Billy Elliot the Forum

does anyone know what brand billy's bag is

Here it is, and it's on sale at the moment:

https://www.fredperry.com/shop/s16-sale ... 1-226.html

I believe it is a Fred Perry Classic Messenger Bag.

http://www.asos.com/Fred-Perry/Fred-Per ... 722068&r=2

Yes, just like the one I linked above.

ERinVA wrote:Yes, just like the one I linked above.

Pipped at the post...by a minute!

When I clicked on Ellen's link, it brought up the price in pounds (my settings are for the UK) but the US Fred Perry site lists it as on sale at $45. - a steal! Rubix cube, Star Trek Annual, baked beans and a packet of soup are all extra......

Doubtful that Billy's family would even consider a bag "0n Sale" at the equivalent of $45.

In 1984, I expect Billy's bag, which was originally from the 1960's, would have been found in a thrift shop, as would the variety of other bags used by the ballet girls for their gear.

That Fred Perry bag was de rigueur in the days of the Mods - young men in Britain on scooters (as opposed to rockers). It would be very likely that these bags would have been found in Oxfams or jumble sales up and down the country in 1984. Possibly Jackie was a Mod in his youth, and Billy found the bag in the loft.

I know of one current Billy who is in possession of a Billy bag passed down from someone who may well have been a Mod in his youth.

Hold on a minute - miners weren't poor when working. Tha average wage was £8500 per year, probably £20,000 UK pounds today. So Billy would have had access to some good things, with two wages, Grandmas old age pension, a tiny pension from the death of grandpa, and an insignificant child allowance, the family would be well healed before the strike. But the culture was to spend what you earned generally, so savings would be negligible.

They might have been able to afford it pre-strike, but the bag was already very out of date by the 80's and probably not available except second-hand. While "classic" designs do come back, which is why the bag is available now (helped along, no doubt, by the "endorsement" from the show), I doubt it was available at the time Billy had his. And even if it was, where would one find a Fred Perry shop in Easington?