The most famous club in the world, Liverpool's Cavern Club opened it's doors for the first time 60 years ago today.

The original club (now sadly demolished) opened in a basement of a fruit sellers warehouse on Mathew Street, a backstreet in Liverpool on the 16th January 1957. The club was originally a jazz club, inspired by the cellar nightclubs of Paris.

Later that same year, a local Skiffle and Rock and Roll band, The Quarrymen, were booked to play the club. On the 7th August, 1957 The Quarrymen - John Lennon's original band - played the Cavern for the first time. The band argued about their set list prior to the performance. Skiffle was tolerated at the jazz club, but Rock and Roll was a no-no. After the first song, Lennon called to his bandmates to start the Elvis Presley song, Don't Be Cruel. Banjo player, Rod Davis warned Lennon not to play it, but he started the song, forcing the others to join in. Halfway through the song a note was passed to the stage; 'Cut out the bloody rock and roll!'

Paul McCartney's Cavern Club debut was on the 24th January 1958, and George Harrison a bit later - on the 9th February 1961. Ringo Starr first played the Cavern as drummer for Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. When the club was sold in 1959 to Ray McFall, it was reopened as a beat and rock and roll club. The first beat night was 25th May, 1960, with Rory Storm and The Hurricanes on the bill.

The Beatles played the Cavern Club a total of 292 time - so the legend goes, and the club's name has become synonymous with Beatles and the start of Beatlemania. It was also at the Cavern Club that Brian Epstein first saw the band and decided he would become their manager.

Following the break up of the Beatles, nostalgia for the club waned and it was sadly closed in 1973 and the original club was filled in to make way for a new Mersey Rail line (which never happened).

But the story wasn't over for the Cavern. Liverpool FC player Tommy Smith took over the club in 1984 and it was rebuilt, using many of the original bricks. The club survived in its new guise until 1989 when financial reasons forced it to close again. It was taken over by present owners Bill Heckle and Dave Jones in 1991 and reopened.

In 1999 Paul McCartney returned to the Cavern to play his last gig of the 20th century in the place where it all began (well, nearly, just to the right of it a bit).

Today, to mark the anniversary a new statue of Cilla Black - who worked as a cloakroom girl at the club in the sixties before going on to be the only female singer managed by Beatles manager, Brian Epstein - was unveiled on Mathew Street, situated where the original Cavern Club entrance was. Artist, Tony Booth, who created many posters for the original Cavern Club and for Brian Epstein's artists, created the pictured poster to celebrate 60 years of the Cavern. Sadly, Tony Booth passed away last week, just days before the anniversary. His son Lee remarked how he began and ended his career with posters for the Cavern Club.

16th January 1957 - 16th January 2017. Here's to the next 60 years of The Most Famous Club In The World.

The fabulous new collection from Irregular Choice has arrived! You've waited weeks to see this magical Alice in Wonderland collection and they are now available to buy here - Shop Now >>

You will not be disappointed; fall into the rabbit hole where you will find Alice, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and more! You will fall instantly in love with these perfectly poised heels and charming flats, with their amazing designs and pretty colours.

Check under the 'Read More' to see all the Alice in Wonderland collection or shop now!

Traffic People's Autumn and Winter collection for 2016 will be arriving soon, with a few surprises in store!

Traffic People take classic vintage fashions and turn them on their head; updating and adding contemporary twists to create a women's clothing collection which is truly individual and unique - and this season's collection is one of the best yet!

Flattering A-line skirts and dresses are mixed with Sixties and Seventies boho style this season, utilising stunning vintage inspired fabrics, including faux fur, velvet, chiffon and more.

Check under the 'Read More' for a sneak preview of some of the styles arriving at Atom Retro this season.

Shop Traffic People

Lulu Dress

Mademoiselle Yéyé's collection for Autumn and Winter 2016 has just arrived at Atom Retro (with a little more to come later) and it doesn't disappoint!

As fans of Mademoiselle Yéyé have come to expect, this seasons collection comprises unique, high quality dresses, tops, knits and more, all with 60s Mod style and vintage va-va-voom!

The Lulu Dress (pictured left) is a new style to the collection this season. This supremely sixties inspired mod mini dress comes in red with fixed black bow detail to centre front. In a super stretchy, comfy to wear fabric, this is a must-have dress.

Check below for more of what's in store from Mademoiselle Yeye, or shop now!

A sneak preview of what's in store from Nomads Clothing for Autumn and Winter 2016.

Nomads design and make fair trade clothing, with a vintage Boho look and sixties style Eastern inspiration. Using traditional techniques, organic cotton and hand-made block printing and embroidery, Nomads believes strongly in fair trade and following ethical fashion guidelines.

The Autumn and Winter 2016 features all your favourite Nomads styles in new, exclusive fabrics and prints, including women's winter coats in velvet and woven cottons, 60s style tunic tops and dresses and 70s style cord pinafore dresses, plus new designs in shorter vintage look box jackets and long sleeve retro print tops.

Check below the cut for a preview of the collection or shop for Nomads Clothing here.

A sneak look at Gabicci Vintage's Autumn and Winter collection, arriving soon at Atom Retro. 

A quick preview of whats in store from Darling for Autumn and Winter 2016.

Subdued and dark colour pallets mixed with intricate and meticulously designed fabrics is the order of the day from Darling. Beautiful embroidered fabrics in dresses and coats, embellished tops and woven trousers, skirts, dresses and more in Retro and Vintage inspired designs. This is a grown up collection from Darling which still retains its vintage influence and supremely feminine edge. Beautiful clothing for all you darlings!

Check under the 'read more' for a few more snaps.

Perfect for them summer festivals, this outfit is sure to keep you cool whilst you're rocking out to your favourite bands. The barrel bag is sure to come in handy for your essentials and a pair of Ray-Ban's are a must for a sunny day!




It's all about statement prints this summer and whats better than this fab Pretty Green paisley camo jacket? Teamed with a pair of skinny jeans and deserts boots, it finishes it off with a hint of military inspiration.



A gorgeous outfit featuring the striking daisy denim dress. Teamed with a light weight crochet cardigan, it's sure to come in handy for them cooler festival nights!

The new Ambassador Record player from GPO Retro is now available from Atom Retro! This is the first record player from GPO Retro to feature bluetooth connectivity and also be fully portable, with a rechargeable battery with up to two and half hours playback. This vintage briefcase style record player comes in two colours - Green and Black or Cream and Brown leatherette with vintage look brass corner protectors - and plays 33, 45 and 78 RPM records.

With bluetooth connectivity, the Ambassador record player will connect to any bluetooth speaker and is compatible with the GPO Retro Westwood speakers. A USB stick is also included with the record player.

A beautiful record player which looks great as a centrepiece in any room or pack it up and take your vinyl collection with you everywhere!

Shop the GPO Retro Ambassador Record Player

• New GPO Retro Bermuda Record Player now in stock
• Ray-Ban Icons Sunglasses: The Wayfarer
• Nic Armstrong: With A Natural Flair

'65 - '66
Here Comes the Colour 

The Beatles, 1966

The Ray-Ban Clubmaster is one of the most enduring pieces of the Ray-Ban Icons range. A style which is steeped in fashion history, it might be surprising to learn that the modern Clubmaster was actually developed by Ray-Ban in 1986. Drawing on over 50 years off fashion heritage and history, this iconic browline style is a timeless classic which returns time and time again.

The Browline style was first manufactured in America in 1947 by a company called Shuron Ltd, under the brand, Ronsir. The early Ronsir Browline glasses featured interchangeable eyewires, bridges and brow pieces, giving the wearer the ability to completely customise and change the look and colour of the glasses as they desired.

Malcolm X in 1965 wearing browline glasses. Image Michael Ochs.

The Browline features a thick upper part to the frame, giving the impression of eyebrows and lending the style it's name, and usually a thin, metal or plastic lower eye frame. The Browline was quickly picked up on and emulated by other eyewear manufacturers, who developed the design further into mens, womens and unisex designs and incorporating features such as unique plaques and materials, including plastic brows made to look like woodgrain which were popular for a time in the fifties.

James Dean in browline glasses

The browline became one of the most popular styles in the fifties and sixties, where the style accounted for half of all glasses sold in America in the 1950s. The style got it's footnote in history when it was worn by figures such as black liberationist, Malcolm X who was frequently photographed wearing browline glasses and also president Lyndon B. Johnson, who was famously pictured wearing browline glasses when he signed his national statement regarding the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

More famous browline glasses wearers include American actor, James Dean and London gangster, Ronnie Kray, showing how wide the appeal of the style was to people in all walks of life and culture.

In the 1970s there was a decline in popularity for the browline during a backlash against culture and fashion of the 1950s and 60s, which had begun with the late sixties hippie counter culture. The style was viewed standing for some of the more undesirable conformist aspects of the past and were thought too conservative. Despite this, Shuron, the original manufacturer of the browline, passed 16 million pair sold in 1971 and the style did remain popular among older people. In 1978 the browline style had a resurgence, when an anti-disco backlash effected the popularity of the Aviator and Teashade sunglasses (round, John Lennon style sunglasses) which had been at the forefront of eyewear fashion since the decline of the browline's popularity.

A Ska and Mod favourite, the Saddle Shoe is the must-have women's footwear style for Summer 2016! These three above styles are new in from GH Bass, the heritage American brand famous for the Bass Weejun loafer.

The Saddle Shoe is a classic American casual style, taking its name from the saddle-like shape of the piece of leather sewn across the waist of the shoe, usually in a contrasting 2-tone colour. Typically, a low heeled oxford shoe, this retro style has been worn by both men and women since it's inception in the early 20th century.

High School Cheerleaders wearing Saddle Shoes in 1948

The style was originally designed by sportswear manufacturer, Albert Spaulding in 1906, basing the style on a gym shoe and creating it in white leather. Spaulding added the saddle to the saddle shoe to reinforce it and add support and stability to the shoe. Spaulding envisioned the shoe as indoor athletes footwear, but it proved unpopular with serious athletes.

Nonetheless, the shoe was a hit with younger people who wore it as casual footwear and it became the shoe of choice for dancing the Jitterbug in the 1940s, but it was in the 1950s that the saddle shoe really took off.

Saddle shoes worn by men & women, c. 1950s

It's soar in popularity might have had something to do with it being worn by the king of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, who wore the style in the movie, Jailhouse Rock as well as other places. Suddenly the saddle shoe was the must-have style for both men and women. The women's saddle shoe became inextricably linked with poodle skirts, the very flared, circle skirts of the 1950s worn with crinoline petticoats underneath. Paired with a poodle skirt and a cute pair of bobby socks, this is still an enduring image of 1950s American preppy and ivy league fashion.

It was also in the late fifties that the saddle shoe caught the eye of fans and musicians on the
burgeoning Ska music scene. Typically in white and black, the saddle shoe's 2-tone colouring appealed and fit in with the Ska and Mod look.

For summer 2016, American footwear brand, GH Bass have brought out three tantalising new colours in women's saddle shoes. In Navy/White leather, Tan/Cream leather and an eye-catching red/earth suede, these comfy casual shoes are an essential for this season. Grab your favourite pair, pair with bobby socks and a gorgeous flared circle skirt and you're ready to go!

Shop Bass Saddle Shoes here.

The new Bermuda Record player from GPO Retro is now available from Atom Retro! This vintage sixties style record player is new for 2016 and comes in red or blue. Optionally free standing or remove the legs to place on a table top, or take away with you utilising the carry handle. With a full sized LP record turn table, the Bermuda will play 78, 45 or 33rpm records, and also features MP3 and USB, allowing you to record from vinyl straight to USB. Built in, dynamic, full range speakers will ensure this is the record player of choice for all you vinyl junkies.

Shop the GPO Retro Bermuda Record Player

Part two of our eight part series exploring The Beatle’s style from 1961 to 1970, by our guest blogger, Harrison. In this instalment we see the Beatles out of leather and into their first suits. You can also create your very own Beatles inspired look with this guide.
'62 - '63
Suited and Booted



In January of 1962, The Beatles signed a contract with Brian Epstein to manage them. Epstein was only a few years older than the lads and had no prior experience managing a band, although he had successfully run NEMS, his family’s record shop on Whitechapel, Liverpool. What he lacked in experience he made up for in his determination to ensure the groups music career flourished.

One of the first moves Epstein made was to encouraged the Beatles to clean up their image. He coaxed them into wearing jeans and jumpers with their leather jackets instead of their full leather suits. This was a compromise the lads were willing to make, however, when Epstein then suggested that they wear tailored suits on stage, he was met with resistance, especially from John Lennon and Pete Best. Both young men preferred to wear their leathers, thinking it was a more 'rock and roll' image, but they also acknowledged that if they wanted to advance their careers, they needed to change their appearance.

The Beatles moved into the next phase of their careers, transitioning from rough-around-the-edges rock 'n' rollers to polished pop stars. They performed in the leather suits for the final time at the Cavern Club in the Spring of 1962.

In 2012, George Harrison’s leather jacket went up for sale at Bonham’s. Harrison bought the jacket in 1960 for £10 ($14) and it fetched £110,450 ($177,400) at auction. His Chelsea 'Beatle' boots, which were also part of the memorabilia sale went for £61,250 ($98,000). A pair of leather trousers that allegedly belonged to Paul McCartney also surfaced in 2013.

Mike Hoggard often performed at the same venues as The Beatles in the early 60s and he claims to be in possession of McCartney’s leather trousers. He states that Brian Epstein gifted the clothing item to him after a gig at the Cavern Club. Hoggard’s claim hasn’t been substantiated and the trousers with the name ‘Paul’ written inside remain in his possession.

To further smartened up the band’s look, Epstein took the lads to a local tailor, Beno Dorn where they were fitted for their first mohair stage suits. The blazers were three-button, single breasted with slim lapels, broad shouldered and narrow at the waist. The matching suit trousers were similar to the drainpipe trousers the Beatles wore and at their insistence, were cut to fit snugly through the legs and were tapered quite narrow at the ankle. The lads returned the trousers twice to the tailors to have them narrowed further! Essentially, this was a slim lapelled, 3 button Mod Suit with a slight 1950s hangover in the short, more boxy fit of the jacket.

However, even away from the band, not everyone was pleased with the Beatles new look. For some of the fans it signalled the bands start to move away from Liverpool, and Cavern Club DJ, Bob Wooler remarked that the mohair suits were impractical. "They went on stage and really sweated and all their suits began to rot, they began to come apart at the seams... But that was the start of the new image. They learned how to adjust."

The dress shirts worn with the suits had rounded penny collars and were pin spread (bar collars) finished with inch wide skinny ties. The Portofino french cuffs of the dress shirt peeked out from their blazer sleeves and were accented with cuff-links.
Millings became “the Beatles tailor” and the lads affectionately referred to him as “Dad”. He appeared alongside the group in the film, A Hard Day’s Night as a frustrated tailor trying to measure the Beatles. Douglas, along with his son Gordon were responsible for making hundreds of garments for the group over the years until the later half of the 60s.