Terry Ito Column Vol.6 Fun vintage clothes are fun!

My favorite thing to do is stop by a second-hand clothing store on my way home from work.People who like alcohol would go to their favorite bar for a drink on the way home, but I don't drink alcohol, so I hang out at second-hand clothing stores every night. My routine is to head from Ebisu, where my office is, to Janteque in Nakameguro. There are a ton of clothing stores in this area, but this place is in a league of its own! They have a lot of products that you'll never find in other stores. The owner, Uchida, is so obsessed with clothing that he's almost a pervert. He flies from Los Angeles to New York every two months to buy clothes.

Anyway, the product is fun.For example, there are cowboy costumes from the Old West used on Broadway, ladies' costumes, clown and prison uniforms, pastor costumes, and even miner's helmets.
Normal second-hand clothing stores display items that can be worn stylishly, but this store does not. Of course, they sell clothes that are popular with the general public, but what I'm looking for are unique pieces, items that are too eccentric to wear on the town and have not sold. That's when it's my turn! Knowing what I'm looking for, Otsuka-san, the shop manager, said, "Terry! I've reserved this for you!" and brought out a jacket that looks like something a prince from a fairy tale would wear. It's true that no one would buy this. But I liked it instantly. I can almost hear someone say, "What are you wearing at over 70 years old!" but I don't mind. It's incredibly interesting!
That's right, as I get older, I'm starting to like "weird, interesting, and fun clothes" more and more. I have no interest in cool clothes, clothes that are popular with women, or brand-name clothes!

Rather, I would like to walk around the city sometimes as a homeless person spending the winter in New York, sometimes as a mysterious Arab billionaire, or sometimes as a suspicious old man from Kansai.
The other day, I bought a second-hand tweed jacket that was two sizes too big, and immediately threw it in the washing machine and dryer three times. I went out wearing this worn-out jacket! It was really nice. It reminded me of Detective Columbo's tattered coat, and it had a melancholic feel to it.
I got carried away and threw my tailcoat, a wedding staple, into the washing machine. It also came out great. I was surprised myself. The crumpled penguin tail at the back is cool. The tattered tailcoat is reminiscent of London punk fashion! Adding a Union Jack patch to the collar makes it perfect!

My momentum is unstoppable.In the future, I'd like to try on national costumes from various countries. First, I'd like to try on costumes from the mountain regions of Germany. National costumes from the UK, France and Italy would also be fun. I definitely want to pull off the pirate fashion seen in Pirates of the Caribbean. I don't think I'll be stopping visiting second-hand clothing stores anytime soon!

Terry Ito (director)

Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1949. After attending Waseda Jitsugyo Junior and Senior High School, he graduated from Nihon University's School of Economics.
In March 2023, he completed the Master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
He joined the television production company IVS Television, where he worked on variety shows such as "Tensai Takeshi's Genki ga Deru TV" and "Neruton Benikujidan."
He then went independent and worked on planning and directing a number of television programs, including TV Tokyo's "Asakusabashi Young Clothing Store."
His book "Comedy North Korea" became a bestseller, and he subsequently made numerous media appearances under the name Terry Ito.
In addition to his work as a director, he is also active in a variety of fields as a producer, entertainer, and commentator.
YouTube channelTerry Ito's Comedy Backdrop'
Currently writing a column in LALALA USA
https://lalalausa.com/archives/category/column/terry