It’s interesting, you’d think it’s very practical what they’re doing but it’s not. It’s not practical. Because they’re boiling hot and they don’t have that way of being able to let themselves breathe. Do you suppose it’s practical in a sense for them because they’ve set themselves this template that they’re going to stick to, and even though

INTERVIEW

DELLA REED

they might spend the day getting hot and sweaty and horrible because they can’t cool off, they feel comfortable in themselves so they’re going to put up with it. D: Yeah, and they’re like ‘this is who I am’. Also, if you’ve been doing it for a while and suddenly go ‘I fancy wearing a bit of white linen’ it might feel quite uncomfortable at first, like “Woah hold on a minute” [laughs]. It’s too much and that will be identified by certain people. They don’t want the attention so they’re just going to keep on that road. I mean I get it, there’s so much peer pressure. Especially at work, but also in social situations you mix with people that mostly share your values, because that’s a long term relationship, you have to think very similarly. I mean, you see groups of people and they’re often all dressed the same. It’s very interesting for us to get the perspective of someone who is so far separated from the supernormal, someone that absolutely does not fit into that category and has experience of seeing people who do from the outside. The opinion of someone who it just looking in. D: Well I spose one thing that came to mind was the idea of Normcore, but that’s more of a choice. Like ‘I’m going to wear this unremarkable and pretty crappy looking fruit of the loom white t-shirt and that’s going to be really cool and different’, they’re trying to look normal. But your guys really are just normal. It’s like you take something quite mainstream, like a parka, but you’d make it your own so that it then becomes less ordinary. It becomes something different. Isn’t it funny how both things have got the word normal in them but they’re so different. Normcore is decision then?

fashion

based

D: Yeah it is. Whereas supernormal, I also wonder if, the people that do it/have it/are it, are at all conscious that they’re doing it. I think they don’t know. But then you think, there’s a little bit of consideration because they want to fit in somewhere, there’s a bit of a rejection against trends. Although, having said that, people that have supernormal tendencies, they will still like

certain brands. This is the one I thought of, I sometimes work at a youth centre, and it’s a constant thing that they all say ‘oh do you like my ____ ‘ whatever piece of clothing it is. It’s always Superdry. Some of it won’t say superdry but they really want me to know where it’s come from. But it also looks, for me, quite normal. They’re all trying to fit in, but they want you to know where it’s from because they think it makes them stand out in their tribe. Superdry, to them, is a big thing. They seem to be really loyal to certain brands. For me it’s like a self-inflicted uniform that they’ve given themselves. Because they can get up in the morning, and it’s just there, they don’t have to think. And also, it’s very easy to get hold of because it all tends to be mass produced stuff, that is probably manufactured abroad, but its widely available. And actually, if you look around you, most people are wearing that, but they’re not necessarily supernormal. It’s made me really look at people!! [laughs] On the dog walk this morning I was trying to figure out who was or wasn’t supernormal. One of the themes that the book focuses on is the dressing habits and quirks of the super normal dresser, so for example in a survey I conducted one of the respondents said they would only wear shirts with a “non-irritating collar” and their collars had to have a button on the back. And another that sews on his own buttons to create button down collars on all his shirts. Do you think you have ever focussed on any of these very particular and quite obsessive elements in your design work? Is it something that you can relate to? D: See now that is intriguing. Because he’s not doing that for fashion, he’s doing that for practicality. He shows he has thought about it, so when he’s had a collar that’s been irritating, he narrows down what he doesn’t like and knows what to look for. So there are little decisions being made along the way even though it might seem like there aren’t. They’re making little choices, but to all intents and purposes you look at them and don’t think that they have. It’s a very interesting thing. But also it makes me think is it a rejection of trends? I mean, if you kept vogue from last year, more or less there will be florals for spring/ summer, oh and look there’s fur for winter who would have thought of that. It follows. Basically it runs more

INTERVIEW

DELLA REED

or less the same every year, and it’s always quite funny when you open it up, and it’s usually very similar to what happened the year before and the year before. Do you think when you’re designing you ever incorporate or look at any of those obsessive quirks or qualities? D: I have little things that I do. So a simple one is that I always line my chokers with velvet, because I’m aware they’re sitting tight to the neck and it feels comfortable and luxurious. I do have some other little things, and I don’t do this on every one but every so often I do things like sewing pennies into the back of the collar under the lining. So nobody knows that I do this but me. And also, I do sometimes sew some of the beading so that it’s uneven or asymmetrical. It should be symmetrical really. Most people wouldn’t notice, but every so often I will make something a little asymmetrical. You know Phi? The golden ratio. It basically means everything is just slightly asymmetrical. It’s that. It’s about making the golden asymmetric ratio. It just comes from my background in painting, and nobody really knows I do it but me! My stylist noticed on one of them recently and I ended up having to tell her! It’s definitely from my painting though and the composition thing. To me it makes it something other than just an adornment, a garment, it makes it something else. I’m after the beauty, like a piece of beauty. Now it doesn’t matter to me that no-one else sees that, but I am still waiting for someone to send one back after they’ve realised!! But to me this is just another form of painting and I’m painting with fabric and other things. It’s a curation of things that are, in a way, supernormal. They’re discarded things. They’re not interesting to most people. I mean we quite often find our stuff in a skip. Curating them and putting them together allows them to become something else. I might have to do a supernormal collection! Do you think there could be a link between your work and what you do already, and the supernormal? In the sense that they’re both polar opposite concepts, but also a rejection of the traditional fashion system and trend driven market? Even though they’re doing it in very separate ways, both concepts address something similar.

D: Polar opposites are just as close to eachother as they are far apart. Think of a circle. There’s a strange similarity. There’s loads of stuff and adornment on my work, and I want it to be quite visually arresting, and there’s next to nothing in the supernormal, but they both want nothing to do with trends. I almost want to be an anti-brand. Even though I know the power of a brand. But even when you hear that more people like your work, I almost want to go NO! I don’t want people buying into my products because of my ‘brand’. I don’t want it to become mainstream. You want it to be something that people wear because they believe in the product and want to appreciate your art, not because it’s a brand they want to be associate with and buy into. Is that right? D: Completely. I kind of want it to be an obscure thing. Something that has longevity, but to me it can only have that through being obscure. Which sounds weird because in that very way how do you make a living from it? It’s a difficult thing to do, because I’m kind of going against that. If I really wanted to make a living from it id have to get my stuff manufactured, and then I’d lose that element of painting with fabric. There would be no point. Trying to get someone else to replicate what I’m doing wouldn’t work because I don’t even know what I’m doing! Do you think that subconsciously you do know what you’re doing? Even though you think that until you’re doing it you don’t know. But do you think you have a subconscious template in your head? D: Yes. Sometimes I will get an idea, and I like a bit of cross pollination between things, so sometimes I get an idea and it merges with something else and it creates something other worldly, and I like the idea of people thinking ‘what the hell is that?’. I do, when I’ve come to an idea, I do have a very wide thought. I’ll collect things that I think it needs to try and make sense of it.

INTERVIEW

CHAPTER 2:

KIT Norwich Medical School have their own rugby team, dedicated specifically to doctors, paramedics, and surgeons, but most importantly anyone who has a “love of the game”. The idea of the supernormal dresser extends into sportswear and training kit too, particularly it seems, with this group in the medical profession. It’s very interesting to observe how seemingly minor details about each of their training kits can affect the way that they think, train and play. Is this, in fact, related to the technical and detailed operating’s of their minds as doctors? Or is it more linked to a sporting and competitive nature? Some of the NMRFC boys train in their full match kit before the game, some in their own gear – they don’t like to start a match with mud on their socks. Socks seem to be a big part of match day for the team, with some boys taking extra care to tape their socks up to avoid them slipping down, others deliberately pushing them down around their ankles, exposing their bare shins. Returning players wear their own socks, often in bright and lurid colours.

Chapter 2: Kit

NMRFC

Their new kicker, Louie, warms up in so many layers you wonder how he can stand it. Taking part in his sprints clothed in full NMRFC tracksuit bottoms and a thick fleece lined hoody, whilst the other boys face the chill in their shorts and jerseys. Almost all of them are wearing under armour, or “skins” as I hear them being referred to. A variety of colours peek out from under the shorts bearing each players initials and a club crest. Most are black or white, some bear loyalty to particular teams and some match visiting “old boys” players wearing brightly coloured socks. It’s not clear whether the skins are for compression, warmth, or modesty during scrums – it seems unlikely, in retrospect, to be the latter, as they don’t appear too concerned about having to run through the car park in their underwear after the boiler breaks in the changing room showers. The team captain and hooker, Ethan, keeps control of the warm up from the side lines, to begin with. He keeps his scrum cap in the back of his shorts until the match, making the back of his shorts and jersey look uneven.

We notice that a number of the boys follow this practise, even though the cap is intended to protect they player’s heads, they tell me it becomes “really fucking annoying after a while”, so they don’t wear it unless they’re in play. Keeping it in the back of their shorts doesn’t seem like the obvious alternative, but this feels like an old-school display of masculinity, in the same vain as keeping a packet of cigarettes up one’s t-shirt sleeve. One thing that every member of the team has in common, even the “old boys” who visit for a weekend and play a match after having moved away from the club, is that their kit is personalised for each player with their initials. Some opt for all three initials, and get mocked for their “properness” by the players who just have their two initials displayed. But each and every member of the team has a sense of pride from wearing their initials next to the club crest, regardless of the way that they’ve played or what else they have worn to train in. Within this community all players are encouraged to do what is right for them and build confidence in themselves, rather than doing what is considered “cool” or “stylish”.

KIT

“I wear the waterproof top because it warms me up, whilst i’m running around. I always feel like if I start warn I’ll finish warm, whatever the weather. As for the socks, I just feel a bit restricted with them up, it feels weird”

NMRFC

KIT

NMRFC

Chapter 2: Kit

KIT

NMRFC

Chapter 2: Kit

KIT

“Everyone has been mocking my socks! (laughs) They’re just really high quality, we have our team socks made by the same company. I’m returning after a while away from the club, thought i’d show up with something a bit different”

Chapter 2: Kit

NMRFC

KIT

“ Quality over style. I’d prefer to pay more money for a pair of brogues I can re-sole than skimp and have to throw them away”

“ I tend to avoid things that for some reason certain boys think looks good but to the rest of us look like they’ve been in their sisters wardrobe”

LEVIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Nick Farkas, 52, Regional EHS Manager

What single garment is key to your personal style? Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jeans How many pairs do you have in your wardrobe? Two What is it specifically about these that you love? They go with just about everything Are there any specifics about them that will inform your purchases? For example, my work shirts must have at least five pockets, my t-shirts must have a left breast pocket for my glasses, etc. Must be low on the hip and tight on the backside

What informs the way that you dress? How comfortable I feel in the clothes and shoes I wear Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? In shops Can you describe the state of your closet? Is is tidy, messy, super organised, boxed, folded, etc? Tidy and organised Do you have a dress code for work? Does this influence what you wear? Smart casual so no jeans! Trousers and a shirt but no tie even if I wear a suit What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Levi jeans, desert boots and a t-shirt whenever possible!

SURVEY

JEANS

What single garment is key to your personal style? Baggy jeans How many pairs do you have in your wardrobe? Three What is it specifically about these you love? Comfy Andrew Munro, 34, Barkeeper Are there any specifics about them that will inform your purchases? For example, my work shirts must have at least five pockets. My t-shirts must have a left breast pocket for my glasses, etc. My jeans must be comfy and loose so I can move. My jeans have to be worn with those shoes you have to wear skate shoes with baggy jeans What informs the way that you dress? Comfort and I think it’s pretty cool Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? I don’t shop much Tk Maxx, H&M, online Charity shops, Independent clothes shops What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Skateboarding hip hop etc influenced me when I was young and it. I don’t follow fashion but I have style.

SURVEY

we are supernormal

VISUAL ESSAY:

JEANS Jeans as work wear. Levis were first created in the 1890’s in San Francisco. Popular with cowboys, farmers and lumberjacks, jeans were the clothing of choice for gold miners, not mine owners. As the USA recovered from the Civil War, California embraced the gold rush and the first intercontinental railroad was developed across the states, built by denim clad railroad workers. Now, jeans are still the trousers of choice for manual labour workers, having maintained their reputation for hard wearing protective fabric. But, as work wear, the perception of jeans now comes with an image of brutish, overweight, loud, and sometimes sexist manual labourers. The rise of the skinny jean. The popularity of the skinny jean grew dramatically in the early 2000s. But before this the trousers had made their name through the style of cowboys, in the late 1800s, and then cowboys of stage and screen like Roy Rogers and the Long Ranger. They were favoured by cowboys for their ability to sit inside their boots. Skinny jeans, now, are open to all, and no one who wears them makes them any less of what they are for anyone else. The truth must be that there is something about the meanness of this look that feels right for our times. They have since been adopted by celebrities and major fashion brands alike, as well as everyday individuals. They are worn and supported by all areas of society and have truly become part of the supernormal directory.

Jeans as a symbol of rebellion. In the 1950’s, there were the Beats: a generation of disillusioned, hardtrodden youth with Louis Armstrong on the brain, the road in their vision, and a taste for adventure. Rejecting the mainstream, corporate suits and white-picket fence endings, this generation took to the roads of America. Think Jack Kerouac, Alan Ginsberg, and Neal Cassady. Think James Dean in ‘Rebel Without A Cause’. This generation of non-conformist, good-for-nothing hooligans wrote the books and poetry that would alter the national mind-set and disrupt social norms, wearing blue jeans and casual shirts and sweaters. Jeans have continued to be a symbol of rebellion from this point, maintaining their status as a staple item through the teddy boys, the punks, the skins, and continuing into modern fashion. Jeans and sexual desire. In more recent years, jeans have become an object for emphasising desirability. Denim advertising has become more and more about the bare skin underneath, and has added an element of romance and sensuality to an item once known for it’s hard-wearing and durable qualities. Since Karlheinz Weinberger photographed his lovers in their perfectly fitting jeans, the trousers have been romanticised and related to images of young love and sexual discovery. Now, Levi’s use images of young lovers in bed in their campaigns, telling their young customers to “live” in their Levi’s.

VISUAL ESSAY

Karlheinz Weinberger: Jeans

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

VISUAL ESSAY

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VISUAL ESSAY

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VISUAL ESSAY

JEANS

“ S k a t e b o a r d i n g / hip

hop

culture

influenced me when I was young. I don’t follow fashion but I have style” 62

“ I’d say i’m as casual as you can be, in the smart casual bracket”

LUKE

CHAPTER3:

COLLAR In an attempt to define the supernormal, the objects in question were described as “enjoyable to use and look at without resorting to stylistic gimmicks”. The collared shirt falls under this umbrella, having been a staple in menswear for so long. The distinctions in collar shape and style have the potential to completely change the meaning of the shirt for the wearer. When I first came to photograph Luke, I did notice his immaculate gingham shirt; ironed, tucked, and sleeves rolled with a button-down collar. And the crew neck of his plain white t-shirt peeking from behind the highest button. I didn’t, however, realise how important all of these seemingly minor details were to Luke’s day to day life. He explains to me that he only ever wears long sleeved shirts, although he isn’t sure why. Something to do with comfort, and feeling protected. Like the impression you give with your body language when you have your arms folded. The only noticeable part of Luke’s appearance that is out of place, is a stray thread hanging from one of the buttons holding down his collar. He follows up my pointing this out with the explanation that he has sewn them on himself. He will always try to buy button-down collared shirts, but if he can’t get this on a shirt he likes, he will use the spare buttons to sew the collar down himself, cutting a button hole in the collar tip with a small pair of nail scissors. Whilst this is a personal preference, Luke demonstrates his need for practicality when explaining why he will always wear a t-shirt under his shirts. He rarely wears t-shirts on their own, but if he has one on under his shirt, he can take his shirt off should he get too hot. To me, the solution would be to wear the shirt and roll the sleeves up if I got too hot, but this ritual dressing habit Luke has formulated over time has become part of his personality.

COLLAR

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I tend to prefer to be able to button the collar down because, if I wear the shirt buttoned up, I just think it looks smarterâ&#x20AC;?

LUKE

COLLAR

LUKE

COLLAR

“I wear t-shirts underneath because I think it’s more comfy, simple as that.”

LUKE

Chapter 3: Collars

COLLAR

LUKE

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LUKE

Chapter 3: Collars

COLLAR

LUKE

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LUKE

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LUKE

COLLAR

FLANNEL

What informs the way that you dress? Bands and fashionably -neutral people Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Second-hand/charity clothes stores, River Island, Burton and H&M

Matt Farrugia, 23, Student

Can you describe the state of your closet? Is is tidy, messy, super organised, boxed, folded, etc? Folded, but messy

What single garment is key to your personal style? Checkered flannel shirt How many flannel shirts do you have in your wardrobe? Six What is it specifically about these that you love? Comfortable and works all year round Are there any specifics about them that will inform your purchases? For example, my work shirts must have at least five pockets, my t-shirts must have a left breast pocket for my glasses, etc. Warm, subdued colours and a non-irritating collar

Survey Typography

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Pure necessity - â&#x20AC;&#x153;This looks fineâ&#x20AC;?

SURVEY

SUIT

What informs the way that you dress? The occasion and the weather Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Anywhere from M&S to Paul Smith

Duncan Hood, 52, General Manager at Viking Signs

What single garment is key to your personal style? A suit How many suits do you have in your wardrobe? Seven

Survey Typography

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Nice suit!

What is it specifically about these you love? Their versatility Are there any specifics about them that will inform your purchases? For example, my work shirts must have at least five pockets. Single breasted jacket (ideally three buttons)

SURVEY

we are supernormal

INTERVIEW

JERMAINE FRANCIS We interviewed Jermaine Francis about his take on the supernormal, as a photographer who works with a number of famous faces and has the ability to watch what is happening from well within the fashion industry. We discussed Margiela, functionality, super tech trainers, and the fact that he is bored by the supernormal. Jermaine is a world renowned fashion portrait and beauty photographer. He has a degree in photography and critical theory at Derbyshire University before moving to London where he is now based. Since assisting Corinne Day, and other photographers including Steven Klein, Marc Hom, and Rankin, Jermaine has gone on to photograph talents such as Rosamund Pike, Natalie Dormer, and Cara Delevigne, as well as contributing to publications, and brands such as Harpers Bazaar UK, Vogue China, Vogue Japan, Twin,Crash, Bon, Porter Magazine, Stella McCartney, Roland Mouret, Gieves&Hawkes and Sky. Jermaine is Exhibiting at The National Portrait Gallery as part of the Taylor Wessing Portrait Competition, and contacted us from Paris during his extremely busy schedule.

JERMAINE FRANCIS

INTERVIEW

JERMAINE FRANCIS

Are you aware of the term super normal? Yes I am Do you feel that you have a sense of the supernormal and what it is? For us, before we read more about designer Jasper Morrison, it was the image of something being so normal and everyday that became a fashion choice by default. In a design context it appears to mean much more than that. What does it mean to you? Super Normal is an interesting phrase, for me it is functionality and practical, it appears to blend into world and there is a reduction in the visual aspect, its beauty is its simplicity, in its function and its place in the world. The question I ask, is can design be both? In a fashion sense we had norm core and to be honest it appeared to be boring and safe at times, I guess it is democratic in the sense any one could attain taste and style very

easily, but does that present any new narratives? Not really. For example the fashion style of Deconstruction and it exponents such as Martin Margiela were recontextualising or as Alsion gill wrote â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;deconstruction of the architecture of the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. If you look at how he translated this into his time at Hermes you see form and functionality in perfect harmony. I much prefer this to the notion of super normal. Do you get a sense of the supernormal in your work? And do you feel it is reflected in the industry? In my beauty work I would not say that was the case, maybe it would be described as more minimal, but that does not mean it is super normal, but then maybe other people would describe it as something different. I guess norm core was the equivalent in fashion, but I found this incredibly boring.

INTERVIEW

JERMAINE FRANCIS

Is the supernormal truly an instinctive/subconscious phenomenon? Or is it more considered than first thought? I feel it is very considered and it appears to be subconscious but these things are usually part of a conscious process. I would say most things are a reaction to what is around or what has come before. As I suggested before, the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;super normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; would suggest some form of conscious, deliberate aesthetic decision making.

through various artifices. Would you say that you had any particular or obsessive dressing habits of your own? Is there a particular garment that this relates to? If you do could I ask you to describe it and why? I would say I do like a simple trainer, I wish I could wear super tech trainers but my feet are super flat so they ended up like boats!!!!!!

Is there a possibility that the supernormal is a commercial concept that people are buying into? If it is not now does it have the potential to become just that? I feel that it is applicable to being a commercial concept, it becomes a style which can be commodified like all things in which brands can sell to the consumer

INTERVIEW

ANORAK

Jon Dunning, 53, Coach/Facilitator

What single garment is key to your personal style? An anorak/hooded pullover jacket How many anoraks do you have in your wardrobe? three and four

What informs the way that you dress? Office: maintaining a professional smart/casual appearance that is smart enough for meeting clients but informal enough to blend/mix with staff. Home/ farm: utility; hardwearing; easy care.

Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? 1 x department store, 1 x menswear chain, 1 x farm store, 1 x outdoor pursuits store, various online outlets. Do you have a dress code for work? Does this influence what you wear? Suits with/out ties or smart casual, depending on circumstances and activities.

What is it specifically about these that you love? Utility: a garment that fulfils its function without unnecessary embellishment or adornment; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;does what it says on the boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Are there any specifics about them that will inform your purchases? For example, my work shirts must have at least five pockets, my t-shirts must have a left breast pocket for my glasses, etc. Adjustable hood and cuffs; breast pocket (int/ext); side hand pockets; breathable but rain resistant; well made; reinforced stitching and seams; hardwearing. Usually from one of a small number of manufacturers.

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Comfort, utility and non-conformity.

SURVEY

GREY

What informs the way that you dress? Comfort Rick, 55, Professor

What single garment is key to your personal style? A grey shirt

Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Anywhere What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? Comfort, functional (linked to outdoor pursuits), sense of â&#x20AC;&#x153;lifestyleâ&#x20AC;?.

How many grey shirts do you have in your wardrobe? 20

What is it specifically about these you love? Material (feel)

SURVEY

we are supernormal

“ I’m tidy but massively overstocked with too many shirts, suits, trousers and stuff. I can’t throw anything away and have loads of stuff from the last century.”

“ I don’t aim to impress, I just wear what I feel like”

NEUTRAL

CHAPTER 4:

COLOUR A number of the guys we spoke to had a real lack of interest in displaying their style choices through anything potentially noticeable to other people, particularly colour. By selecting a singular neutral colour and letting it govern their wardrobe choices they feel like they’re showing off a sense of lifestyle, but also able to drift under the radar of people who would take it upon themselves to comment on their outfit choices. The aim is to go unnoticed. Professor Paul ‘Rik’ Shaw is a Marine Biologist, and leading researcher in aquatic, behavioural, and evolutionary biology. His research mainly concerns distribution and maintenance of genetic biodiversity within species (particularly in aquatic systems) using molecular genetic methods. In short, he has a very scientific and practical mindset. Rik has always been interesting in having a ‘sense of lifestyle’, with his clear interests surrounding outdoor pursuits as well as marine science. He tells me that his love of grey stems from wearing mostly lifestyle and outdoors brands since he finished university. Most of the clothing by these brands, especially when Rik started buying from them in the late 80s/early 90s, is produced in grey or khaki, with maybe some navy or black thrown in for good measure. This was a comfortable, practical, and easy way of dressing for Rik, so it stuck.

COLOUR

In this chapter, we have collected together clothing and accessories in these ‘comfortable’ colours – some items from the men in the survey sample, and some found items – in an attempt to build an image and identity around this use of colour in everyday dressing.

100

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SHIRT

What single garment is key to your personal style? Shirts

Ethan sikorski, 20, Student

How many shirts do you have in your wardrobe? 16

Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? I don’t regularly buy clothes. Most of it comes from birthday/ Christmas presents. When I do I sometimes go online on websites such as asos and sometimes in charity shops Can you describe the state of your closet? Is is tidy, messy, super organised, boxed, folded, etc? A bomb site

What is it specifically about these that you love? Comfy

What informs the way that you dress? Whatever is comfortable that also looks good. I tend to avoid things that for some reasons certain boys think look good but to the rest of us look like they’ve been in their sister’s wardrobe

Do you have a dress code for work? Does this influence what you wear? On placement I have to wear a shirt and smart trousers. I guess to some degree I enjoy dressing like that and do when I’m going to certain places to outside of Uni

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? A lack of style?

104

SURVEY

JUMPER

What single garment is key to your personal style? Jumpers Edward Boorn, 21, Student What is it specifically about these you love? The warmth, alongside the functionality and the fact that they can look both smart and casual depending on what else youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wearing

How many jumpers do you have in your wardrobe? Five

SURVEY

What informs the way that you dress? What I see on TV to an extent, but normally its more what see in store or on Instagram. Where do you buy the majority of your clothes? Jeans from criminal damage(because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the only place that fit me properly. Then mostly places like Hollister, Farah and clothes from independent shops if I can afford it.

What ultimately signifies your style of dressing? As casual as you can be, in the smart casual bracket

we are supernormal

105

STYLE

WHAT ULTIMATELY SIGNIFIES YOUR STYLE OF DRESSING?

“ SKATEBOARDING

AND HIP HOP ETC INFLUENCED ME WHEN I WAS YOUNG. I DON’T FOLLOW FASHION BUT I HAVE STYLE/ PRACTICALITY/ PURE NECESSITY – ‘THIS LOOKS FINE’/ COMFORT, FUNCTIONAL (LINKED TO OUTDOOR PURSUITS), SENSE OF ‘LIFESTYLE’/ CASUAL, LOW KEY/ COMFORT IN THE WAY I LOOK AND FEEL WHEN GOING OUT IN PUBLIC. LOTS OF COMFY SPORTSWEAR AROUND THE HOUSE FOR RELAXING IN/ COMFORT AND JOY. AVOID THE TIE AND OR SUIT AT ALL COSTS. I HAVE A DESCENDING ORDER OF PREFERENCE: T SHIRT, CASUAL SHIRT, FORMAL SHIRT AND TIE, SUIT/ QUALITY NEVER GOES OUT OF FASHION/ LEVIS JEANS, DESERT BOOTS, AND A T-SHIRT WHEREVER POSSIBLE/ TRY TO BE SMART BUT NOT TOO SERIOUS.

106

OUTRO

STYLE

NICE SUIT!/ AS CASUAL AS YOU CAN BE, IN THE SMART CASUAL BRACKET/ A LACK OF STYLE?/ SMART CASUAL/ I DON’T AIM TO IMPRESS, ITS JUST WHAT I FEEL LIKE!/ MUST GET OUT OF WORK CLOTHES AS SOON AS I GET HOME. ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME. HATED WEARING MY UNIFORM AFTER SCHOOL AS A CHILD TOO/ COMFORT, UTILITY, AND NON-CONFORMITY/ FEELING COMFORTABLE/ CHILLED STYLE OF DRESS/ I DRESS FOR SEMI STYLISH COMFORT DAY TO DAY. PEOPLE TAKE THE PISS OUT OF ME AT WORK BECAUSE I’LL BE WEARING A JUMPER, BEANIE, AND SNOOD NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION IS. THE BEANIE IS MY IDENTIFIABLE FACTOR THOUGH/ STUFF THAT’S FUN AND QUITE BRIGHT SO I STAND OUT/ JEANS AND T-SHIRTS/ WHAT IS CLEAN AND IRONED.

“

OUTRO

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IMAGE SOURCES a. Page 26: Survey: Orange Beanie Hat – www.topman.com/en/ tmuk/product/orange-ribbed-beanie-hat-6238651 b. Page 27: Survey: White T-shirt – www.polyvore.com/hanes_ shirt_plain_white_shirts/thing?id=6724524 c. Page 28: Interview w. Della Reed - https://www.amazon. co.uk/Havaianas-Crystal-Glamour-Special-Collection/dp/ B00CKE2YRG d. Page 48: Survey: Levi’s Jeans – www.endclothing.com/gb/levis-vintage-clothing-1967-505-jean-67505-0108.html e. Page 49: Survey: Baggy Jeans – www.gaspbb.com/product/ item/baggy-denim-jeans f. Page 50 & 58: Karlheinz Wienberger’s Jeans – www. dazeddigital.com/photography/article/12261/1/karlheinzweinbergers-jeans g. Page 52: Levi’s Traditional Workwear – segui-riveted.blogspot. co.uk/2011/07/1900s-levis-workwear.html h. Page 52: Levi’s Workwear 1930s – www.highsnobiety. com/2014/10/28/levis-vintage-metropolis-collectionfall2014/#slide-3 i. Page 53: Construction Workers in Jeans 2016 – www.cityam. com/227654/britain-needs-one-million-extra-constructionworkers-by-2020-to-fulfil-housebuilding-needs j. Page 53: Construction Workers in Jeans 2015 – www. crainsnewyork.com/article/20150327/blogs04/150329882/ unions-react-to-carins-blog-post-about-paucity-of-blackconstruction-workers k. Page 54: Denim Workers: www.denimhunters.com/page/3/ l. Page 55: Hipster Denim Workers: https://famousoutfits.com/ collections/large-mens-fashion/ m. Page 56: Roy Rogers and Trigger – rogersdale.wordpress. com/2013/08/25/trigger-and-his-doubles/comment-page-1/ n. Page 56: Boss Skinny Jeans – www.sageclothing.co.uk/ blog/2012/11/hugo-boss-black-2012-2013-collection 108

o. Page 57: Robert Frank: The Americans: Rodeo, New York City – www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1992.5162.3/ p. Page 57: David Beckham Streetstyle – www.shoppingforacause. com.au.in-style-we-trust-david-beckham/ q. Page 58: Bob Dylan and Alan Ginsberg – www.snapgalleries. com/portfolio-items/ken-regan-bob-dylans-rolling-thunder-revue r. Page 58: Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs – www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/17045/1/close-encounters-with-kerouac s. Page 58: Jack Kerouac in Levi’s - books.google.co.uk/books/ about/understanding_jack_kerouac.html?id=few9Pq3rmk8C&redir_esc=y t.Page 58: James Dean in Levi’s - www.artofmanliness. com/2014/04/15/how-tuck-in-shirt/ u. Page 59: Live in Levi’s Advert – www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/prints/levis-jeans-this-country-was-not-built-by-men-insuits-15134905 v. Page 59: Punk Skinny Jeans – www.weheartit.com/entry/ group/38503282 w. Page 59: Skinheads Black & White – www.twitter.com/tobymott/status/665182770608611328 x. Page 59: Skinheads in Doc Martens – inspirational-imagery. blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/olde-new-york.html y. Page 83: Grey Shirt – www.endclothing.com/gb/saturdays-jeremiah-cpo-shirt-m51617jm01.html z. Page 84: Interview w. Jermaine Francis - http://www.stanikosport.com/womens/footwear/running-shoes/womens-adidasrita-ora-tech-super-black-running-trainers-m19075. aa. Page 104: Blue Shirt – www.superdry.com/mens/shirts/details/61232/long-sleeved-cut-collar-shirt-blue bb. Page 105: Paul Smith Jumper – www.lyst.com/paul-smithstore/ 109

Created by Rosie Leggett Edited by Paul Owen and Marc Provins we are supernormal