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.
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.
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.
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