Peeling Off the Trench Coats
The crime and espionage adventurers of the post-war era were often found in cramped little, private offices. Tucked way in the back, up flights of stairs, they sat at desks in dark rooms and watched the ice melt under bourbon for clues like one might study tea leaves. These were noirish, manly men with trench coats, 45s or snub-nosed 38s, who seemed determined to charge ahead in thankless jobs, behind in their rent, never to rise above the seedy streets to join the world of their wealthy clients. This was the adventurer of the 40s-50s, reflecting, I believe, the underlying suburban gloom that was dying for the freedom represented by Hugh Hefner, the pill, and the coming youth movement of the 1960s. The youth of the late 50s and early 60s ushered in new attitudes about lifestyle. They rejected the drudgery of the gray flannel suit world and embraced a sense of playfulness and joy that manifested throughout the Arts. Off came the trench coats. International, larger-than-life spies replaced the private eyes, and drew on the traditions of men's adventure, cliffhanger serials, wealthy detective/playboys, and science fiction. Adventurers looked for new apartments with high ceilings and rotating beds, and found something new in their fight against crime- Style! More of Spy Vibe's article about Avengers fashion, Peeling Off the Trench Coats, here.
