Mad to be Mod

Creative, cutting-edge, bold and brash – 60’s fashion belonged to London. The reason for this mainly owing to a small group of young men and women who started to look towards the European-cool of Italy and France, combining this with a dash of American Ivy League College in order to concoct an anomalous British youth fashion. Like every new clique these forward looking avant-gardes needed a new name to separate them from the proletariats of the fashion world, and thus were christened the Mods.

These early-modernists were eclectic in nature, casting aside the rampant trend of ‘Trad’ jazz, and in turn replaced it with the more sophisticated and smoother sound with the likes of Dave Brubeck and the Modern Jazz Quartet having major influence. The Brits set the tone and the world played along, of course it wasn’t all about the music. Mod fashion was immensely influenced by pop-art. A lot of the iconic images of the Who consist of Pete Townshend & co sporting shirts with simple abstract designs of arrows and dots, or even the Union Jack.



Along with this American pop-art influence, there was also a very strong Italian design influence. Scooter boy fashion had a tremendous affect on mod fashion. This can be seen in tight-fitting shirts and trousers with simple stripes and numbers adorning them. Of course it also helps to have the most important Italian designed accessory - a motor scooter. However they were determined not to become overtly European, with British Air Force symbols, medallions and patches became motifs, highlighting the patriotism of the British youth.

The mod explosion in the 60's also owes a lot of its visibility to its revolutionary new clothing styles. At the same time as this mod blast, Carnaby Street in London was accoladed with a considerable number of new fashions, as this was where bands such as the Who and Rolling Stones would shop for their tours. Some of these bands adopted the Mod look, spreading it across the world in every city their tours would stop in. The mod look became a contagion, an acute venom which promoted a working-class aspiration with an obsessive attention to detail: the right shoes, records, shirts, everything.

There are many variations and adaptations of the Mod look, but what remains constant in all of these overlapping styles is that clothes are the quintessential factor that can make or break your look and you've got to go all-out. By dedicating a few extra minutes daily to improve your look will make a colossal difference to your appearance. So guys in place of that basic and safe white/black tee, layer it up with a sharp sweater, printed button-front and some loafers. While you’re at it, roll up those levi’s and party like its 1954!

Oscar Wilde once said, "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to change it every six months," or in the mod case, 40 years later. Mod style is currently causing rampage everywhere – Mod rockers such as Pete Doherty and Samuel Preston have found the right balance between scruffy and sharp. The trick is to find your own mod style, with your own balance of oddity and normality. Although stores such as Ben Sherman, Topman and even River Island bestow some Mod styles upon us, it’s always worth visiting second hand stores and vintage shops; here you’ll be more likely to come across eclectic gold in the form of houndstooth men’s coats, classic loafers and unique waistcoats. Exciting styles are in for winter, revamped and modernised to a tee. Mod is back, and unfortunately for Wilde, it’s going to be with us for years to come.

Autumn/Winter 2009 Men's Trends

Say goodbye to Geek-Chic, and hello to the Classic. Autumn and Winter trends will show the demise of the Geek while the classic and noble look is resurrected, so forget about Casio watches and black plastic specs, and think more Italian-dandy and blue-collar preppy with a dose of sexual allure.

Achieving this look may at first sound difficult, but as long as you keep in mind two key adjectives - Elegant and Modern, you should be fine. (If you find it that hard to kick the geek-chic habit, you can always combine those nerdy braces with a pair of Topman’s new bleached denims to achieve the ‘working mens club’ look which is raging through the highstreet stores at the moment.) The man who consummates this look is alluring and trendy, yet always retains a touch of elegance and natural charm.

Some fundamental elements of the classic formal style such as the bowtie (multi-patterned) or the gilet are now being brought back and revitalised. When worn right, a bow-tie is a sure-fire way to provide an ample dose of theatrics into your outfit; it’s very hard to be overlooked when one has a bowtie fastened around the neck, making it a very powerful party prop. As for the trousers, Levi’s 307 and Paul Smith are right on target with various tweed designs, however for the student budget I’d recommend spending some extra time searching through vintage stores such as Wild Child and The Harlequin or even Oxfam, which is always worth a quick glance for anachronistic items such as these. This look proposes subdued colours, with grey tones taking a particular prominence. Purples, whites and greens also declare themselves to be important with shades of these showing up in various collections, including H&M’s new range of flannel shirts, pants and jackets.

Another trend creating a furore amongst fashion savvy-males is the return of the Shambles look, which takes its inspiration from the current London rock scene. Influenced by bands such as Man Like Me, Horrorpops and Babyshambles, this look fuses 50’s rockabilly with more recent underground band styling. Posers beware though as simply wearing any band t-shirt will not suffice, an expert and thorough knowledge is expected of the band’s back-catalogue, including B-sides. T-Shirt prints are inspired by old album designs, think Helter Skelter and Sgt Pepper. Add to this a pair of classic black skinny-jeans and a trench coat or wool sailor’s jacket, available from both Topman and Levi’s, will ensure you stand proud amongst the Peter Doherty’s of the world.

The last main trend of the cold season, which is becoming so popular right now that I predict its dominance over all other trends, is of course Military. This trend has been doing the rounds in some shape or form for the past decade, and this winter is no exception. This look is all about square cuts, formality, clean lines and double breasted button-ups which add a sharp style to any outfit. Military boots are an essential item for this look as they help convey a manly aura whilst also being practical in Ireland’s wet and dreary winter. They contrast well against skinny jeans, which are generally effeminate in nature. Monochrome colours are a good idea for military items, as they come across as sharp and more formal, which is quintessentially what the military is all about. When trying to find military attire look for exposed zips, epaulettes, extra pockets and square cuts. The best place to find these items is All Saints, who are doing a great selection of military style shirts and jackets in their new collection.

What are you waiting for? Throw on your military shirt, jacket and skinny jeans and tuck them into your work boots. This juxtaposition of styles will make you noticeable and work well all through the autumn and winter months. A-Ten-Hut!

The Rise of the Metrosexual

Macho man has been sent six-feet-under: he’s been substituted by someone just as tough on the insides, but a little smoother around the edges. He adores Dolce & Gabanna, is just as often seen near a runway as competing in sports, confesses a love for Britney Spears. Heck he probably even designs his own material, but there’s one thing you must know, he’s not gay.

This man occupies his time differently to the average man - not only spending more of it in front of the mirror, but also at boutiques, in bars rather than pubs, dancing at nightclubs and going to beauty salons. Cosmetics brands such as Ella Bache say men make up as much as 40 per cent of their salon customers in some areas.

Mark Wahlberg's semi-naked appearance for Calvin Klein underwear in the early 1990s is often claimed as the beginning of mainstream male vanity. Marketing myth has it that the advertisement was targeted at a gay market, but straight men began to take notice. Whether it was because women were ogling, or men themselves believed the former rapper looked good, Calvin Klein soon became an advertisers wet-dream and instigated the upward spiral of the metro sexual.

Marketers are stimulating the change, dropping the macho component of products that target men. Gone are the tough male images which used to encompass beer and car advertising. The definition of what it means to be male is changing as men are now more secure in their masculinity

Men's fashion chains are growing, with women's stores such as Esprit launching men's ranges, and department stores offering boutique-style experiences. Men's magazines are increasing their coverage of fashion - not just for editorial reasons, but because they're getting more ads. The men's title FHM says its fashion and grooming advertising has increased 40 per cent over the past three years. Twenty years ago, male fashion, skin care and vanity in general were only identified with gay men. Now sexuality, it seems, is irrelevant. The name for this new type of man which is distorting the image of gender and sex? The Metrosexual.

David Beckham, who has been credited with shifting male behaviour to a less-hardy image, has been deemed the ultimate metrosexual. Celebrities like Beckham have aided the destruction of masculine codes, defying various manly expectations such as what a man is ‘allowed’ to wear. He differs from the traditional heterosexual male, wearing sarongs and nail-polish one day, captaining the English football team the next. He has even posed for a numerous amount of gay magazines, admitting that he likes to be admired, be it from women or men.

Many men do not even realise their metrosexuality, and it comes as a general shock to them in it’s diagnosis. There are a number of things you must ask yourself when determining your possible metrosexuality. Do you use more than one product in your hair? Do you ever go sock shopping? Do you carry a purse? Do gay men hit on you? If you answer ‘yes’ or ’It’s not a purse it’s a man-bag!’ to any one or more of these three questions, I can with great confidence inform you that you are mis/fortunately a metrosexual. Don’t fret at this result, because as you soon will find, metrosexuality is becoming ubiquitous. Soon you’ll be seeing UCD’s resident homeless person sporting Armani tighty-whiteys and fussing over his choice of sock colour. Metrosexuality is here to stay, it is no longer a segregated style but a prominent way of life, so you better get used to it.

What Women Want? - UCD

‘What DO women want?’ This very question has plagued mankind ever since women unfortunately began to think for themselves, asserting their right for choice and preference in a partner. Regrettably I can’t provide an answer to this Delphic enquiry, however after a succession of vox-pop-interviews with U.C.D lady-students, I can advise you on how they want you to dress, and even some items of clothing they’d rather see sleeping with the fish of the UCD Lake.

“Its all about the shoes.” claims one B&L student, “Runners are for running and simply should not be part of a guys outfit…Some boys only wear runners and that's just annoying. It shows immaturity and laziness.” Be forewarned guys, apparently the sight of a pair of shabby and worn runners doesn’t aid in increasing a gals libido. If you still want something comfortable, try and spruce up your footwear with some new Chukka-Lows from Vans. Vans provide a creative and diverse range suitable to a variety of tastes, that won’t blow the budget either.

Another common offence is the UCD male population’s incessant obsession with flip-flops - No matter how badly we become affected by global warming, there will never be a need for this diabolical footwear, and as for combining them with socks, well that’s plain fashion blasphemy. Many she-students were concerned with the amount of ill-informed males as regards hat etiquette, one describing the wearing of baseball caps as “unjustifiable”. To a female, baseball caps signify an adolescent attitude, so if you’re attempting to attract a woman of legal age, forgo the cap in favour of more fashionable headgear such as a trilby, driving-cap or even an oversized beanie. Trucker hats are also always a no-no. Wearing a trucker hat generally gives off one of two impressions, neither of which has a desirable impact on a girl. The first being that you want to be Ashton Kutcher, the second being you perform illicit sexual acts in the bathrooms of American diners called the ‘Greasy Spoon’.

Just say it: Shorts. The word itself is ugly. The lazy ‘shh’, the fat, abrupt ‘ort’. Shorts, of all kinds, are very, very wrong. They are pants which have been emasculated, castrated even. Whenever the thermometer rises above 10 degrees, there’s something in the UCD water that makes guys think that it’d be a good idea to wear shorts. This in turn causes SRS (sudden revulsion syndrome) among throngs of female students, as they are exposed to the pale and knobbly knees of undergrads everywhere they turn. Once you reach Adulthood some things just aren’t acceptable. Even amongst the most handsome of physiques they can be tragically revealing. Try wearing three-quarter lengths instead to allow you to maintain some dignity.

Finally, there was much debate to be had on the topic of mens jeans, with many students attacking the topic of Skinny Jeans, one girl imperticular describing their pestilence to be “the worst thing since mesh-shirts and hammer-pants.” This is mainly owing to the fact that UCD students seem to posess an innate ability to wear jeans that are slightly too small, and slightly too short for them. There is a simple cure for this pants pandemic, and I call it the anatomy test. If I--or you--can see any of your frontal anatomy through your pants, they're too tight. If we can see any of your gluteal anatomy above your jeans, they're too loose. Also, jeans with rips and holes may have been a prominent trend way-back-when, but its time to give it a rest. A little distressing is permissable, but the over-processed-bleached-Enrique look isn’t age appropriate. Just remember, its always better to look more polished than dishevelled.

The truth is that what a girl really wants is for you to look physically like the guy on the side of an A&F bag, but we all know that’s not going to happen any time soon, so you might as well try and look good clothes-wise and hope her beer goggles do the rest of the work.

To beard, or not to beard: that is the question.

While featuring a fresh, closely shaved visage will never truly go out of style, the option to sport facial hair of all types and variations is becoming very popular amongst men from all age groups and walks of life. Most men will spend at least one day a week in the bathroom with a razor, even great men like Chuck Norris. This is because many men feel that they need to keep their facial hair under control. For many cultures, a long, bushy beard is a sign of wisdom and all round manliness, think Marx or Gandalf post-Balrog. For many others, it’s a sign you’ve just been kicked off Survivor.

The extent to which some women are obsessed with the hair on their heads is nothing when compared to the level of obsession some men have with their facial hair. While generally speaking, most women prefer a clean-shaven man, many women (and many more men) find facial hair to be very attractive. And the up-and-coming generation of young men seem to have founded a renewed interest growing and grooming unique facial hair designs.

A beard may have been groovy in the 60’s, but these days men prefer a cleaner look. Many alternatives have sprouted including, Elvis burns, Chin jungles, Magnum P.I’s, handle-bars and the horrifically popular Goatee. But don’t laugh off beards just yet. Growing one means you don’t ever need to shave - only trim it into shape every now and then. A beard also provides extra protection for your skin, but needs to be washed regularly to avoid unwanted visitors. Whatever you choose to do with your beard ultimately leads to one thing : a change in your style. Consider it a free accessory that can be sculpted at your whim on a weekly basis.

Not all men can sport a perfectly trimmed face-mane, as the growth rate, thickness, colour and shape of your beard is purely reliant on genetics. So while you may closely resemble ZZ Top, the guy next to you may not even be able to bud a puny moustache. While featuring a fresh, closely shaved visage will never truly go out of style, the option to sport facial hair of all types and variations is becoming very popular amongst men from all age groups and walks of life.

The standard moustache is perhaps the most stereotypical and common examples of facial hair and grooming for men. The moustache is typically worn by more conservative members of society and those featuring in silent films. However a recent annual phenomenon called Movember has occurred around the globe bringing back the style, if only for comedic and philanthropic purposes.

The soul patch, that is, a strip of facial hair that is manicured and kept just beneath the lower lip, is a very popular choice amongst musicians, artists, and writers. Very rakish and bold, the soul patch implies an extroverted and fun-loving personality that is immensely attractive to the ladies, while also creating a sense of intelligence. Manicured stubble is another increasingly popular trend amongst young men, most likely owing to those all-nighters. Go a few days without shaving – though some experts will insist on shaving the neck, it is not altogether necessary. Ryan Seacrest and Russell Crowe are the best known ambassadors of this look. Manicured stubble is an excellent compliment to a very sharp and modern suit, and can add a sense of maturity and rugged flair to an otherwise youthful countenance.

Sideburns add a nice touch to a man's face, but again, make sure to keep your sideburns short and trimmed. While you may want the X-Men Wolverine's claws, you certainly don't want his sideburns. If you didn't see the movie, just think of Elvis Presley having an affair with a werewolf -- avoid the King's sideburns at all costs. To keep your sideburns trimmed and short, an electric razor would be most effective.

Facial hair grows back, so any change you make can be repaired within days. Don't be afraid to try out new styles with your facial hair, since no change is permanent. Just remember, whichever style you choose, you need to maintain the neatness and length of the hair so it doesn't look like your best friend is an American football named Wilson. Have fun trying different styles and remember, variation in the style of your facial hair always makes for a refreshing change.