Left Ephemera
‘The revolution is just a T-shirt away' - Bragg
As someone whose sartorial style may be charitably described as "protest chic" I have acquired over the years a number of items of Left Wing political attire. Some I wear on an almost constant basis while others have fallen out of favour due to changes in my political sensibilities. Here I will chronicle the items in question and what they say about the political zeitgeist.
"Aux Armes Etc." Shirt
We Need To Talk About Bevan must make an admission. We have recently received a donation in kind of clothing from the fine folks at Slogun and in the interests of transparency we must declare it to our loyal readers.
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Feeling expansive (& with the French election fresh in my mind) I selected the Aux Armes Etc Heavyweight Unisex Crewneck T-shirt bearing the legend "AUX ARMES ETC." over the image of Eugene Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People. As Slogun’s site attests the quote stems is a “tribute to [Serge Gainsbourg] controversial Aux Armes Et Cetera version of the French national anthem, La Marseilleise.” fusing two revolutionary traditions which while occupying differing milieu remain distinctly French.
Its 100% Cotton construction feels comfortable and I can confirm that it washes well and the image remains in excellent condition which is a much undervalued trait in political ware.​
"Spartacus" Shirt
With the recent passing of Kirk Douglas it seems right & proper that the next piece of Left Ephemera be a shirt consisting of his image.
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The man Karl Marx described as the "finest fellow antiquity had to offer" [Spartacus rather than Kirk Douglas] the Thracian Gladiator has long been held in esteem by those on the Left. The 1960 film memorable excoriated in one review as being written, directed, and starring a Red remains a zenith of cinematic depictions of the low rising as one to fight the high.
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The photo depicts my good self at a pro-Corbyn rally in Cardiff in 2016. As Kirk Douglas stated in his guise of Sparatcus: "And maybe there's no peace in this world, for us or for anyone else, I don't know. But I do know that, as long as we live, we must remain true to ourselves"
"Lower than Vermin" Shirt
Our Nye had a way with words. This garment abridges and fashions one of Bevan's most famous assertions into suitable rodent form:
"no amount of cajolery […] can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party […]. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin.
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It is interesting to note the sentiment still resonates. There is a vogue for those in Labour regardless of political mien to adopt Nye as their own even when at odds with his particular Socialism. Theirs is a sanitised Nye who heals the sick and is a kindly almost avuncular figure. The Nye I admire was red in tooth & claw and his intemperate invective is as much a part of him as his construction of the NHS.
