MODS - a British Way of Life ...and more.

WHAT IS A 'MOD'?

'Mod' is a British subculture that began in London's Carnaby Street and King's Road areas in the late 50's, quickly spreading throughout Great Britain and then Worldwide, influencing youth fashions & trends globally, it continues today on a smaller scale around the world. 

The total opposite of the Bikers leather gear & motorbikes, Mod fashion was all about being smart and riding a Vespa or Lambretta Scooter: to be cool you had to have one suit, at least - possibly pinstripe.

A restored 1966 Vespa 150 Super, owned by Phil Dowsing.

If you had the money, tailor made round collar shirts with thin ties and tight cashmere jumpers were the order of the day, or for a more casual look, a smart Polo shirt would suffice.

The Music was large part of the movement, a soundtrack to our young lives, typified by the sounds of The WHO, The Small Faces with other similar Brit bands and American R&B imports.

The lifestyle was dramatised in the 1979 British movie Quadraphrenia, partly inspired by The Who's 1973 rock opera 'Tommy' along with the 70's Northern Soul Revival Movement.

GROWING UP IN THE SIXTIES

A personal fashion evolution. I, (and my South London mates) like most teenagers of the mid 60's to 70's developed our own unique fashion.

   Unlike today - where anything goes fashion wise, this really was a ground-breaking period where we (teenagers) broke away from the drab post war grey 1950's with literally an explosion of fashion in all colours for both sexes.

     60's Fashion Icon Twiggy, 1967

The fashion really started by following The Beatles early fashion statements, which evolved very quickly each year, from smart collarless Jackets (1964), through to Kaftans and Bell Bottom trousers (1966) - in fact my forward thinking school even issued collarless uniform jackets which we all thought were very hip.

1967 saw a more Psychedelic turn, in which many of us grew our hair even longer, morphing into hippy fashion, complete with Moustaches, Beards, (if you could grow one) Flowery matching Shirts and Ties, Afghan coats, Cow Bells and Beads! - Think Sgt. Pepper's LP cover.

1968 ONWARDS

As fashion evolved, we got into the British & Jamacian Reggae scene, typified by the music of Trojan Records ...shorter hair, Skinhead Fashion; Ben Sherman and Brutus Shirts, Two Tone Tonic Jackets and in my case a pair of nice STA PRESS white strides, along with a nice pair of Brown Brogue Shoes, or pair of Doctor Marten's Boots if you could afford them.

All in all, it was a very memorable time 

...an experience that can never be repeated.

As for the 1970's? - Well that's a story for another Blog!

Thanks for reading, feel free to share - Phil                                         

Your author, the Mod aged 17

CLICK HERE: https://retrostuffcollectables.com/collections/mods-mugs-and-metal-wall-art