Boomer Begs: Bring Back Bleeding Madras
I wish bleeding Madras shirts would come back.
Talk about nostalgia. They were THE thing to wear when I was in high school and I wore them a lot.
This is Madras
This is what Land’s End, Old Navy, J. Crew, et al is foisting off on the public as Madras.
However, at least J. Crew has done some research.
And in the cloth’s heyday, over 150,000 new plaid patterns were fashioned, using homemade vegetable dyes that bled, ran and blended to create a stunning effect. (“Cool” was the word we used, way back then.) Today, of course, Madras no longer bleeds, because it is dyed with man-made, color-fast dyes.
WTF? “Cool was the word we used way back then?” “Cool” is still the word I hear more consistently from all ages to describe something cool. Punks.
I don’t think I owned any Madras pants, oh wait, absolutely I had Madras shorts! Even with skinny legs, I thought I looked good. Everybody looked bitchin’ in Madras.
Except the guys my age, they looked like a candy ass.
((((sigh))))
There once was a maid from Madras
Who had a magnificent ass.
Not rounded and pink,
as you’d possibly think;
It was gray, had long ears, and ate grass.
Yeah, Madras was awesome, although these days I absolutely refuse to take on responsibility for the care of such garments, speaking from a laundry perspective. It’s jeans and t-shirt all the way for this family, except of course for the lawyerly suits Ben is required to wear to work.
Good limerick. Sam came home from school today reporting he had learned some limericks, although unfortunately they came from his teacher and were therefore no fun at all.
Gretchen’s last blog post..Ack! Penis!
@Gretchen: you iron his shirts? Kewl that Sam learned about Limericks today – good teacher to tie it in with St. Pats.
I have faith that before long Sam will make you proud!
Here’s a nice Irish pinch back. LOL. Happy Saint Pat’s day!
@Rachel: thanks!
GoingLikeSixty’s last blog post..Boomer Begs: Bring Back Bleeding Madras
Oh My Gosh…Madras. I hadn’t thought about those shirts in years….and yes, they were pretty cool. Everyone and their uncle had madras shirts when I was in school. Crew cuts and madras shirts…too studly.
Joy’s last blog post..Notes from Joy
@Joy: yeah I had the crew cut too – used “Butch Wax” (real name) to train my hair… can you imagine that product today?
Since I am only a Junior Geezer, I am not old enough to remember the original heyday of Madras, but I suspect your wish for a comeback is right around the corner. Unfortunately, it seems to be only for women’s fashions.
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@Brain: you know something you want to clue the rest of us in on? Have a linky?
Iron his shirts, my fanny. Early in our dating I offered to iron his dress shirts and he said “I pay lackeys to do that.” (Except he didn’t say lackeys.)
Sam already makes me proud every day, although he is so like his father it’s frightening.
Gretchen’s last blog post..Ack! Penis!
@Gretchen: dress shirts hee. I know Sam makes you proud, I should have said prouder!
Oh boy, have found my beautiful [size xxl] getting tight around the middle, probably shrunk in washing, right??, sure. So a search on www finds xxxl at Old Navy. and reasonable. Maybe not the patterns of past tho, but will aleviate the tightness problem..love ’em!!
@Tom: Cool man. Old Navy doesn’t have the patterns, you’re right, but nobody does. Close enough! Now add some striped pants (see more recent post) and you will be haute!
OMIGOSH! I would love to have some bleeding Madras clothing again! Wore it so much in high school that my friend called me the Madras Gypsy! Where can I get the real stuff †oday?
First of all that is real madras sold by those companies. You are an idiot if you don’t realize that. “Bleeding madras” isn’t the only madras out there. Madras doesn’t even need to hold a plaid pattern to be called “madras.” Madras is simply light-weight cotton fabric originating in Indian. If you want plaid madras that will still bleed do two things: 1. fly to Chennai and buy some or 2. get a Ben Silver catalouge. They occasionally sell some non colorfast “bleeding” madras for old times sake.
@Phillip: nyh-ah, you’re the idiot. I don’t know how you landed here, but here’s a tip: don’t call me names until you have read my blog for a while. ‘
It is a privilege, not a right, that can only be earned through loyalty.
GoingLikeSixty…also wrote this…AP: Im In Ur Utube Bedding Vidoz
Oh ya…. you were still wrong. Forgot to address that in your reply. Just wanted to let you know. Idiot.
Oh ya? Well you’re ugly.
GoingLikeSixty…also wrote this…Decisions, Descisions. Pick a Place in Miami!
I couldn’t agree more in wishing that India wolud start using the veggie dyes again and I think that with all the baby boomers still out there that wore them in the 60’s, it would be a viable market for someone! I have purchased a couple from O’connell’s but they don’t seem to bleed like I remembered them too?
“You know what a Soc is? White trash with Mustangs and Madras” Soces wore Madras, and Greasers wore t-shirts
Thanks… Still one more outstanding admittance, it’s truly the reason we came back to the actual web log time and again!
The guys at Atlantis Madras told me that they will soon offer bleeding madras fabric by the yard, on their store: http://store.fabrics-textiles.com, so that’s one to look out for.Maybe, we can make our own shirts, with madras fabric from them.