Who Wore It Best? The Most Stylish Outfits of 'Get Back'

What better way to spend the epic comedown that is Boxing Day than to plot yourself in front of the TV with a leftover turkey sandwich, a bottle of Baileys and a box of Ferrero Roche and to rewatch (for the second time since it's release a month ago) Peter Jackson's epic eight hour docuseries 'Get Back'. The saga is an unprecedented nose into one of one of the greatest bands in history in their final days as they rehearse their last album and perform what would be their ultimate live performance on top of the roof at Apple Corps. The series is also an unwitting sartorial feast for the eyes, taking place at the end of fashion's favourite decade - the 1960s. Filmed over one month in the January of 1969 the outfits worn by the band are far from winter-dreary. Instead we are introduced to a riot of kaleidescopic colours and patterns and some of the grooviest 60s tailoring you are likely to see.

January 30 1969, the band performing their last gig on the rooftop of Apple Corps.

I have already discussed my favourite looks from the band in my previous post. As if watching one of the most innovative bands in history create their music on the spot as you act as a fly on the wall, wasn't exhilerating enough, they happen to do it whilst wearing some of the coolest clothes seen on screen in a documentary. Ringo Starr's plethora of paisley pattern shirts, Paul McCartney's suave velvet jacket, John Lennon's fur coats and monochrome skinny fit outfits and George Harrison's everything - from his Skittles coloured cashmere turtleneck jumpers, to his bumblegum pink striped suit worn with black plimpsols and a purple shirt - every band member is literally on point when it comes to dressing, even when they are turning up to the studio with no sleep and still buzzing from last night's escapades (John Lennon, I'm looking at you).

George Harrison and Glyn Johns

However, everyone expects the band to look good. What came as a surprise was how good everybody else looked. Glyn Johns, the Beatles sound engineer and co producer and perhaps the snazziest dressed of them all, has drawn particular admiration from a modern day audience, five decades later.

Glyn Johns wins best dressed male award

George Martin, the band's longtime producer, often dubbed the 'fifth Beatle' on account of his honing of the bands talent into liquid gold for the ears, pops into the studio here and there and presents the viewer with a fashion counterweight to all the pinks and paisleys and shaggy-haired hippy vibes going on. George Martin is all 60s James Bond elegance, James Stewart in Alfred Hitchock leading-man-mode cool. His style is pure old-school Saville Row: tailored suits, starchy shirts, dark skinny ties, and parted-and-pomade-slicked hair and a panda dial chronograph on his wrist. The man is debonnaire as hell - suave incarnate. It's a clean, timeless look that Jil Sander or Prada would be happy to endorse today.

Paul McCartney and George Martin

The Beatles are still stressed and under the gun with their deadline to finish their still-uncertain album/movie/concert project after George departs and is persuaded to rejoin. Then Billy Preston, the pianist/organist they'd met years before when he was performing for Little Richard, walks in like the sun breaking through a sky of dark clouds. Preston's entrance causes the Beatles to forget about their issues and enjoy each other's company and the process of making music once again (Preston's funky organ fills on "Get Back" are just one example of what he provides to the Beatles). Preston, who is himself no slouch when it comes to fashion, wears the coolest perfectly set mini-afro hairstyle, and the flyest black leather jacket from the 1960s. Later in the series he literally wears the sun on his chest in his stripy Tequilla Sunrise shirt.

Billy Preston brings light relief in his sunshine shirt

Mal Evans, the Beatles road manager sports a beautiful green suede fringe jacket - the sort you spend a lifetime looking for as you traipse around vintage shops on Saturday afternoons. The perfect colour, the fringing, the soft suede. What's not to like? This jacket may in fact deserve a show of its own.

Paul McCartney and Mal Evans in that green suede fringed jacket

And then there is Glyn Johns. Johns is a continuous presence in Jackson's film, whether fooling around with the band or behind the glass in the control room, as the mutton-chopped co-producer of the Let It Be sessions. And, while he may not be a household name, the man knows how to put an outfit together. His abominable snowman white lamb-fur coat is the opposite to Harrison's black version. Johns' black patent-leather crocodile skin-patterned leather jacket is straight-up badass and apparently pinched from Keith Richards himself; and this outfit makes you wonder who came first, Glyn or Fred from Scooby Doo?

Glyn Johns or Fred from Scooby Doo?

Due to his wealth of magnificent coats, co-producer Glyn Johns may have unwittingly stolen the fashion limelight in the film. Johns had a thing for fitted blazers, leather, and fur, however, when quizzed on his new found fame as a fashion icon, Glyn appears somewhat less than impressed. 'It's cringe-making' he tells the New York Times, 'I look like a bloody clown'.

Glyn Johns in Keith Richards gifted jacket

“Some people are saying, ‘Oh, the jacket you wore on X day was fantastic,’ or ‘Where did you get the goatskin coat?’ But in general, they’re laughing at how ridiculous I looked, which of course is true.”

“The coolest thing I think I wore in the film was the crocodile Levi jacket, which in fact had been given to me by Keith Richards,” he added. “We were in Paris, and Keith had this jacket made for him in France, and it had been delivered to the hotel. He took it out of the packaging, put it on and said, ‘Here you have it, I don’t want it.’ I have no idea what happened to it. Maybe I gave it away.”

Glyn Johns and George Martin in conversation

The restored film's increased saturation brings out the colourful, kaleidoscopic hues of the clothing, as if you're peering through a Kodachrome-tinted glass onto a forgotten world. While the restored film isn't nearly the pin-sharp HD we're used to, it's so clear that it makes the clothing pop even more. 

Nostalgia has a soothing aspect to it, which helps to explain why fashion moves in cycles. And, with a lot of modern menswear in a retro mood, we could all learn a thing or two from the Beatles and reclaim some '60s swing of our own.

Peter Jackson Beatles Docuseries 'Get Back' is a Fashion Feast for the Eyes

 Like millions of other Beatles fans across the universe, I have just spent three consecutive nights watching Peter Jackson's 8 hour, three part series of the 1969 'Let It Be' sessions -a  paean to what some consider the greatest band ever. It is undoubtedly a love letter to his favourite group. Peter Jackson stated that he would never have involved himself in such a massive undertaking (he reviewed over 60 hours of original director, Michael Lindsay-Hogg's original footage and whittled it down to 8 hours) for any other band. Indeed he stated that the Beatles are the only music he ever listens to. Get Back is an intimate portrait of a band in the twilight days of their career as a group. It is a fascinating historical document even if you don't like the Beatles (although it does 'Help!)

The Beatles during 'Let It Be' recording

'Get Back' is a fascinating watch for any Beatles fan, music fan or lover of the 1960s. I'll admit there were moments when my mind began to wonder, Paul's fortieth rendition of the first line from 'Get Back' as he tries to find a rhyme for 'last, really takes you into the songwriting process and the mind of a master craftsman as he creates a musical masterpiece. Some of the songs we are privy to - John's 'Child of Nature' became 'Jealous Guy' were years in the making - more than 10 in some cases. And the drudgery that can be the process of songwriting when you are both a genius and a perfectionist are clearly apparent - repeating the same line over and over until you get the perfect follow up rhyme sometimes make you want to shout what you now know to be the next line, through the screen.

But one thing that was always a treat was the feast for the eyes that were the Beatles outfits. When it came to the fashion stakes, every Beatle, even the generally more conservative Paul, brought their end-of-the-sixties, fashion A game to the studio. I have already written on how John Lennon is my personal favourite 'Best dressed Beatle'. His outfits were always perfectly conceived and put together, without looking too overstyled. However, in Get Back, it is George Harrison who kicks all his bandmates off the catwalk, with some incredible magenta hued 'fits and a shaggy black coat noughties Kate Moss would die for. Ringo trails behind George mastering 60s loud and funky, John gives off insouciant laid back cool, and Paul wears some cool shoes.

George Harrison looking fly on the roof of Apple Corps

When Brian Epstein first conceived their image back in 1962 - the band went from bad boy greased back hair and leathers, to the matching maharishi neck suits, shirts, ties, cuban heeled boots and of course, the famed mop top hairstyle that we think of when we think of early Beatles fashion. Even when they grew their hair and sported facial hair and beards in their later years, they still sported matching suits for promotional material (such as the famous satin military style suits in garish pinks and oranges worn on the Sgt Peppers album cover.

After Brian Epstein's untimely death however, in August 1967, the Fab Four dropped the matching suits and hair and opted for a look suited more to their individual personalities. As John suggests at one point in the documentary, Brian was the glue that held the four together - without him they seemed somewhat lost at sea, unable to overcome their egos, and unable to put aside their differences in order to unite for the common good. We watch as they descend into petty squabbles as their huge personalities clash, with members vying to be heard over the extraordinary talent in the room. George Harrison entering the studio one morning and quietly mentioning to Paul and John that he'd made up a little tune the night before whilst watching TV felt like a little brother shyly proferring his idea to his big brothers. Except the tune was George's incredible 'I Me My'. That each member was moving in his own direction and each members dissatisfaction in the group dynamic is very apparent as the documentary. The moving in different directions is mirrored in their choice of outfit and individual style, as well as the mental shift going on.

The Beatles as styled by Brian Epstein

In the 'Let It Be' sessions, the Beatles sport some incredible outfits. From a fashion standpoint it's fabulous to see late 60s men's fashions living and breathing on some of the most famous young men of the day in their everyday lives. The clothes and hairstyles all appear strikingly modern - partly a testament to Peter Jackson's incredible remastering of the footage making it look like it was filmed last week and partly to do with the fact that cool vintage fashion never really looks outdated if worn right. Get Back is like a 60s men's runway show with groovy outfit after groovy outfit. Harry Styles probably watched it twice - once for the music, and once to take notes on the great fashion.

The Beatles wives also deserve a mention. Maureen Starkey, Ringo Starr's wife, appears briefly looking like the fourth Ronette with her huge black bouffant, winged black eyeliner. mini skirt and gogo boots combo. A masterclass in 60s fashion chic. Yoko Ono is present throughout the documentary, barely leaving John's side, although she also hardly speaks (wholly contradicting the image Lindsay-Hogg's version of the sessions presents of her as the meddling harridan who broke up the the greatest band of all time.) In Jackson's version, Yoko is all but silent, (it's worth noting however, that she was one of the executive producers on Jackson's version, which may go some way to explaining this image of 'likeable Yoko' here), other than to to join in on vocals while playing around with the band while they are de-stressing between recordings. Yoko pretty much spends the 8 hours sitting around looking cool. Perhaps her best outfit is in Episode 2 where she wears an all black plastic/PVC outfit and wide brimmed black floppy hat. Very New York bohemian late 60s cool.

Yoko Ono playing around between sessions

As mentioned, in these sessions, of the Beatles themselves, it is George who makes the most interesting fashion choices. In the first scene of the first episode he walks in wearing his massive shaggy black Mongolian lamb fur coat over a denim shirt, marrying his love of all things Eastern and mystical with classic American denim. Then on day two he steps into the studio wearing a bubblegum pink turtleneck sweater (he has the same one in Mean Mr Mustard yellow). Perhaps my favourite George look is his Austin Powers baby pink striped flared suit which he tones down by wearing with black converse style tennis shoes and shaggy hair. It's a look. I was always under the impression that the 'battered tennis shoes and suit' combination was a 90s thing, worn by Britpopers and nearly every character at some point in Danny Boyle's 'Trainspotting'. But 'Get Back' has George Harrison sporting the look a whole thirty years earlier. John Lennon wears a similar look, this time with battered white plimpsolls, also in 'Get Back'.

George Harrison in his pink striped suit

At one point in the docuseries, George is sent a delivery of a purple velvet bow tie - very kitsch - he immediately unboxes it and promptly put it on around his neck - under his shirt  - wearing it around his neck like a choker, thus proving that style isn't just the clothes you wear, but how you choose to wear them.

Paul has always had the reputation - somewhat unfairly - of being the least interesting Beatle. The documentary shows he is clearly the most driven and business-minded of the band. Clothing-wise, he wears some interesting pieces - giving off some 'cool dad' vibles. A fluffy orange jumper springs to mind, and a starry black shirt. The midnight blue velvet jacket he wears on the famous concert on the roof scene is a classic. And there's a great pair of 60s brown leather lace ups with a studded detail that he wears throughout. 

Paul in his orange fluffy jumper

As for John Lennon - some have suggested that his 'Let It Be' days were not his strongest sartorially speaking. However, for me, every outfit he wears during the documentary, is a 'look'. His all white outfit  - drainpipe trousers and t-shirt with dirty plimpsols and a waistcoat looks really 'summer of 69' and his rooftop look of round glasses, shaggy fox fur coat (borrowed from Yoko) black poloneck, skinny black jeans and those dirty plimpsols again looks like something Margot Tenenbaum would wear. Along with a plethora of brightly coloured skinny fit long sleeve Henley t-shirts John Lennon's look is probably the most transferable to today. Swap the real fur for faux and I would love to have his wardrobe.

John Lennon on the rooftop of Apple Corps

Lastly, of the Beatles, is Ringo and his many shirts of many colours. From floral pink to paisley to acid green frill fronted to red satin and polka dot, Ringo's selection of shirts is a riot of psychedelic colours - an explosion in a kaleidescope factory. One of the highlights of the series is guessing what colour shirt Ringo will wear next.

Ringo giving Austin Powers a run for his money

When Peter Jackson decided to make his docuseries he clearly never intended to make a fashion film, but when he was granted access to the famed footage from January of 1969 he opened a portal into an incredible time capsule. The 1960s fashion featured in the series is a vintage lover's gold mine and yet also so modern at the same time. Have a watch and be inspired.