Fashion designer Betsey Johnson, 80, reveals the shocking reason she married WITHOUT PANTS when she married Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale in 1968

Fashion designer Betsey Johnson has revealed that she married Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale in her underwear, after a city council judge told her “women couldn’t marry” in trousers in 1968.

The style icon, 80, explained in a recent Tik Tok video that she was forced to make a sudden wardrobe change while she and the musician were getting married because there were strict rules about what women could and could not wear at the time.

She explained that ladies were expected to wear skirts or dresses, so when she went to court in a ‘tunic and flared trousers’, she was turned away.

But instead of going home to change, Betsey, who is well known for breaking the mold when it comes to her looks, shed her pants right there in front of the judge, leaving her in just her ‘crotch-length’ shirt and her underwear.

The 80-year-old style icon explained on TikTok that she was forced to make a sudden wardrobe change while getting married because there were strict rules about what women could wear at the time.

She explained that ladies were expected to wear skirts or dresses, so when she went to court in a ‘tunic and flared trousers’, she was turned away.

“John Cale of the Velvet Underground and I got married in 1968. I was wearing a beautiful crinkled burgundy velvet tunic and flared pants, and John was wearing a black canvas suit I made for him,” she recalled on the TikTok, which has now been viewed more than 569,000 times.

Instead of going home to change, Betsey (seen in 2019) took off her pants right there in front of the judge, leaving her in just her ‘crotch-length’ shirt and her underwear.

‘We went to the Town Hall to get married. Suddenly, they’re saying, “We can’t marry you in pants.” Can you believe it?

‘The rule was, [women] I couldn’t do anything in pants. You couldn’t go to a restaurant in pants and you [certainly] he could not marry in pants.

“Then what was really funny was that he was wearing a little robe down to his crotch. Right in front of the judge, I said, “I’m not going home to change. I’m just taking my pants off.” So I got married in this tiny, tiny velvet robe.

Betsey and John were married for three years before separating in 1971. They are said to have met through a mutual friend, Edie Sedgwick.

“Betsey was a strong individual character,” John later wrote in his memoir, What’s Welsh for Zen?

‘I really admired her… It seemed to me that Betsey knew everyone I knew. It was a match made in heaven.

As for why they broke up, the songwriter and producer, now 81, explained that their conflicting schedules were to blame.

She said: ‘He was wearing a little tunic down to the crotch. Right in front of the judge, I said, “I’m not going home to change. I’m just taking my pants off.” So I married the tiny tunic’

Betsey and John were married for three years before separating in 1971 due to their contrasting schedules. They are seen together in 2001.

‘Betsey worked hard all the time. She often spent weeks in San Francisco or Los Angeles, where her factories were,” she explained.

It seems that they are still on good terms as the ex-couple have met on numerous occasions. Most recently, they were photographed together on the red carpet at the Grammys in 2017 (seen)

“I realized that our career paths were so divergent that we actually lived in completely different worlds.

‘Betsey seemed able to slip in and out of my world with ease, but I couldn’t negotiate hers.

‘I felt blocked by that. At that time I would feel alone and find someone else. Betsey and I were interested in our careers to the exclusion of personal relationships.

Betsey then married Jeffrey Oliviere in 1981, but they also divorced in 1984.

She married Brian Reynolds in 1997 and the two have been happily married ever since.

In 2011, when Betsey was asked if she was still in touch with her ex-husband John, she had only positive things to say about their romance.

“You know, we zig-zag in and out of each other’s lives,” he said. served. “But no matter how many years go by, when we connect, it’s 1968 and it’s the same old thing.

‘He’s so crazy and energetic, always, like me. Sometimes I think that of all my boyfriends and husbands, he was the best.

Many people were enthralled by Betsey’s admission about her wedding, calling her ‘iconic’ and ‘legendary’ for taking her pants off in the courtroom in the comments section.

But we were too crazy! And they still are. I wish him well. And she’ll always land in New York and say, “Hi Bets.” He was a good. I chose well.

The former couple have publicly reunited on numerous occasions. Most recently, they were photographed together on the red carpet at the Grammys in 2017.

Many people were captivated by Betsey’s admission about her wedding, calling her ‘iconic’ and ‘legendary’ for taking her pants off in the courtroom in the comments section of the now-viral TikTok.

‘Betsy is a hero to women. This is one of the many reasons I adore her,” wrote one viewer.

‘This story is crazy,’ someone else commented. ‘Your reaction is the reason why I admire you as a human being and a designer.’

“So iconic,” said another user. ‘No one can compare.’

A different person said, “She always has a vibe and is so inspiring.”