Ricky Jackets

[Marc Chevalier]

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As many of us know, ricky jackets are a type of rayon jacket. But why the word "ricky"? Google yields no definite answers, only conjectures.


Supposedly, it refers to the Ricky Ricardo character from I Love Lucy -- yet it's also claimed that he wore a two-tone gab jacket only once in the entire show's run. So, what gives?


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[Marcus]

I'd take "Ricky" over a "BABBALOOOOOOO" Jacket!

 

[Edward]

The ...Lucy character was always my understanding of where it comes from - much as, ince the 60s, all jackets in the style of the Baracuta G9 have been referred to as 'Harrington' jackets.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It's more of an early Rock n' Roll jacket IMO. A Jerry Lee Lewis sort of thing.


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[Feraud]

It's more of an early Rock n' Roll jacket IMO. A Jerry Lee Lewis sort of thing.


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A jacket as worn by "The Killer" might give off the wrong impression.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Ricky Ricardo was, in many ways, a retro entertainer. Nearly all of the songs he performed were pre-1940. The only contemporary thing about him was his wardrobe.


Am curious to know who invented the term, "ricky jacket". If only he/she had copyrighted it...


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[scotrace]

Wikipedia:

Jimmy Buffett states that, "the thing about writing a song like this is that the older you get, the more people there are who need an explanation of the characters in the song. I shudder to think how old Sky king's niece Penny is today. It all started with that two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket. I can't wait for them to come back."

(referring the song Pencil Thin Mustache)

I think that's probably where the term comes from, Ricky Ricardo. But when the association got kicked off or how would be a nifty term paper.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Wow... perhaps Jimmy Buffett invented the term. No need for a copyright, then: he doesn't lack in money.


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[reetpleat]

It is interesting that, as a short hand, ricky ricardo comes to represetn a certain fifties imagery. But far from the youthful person that might actually wear one back then, Lewis, Elvis, the kid at the corner drug store, he was a very well dressed sophisticate, many years out of his teens.

While the jackets were not strictly teenage or youthful, they wre typically worn by middle class youth and maybe older working class guys. they would not be a typical part of a gentleman's wardrobe, which would consist of suits, ties, sweaters, and maybe a gaberdine longer lounge jacket or two if you lived in California. Granted, Ricky does look great in the one episode he wears one in, but you are right. That is it.

But Ricky does say fifties.

A similar irony is how Vegas has been embraced by the vintage rockabilly, car culture crowd. Whereas, back in the fifties, while Elvis and buddy Holly et al were playing auditoriums around the country, only square accountants went to Vegas to watch the equally square, yet older hip rat pack. A pompadoured Elvis fan would not have set foot in the Sands.

Even Elvis' appearance was in the mid sixties when he was old, fat and sweaty, and far from youth icon he had been. i am sure that his shows were not populated by the youth of the time, but their older sisters aunts, or even mothers.

 

[billyspew]

OK, I'm going to have to ask - what does a Ricky jacket look like? What classifies it as a ricky... never heard of it before.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Someone's got their decades mixed up......
Here's Elvis in 1968...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26176633/

In fact..I had a pic of him in a "Ricky"jacket..but can't seem to find it right now. I'll keep looking.
HD

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Ricky

 

[billyspew]

Thanks CB.
So a waist length zip-up with collar? Does it have to be of certain materials?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I saw one episode where Desi wore a belted Hollywood Jacket. (wasn't two toned though)

 

[Carlisle Blues]

It appears Gabardine.........[huh]

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It might as well be named after Ricky Nelson.


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[HoosierDaddy]

Many Ricky jackets were also two-toned. With body and chest/shoulder panels of different colors.
HD

 

[billyspew]

Like this one from BTTF?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

A rather tame example:

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Like this one from BTTF?

Yes!...and some had kind of a western yoke with the upper chest and shoulders of a different color than the lower body.
HD