Flagg Bros Couture: Vintage Platform Shoes and Super Fly Suits Adverts From the 1970s

“Flagg shoes, for the outspoken few.”

Individualism and self-expression was important for people during the 1970s, no matter how much or how little money a person made. The largest difference between the types of individualism and self-expression in this era was most likely due to both class and taste.

The year was 1976, and style was in full effect for the Black man, as it had been for quite some time. In California, Flagg Bros provided the footwear by which style was defined. There were others such as Jarman’s, Florsheim’s, and Hardys, but Flagg Bros was widely acknowledged amongst the local cool cats, pretty boys and wanna-be Players as thee spot for shoes. “Kicks,” as we called them in L.A., were a necessary statement to set off the look of new vines (stylish clothing) and old glad-rags.

Flagg Bros was located in Huntington Park, at the corner of Gage and Pacific Blvd. Flagg Bros was known for introducing the hippest styles, in the baddest colors at a price you could afford. The selection was second to none. They sold stylish contemporary leather shoes with standard heels, in Green, Tan, Orange, Burnt Orange, Rust Orange, Burgundy, Beige, White, Blue, Sky Blue, Red, Maroon, Brown, Yellow, even Pink, and of course, classic Black. Flagg Bros had it all.

Flagg Bros was the home of style, footwear and hosiery. A pair of Flagg Bros shoes allowed everyday cats to compete with, and possess the look of, a Ganza Boy. That was the name for the real Pimps, true Players and serious Hustlers who had the money to be suited and booted by Eleganza, the undisputed mail-order King and Mack haberdashery Mecca.

(via Museum Of UnCut Fun)