Without question, this is my most adored artefact of vintage intent: a knitted track top (or is it a zipped cardigan?) which hails from Mark & Spencer under their unmistakeable St Michael brand. It is, and I say this without hyperbole, a monumental slice of early 1980s fashion. Not simply red in the way that a fire engine, post box, or lips on Valentine's Day are, this is all of those rolled into one and multiplied by the power of ten. It also featured that iconic St Michael logo - ubiquitous in the 1980s - which instantly creates a warming rush of nostalgia and reliability.
The good thing with St Michael garments is that they're relatively straightforward to date. This online guide, whilst not watertight, gives a good understanding of how to identify St Michael clothing from indicators such as logo, measurements used and the various codes attached to the labels. A small label, behind the main size label bears the code 03.1, so I assume this is from March 1981. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it was January 1983 either - both dates would satisfy the use purely of 38" as the chest measurement, rather than also including Small, Medium, Large etc.
Talking of the fit, it fits me like an absolute glove. However, I'm not sure it would be possible to zip it fully up as it's cut very slim. Nonetheless, paired with a plain grey t-shirt, a pair of Levi's and my Adidas trainers, I become something close to an early 1980s vision - part pop video extra, part hooligan, part time-travelling media studies teacher. Occasionally, I'll even wear it into my local Marks & Spencer to truly mess with the timeline, but alas, it hasn't caused any rifts in the space-time continuum. Yet. For now, I'll just have to make do with the admiring looks from passing shoppers.
It was an absolute steal at £10 from Ebay back in 2022 and, every spring, I've dusted it down and proudly worn it out in public. And this is a rarity for me, as most vintage clothing - for males, at least - is usually head-turning for all the wrong reasons. In future editions of Ephemeral 80s, I'll reveal some of these monstrosities, but for now let us bask in the glory of the past.
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