Rockabilly Music Rejuvenates Retro Fashions

The resurgence of interest in rockabilly music has brought with it a change in fashion sense by those attending the events. Go to any rockabilly concert or festival this summer, and the variety of styles worn by both men and women is significant.

The resurgence of interest in rockabilly music has brought with it a change in fashion sense by those attending the events. Go to any rockabilly concert or festival this summer, and the variety of styles worn by both men and women is significant.

Route 66 Rockabilly (http://www.Route66Rockabilly.com) chronicles the recent dramatic rise of rockabilly music with its Internet site devoted to the more than 2,000 bands and vendors worldwide, local music events and regional festivals, the unique clothing styles worn by fans, hot rods, Route 66 nostalgia and retro collectibles.

Making a surprise comeback after 60 years are the womens dresses last seen on the Andrews Sisters entertaining the troops after WWII. The bright, colorful prints could be considered antiques, except for the fact that theyre brand new. Companies specializing in clothing that harkens to the 1940s and 1950s are doing brisk business.

Mens clothing tends to copy the blue-collar worker styles of the 50s, and shirts with logos from old gasoline companies or bowling shirts are big sellers. Traditional blue jeans are still in vogue, but with a 50s twist -- the legs are rolled into 2-inch cuffs and are augmented with a wallet chain that could tow a 52 Cadillac.

Sweeping generalizations about clothing styles for this new rockabilly generation, however, are out of date as soon as they are spoken. Because no one wants to see the exact style theyre wearing on others at a concert, there has been an upsurge in Internet-only clothing stores, particularly small, one-person shops making and selling unique, one-of-a-kind items. The Internet also hosts hundreds of small shops specializing in re-selling antique clothing.

The recent big rockabilly music festivals, each with 10,000-plus attendances, such as Hootenanny in Irvine, CA, Heavy Rebel Weekender in Winston-Salem, NC, Oneida Rockin 50s Fest in Green Bay, WI and Rockabilly Rebel Weekend in Indianapolis, IN, were multi-day events that put the clothing styles to the test. Wearing something all day will certainly determine whether or not its comfortable, particularly after eight hours of boogieing.