Beatles Clothing – Out of T Shirt & Leather… Into Suits

In early 1962, The Beatles clothing appeared to be a very different from what Britain had first seen them wearing only a few months earlier. Brian Epstein encouraged the four musicians to get out of their leather jackets, black Beatles T Shirt and pants (No, not in that way).

At first, Brian got the Beatles to wear sweaters on stage and eventually mohair suits. Having always loved the theater, Brian knew a thing or two about presentation. Epstein was from an upper middle-class background and he wanted us to appeal to the producers of radio, television and record companies.

Brian Epstein told the Beatles that if they wear suits they’ll get more money. John Lennon’s response was, ‘Yeah man, all right, I’ll wear a suit – I’ll wear a bloody balloon if somebody’s going to pay me. I’m not in love with leather that much’. George agreed saying, “We gladly switched into suits to get some more money and some more gigs.” And it worked, the Beatles were soon playing shorter sets for more money.

The Beatles walked onto the stage of the Manchester’s Playhouse Theater in early 1962 for their radio debut wearing their new gray mohair suits with thin lapels, button-down shirts and ties. The new Beatles clothing came from Beno Dorm, “The Master Tailor For Impeccable Hand-Made Clothes,” located in the a Liverpool suburb. This became the sharp early ’60s style for young men. From this point forward, The Beatles would be fashion leaders and not fashion followers.

Ringo says Brian Epstein changed the group’s image by making them look smarter. But adds, the Beatles made him change his image as soon as he joined the group. Ringo used to wear his hair slicked back like Tony Curtis and he had sideburns. The other three Beatles had him shave and comb his hair down.

There was talk that it was Paul who had betrayed the group’s leather image but, as Paul recalled, “I didn’t actually have to drag anyone to the tailors. We all went quite happily over the water to Beno Dorn, a little tailor who made mohair suits.” People were saying that their black leather look was too hard and they feared that booking agents would agree. So that was an end to the Hamburg era and a new look look in Beatles clothing.

- Beatles Geek Pete
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One Response to “Beatles Clothing – Out of T Shirt & Leather… Into Suits”

1. suzanne McDonald says:

   October 23, 2009 at 8:27 pm

   very cool