Last week I went to see Tom Ford's first film, A Single Man. I wasn't really sure what to expect but was impressed. Aside from being a good film it is also incredibly stylish. I suppose it would have been a odd if the film wasn't so good looking, but some parts of it are so beautifully shot that they reminded me of luxury fashion ads. It's a shame there aren't more female parts in the film, because I can imagine there would have been some wonderful 1960s looks. In researching the film I found this great article about the costumes. Apparently the outfit worn by Nicholas Hoult's character, Kenny, was inspired by an image from a street style book by Swiss photographer Karl Heinz Weinberger. (As an aside- I really want some grey desert boots like in the above.) I took a further look at his work and it's pretty interesting. He started off taking photos for Gay photography club Der Kreis, then in the late 1950s be turned to the youth culture he saw around him and began documenting their style. Which shows, if proof were needed, that street style photography is no new phenomenon. I couldn't find a lot of images of his work, but here are a few. I particularly like the giant beehive and check dress.
I know, I know, I'm a bit obsessed with checks.
Karl Heinz Weinberger images from here