tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70035497710292700522024-03-17T20:02:57.668-07:00Mod MaleCelebrating Male Mod Style (and More) ...From My Point of ViewSupermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-43525005505886351532015-04-01T06:58:00.001-07:002015-04-01T06:58:25.028-07:00Just Sayin'...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Working on some new posts. Stay tuned.Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-75427706350169571172014-02-28T06:59:00.001-08:002014-02-28T06:59:17.030-08:00Sharp Stylings #68: Jimmy McGriff<i>We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons. And living in a post-<b>Mad Men </b>world
means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday,
I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style
inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod
enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to
appreciate and maybe even adopt.</i> <br />
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So last night, I was organizing some LPs, when I came across this one that stopped me cold:<br />
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I was staring at it for a while, as it opened up a very foggy memory. There I was, admiring McGriff's hat (porkpie?)... his clean, well-pressed tab-collar... the thin dark tie... the roll of his jacket lapel... the ivory-looking buttons of his jacket and waistcoat... the herringbone-like pattern of the suit...<br />
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...and slowly it came back to me. THE BLOG! That's right... I used to get a kick out of stylish photos like this and writing about them!<br />
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Well, thank you Jimmy McGriff for waking me up out of my stupor. I mean, check that photo out, folks. Tell me, how do you get much sharper than that?<br />
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And before you tell me McGriff needs a French-cuff shirt, let me tell you that's what makes his look even better. In this shot, he looks razor sharp while still keeping an air of ease. Sometimes, a simple non-cufflink-requiring shirt keeps your look within a casual realm despite the suit and tie. <br />
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If you have this album at home, go ahead and pull it out. Yeah, you're admiring the subtle pattern of his suit right? And the color of the suit... hard to tell in the light I'm using, but looks like a charcoal grey to me, which is probably the most perfect suit color as it goes with pretty much everything.<br />
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Alright, instead of blabbing on and on about how slick McGriff is, I should just play this record already.<br />
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Listen, sometimes I get lost with photos and have a hard time picking ones out to comment on. Howzabout you? What are some of your favorite styled shots? I could always use more inspiration.*<br />
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Alright, Jimmy... take us out.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Oh, and let's mellow on the Marriott/Weller pics, please. Played. Out.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-81060912820205306392013-12-12T07:38:00.002-08:002013-12-12T07:38:11.293-08:00June Through December Music PicksThings have been a little crazy 'round the Mod Male headquarters. I've been wanting to put up a Music picks post for months now, but well... it's been a tad difficult.<br />
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But, I gotta get something up before year's end, so here are just some tracks I've been digging heavily since almost 6 months ago! <br />
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<b>1. Rupert's People - 'Reflections of Charlie Brown'</b> - Many people on Twitter and Facebook have been posting some great '60s freakbeat clips and have reminded me of many songs I used to LOVE years back but have kind of forgotten about over time. It's natural... you discover new music and you sometimes put away old faves. This Rupert's People track was brought back to my attention and got me back into wanting to pursue more of these late '60s British sounds.<br />
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<b>2. Van Morrison - 'Warm Love' </b>- My old pal Juan posted this one up on the ol' FB and, let me tell you, I played it over and over again for about 3 days straight. So much better than the actual recorded version, I think. It's that funkier beat that gets me.<br />
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<b>3. The Impressions - 'Love's Happening'</b> - We have been on a BIG Curtis Mayfield kick over these last few months (okay, always on a Mayfield kick). But the other day, I pulled out <i>This Is My Country</i>, and was just floored all over again by how great this whole album is. Was hard to pick just one track, but this one is a pretty good indication of what you get. <br />
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<b>4. Beachwood Sparks - 'Forget The Song' </b>- One of my favorite things is coming home to a new CD my wife has picked up on a surprise whim. A few months back, it was the 'new' Beachwood Sparks CD (okay, a couple of years old, by now), <i>Tarnished Gold</i>. Friends, if you're a fan of that psychedelic country sound, hook up with this! It's been an almost daily play since she picked it up.<br />
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<b>5. Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys - 'Three Years Blind' </b>- My wife scored twice in the last few months, the second time with the new Big Sandy release! Basically, a collection of re-worked songs from their catalog. And it's great! I was working one night and completely stumped by what she was playing. It took a while for me to realize it was, in fact, Big Sandy. The song that stumped me was 'Baby Baby Me'. No confusing his voice on this track, though!<br />
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<b>6. Parliament - 'Silent Boatman'</b> - Here's another track I rediscovered after trying to re-organize LPs after our move. Again, that whole album, <i>Osmium</i>, needs to be in your collection with some really great tracks ('<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyw4FQ-fBz4" target="_blank">Automobile</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFNM7nG2OUQ" target="_blank">Little Ole Country Boy</a>,' two of my other faves). But this haunting track gets me every time. (Yeah, it's the bagpipe.)<br />
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<b>7. Simon & Garfunkle - 'Homeward Bound' </b>- Another song that helped welcome us to our new place. Really, when it comes to S&G, I don't need to say anything you haven't already heard. <br />
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<b>8. Patti Smith - 'Gloria'</b> - It was weird. After Lou Reed's death, I wasn't really in the mood for the Velvet Underground or his solo work. Instead, I found myself wanting to hear other New York sounds like Television and Patti Smith. I used to really like this stuff back in high school, but haven't heard it in years. In fact, I don't even own any Patti Smith records which is something I really need to correct soon. This particular cover is the one that hits me hardest. Just powerful.<br />
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<b>9. Kaleidoscope - 'Sky Children'</b> - When our baby was born, this was one of many songs that hit my head. (This and 'Balloon' but couldn't find it on YouTube.) I just thought about playing this for her as she got older to really start sowing those 'good music' seeds. Sure, she'll go through her teeny-bop phase. Yes, we'll have to endure whatever New Direction band is around when she's an adolescent. And I'm okay with that. Because one day, after she's through that phase, she'll come to us and say, "Hey pops... hey mama... still have those old Kaleidoscope records?" And then, she'll (re-)discover <i>White-Faced Lady</i> and her little college mind will be blown. (Trust me... my dad knows it happened with me and Bob Dylan.)<br />
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<b>10. Derek See - 'She Came This Way' </b>- Alright, gotta give a shout-out to local boy Derek See with his recent 45 release. I got this in the mail right when we were moving and didn't come across it again until opening a box of books. This is a nice piece of heavy, moody vinyl for you. If I didn't know any better, I'd peg it at 1968, but nope... this is 2013!<br />
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Man, looking back on this list, you all probably think I'm some mopey dude at home. Hey, what can I say? I like the slow jams when I'm home mellowing out. <br />
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Alright, I'm out! Probably my last post of the year. Oh yeah, and if you want Mod gift ideas, oh I don't know... I hear there's Mod wine out there now. Go figure. <br />
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<br />Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-84258913703815999282013-11-21T07:44:00.000-08:002013-11-21T07:44:09.228-08:00It Always Goes Back To the Mods! BookThis isn't actually the post I intended to write today. I was working on a completely different subject, but found myself leafing through the ol' primer... y'know, the <a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/review-mods-by-richard-barnes-plexus/" target="_blank"><i>Mods!</i></a> book, and it hit me. This is the book I keep coming back to, and for good reason. It still remains THE book.<br />
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In recent times, I've found myself getting down on the <i>Mods!</i> book, but I've come to realize there are really only two reasons why I don't like this book:<br />
<ol>
<li>Some people rely too heavily on it as the end-all and be-all of Mod thinking and, </li>
<li>According to what you hear from original Mods who were around during the time-frame of the book, their were other local scenes left out of the history. We only received info on a portion of the 1960s Mod scene.</li>
</ol>
But you know what? Everything else about this book really is amazing! Sure, many stories of other Mod scenes of the time were left out, but soon, hopefully, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MyForthcomingBookModsTheNewReligion" target="_blank">we'll get to read those stories</a>. (Many gaps within the <i>Mods!</i> book have already been filled in over on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/128414570531663/" target="_blank">Original Modernists FB group</a>.) But the info that we do get from the <i>Mods!</i> book is immense.<br />
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Think about it... Richard Barnes, helped by Johnny Moke & Jan McVeigh (or the other way around, I'm not sure), pack an enormous amount of detailed information into only 18 pages of text. Eighteen! And these few pages have inspired so many people over the years... they've helped keep alive a vibrant subculture more than any other book since. And sure, many great books have come along, but none have had the impact <i>Mods!</i> has had.<br />
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And talk about 'attention to detail,' man... <i>Mods!</i> has it in droves! It's this attention to detail that many of us have eaten up, absorbed, and reflected in our own personal styles. And this detailed text is probably why some treat it as a Bible that must not be disobeyed. <br />
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Yes, some people practically keep this book in their back pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice to call out Mod fashion offenses. (<i>Guilty!</i>)<i> </i>And this does become a complete drag when people use it to limit their outlook on the culture.<br />
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In reaction, <a href="http://wearethemods.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-22T10_26_21-07_00" target="_blank">many out there now call out that 'there are no rules' when it comes to the Mod thing</a>. I can see their point... to a point. But, lately, thinking about this more, something troubles me about this. After discussing with a friend, a good point was brought up. Claiming there are no rules sort of makes it easy to get away with abandoning what makes the Mod thing so special: those perceived 'rules'.<br />
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You can ignore the types of details brought up in the <i>Mods!</i> book and just walk around in a nice, well-tailored suit, calling yourself a Mod simply because you're wearing a nice suit. But, at least for me, that's not what necessarily makes a 'Mod' look. If that were the case, these guys could start calling themselves Mods and, who are we to argue, if there are no rules:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zlvr8-eh78g/Uo4YMNCu_UI/AAAAAAAACbQ/d62RNY5K02Y/s1600/BryanFerry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zlvr8-eh78g/Uo4YMNCu_UI/AAAAAAAACbQ/d62RNY5K02Y/s320/BryanFerry.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryan Ferry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SZxzJOytdU0/Uo4YOaetQPI/AAAAAAAACbY/o8DlCubDptk/s1600/Interpol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SZxzJOytdU0/Uo4YOaetQPI/AAAAAAAACbY/o8DlCubDptk/s320/Interpol.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interpol</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2taQoTG4GPY/Uo4Yzy3FoiI/AAAAAAAACbg/_8SiTqXQr-8/s1600/nick-cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2taQoTG4GPY/Uo4Yzy3FoiI/AAAAAAAACbg/_8SiTqXQr-8/s320/nick-cave.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick Cave</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For me, what made the Mod look so interesting was the framework laid out in the <i>Mods!</i> book. It described, in minute detail, a particular look that was adhered to, even though the look was constantly changing. Trouser bottoms that varied between 14" and 17"; two, three, or four-button jackets; mohair suits and linen jackets; and winklepicker, almond-toed, or 'mock croc' shoes. It was all of this, and the attitude behind this aesthetic, that set the look apart from any old fashionable look found in GQ's flavor of the month. There were rules! And we loved those rules! It helped us learn about a culture we were missed out on the first time around. A culture we were still heavily inspired by.<br />
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We even had our own rules we developed when we were younger. I remember we had our rules geared toward belts and belt loops: loops had to be around 2 inches wide and the belt had to have a center buckle (Thanks, Paola, for reminding me about this!). We had attitudes toward how shirt collars were worn. Had to be held down, either by buttons, collar pins, or tabs (the last two needed a tie, of course). If you weren't wearing a tie, you didn't button the top button of the shirt... why look uptight? I remember altering some shirts to add in fake buttons just so it'd look like I was wearing a button-down collar. I still have one of those shirts!<br />
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Although I wasn't around, I do remember hearing about rules the San Francisco Mods had toward their dress. I remember hearing about the rules Berkeley Mods had toward their dress. Heck, maybe you and your friends developed your own rules too, adopted from what you learned from <i>Mods!</i>. <br />
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Okay, look... it's like photography, music, or art. (Yes, I'm going there.) In photography, there are rules of composition. In music theory, there are rules involved with chord progressions. And in painting/drawing, there are rules involved with color theory, composition, and harmony. Most of the world's greatest masters knew these rules in their particular fields. But knowing these rules meant they also knew how to break them. And that's the key. By breaking the rules, they were able to push those fields forward. Like many have said before, remember, <a href="http://blog.vivekhaldar.com/post/15334893981/iteration" target="_blank">Picasso did know how to draw</a>.<br />
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Yeah, that's what the Mod thing is like for me. There are rules. You learn these rules, maybe become obsessed with them. And, from there, you learn how to work around them if needed. I see some Mod fellows (and ladies) online who look incredibly 'Mod' while breaking traditional rules we've learned from the <i>Mods!</i> book. It's almost as if there's a conscious move to ignore a particular 'rule' (button count, tie width, jacket vent. Ahem... <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dnagroove/library/ME?sort=3&page=1" target="_blank">like this guy</a>.)<br />
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And yeah, many of these 'rules' are what were described in that <i>Mods!</i> book. I'm looking through it now and finding myself filled with the same excitement I had when I first started learning about Mod stuff. Even when I get down on this book, I can never ignore the impact it's had on me and many others. This is the book that taught me what 'attention to detail' really meant. It taught me the detailed basics of a Mod jacket. It taught me what backcombing was. It taught me what chisel-toed shoes were. And it taught me that, yes, there is a framework to the Mod look that we can use today and, if we understand the 'rules,' we can know how to break them.<br />
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And remember, there's so much more to a Mod look that just being stylish. Pick up the <i>Mods!</i> book and see for yourself.<br />
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<br />Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-92224737643723769172013-11-15T07:47:00.002-08:002013-11-15T07:47:31.861-08:00Out of the UndergroundOkay, y'all have to bear with me a little. I'm a tad rusty with this blogging business, it's been so long. Gotta brush up on these keyboard skills.<br />
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Anyways, a lot's happened since last time I posted: Woody Allen released a new film that's supposed to be fantastic... and not just because it's based in San Francisco; <i>Breaking Bad</i>, one of the best shows ever, ended its run; Phyllis Diller died... <a href="http://www.who2.com/blog/2013/11/phyllis-diller-is-dead-but-not-recently-so" target="_blank">again</a>; Mod became so mainstream in the UK that <a href="http://www.themodgeneration.com/video/axa-mod-advert" target="_blank">insurance agencies are using it to sell insurance</a>; and, oh yeah, this happened:<br />
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But never fear. I don't plan on using this blog to talk about the trials of being a new parent while trying to maintain a certain Mod-centric aesthetic. Okay, some of that may bleed into these posts... it's only natural.<br />
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Just know that having a child hasn't changed my perspective on the Mod thing. Pleated khakis, 'comfortable' flip-flops, and Barney DVDs still don't appeal to me. <br />
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However, I understand that pursuing this aesthetic may become a bit more difficult to achieve. Hey, that's life. But I do promise you this: You will never hear or read me say, "It's still in my heart" as I don the clothing of Joe Normal. (Gag.)<br />
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That's not what I want to talk about today, though. Let's get back to that mainstream thing. In case you haven't seen it, here's the commercial Modculture posted about recently:<br />
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<a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/watch-insurance-company-does-a-mod-themed-advert/">http://www.modculture.co.uk/watch-insurance-company-does-a-mod-themed-advert/</a><br />
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Oh... well, looks like it's been taken down. Let me give you a quick synopsis:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Young '80s mod couple frolicking along the shore of Brighton Beach. They're in love. They laugh together, shop for records together, scooter-ride together. (Now, if you saw the commercial, let's be honest... this couple was a tad too slick to be an early '80s Mod couple, am I right?) Anyways, you know they're '80s Mods because of the punk rockers record-shopping next to them. Well, this couple is so in love and so mod that they buy MATCHING TARGET RINGS. Yes, you read that right. Matching target rings.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Fast-forward 30 years and this couple is still together and still way mod. (Again, let's be honest... you can probably count on your fingers the '80s Mod couples who stayed together for 20 years still looking slick today.) They come home to find they've been burglarized and (</i>gasp!<i>) their target rings stolen. So, they call up the insurance company and by the end of the commercial, they're back to moddin' up the road on a scooter with the rings back on their fingers.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mod-ad-300x168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.modculture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mod-ad-300x168.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Look, it's a sweet commercial. Couple in love after all these years have their special mementos stolen and then returned to them thanks to the heroic insurance company. And yes, for the first time in who-knows-when, Mods are presented without going overboard on cliches... except for those target rings. (But seriously, these are supposed to be early '80s Mods... I didn't see any <i>Cavern</i>-quality clothing on them!) <br />
<br />
Now here's the big question: Should Mod types be happy that Mods are featured in (I assume) a nation-wide commercial for a practical product? Isn't insurance the most mundane, responsible, adult item one can purchase? And an insurance company is using Mods to sell itself?<br />
<br />
Once you get past the novelty of "Yay! Mods on TV!" you're stuck with the fact that the idea of Mods really has become mainstream and (<i>gasp, again!</i>) part of the fiber of 'the establishment.' I hear the term 'iconic' used often in discussions of Mods these days. I'm under the impression that many British Mods are pleased that their subculture is a part of the iconography of their mainstream culture nowadays. (Thanks, Olympics!) Mods are so accepted these days that the imagery is used to sell everything from insurance to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ48X9EQxck" target="_blank">soft drinks</a> to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n-UHocyp0o" target="_blank">smart phones</a>. <br />
<br />
And maybe that's cool, I don't know. But it does remind me of what I've read often on social media sites from <i>original 1960s Mods</i>. While many of us eat up the imagary of Carnaby Street, Rave magazine, and The Small Faces as 'mods,' many originals might disagree with that viewpoint having experienced that era first-hand. What I've read shows that many disliked the commercial side of the culture and dislike how it's interpreted these days. And Mod did get pretty commercial:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-caReypOXwy0/UoWqCrNuDVI/AAAAAAAACa0/nXAbH9C5VDs/s1600/ModCheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-caReypOXwy0/UoWqCrNuDVI/AAAAAAAACa0/nXAbH9C5VDs/s1600/ModCheese.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from the <a href="http://pzrservices.typepad.com/advertisingisgoodforyou/" target="_blank">Advertising Is Good For You</a> blog.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Me, I didn't grow up in the 1960s so I have a lack of contemporary context and the benefit of accumulated history upon which to draw. And, probably to the chagrin of some 1960s originals, I'd kill for an actual pair of Lord John hipsters!<br />
<br />
But let's get back to happenings today. Mod isn't being used to sell records, acne cream, or cheese. It's being used to sell insurance. That says something about their demographic. In the U.S., 'hipster' imagery is what ad men use to sell things like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9EBcNEKkcY" target="_blank">insurance</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coW29R3X_DQ" target="_blank">soap</a>. That says something about the demographic out here. What it says is that these images are so well-known and mainstream that they'll be acceptable to a mass audience that still thinks it's unique and special.<br />
<br />
Now, okay, big deal, right? Get over it... in 5 years, people will forget about the Mod thing and things will go back to 'normal'. Well, maybe. But here's why I've spent so much time writing about this. See, Mods are a funny folk. They will shout out, until they're blue in the face, their most treasured <i>Quadrophenia</i> quote:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Look, I don't wanna be the same as everybody else. That's why I'm a Mod, see?</i></blockquote>
(Man, if I had a nickel for every time someone posted that in a Facebook comment...) But, as much as they don't want to be the same as everybody else, they love seeing Mod in the media, creating a potential for a world-wide Mod revival. They want to be surrounded by hundreds of other people not being the same as everybody else in the same way that they're not being the same as everybody else. Heck, they want to be part of a MOD ARMY. An army... y'know, a group of organized soldiers whose main purpose is to conform to the will of their superior officers. Conform... conformity... the thing I, personally, was trying to get away from when I first discovered Mods.<br />
<br />
And now, it seems like that's what Mods today are into. They want to be mainstream. They want the whole world to go Mod(!). <br />
<br />
Oh wait... I get it now. I understand the appeal for the mainstreaming of Mod. Pretty clever.<br />
<br />
You all are waiting for the day when Walmart goes Mod(!) so that you can walk in and sing at the top of your lungs:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EPknS5W0ApI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I hear you loud and clear.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span><br />
<br />Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-91770847419593347872013-11-09T10:32:00.000-08:002013-11-09T10:32:23.915-08:00Mod Gone Wrong: The Mod Onesie!Finally... something to really write about!<br />
<br />
I love this. Maybe I've been reading too much John Waters, but I really am finding beauty in the perverse and let me tell you, this is beautiful:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MANXvggeEec/Un5-q8WR9vI/AAAAAAAACao/Rzb4HWOpYwg/s1600/1022-onesie-thewho-quad-front_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MANXvggeEec/Un5-q8WR9vI/AAAAAAAACao/Rzb4HWOpYwg/s320/1022-onesie-thewho-quad-front_1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
You guys... <a href="http://www.creativequirk.com/the-who/1022-thewho-quad-onesie.html" target="_blank">a Mod pajama for grown-ups</a>! Someone took the idea of Mods sleeping in abandoned Brighton bomb shelters <i>in their parkas</i> (probably from <i>Quadrophenia</i>) and took it to the next logical step: a parka onesie!<br />
<br />
I think one of the best things about this image is the shocked look on
the model's face. Even HE can't believe someone is selling this and
making him wear it for the photo shoot. But I'd rather believe that this
guy just woke up in his parka pajama and was a victim of an early
morning candid photo flash. <br />
<br />
Now, maybe it's because I'm seeing more and more onesies in my life thanks to this little baby, but the thought has hit my mind, "What about us grown-ups?" I'm no ageist! Why can't we be waking up in comfortable onesies (preferably with feet) without being looked down upon in shame?<br />
<br />
Well, folks, now you can wear one at night with no shame at all, and you can do it advertising your favorite band to all your family and friends <i>last thing at night and first thing in the morning.</i> Heck, this takes all the hassle out of getting ready for bedtime after a good club night. <br />
<br />
Any single guys out there reading this? Imagine talking up that pretty girl at a club and winning her over after showing off your spiffy moves on the dance floor. Then, just as you're about to hop on your scooter with her on the back, you bust out with the onesie. All those bunk tickets in their actual badge-festooned parkas are gonna look at you with jealousy. See, in one swift move, you've gone from club wear to sleep wear without missing a beat in your Mod rhythm in front of your date. Recognize!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Ty_a_j8xrMo/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Ty_a_j8xrMo&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Ty_a_j8xrMo&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
(And nice to know that even the makers of this pajama commercial have a sense of humor. Won't get fooled again, ey? We'll see about that as the money from sales comes rolling in.)<br />
<br />
Christmas is coming up and you're probably thinking I'm putting this at the top of my Xmas list. But, this year, in the spirit of the holiday, I'm going to pass on the opportunity in order to give <i>everyone else</i> a chance to get it as a gift. After all, I'm sure this will be a season sell-out. It would hurt my feelings if someone gave this to me as a gift while other, more deserving Mod types, missed out on it. So friends, a box of See's Candy in place of this great item will be perfectly acceptable this year.<br />
<br />
Now, if Christmas passes and by some slim chance these are still available, I just might have to purchase one to keep handy just in case someone ever puts on a Mod White Elephant sale. And if that happens and you're involved... keep your fingers crossed. You just might be going home with the most fashionable piece of Mod sleepwear since, well, this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jVaNSIQgR0g/TmqzHfb4nNI/AAAAAAAADR0/tH32YmxCOaM/s400/BRIGHTON.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jVaNSIQgR0g/TmqzHfb4nNI/AAAAAAAADR0/tH32YmxCOaM/s320/BRIGHTON.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image taken from one of my faves, <a href="http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2011/09/quadrophenia-91411.html" target="_blank">the Anorak Thing blog</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-19992453608825721762013-07-17T07:25:00.001-07:002013-07-17T07:25:30.566-07:00Mod Gone Wrong: The Union Jack ParkaThat's it. I'm done. I'm turning in my card.<br />
<br />
Seems we've reached the end of the comedy road: the Union Jack parka.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ajp8-O_gTg/UeAKYyoRdiI/AAAAAAAACYw/uAMSsT3qmnQ/s1600/316070_566402083404074_695938281_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ajp8-O_gTg/UeAKYyoRdiI/AAAAAAAACYw/uAMSsT3qmnQ/s320/316070_566402083404074_695938281_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/modsmodsmods" target="_blank">We Are the Mods</a>. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DavidWattsClothing" target="_blank">Original source here.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Op9_QrlFJU/UeAKbddGL1I/AAAAAAAACY4/fvm8lc2ZQD0/s1600/1308275037357_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Op9_QrlFJU/UeAKbddGL1I/AAAAAAAACY4/fvm8lc2ZQD0/s320/1308275037357_f.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking people further down the dismal Mod rabbit hole. <a href="http://us.fotolog.com/madferjess/101320217/" target="_blank">Image source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Because really, when you want to pander to a Mod crowd, what do you do? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XM3vWJmpfo" target="_blank">Put a Union Jack on it</a>!<br />
<br />
After all, we've had Union Jack scooters.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r05jpx6zmE4/UeARGCSSuuI/AAAAAAAACZI/3pOPaaQHni8/s1600/union-jack-vespa-model-1401-p%5Bekm%5D400x400%5Bekm%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r05jpx6zmE4/UeARGCSSuuI/AAAAAAAACZI/3pOPaaQHni8/s320/union-jack-vespa-model-1401-p%5Bekm%5D400x400%5Bekm%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gift3.co.uk/product.php?id_product=79" target="_blank">You can buy this here.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've had Union Jack suits.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aAPg3dakwA8/UeARymRzJOI/AAAAAAAACZQ/gq4l5Z_Fzrk/s1600/352_499_csupload_57910801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aAPg3dakwA8/UeARymRzJOI/AAAAAAAACZQ/gq4l5Z_Fzrk/s320/352_499_csupload_57910801.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Weller keeping his bottom button buttoned. Sigh...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've had Union Jack desert boots.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iDMFMWANTvU/Tj7mNAClOZI/AAAAAAAAAEA/jlUl3DHF3LY/s1600/clark-originals-desert-boots-60-anniversary-union-jack-01-570x507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iDMFMWANTvU/Tj7mNAClOZI/AAAAAAAAAEA/jlUl3DHF3LY/s320/clark-originals-desert-boots-60-anniversary-union-jack-01-570x507.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quadrophenia Jimmy wishes <a href="http://www.freshnessmag.com/2009/09/01/clarks-originals-desert-boots-60th-anniversary-collection-the-1990s-edition/" target="_blank">these</a> were around back in the day, I'm sure.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've had Union Jack shirts.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B7sVsh98oqQ/UeAU-emeTfI/AAAAAAAACZg/qVKgl-FCXj4/s1600/fred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B7sVsh98oqQ/UeAU-emeTfI/AAAAAAAACZg/qVKgl-FCXj4/s320/fred.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lostinasupermarket.com/2011/04/fred-perry-union-jack-polo/" target="_blank">Fred Perry Union Jack</a>, of course.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've had Union Jack ties.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aUUt8aUkeic/UeAVBS0QCBI/AAAAAAAACZo/adKGVx2lcSc/s1600/union-jack-large-silk-novelty-tie-p898-9538_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aUUt8aUkeic/UeAVBS0QCBI/AAAAAAAACZo/adKGVx2lcSc/s320/union-jack-large-silk-novelty-tie-p898-9538_zoom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In case you're thinking of buying this, even <a href="http://www.tiesplanet.com/ties-c1/novelty-ties-c12/union-jack-large-silk-novelty-tie-p898" target="_blank">the company refers to is as a 'novelty' tie</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I guess this was the natural conclusion.<br />
I mean, what's left? A Union Jack Harrington?<br />
<br />
And there is an audience for it. That's been proven time after time. For every guy out there searching out a well-tailored button-down, french-cuff shirt with the perfect collar and detailed buttoning, there are ten guys happy with anything that has a Union Jack on it.<br />
<br />
Hey, I'm not perfect. I used to wear a parka with a Union Jack Jam patch on the back... when I was A TEENAGER. But you get to a point where you realize you don't need to walk around looking like a mascot for Anglophilia in order to convince everyone you're 'MOD!'<br />
<br />
Hopefully, though, this Union Jack parka is the final straw on the back of the Comedy Mod camel. And hopefully, some of these new Mod labels will start to get more creative with their offerings. Think about all the different types of styles and detailings that were coming out of London at breakneck speed back in the 1960s. Sure, not all of it worked, but you still had some great pieces that stood out. These days, many new 'mod' clothing companies seem to go down the same weathered path laid down by original, iconic labels. <br />
<br />
If you're thinking about starting your own 'Mod' clothing company, keep the following in mind:<br />
Fred Perry has perfected the polo.<br />
Ben Sherman has perfected the short-sleeved button-down.<br />
Clark's has perfected the desert boot. <br />
And the 1950s U.S. Army has perfected the parka.<br />
<br />
You know what that leaves you with? A wide spectrum of new material and influences to draw from!<br />
<br />
Or... I guess just put a Union Jack on something. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.getprice.com.au/1960S-UNION-JACK-FANCY-DRESS-COSTUME-MEDIUM-Gpnc_484--85549001.htm" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8mtm6kU5pJk/Ueaoqhtq62I/AAAAAAAACaE/ZlH5FDqoVZM/s320/unionjackmini.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-68892689246623630402013-07-15T07:47:00.000-07:002013-07-15T07:48:24.000-07:00Sharp Stylings #67: DJ Soft Touch<i>We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons. And living in a post-<b>Mad Men </b>world
means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday,
I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style
inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod
enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to
appreciate and maybe even adopt.</i><br />
<i> </i> <br />
In what seems like 6 years since the last post, I'm (almost) finally out of a paternity daze. So, what better way to get back to posting than with a Sharp Stylings post... on a Monday!<br />
<br />
And what better way to start this off with than with a clean shot of one of the most stylish Angelinos around, Clifton Weaver aka DJ Soft Touch!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wj_Iu0xwa0c/UeAV6UL1wRI/AAAAAAAACZ0/C8HiqNtY1Y8/s1600/999000_10151471061636931_1842598341_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wj_Iu0xwa0c/UeAV6UL1wRI/AAAAAAAACZ0/C8HiqNtY1Y8/s1600/999000_10151471061636931_1842598341_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://theanalogeye.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jesse Chairez</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here he is just owning a solid block of attitude. And deservedly so... he's got a look that gets everything right without a hint of cliche:<br />
<ul>
<li>A windowpane suit with lapels slightly larger than you'd expect but that work well with the higher button stance. </li>
<li>Trousers that look to narrow in around the knee before slightly flaring out at the bottom... no ankle-hugging here! </li>
<li>A light-blue gingham-checked shirt, with French cuffs and a collar with a wider spread and <i>no</i> button-down or tabbed action.</li>
<li>A wider-than-average purple tie that plays well against the color of the shirt and the tone of the suit.</li>
<li>A blue and purple paisley pocket square that just puffs out of the breast pocket without any fancy points.</li>
<li>And finally, the jewelry details: large, sparkling cufflinks, wide wristwatch, ID bracelet on the other wrist, tie bar positioned so it just shows above the top suit button, and a tie tack holding the pocket square in place.</li>
<li>What's missing from the photo are the purple socks (my favorite sock color) and brown suede wingtips </li>
</ul>
This dude knows what he's doing... playing with the Mod look without depending upon typical Mod detailing (i.e., collar spread, tie width, lapel width, lack of ticket pocket). Yet, he still tosses in a couple of details some Mods are hip to (tie tack for pocket square, French cuffs, flared trousers).<br />
<br />
This look, to me, screams 'Mod' without actually screaming 'Mod'. No lapel pins. No parka with badges. And only a tiny bit of typical Mod detailing. He could walk into a mod/soul club and stand out from the crowd while still fitting in. But he could walk into any other type of club and all people are gonna see is one crazy sharp fellow.<br />
<br />
I mentioned earlier the attitude he's throwing out in this photo. He deserves it. Not only is he one of <a href="http://www.complex.com/style/2012/08/the-50-most-stylish-men-in-los-angeles-right-now/clifton-weaver" target="_blank">the sharpest dudes strutting around in L.A.</a>, but he's also <a href="http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/category/cliftons-corner/" target="_blank">one of the funkiest DJs around</a>!<br />
<br />
Ironically, the truth is that despite this, the guy doesn't carry a drop of attitude. Seriously, one of the nicest guys you'll meet.<br />
<br />
Don't you just hate him?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span> Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-68474564040590746132013-06-06T09:04:00.000-07:002013-06-06T09:16:45.920-07:00What's In A Name? (10 Reasons Why I'm NOT a Mod)<div style="text-align: center;">
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Y'know, judging by the amount of times I use the term "mod" in this blog, you would think I walk around all day constantly calling myself a 'mod' in real life. You'd think I'm one of those people who uses the term 'mod' every chance I get:<br />
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"Hey guys, I'll catch you later... I'm about to mod up." "Y'know, as a mod, I don't really like those skeletoe shoes of yours." "Ohhh, the life of a mod is so Mod-darn hard, I just want to mod mod mod off into the sunset."<br />
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GAH! You say a word enough times and it just starts to lose meaning to you.<br />
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You're not going to believe this but I don't really refer to myself as a 'mod' in real-world away-from-the-computer conversations. Oh, I know what I'm into and all, and I identify with it, but I don't go around being all explicit about it.<br />
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Yeah, I know... based on the fact that the 'M,' 'O,' and 'D' buttons on my keyboard are worn away to nubs, you'd think otherwise. Look at the title of this blog, for heaven's sake! Heck, I use the word 'mod' so often on this blog, Paolo Hewitt's probably getting ready to cash in on the royalties he thinks I owe.<br />
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But, in real life, people know what I'm into, I know what I'm into, and that's pretty much all that's needed. I don't need to emphasize any label with people. In fact, in general, when people have asked me what I'm about or what I am, I don't think I've ever really answered, "I'm a mod." At most, I'd tell them, "Oh, you know, I'm into moddish stuff." Or, "Y'know, <i>the sixties</i>." Because, really, who wants to get stuck in <i>that</i> conversation?<br />
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Others are different. They love the label and want others to recognize that they fit within that label. Some people go so far as to use other labels/names like 'tickets,' 'faces,' 'ace-faces,' 'modettes,' 'numbers,' blah blah blah. Man... what's the point?<br />
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Although I love the culture and what the term itself stands for, I don't peg my existence on it. My decisions aren't based on 'What would mods do?" In fact, there are probably a ton of you who think I'm NOT a mod at all, for various reasons. <br />
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And who am I to argue? Heck, I'll even go ahead and give you the <b>Top 10 Reasons Why I'm NOT A mod:</b><br />
<ol>
<li><b>I don't wear a Target, Union Jack, or Mod lapel pin.</b> Sorry. I don't really care if strangers know what I'm about or not. What ever happened to subtlety? These days, many mod types feel they need that final lapel pin to confirm that, yes, they're mods. Heck, if I go that route, maybe I should add lapel pins that say, "Mexican," "Short Guy," or "Batman Fan." Or, maybe I should just drop the essence of the look and walk out in flip-flops and a roundel tank top with a mod pin to confirm that, yes, 'Mod!' despite what you see. <br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I don't ride a scooter.</b> I admit it. For years, I've been the running joke amongst my friends because of this. I bought my first Vespa when I was about 18 years old. It was basically a scooter frame with a burnt-out engine and my friend convinced me to buy it because, y'know, mod. Unfortunately, I bought it at a time when all of my <strike>spare change</strike> money was going toward school. I could barely afford a meal, so how was I going to be able to afford a new scooter engine? Over time, I sold that scooter to a friend who, within hours it seemed, made it look like a piece of art... that also ran.<br /><br />Well, since I was living in the Bay Area, I was able to walk anywhere I pretty much wanted. My life wasn't dependent upon a set of wheels, although I still did want them. I bought my next scooter, a Vespa Rally, completely functional with a nice paint job. I even learned how to ride it... briefly. Of course, I learned how to ride it at a time in my life when I was much more aware of my own mortality. I knew friends who had gotten into accidents and that pretty much bummed out my own confidence in scooter-riding. These days, my scooter is in the garage and whenever we need to get anywhere, my wife's Mini is always there. So, yeah, I don't ride a scooter. Someday, though, I'll build up my confidence and get that thing running again! Until then... I guess that's another mod demerit for me.<br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I like rock'n'roll music. </b>Uh-huh, you bet! I don't collect 1950s rock'n'roll, but man I do dig me some Elvis (especially his 'Comeback'-era output), Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, and Chuck Berry. I even like some Rockabilly music. Heck, I like some straight-up rock! Bands like MC5, Free, and Blue Cheer will always be welcome on my turntable. It may sound cliche, but, well, some of my best friends are rockers. So, yeah, I love me some good rock'n'roll. But that's okay... YOU probably like Oasis. Pssh! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Oh, and here's a secret for you: when <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkTQUtx818w" target="_blank">'Freebird'</a></i> comes up on the radio... I keep it on!)</span><span style="color: white;">*<br />*</span></li>
<li><b>I'm old. </b>Listen, there's nothing wrong with being old. I admit that I am. And I like it. For me, being old means that I've made it this far. It means that, hopefully, I've gained some wisdom, learned some lessons, and have matured, even if just a tiny bit, by this point in my life. I like being old. However, many people feel that the mod subculture is a 'youth' subculture. I would agree with that. I think that this is something you get into when you're young, looking for an identity, and trying to figure out what you're about. By the time you're my age, you should already know who you are, for the most part. You've already been shaped by life's experiences and should have, hopefully, overcome that desire to 'fit in' with a particular group. Some people see the mod thing as a phase which some young people go through. They think that this is something you 'grow out of' as you age. Maybe they're right, too, but why grow out of something that looks so damn good? <br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I'm not British.</b> Yup, some people believe that you have to be British in order to be a mod. I don't know, maybe it's something in the water out there. The funny thing about this is that so many British mods are into American culture. Many British kids have formed bands playing music that stemmed from an American experience (i.e., blues, soul, jazz). Some of the mod 'look' is highly influenced by American styles (i.e., Ivy league, Levi's jeans). But, let's accept it... if you're not British, you can't be a mod. And that's okay. My nationality is American and my ethnicity is Mexican. I'm so far away from being British, that I can't even fake a British accent. (The closest I can do is imitating the father who asks, "What's for tea, daughter?" in The Who's <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWuotfT_j6s">'Heinz Baked Beans'</a></i>.) My only consolation for not being British is that I can find <b>great</b> Mexican food out where I live. And I don't need to tan.<br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I wasn't 'born Mod.'</b> You ever hear this one? "I was born mod and I'm gonna die a mod." NEWSFLASH: I wasn't born a mod. Nope, I actually had a childhood that didn't involve pocket squares, cufflinks, or trouser hem widths. In fact, my interest in clothes took a backseat to my interest in Star Wars figures and Transformers toys. Before the sta-prest, chisel-toe shoes, and tailored suits, I was walking around in Toughskins, velcro sneakers, and an Admiral Ackbar t-shirt. Heck, I even wore shorts! And you think I was always into soul 45s? Well, you would have been surprised to find the <i>'Theme to Rocky'</i> 7-inch, an '<i>Amazing Spider-Man and Friends</i>' LP, and various Peter Pan 45s in my collection back then. However, although I didn't come out of the womb crying for my first tab-collar shirt, I did have strong opinions on personal style, even as a kid. I hated tank top shirts, muscle shirts, baggy trousers, or hi-top sneakers. Maybe this is why the mod look was so attractive to me early on. But no, I wasn't born mod. And chances are, <i>neither were you</i>. <br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I don't live in the 1960s.</b> Some people probably think that the whole mod thing really only exists as a snapshot of a long-gone era in British culture. And really, who am I to disagree? I didn't live back then. I didn't go through those experiences that led to the formation of that culture. Some 1960s originals probably think that their youth was co-opted by later generations, and they might be right. Maybe Ian Page was on to something by trying to create a whole new label for post-1960s mods. <br /><br />Original mods grew up in a post-war economic boom. I grew up in a post-1970s economic fizzle. My experience was totally different than those originals. Heck, my experience was differant than the '79 revival guys, too. But when I discovered this thing, it had nothing to do with a time-frame, a protest against punk, or being a fan of The Who or The Jam. It had to do with the attitudes toward style. If you want to say that mod only existed from this year to that, fine. But, somehow, reading about it and learning about it had enough of an effect on my life and the lives of others that we've incorporated elements of that culture into our own aesthetic today. And, for the sake of convenience, maybe that term 'mod' just makes it easy to describe. <br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I don't listen to trip-hop or rave music. </b>One of those guys from Menswear once said, "The true mods are the ravers, the people who are into jungle and music that sounds futuristic." He's not the only one who believes this. Over the years, I've heard how the 'new mods' are into rave or house music or trip-hop or whatever else just happens to exist at the moment. After all, 'mod' is short for 'modern,' right? Isn't that what people like to say? How can you be a mod and not be into contemporary music (or styles)? Hey, if you are into contemporary music, ain't nothin' wrong with that (<i>see #10 below</i>), but no need to use it to justify your 'modness.' <br /><span id="goog_1412481601"></span><span id="goog_1412481602"></span><br />Style-wise, I'm a bit more 'old-fashioned.' I know the 'mod' look when I see it and there's a lot of new fashion out there that I just don't see as 'mod.' But maybe that's just me. After all, some people think the 'new mods' are guys walking around in Oasis-looking baggy trousers and tennis shoes (trainers). Heck, maybe the 'new mods' are those fellas struttin' down the street in skinny jeans, mod tattoos, and listening to Daft Punk? Why not? They're 'modern,' after all. Well, if that is the case, then... any rockers out there have room for another? <br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>My circumstances aren't as 'difficult' as they used to be. </b>These days, life ain't so bad. I have a job I'm happy with, steady income, a wife who indulges (and shares) my obsession with mod-oriented culture, and the free time to spend on updating this blog. Things weren't always this way... I've lived through my share of poverty. <br /><br />There were days when I had a choice between spending money on a solid meal or spending money on a way home from school. But even during those days, I made sure I was decked out in my vintage Towncraft shirts, 3-button jackets, tapered sta-prest, and Chelsea boots (with the heel worn down from all the walking I had to do). But thanks to those hard times, I have a larger appreciation for the good things in life today. Sorry to disappoint you, Pete Meaden, but life doesn't have to be difficult to enjoy this stuff. <br /><span style="color: white;">*</span></li>
<li><b>I like some mainstream pop music. </b>Listen, I don't live my life judging music by what position it holds in the Billboard Top 40. If a song's good, it's good. For instance, I quite like songs like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAfyFTzZDMM" target="_blank"><i>'Beautiful'</i></a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWOyfLBYtuU" target="_blank"><i>'Dog Days Are Over'</i></a>, <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw" target="_blank">'Hey Ya!'</a></i>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw" target="_blank"><i>'Rolling in the Deep'</i></a>. They're just well-crafted pop songs. <br /><br />I know, I know, according to all the history books, original mods disdained the pop charts. If a song was popular, they dropped it for something more obscure. YAWN... Hey, I used to be like that when I was younger. I know how it goes. If I saw any of the 'underground' music I loved getting popular with the 'mainstream,' I'd lose interest. <br /><span id="goog_1108759735"></span><span id="goog_1108759736"></span><br />Silly now that I look back on that way of thinking because the music itself<i> </i>didn't change. It didn't get any less good because more people liked it. Besides, these days, could you imagine judging music based on how popular it is? I might as well dump all my mod/soul records, considering how (deservedly) popular they've become! And let's be honest with ourselves. The 'underground' hasn't been underground for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4kfS4rQi3M" target="_blank">quite some time now</a>.</li>
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So there you have it... the many reasons why I might fall out of the mod definition. I just don't live my life through a 'mod' prism. My decisions or interests aren't based on what is or isn't 'mod.' <br />
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See, I don't like soul music, 3-button jackets, chisel-toe shoes, and vintage scooters <i>because</i> I'm a mod, but rather, maybe, <i>just maybe,</i> I'm a mod because I like all those things. I don't know and it really doesn't matter. You can call me a 'mod,' you can call me a retro guy, or you can call me a doofus for all I care. Whatever you call me, whatever I call myself, none of it changes or affects my aesthetic or list of interests.<br />
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And that's why being called a mod isn't as important to me. I still dig it and will continue to <strike>exploit</strike> use the term on this blog, for the ease of discussion. Heck, I'll even be protective of it when I see some bunk stuff out there using the term. I love what the term represents, but I don't limit myself with it. Hey, like the proverb says, 'Know thyself.' Me, I know who I am regardless of the label.<br />
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Whew... now that I got that outta my system, I feel so much more liberated. Now I think I'll go put on a Howard Tate LP, iron up my tab-collar shirt, and go downstairs to pay my old scooter a visit. And after that, who knows? Maybe I'll go hang out with some rockers.<br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-24884028367394355022013-05-30T09:58:00.002-07:002013-05-30T10:15:03.326-07:00May Music PicksWow! May was a big month for us. After 18 years in the same building and 13 years in the same apartment (7 for my wife), we finally moved. (<a href="http://mod-male.blogspot.com/2013/05/mod-life-overrated.html" target="_blank">See post here</a>.) <br />
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All this moving business got me really nostalgic, so that colored my music mood and got me into some sweet, mellow tunes I've enjoyed over the years living here. So, here friends, is my May playlist:<br />
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<strong>1. Ella Fitzgerald - It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing</strong> - The very first item I moved into my own apartment 13 years ago was a tape player. And the very first piece of music I played on it was off of an Ella Fitzgerald cassette tape. I moved down from an upstairs apartment, went straight to my new empty bedroom and plugged in my tape player with an Ella tape. I sat there listening to this, excited about my first, solo apartment.<br />
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<strong>2. Colin Blunstone - Caroline Goodbye</strong> - Okay, this one's old hat amongst the veterans out there, but if you're a newbie Mod kid getting burnt out on the "Mod! Mod! Mod! Rah! Rah! Rah!" music, then invest in Colin Blunstone. Former (or current, I guess) lead singer of the Zombies, Blunstone put out some absolutely beautiful solo music. And hey, if you're at a point in your life where you're looking to impress the chicas, play some of his music for them. They'll either soften up and see you as a sensitive, deeper-than-a-Mod-kid-should-be fellow or just not get the beauty of Blunstone. And if the latter, they ain't worth your time! I found this CD again when I started packing up our collection and just had to hear it.<br />
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<strong>3. Twin Engine - Give My Love A Chance </strong>- Another CD I found in the archives. Old pal, <a href="http://patjohnson.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Pat Johnson</a> turned me on these guys years ago when I was trying to explore more Byrdsy-country sounds. Listening to this again after so many years made moving a lot more easy. I don't know a whole lot about <a href="http://www.cherryred.co.uk/revola-exd.asp?id=2297" target="_blank">Twin Engine</a>, but seems their back-up included guys like Clarence White, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. Sold! (Unfortunately, I couldn't embed a YouTube clip, so you'll have to check the link yourself.)<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvBAoNPvL2I" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvBAoNPvL2I</a><br />
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<strong>4. Nick Drake - Northern Sky</strong> - Of course, moving always brings up some good nostalgia and although Nick Drake, for me and many others, is timeless, hearing this CD always brings me back to a period when I started to get real adventurous with music. My buddy Aaron used to always turn me on to great stuff that took me out of my Mod/soul comfort zone, including country, late '60s hard rock, and '60s/'70s folk, like this one. But as hard as he tried, I still had my limits (sorry Grateful Dead). But <em>Bryter Layter</em> and any Nick Drake is always welcome on my player!<br />
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<strong>5. Rodriguez - I'll Slip Away</strong> - Yes, we're still on a Rodriguez high and his music has been playing non-stop on our system while we packed up. Kind of makes it hard, though, when you're trying to hurry up and box up some books, but need to stop and take in a moment for a song like this. Many times, I had to tell my wife, "Hold on... let me just dig my jam for a bit and I'll get to the next box..."<br />
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<strong>6. Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys - Love That Man</strong> - Many times, my wife was in control of our CD player (can you tell by now that our turntable was one of the first things to get packed?) and that's always a good thing since she puts stuff on that I forget about sometimes. We're huge Big Sandy fans and need to make more attempts to see him and his band live when they come through. A fantastic backing band, great voice, and beautiful music in a more '50s vein. I don't know about you, but 'rockabilly' music is A-OK with me! <br />
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<strong>7. The Jam - In The Crowd</strong> - I can't tell you how many times we drove back and forth between our old and new place dropping things off. And one of the CDs my wife kept playing was a Jam CD. I never find myself putting The Jam on, not because I'm tired of them (I still love them!) but because there's so much other great music I like listening to. But it usually takes my wife to remind me of good music like this. Everytime I jumped out of the car to drop boxes off, this was the song that remained playing in my head.<br />
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<strong>8. Johnny and June Cash</strong> - If I Were A Carpenter - This was off a different CD my wife had playing in the car. Off of a compilation of country music that we got while part of a CD club with friends, this number was the one I kept waiting for whenever it was on. The CD itself was filled with great stuff, but hearing this cover, which was a new one to me, is what kept me relaxed during the drives back and forth.<br />
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<strong>9. Nick Lowe - Long-Limbed Girl (This video features </strong><a href="http://www.chrisbarber.net/" target="_blank"><strong>Chris Barber</strong></a><strong>)!</strong> - On our last night, all I had left music-wise was my iPhone. This was one of the last songs I remember listening to, late at night, while packing up shoes. Man... Nick Lowe is one of the few who has aged so gracefully and gotten better with his music. Don't believe me? Then play the video.<br />
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<strong>10. Jefferson Airplane - Embryonic Journey</strong> - Yeah, I know I put this in the last post, but I'm including it here anyway. Whereas Ella Fitzgerald was the first thing I played when I moved into my own place 13 years ago, this song was the last thing I played as we left. I was fooling around, really, as my wife walked out filming the empty apartment. I put the song on my iPhone as she was shutting the door as a joke, but when I saw the look on her face and the tears welling up, even I got super sad! Didn't help when one of the newer neighbors walked by looking at us like we were crazy. <br />
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Well, that's it for this month. In case you're wondering, our music system still isn't plugged in. (But our TV system is, so <em>Arrested Development</em>, here we come!) And our records and CDs are piled everywhere. I think this'll be the weekend to finally get some good music playing at the new place.</div>
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Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-76557595119261995942013-05-24T08:32:00.000-07:002013-05-24T08:32:29.493-07:00Casual Friday #14: Hank Ballard<i>Working to look sharp for a rare evening out on the town can actually
be easy. The tough job is trying to look sharp on a daily, casual
basis. Yeah, you might have your Friday night suit at your beck and
call, but what does it matter if you spend the rest of your time in
target t-shirts and jeans? Every Friday, I'd like to offer up some style
inspiration for tightening up your casual look, because let's face
it... sometimes you just don't feel like wearing a tie, but still want
to keep it sharp.</i><br />
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I saw this photo of Hank Ballard posted on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Style-and-Classics-Vintage-Menswear-Emporium/342434819190575" target="_blank">Style and Classics Vintage Menswear Emporium</a> Facebook page and had to include it here today.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVd8FkErNuc/UZ97fiomfWI/AAAAAAAACXM/VTDSYkc1g7s/s1600/tumblr_mhprklEYrS1s3dxtyo1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVd8FkErNuc/UZ97fiomfWI/AAAAAAAACXM/VTDSYkc1g7s/s1600/tumblr_mhprklEYrS1s3dxtyo1_500.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also on the <a href="http://lesenfantsdejeanbrun.tumblr.com/post/42295929807/hank-ballard" target="_blank">Les Enfants de Jean Brun</a> Tumblr page worth following for great images.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Okay, first off, let's get over the loose fit of the jacket. I know you Mod types like your jackets nice and tight, but lay off of Ballard, who's just keepin' it loose'n'cool. <br />
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Besides, it's the color and individual ensemble pieces that make this such a great, casual style. This look actually reminds me of what some of the Berkeley Mods were dressing like when I first moved to the Bay Area: vintage slim trousers with a higher rise, 3-button pop-over shirts (which you could still find at thrift shops at the time), and late '50s/early '60s pointed shoes.<br />
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In fact, if I could take a closer look at Ballards shoes, I could almost swear they're exactly like the type I still wear these days for work (and play)! You can keep your desert boots... I'd rather stick with slick, leather dress shoes.<br />
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The slim fit of the trousers work well with the overall look as well. I don't really do high-rises on my trousers these days, but if I could find a pair that looked this great, I'd do it.<br />
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Now take a look at that shirt... man! Nice, Autumn-flavored bold stripes with that 3-button front and button-down collar. You just don't see shirts like this that often anymore and it's really too bad because they're perfect casual shirts that beat any ol' tennis polo shirt any day of the week.<br />
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Bam! This all gets topped off with a rust-colored coat that matches his shirt perfectly. His ascot is just icing on the whole cake. <br />
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Hank Ballard... casual by day, slicked-up by night, all in one outfit. All right, Hank, now show us how the funk is done:<br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-22995928871885755472013-05-22T10:38:00.000-07:002013-05-22T10:38:45.875-07:00Mod Life: OverratedYou probably thought I gave this blog up, but the reality is that I've been way too busy with a miserable, overbearing task: moving.<br />
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Seriously. My wife and I just finished moving and the largest lesson I've learned from this whole thing is that this Mod thing sucks. I'm done with it.<br />
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I understand now why many 1960s Mods splintered off into more spartan, hippie lifestyles. I'm trading in my suits for target t-shirts and jeans, trading in all my shoes for a single pair of Adidas trainers, trading in all my vinyl for a single iPod, and trading in the books for a library card. <br />
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Of course, 18 years of accumulation is a hard thing to just pack up and move. We're dealing with boxes & boxes of shoes and bags & bags of clothing... and let's not get into my wife's collection of shoes and clothes! We couldn't have done it without the help of a moving company and our friends Jon Burchard, Karen Finlay, Syd Wayman, and Mari Corella. (Thanks guys!)<br />
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A few things I came across during our packing included an old pair of original 1960s Denson 'Chisel Poynters' I wore once long ago, before the tongue fell out. At the time that I got these, I didn't appreciate the fact that they were original Densons! <br />
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At the opposite end of the spectrum, I also found my old pair of Jam stage shoes.<br />
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A few other clothing pieces I came across included a beat-up pair of Cuban-heeled pointed boots... <br />
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some madras jackets...<br />
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my old houndstooth suit jacket...<br />
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and my paisley 2-button jacket (thanks Sean C.!).<br />
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Also came across some old paperbacks with great covers:<br />
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Oh yeah, and I found my old scooter!<br />
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Now, I lived in that last place for almost 18 years, believe it or not. I moved in, as a couch-surfing student, with my friends Susan and Mike Therieau. At the time, The Beatles were celebrating their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKdCPtDaNCM" target="_blank">Anthology</a> and local brit-pop club, <a href="http://www.popscene-sf.com/" target="_blank">Popscene</a>, had just debuted at the Cat Club.<br />
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A month later, I had my own apartment in that same building with my roommate DJ Sean Cavanaugh. 4 years or so after that, while riding high on the dot-com craze, I had enough money to rent my very own apartment with no roommate in the very same building. Unfortunately, a month later, the dot-com craze died, but I survived and held on to that apartment! About 6 years later, my future wife moved in with me and now, 7 years later, we're off to a bigger place. Sigh... sad leaving that place behind.<br />
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Many Mod friends passed through as residents of that building over the years including Mike Therieau, Sean Cavanaugh, Dennis (Denny) Winston, Jason Ringgold (New Untouchables), Jon Burchard (ex-The Idea), and more. Many good times of BBQs, parties, and late-night hangouts.<br />
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And now, it's over. Time to move on.<br />
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As we cleaned out the last bit and prepared to close the door for one last time, my wife wanted me to take photos of the old place. <br />
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And as we shut the door, I just had to play this last song (as I reminded myself to stop watching so many <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsr-fWGvKM" target="_blank">sitcoms</a>):<br />
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Now it's time to give the spartan life a chance... a-a-a-and that's over. I feel like book-shopping.<br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-83849817292774416562013-05-01T10:36:00.006-07:002013-05-01T10:38:25.327-07:00April Music Picks (A Day Late)Alright, alright, only my second monthly playlist and already I'm late. Hey, what can I say? Life.<br />
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Anyways, this is what I've been diggin' on this month. That Acid Jazz box set really got me on a hip-hop kick (*gasp*), but that's not all I've been listening to. Check it!<br />
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<strong>1. Ry Cooder & The Chicken Skin Band - Dark End of The Street</strong> - This version just floored me. A beautiful mix of tender, soft soulful vocals, slide guitar, and Tex-Mex accordian. I had this on repeat for almost an entire work day. For no reason whatsoever, I've never picked up any Ry Cooder albums, but have wanted to explore his records for a while. This song just might be the kick in the pants to get on that!<br />
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<strong>2. Three O'Clock - In My Own Time </strong>- This month was a big concert month in the Bay Area. The Specials (or did they play in March?), Peter Daltrey (see below), and The Three O'Clock. Gotta say, the Three O'Clock were pretty great! When I was younger, 'Canteloupe Girlfriend' was my jam. These days, it's this track.<br />
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<strong>3. Kaleidoscope - Standing/Diary Song: The Indian Head</strong> - Peter Daltrey made a return visit to San Francisco this month, so I spent time catching up on all my favorite Kaleidoscope/Fairfield Parlour recordings (i.e., all of them). I was super excited to catch him again, as he was so good last time he played. But what happened? I got sick and couldn't make the show! Although I missed him, I still have fantastic songs like this, probably my favorite off of the <em>White Faced Lady</em> album.<br />
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<strong>4. Ricky Fante - Let You Go</strong> - Man, talk about getting lost in the shuffle. There are all these great new soul acts playing today, but Ricky Fante was one of the first back in the mid-2000s. I don't know why he wasn't picked up on more or why he didn't continue on the path of this sound. (Maybe it was the out-of-place dancers all around him?) But listen to this and tell me this ain't some great 'new' soul!<br />
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<strong>5. Dave Pike - Big Schlepp</strong> - I'm always in the mood for some good, funky Dave Pike jams. This is perfect music for just hangin' at home and kickin' it easy. Thanks to YouTube, you can find some <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNJ51OUMU-M" target="_blank">good live footage of him</a>. But the song that was ticklin' me this month was 'Big Schlepp!'<br />
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<strong>6. The Pharcyde - Oh Sh**!</strong> - As mentioned above, I've been on a hip-hop kick thanks to the Acid Jazz 25th Anniversary box set. I was never much of a hip-hop guy when I was younger. I think the only tracks I liked back in high school were 'Express Yourself' (NWA), 'Fight The Power' (Public Enemy), and 'Me, Myself, and I' (De La Soul). These days, though, I have a much larger appreciation and have been diggin' on songs I missed out the first time around, like this.<br />
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<strong>7. The Velvet Underground - Oh! Sweet Nuthin'</strong> - Ah, you all know this one! I was at the gym the other day, and this came on my iPod. It had been a while, but a very welcome listen. Unfortunately, it made me want to get off the treadmill and just want to mellow down easy.<br />
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<strong>8. Guru - Le Bien, Le Mal</strong> - Here's an old hip-hop tune I was into back in the day. In fact, while Guru's <em>Jazzmatazz</em> was probably hipping hip-hop kids to jazz, it was actually hipping me to hip-hop. Plus, you just can't beat the sound of French rapping.<br />
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<strong>9. Caetano Veloso - Lost In Paradise</strong> - This album is always lying by the side of our turntable because we are often in a Veloso mood. This particular track kept floating around in my mind this month.<br />
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<strong>10. Hidden Jazz Quartet</strong> <strong>- High Heels (Lack of Afro remix)</strong> - It's been a while since I've bought new 45s, but I just recently picked this one up. I actually learned about it from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/susseddublin?fref=ts" target="_blank">Sussed Facebook page</a> (thanks guys!) A nice slice of new soul that totally makes me want to DJ again!<br />
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Alright, that's it for me this month. Hope you dig!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-6094898175507645832013-04-29T11:19:00.002-07:002013-04-29T11:19:28.933-07:00Weekly Blog Roundup: 4/29/2013Always late on linking up to good blogs, but better late than never. This is the stuff that's been in my feed lately:<br />
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<li>I never really look to Mod revival acts for clothes ideas, but some of you might and if that's the case, you'll dig this <a href="http://www.modshoes.co.uk/index.php/the-shoes-of-the-mod-revival-bands-part-1/" target="_blank">review on shoes worn around those revival days</a>. </li>
<li>Nick Rossi of <a href="http://amodernist.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Modernist</a> sent me this great blog post on <a href="http://jazzwestcoastresearch.blogspot.com/2013/03/john-brandt-graphic-artist-designer.html" target="_blank">John Brandt, mid-century graphic artist and animator</a>, which not only features his work, but a little history on Disney animator, Ward Kimball. </li>
<li>My pal, Maria, wrote <a href="http://www.cinemulatto.com/?p=494" target="_blank">this piece on the Three O'Clock</a> from the perspective of a gay woman growing up with the Paisley Underground.</li>
<li>I never get into the female aspect of Mod stuff, not being female and all, but <a href="http://djpennylane.blogspot.ca/2013/04/medias-mod.html#!/2013/04/medias-mod.html" target="_blank">here's a take on it to give some perspective on current happenings in fashion</a>.</li>
<li>Whatever you might think of the Style Council, you have to admit they had some <a href="http://oncewerebachelors.blogspot.com/2013/04/more-adventures-with-style-council.html" target="_blank">great-looking record sleeves</a>!</li>
<li>WOW! Some <a href="http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2013/04/jazz-at-lennies.html" target="_blank">beautiful photos from Massachusetts jazz club, Lennies</a>, worth your view.</li>
<li>You know what I said up above about revival clothes? Well, something eventually clicked with '80s Mods, because <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/04/mods-in-i-d-style-bible-1987-emphasis.html" target="_blank">they definitely came back with style</a>! (Well... maybe not the white socks...)</li>
<li>Hey, I have a copy of this <a href="http://sweetjanespopboutique.blogspot.com/2013/04/gear-guide-1967-whos-who-in-carnaby.html" target="_blank">1967 Gear Guide</a>! After all, when I get my time machine working, I'll be needing a 'Hip Pocket Guide to Britain's Swinging Fashion Scene.'</li>
<li>David Walker, of the <a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/" target="_blank">Modculture</a> site, provides a great take on <a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/the-myth-of-the-mod-band/" target="_blank">the state of 'Mod' bands</a>. Like I said on my FB page, the last 3 paragraphs captured my feelings.</li>
<li>What, you thought <a href="http://www.comicvine.com/wonder-woman-178-wonder-womans-rival/4000-109230/" target="_blank">Wonder Woman</a> was the only DC comics character to go 'Mod'? Pssh... <a href="http://parkaavenue.blogspot.com/2013/04/swing-with-scooter-mod-teen-idol.html" target="_blank">get ready to Swing with Scooter</a>!</li>
<li>Great. Just great. <a href="http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2013/04/aprils-picks.html" target="_blank">Anorak Thing's April playlist</a> just put 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' in my head on repeat. But that's not a bad thing!</li>
<li>Friends, don't be jealous of us Northern Californians who have closer access to the <a href="http://spyvibe.blogspot.com/2013/04/mid-century-modern-schulz.html" target="_blank">Mid-Century Modern exhibit</a> going on at the Charles Schulz Museum. Snoopy + MCM = awesomeness.</li>
<li>Another great <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-playlist.html" target="_blank">April playlist from Monkey Picks</a> (featuring the funk rock of Black Merda and the soul jazz of Don Patterson).</li>
<li>More <a href="http://highwatersinhell.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/life-in-watts-1966-the-ones-that-got-away/" target="_blank">photos from the <strong>LIFE</strong> 1966 Watts article</a> have been unearthed! </li>
<li>A nice gallery of the <a href="http://www.ivy-style.com/jazz-appreciation-month-jazz-on-campus-album-covers.html" target="_blank">Ivy League hitting the record cover scene</a>.</li>
<li>Information on the <a href="http://modernistsociety.blogspot.com/2013/04/noddy-holder-reminisces-about-his-life.html" target="_blank">chance to catch Slade's Noddy Holder</a> talking about his career.</li>
<li>Learn a bit about <a href="http://sweetjanespopboutique.blogspot.com/2013/04/john-kloss-geometric-pop-design-1966.html" target="_blank">John Kloss</a>, the man behind some of your favorite '60s fashion designs.</li>
<li><a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/04/reggie-king-and-bb-blunder-never.html" target="_blank">More Reggie King love</a> from Monkey Picks! (Dang, that blog is on a roll.)</li>
<li>Get hip to the <a href="http://funky16corners.com/?p=3772" target="_blank">jazz stylings of Gary McFarland</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://dereksdaily45.blogspot.com/2013/04/don-covay-take-this-hurt-off-me.html">http://dereksdaily45.blogspot.com/2013/04/don-covay-take-this-hurt-off-me.html</a></li>
<li>And end the week with one of my all-time faves, <a href="http://dereksdaily45.blogspot.com/2013/04/don-covay-take-this-hurt-off-me.html" target="_blank">"Take This Hurt Off Me,"</a> which always brings me back to those college days of no money, no clubs, but still able to explore good music in friends' living rooms without a giant 'scene' around us. </li>
</ul>
That's it for this week! Ahh... the mysteries of childhood:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" lua="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzG5S5RFbB4/UX6t48uiBWI/AAAAAAAACUU/HxnasBf1Lbw/s1600/MidCentury_rev.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://spyvibe.blogspot.com/2013/04/mid-century-modern-schulz.html" target="_blank">Peanuts go Mid-Century Modern!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-38021194303090264112013-04-26T08:47:00.000-07:002013-04-26T08:47:01.204-07:00Casual Friday #13: Charlie Watts<i>Working to look sharp for a rare evening out on the town can actually be easy. The tough job is trying to look sharp on a daily, casual basis. Yeah, you might have your Friday night suit at your beck and call, but what does it matter if you spend the rest of your time in target t-shirts and jeans? Every Friday, I'd like to offer up some style inspiration for tightening up your casual look, because let's face it... sometimes you just don't feel like wearing a tie, but still want to keep it sharp.</i><br />
<br />
Like my friend Susan (who sent me the photo) said, "Style over 70." And sure 'nuff, Charlie Watts, in his 70s, just kicks out the style even when he's not posing for photo shoots or playing with the band. Here he is just keeping it casual:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KOLN5_O7OM0/UXqbYgQnMmI/AAAAAAAACUE/dmoNtygpkEs/s1600/Charlie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lwa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KOLN5_O7OM0/UXqbYgQnMmI/AAAAAAAACUE/dmoNtygpkEs/s1600/Charlie.png" /></a></div>
Seriously, how many guys from those mid-'60s bands still carry this kind of style in their older years? He's even got a pair of striped socks to throw in a splash of 'pow' to a grey color scheme. But everything in this photo, from the coat, scarf, and vest down to those striped socks and loafers, captures a warm, casual look for a cool day. <br />
<br />
But no matter how cold it was that day, it doesn't come near Charlie Watt's cool hang.<br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span><br />
Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-67261849828418033672013-04-24T09:15:00.000-07:002013-04-24T09:15:21.294-07:00In Defense of 'The Sixties'<span id="goog_1077418828"></span><span id="goog_1077418829"></span>I'll admit it. I used to hate 'the sixties.' <br />
<br />
Do you know how rough it was growing up with parents who lived <i>through</i> the sixties? Parents who constantly had to rub it in your face just how great their youth was. My mom was more mellow about it, but my father would go on and on about the British Invasion, the Chicano movement, Bob Dylan, the socio-economic changes occurring at the time, blah, bleh, blah, bluh. Man, as a kid, all I wanted was to be left alone with my Transformers cartoons (which could never stand up to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65t-OzhlmvE" target="_blank">the cartoons they had growing up</a>), my G.I. Joe action figures (not as cool as <a href="http://docsonic.hubpages.com/hub/GI-Joe-1960s" target="_blank"><i>their</i> G.I. Joe action figures</a>), and my own music (my Top 40 could never match <a href="http://www.chairborneranger.com/top100/top100-1967.htm" target="_blank">their Top 40</a>).<br />
<br />
And you know the worst part? They were totally right. Sure, it took me some time, and early on it did bother me to admit that, yes, The Who were totally amazing and that, yes, Bob Dylan was worth raving about. Heck, even my favorite Mad Magazine issues were from the 1960s!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EEmD1aAseBo/UXdAW9XPnxI/AAAAAAAACSk/kPl8JlrRtrQ/s1600/madsixties.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EEmD1aAseBo/UXdAW9XPnxI/AAAAAAAACSk/kPl8JlrRtrQ/s320/madsixties.JPG" width="251" /></a></div>
<br />
But when I first got into the Mod thing, it wasn't necessarily built on an appreciation of 'the sixties'. That developed over time. For me, at first, it was just the general idea of 'rebelling' against 'society' by walking around in sharp suits no one else was wearing. But, in time, this began to center so much more around a 'sixties' look and lead to an obsession with sixties music, style, culture, and history.<br />
<br />
In fact, there was a period when my friends and I were so obsessed with the sixties that we wanted to get all the details right in our clothing. "Well, they didn't really wear their trousers like that in the sixties, it was more like this." Or, "Hmm... that shirt's too 1968 for me. I think I'll pass." We were obsessive kids, but we were also learning the roots of our look (and the differences between what actual 'Mods' wore and what Carnaby Street shoppers wore). Truth be told, we were kinda more into the colorful, patterned Carnaby Street garb.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmqX8vfuRas/UXdCDadfXfI/AAAAAAAACSs/FImAhTIiZMA/s1600/SF1995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmqX8vfuRas/UXdCDadfXfI/AAAAAAAACSs/FImAhTIiZMA/s1600/SF1995.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My crew and I, circa 1995-96. (Imagine the photo in 'Carnaby color'!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Over time, we loosened up on trying to get our 'sixties' look just right, instead incorporating what we had learned into a growing, evolving look that we felt suited us (no pun intended) as we grew older. But for me, and a few of my friends, our look is still very much steeped in a sixties aesthetic, with a touch of modern elements thrown in... on occasion.<br />
<br />
And that brings me to the big question people often throw around: "Isn't Mod about moving forward? Why are you still into all that retro sixties stuff? That's not <i>mod</i>ern."<br />
<br />
And that's not a bad question. In fact, if you have a copy of the third issue of <b>Sussed</b>, Noel Kavanagh actually addresses this topic in the article, <i>Post Modernist Mods</i>. But here's my take on why so many of us still can't let 'the sixties' go.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_aK2_ilrsK4/UXdC7ZJ5S2I/AAAAAAAACS8/-_3P0VvsReY/s1600/Sussed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_aK2_ilrsK4/UXdC7ZJ5S2I/AAAAAAAACS8/-_3P0VvsReY/s320/Sussed.png" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have you ordered <i>your</i> copy of <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/susseddublin/app_208195102528120" target="_blank">Sussed</a></b> yet?</td></tr>
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First off, yes, from what I've heard, Mods in the sixties were definitely always 'moving forward.' Their styles changed rapidly, sometimes on a weekly basis. Their music was evolving and 'moving forward' with changing technologies in production. Mods did look forward, not backward.<br />
<br />
<b>But can you blame them?!</b> Look what they were moving forward and away from:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BCpZtzOAf5k/UXdUzSsZuYI/AAAAAAAACTM/3M9aGoGfLjA/s1600/teddyboys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BCpZtzOAf5k/UXdUzSsZuYI/AAAAAAAACTM/3M9aGoGfLjA/s320/teddyboys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image of Teddy Boys taken from <a href="http://theniftyfifties.tumblr.com/post/191605311/jeffzie-the-flamboyant-and-challenging-teddy-boy" target="_blank">The Nifty Fifties</a> website.</td></tr>
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England was finally escaping the lingering effects of a post-WWII society and economy. The people there were leaving behind food-rationing and starting to find more money in their pockets. Heck, I'd be looking forward, too, and trying to escape the recent past as quickly as possible! Plus, that post-WWII culture was starting to bring in so many new and fresh international influences and it was exciting. There was actually something to look forward to!<br />
<br />
Here's the problem though. What happened in the 1960s (starting in the late '50s really) was revolutionary in terms of design, fashion, music, art, and literature. That post-World War II boom led to so many changes in how people viewed the world. Heck, not to bring it back to that, but look at the show <i>Mad Men</i> (which I am finally caught up on!). From season to season, you can see how the characters' attitudes change in response to their social environment as it evolves. <br />
<br />
We really haven't seen a rapid cultural shift like that since then. You can spot the major differences in a person's dress from 1964 to 1968. I challenge you to spot as marked a difference in a person's dress from 2004 to 2008. Heck, if I was watching the 1990s show <i>Friends</i> today for the first time, I wouldn't see that much difference in many people's dress today. <i>(Granted, it could just be an ironic hipster thing.)</i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ugaMdPAJftg/UXdXi7mrSfI/AAAAAAAACTk/u28muTK87nA/s1600/friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ugaMdPAJftg/UXdXi7mrSfI/AAAAAAAACTk/u28muTK87nA/s320/friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have mainstream styles really changed much in the last decade?</td></tr>
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But it's not just those changes in the sixties that attract some of us. Nope, it's the fact that so much of those changes were amazing! Midcentury modern furniture, Vidal Sassoon hairstyles, David Bailey's photography, The Beatles' studio work, Stax and Motown soul, new wave cinema, Mary Quant miniskirts... do I need to go on?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TIRA-6UDV20/UXdXD-a8sxI/AAAAAAAACTc/TwlD9o090vo/s1600/miniskirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TIRA-6UDV20/UXdXD-a8sxI/AAAAAAAACTc/TwlD9o090vo/s320/miniskirt.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />
The Sixties raised the bar on Western culture to a pretty high level. And it's why so many of us continue to look back to those designs, which have become timeless. Unlike original 1960s Mods who wanted to move away from an era of food rationing and grey hand-me-downs, many of us look back to an era of colorful styles and sleek, sharp designs that have stood the test of time. Some of us are obsessed with Eames, Saraarinen, and Noguchi furnishings or John Stephen, Mary Quant, and Courrèges stylings. And let's not get into the '50s-'60s music we can't get enough of. Yeah, it might be 'vintage' but I think most of us hunt that stuff down because of the beautiful designs, not so much its retro-ness.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TVmhUunnDc/UXdYrm_PpsI/AAAAAAAACTw/0O6_wQOK8oc/s1600/designers-july-1961-playboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TVmhUunnDc/UXdYrm_PpsI/AAAAAAAACTw/0O6_wQOK8oc/s400/designers-july-1961-playboy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few designers who helped shape the mid-century look that remains coveted today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Let's face it, what happened in the 1960s set a standard some of us don't need to move away from. And a majority of people have caught up to us. Once, you could find midcentury furniture for dirt-cheap at a thrift store. Good luck with that today! (But you can settle for mid-century-inspired pieces from companies like <a href="http://www.westelm.com/" target="_blank">West Elm</a> and <a href="http://www.eq3.com/ca/en/" target="_blank">EQ3</a>) Men are walking around in slim-tailored suits and women are walking around in bold, patterned dresses. "Retro"-soul acts like Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley are selling out venues. Television networks were scurrying for their own <i>Mad Men</i>-style shows based in the 1960s. (Anyone remember <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZeVxqRpWMo" target="_blank">Pan-Am</a></i> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVmUsLMQA7E" target="_blank"><i>The Playboy Club</i></a>?)<br />
<br />
Look, I'm all about moving forward and all that, but it's hard to move forward from a look that was done so well the first time around. Sure, we can add a twist here and there to put a check mark in the 'modern' box, but nothing beats a vintage, slim-fitting, tailored 3-button suit; nothing beats a mid-century <a href="http://www.eero-saarinen-furniture.com/images/photo/eero_saarinen_bauhaus_design_furniture_tulip_chair_design_classic.jpg" target="_blank">Tulip Chair</a>; and nothing but nothing beats a tender 1960s Otis Redding vocal.<br />
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<br />
I'm pretty comfortable with where I'm at, aesthetic-wise. I mix in vintage with some modern and I'm okay with that. I like a lot of contemporary things including clothes from Ted Baker (a little out of my price range, granted) and Thomas Pink. I even like some contemporary (probably non-Mod-approved) songs, like that new <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsUsVbTj2AY" target="_blank">Justin Timberlake track</a> (after the 0:45 mark, that is), which ain't half bad. <br />
<br />
But I'm not scrambling to find something 'modern' for the sake of its 'modern'-ness. I don't care to have any tattoos etched into my skin, even though everyone and their moms are doing it today. I don't need to like the new Daft Punk CD just because it's modern music. And if I was a scooter guy, you better believe I'd be hunting down a classic, vintage bike instead of a modern one (can't beat that design!). <br />
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After all, like Dobie Gray once sang, 'the originals are still the greatest.'<br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-83896723093441484342013-04-20T08:22:00.004-07:002013-04-20T08:22:33.092-07:00Weekly Blog Roundup: 4/20/2013Friends, it's been a tough month with real life (y'know, work and all), so sorry for the lack of real posts lately. Going to try to spend some time at some point actually <i>writing</i> something instead of just commenting on awesome Modish stylings in photos.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, go waste your time with other people who are taking the time to write real things:<br />
<ul>
<li>First off, last weekend we saw a fantastic documentary on artist Wayne White called <a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/beauty-is-embarrassing/" target="_blank"><i>Beauty Is Embarrassing</i></a>. Not only are the central figure and his wife highly engaging, but his work captures what I (and probably many others) really loved about the 1980s. (And if you don't know who Wayne White is, just know he had a big hand in designing <a href="http://www.peewee.com/" target="_blank"><i>Pee Wee's Playhouse</i></a>!)</li>
<li>I came across <a href="http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/blog/" target="_blank">this blog</a> accidentally. There are no individual blog post links, but a lot of great stuff. But what really blew me away was the story which at first looks to be about a Carnaby St. tribute band, but turns out to be more about Roger Smith's experiences as a Mod in the sixties. You'll have to scroll near the bottom of the page to get there.</li>
<li>Interesting post on the <a href="http://spyvibe.blogspot.com/2013/04/double-007-design.html" target="_blank">re-use of certain design 'motifs' in 1960s paperbacks</a>. </li>
<li>A piece of '60s Mod history: <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/04/letter-from-actions-reggie-king-i.html" target="_blank">Reggie King in his own words</a>.</li>
<li>I have a deep love of odd, vintage animated and stop-motion cartoons, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAPV-MvK6w" target="_blank">here's a great one for you</a>, featuring music by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet. </li>
<li>Some excellent <a href="http://sweetjanespopboutique.blogspot.com/2013/04/dandy-fashion-man-who-always-peaked-too.html" target="_blank">illustrations from Tom Wolfe</a>, author of <i>The Pump-House Gang</i>.</li>
<li>My favorite restaurant site is up with visits to the <a href="http://www.deanjab.com/blog/2013/04/the-sycamore-inn-route-66-rancho-cucamonga-california/" target="_blank">Sycamore Inn</a> and the <a href="http://www.deanjab.com/blog/2013/04/magic-lamp-inn-route-66-rancho-cucamonga-california/" target="_blank">Magic Lamp Inn</a> (both in Rancho Cucamonga) and <a href="http://www.deanjab.com/blog/2013/04/canlis-seattle-washington/" target="_blank">Canlis in Seattle</a>. </li>
<li>A sweet selection of <a href="http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2013/04/some-cool-60s-euro-francoise-hardy.html" target="_blank">Francoise Hardy picture sleeves</a>.</li>
<li>Parka Avenue takes you on a journey of <a href="http://parkaavenue.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-mods-shopping-guide-to-las-vegas-part.html" target="_blank">Las Vegas shopping</a>. (Don't worry... he skips the Ed Hardy shop.)</li>
<li>I think I mentioned before how interesting I've been finding the review of the new Mods book to be, but <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/04/mod-very-british-style-by-richard.html" target="_blank">this one might just be the most balanced one yet</a>.</li>
<li>A nice, little piece on appreciating <a href="http://rhythmshaker.tumblr.com/post/47140070024/soulman-korner" target="_blank">Alexis Korner</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://dandyinaspic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dandy in Aspic</a> has had a lot of great posts lately, but this was my fave, dealing with <a href="http://dandyinaspic.blogspot.com/2013/04/michael-english-and-psychedelic-art-of.html" target="_blank">one of my favorite psychedelic illustrators</a>. </li>
<li>The Syllabus pays tribute to <a href="http://gibsonssyllabus.tumblr.com/post/47611072702/the-syllabus-finally-emerged-from-its-easter" target="_blank">Dobells jazz record shop</a>.</li>
<li>So much greatness in this new A Modernist post featuring <a href="http://amodernist.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-great-gatsby-1945.html" target="_blank">the New Directions book line, graphic designer Alvin Lustig, and <i>The Great Gatsby</i></a>!</li>
<li>A funny, but all too true article on the <a href="http://www.thebolditalic.com/blog_posts/3147-fuck-you-very-much-mad-men-for-ruining-mid-century-modern-" target="_blank">increasing difficulty in finding mid-century furniture</a>. (However, don't people realize that using the F-word in a web link is not only non-shocking but also really annoying if you want to read this at work?)</li>
</ul>
Oh hey, look, it's 4/20 today. Go ahead, get all the stoner jokes out. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFfDhMQ0SZ0/UWm2a2jsu4I/AAAAAAAABOE/8RnTkUZOeg0/s1600/Lustig+1945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFfDhMQ0SZ0/UWm2a2jsu4I/AAAAAAAABOE/8RnTkUZOeg0/s320/Lustig+1945.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://amodernist.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Modernist</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-7588332273039908332013-04-09T11:53:00.002-07:002013-04-09T12:00:11.211-07:00Sharp Stylings #66: George Best<i>We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons. And living in a post-<b>Mad Men </b>world means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday (wait, today's Tuesday!), I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to appreciate and maybe even adopt.</i><br />
<br />
I'm not a sports fan. I don't tune in to Superbowls, March Madnesses, World Serieses, or even World Cups. Heck, the last time I kept up with any 'sports' at all was about 10-15 years ago when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dvb6TGm-cQ" target="_blank">The Rock was layin' the smackdown on jabronies across the country</a>.<br />
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But I'm not a total sports ignoramus. I know who Wayne Gretzky, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ShZiSRktUg" target="_blank">the Refrigerator</a>, and Fernando Valenzuela all are. (Valenzuela was actually a hero to all us Mexican kids growing up in our neighborhood in the 1980s.) And, yes, I even know who <a href="http://www.georgebest.com/" target="_blank">George Best</a> is.<br />
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I'm going to go ahead and assume that many of you are football fans who don't need me to waste my time copying and pasting a Wikipedia entry, the extent of my knowledge, on him. Let's skip the sports stats and get straight to the style: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dPU6e3oAytc/UWIaeOAS0WI/AAAAAAAACRo/F24yadE3RPc/s1600/GeorgeBest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dPU6e3oAytc/UWIaeOAS0WI/AAAAAAAACRo/F24yadE3RPc/s400/GeorgeBest.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Best with Mike Summerbee in front of Edwardia, the clothes boutique they owned. </td></tr>
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This jock was so sharp he had to go and open his own boutique! (<i>Bradley Wiggins, ball's in your court.</i>) And check him out, kickin' it with ease in his double-breasted suit, pressed shirt, and polished boots. Sure, he would have done well to leave that <a href="http://mod-male.blogspot.com/2012/03/bottom-button.html" target="_blank">bottom button undone</a>, but I wouldn't have told him that unless I wanted to risk a head-butt to the noggin'.<br />
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Really, this post is for any sports fanatics or jocks that might stumble across this blog. Hopefully, they'll learn a thing or two. After all, these days, most sports heroes are happy just hanging out in their workout clothes or a t-shirt, shorts, and sideways baseball cap with signature sneakers. Or, worse yet, like this: <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UjTGiuw8xs/UWOjEEG63uI/AAAAAAAACSQ/Us7zTDXQi_o/s1600/Dennis_Rodman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UjTGiuw8xs/UWOjEEG63uI/AAAAAAAACSQ/Us7zTDXQi_o/s320/Dennis_Rodman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
But George Best is proof that you can <i>sport</i> a stylish suit-oriented look in your off-time while saving the sports gear for the field. Seems his style sense <a href="http://mod-male.blogspot.com/2012/07/sharp-stylings-50-bradley-wiggins.html" target="_blank">has been passed on some 45 years later</a>, too.<br />
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And now I get why Paul Weller featured him on this cover:<br />
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Alright, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0aEg5Wv7rQ" target="_blank">jabronies</a>, I'm outta here. <br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-15052792628578228652013-04-05T10:22:00.003-07:002013-04-05T10:23:53.574-07:00Sharp Stylings #65: Sonny Phillips<i>We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons. And living in a post-<b>Mad Men </b>world means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday, I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to appreciate and maybe even adopt.</i><br />
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Quiz time!<br />
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Q: WHAT IS COOL?<br />
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A: <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G1d44rIld9s/UV7hNmQbPDI/AAAAAAAACQ4/Kyau_8I4DoA/s1600/sonnyphillips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G1d44rIld9s/UV7hNmQbPDI/AAAAAAAACQ4/Kyau_8I4DoA/s400/sonnyphillips.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Do I really need to write anything about this? Do I really have to talk about the perfect, short-brimmed, chocolate-brown fedora? Do you need me to point out the floral tie that provides a little snazz-action and matches the hat? Is there any reason for me to comment on the shape of the lapel notch on the suit jacket or the narrow double-breasted front? Haven't I gone on long enough on the need for a good pocket-square to complete an outfit? And should I even bring your attention to the absolutely perfect pose going on here?<br />
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No? Good! <br />
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Then that gives us time for a little Sonny Phillips soul-jazz jammin':<br />
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May your weekend be funky and mellow.<br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-53445729272345135982013-04-05T09:32:00.005-07:002013-04-05T09:34:35.354-07:00Weekly Blog Roundup: 4/5/2013First off, this week, I was welcomed to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/messages/100004024287437#!/modsmodsmods?fref=ts" target="_blank">We Are The Mods</a> radio show to discuss <em>Mad Men</em> and the Banana Republic 'Mad for Mod' look, along with April Rodriguez of the well-done <a href="http://oysters4breakfast.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ahoy Ahoy blog</a> (which digs into contemporary fashions influenced by past Mod stylings). As you're reading today's links, <a href="http://wearethemods.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-03T13_52_16-07_00" target="_blank">tune in to the show</a> and put on your headphones for a good talk on the subject. Plus, the very kind Andy Lindsay is interviewed, discussing his <a href="http://www.modshoes.co.uk/index.php/blog/" target="_blank">blog on Mod shoes</a> (like those worn by The Who, for instance). I think it was a fun time for all and there are some great tunes thrown in there (including a new Hidden Jazz Quartet song!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wearethemods.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-03T13_52_16-07_00" target="_blank">Click here to tune in to the show.</a></td></tr>
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Now on to today's link listing:<br />
<ul>
<li>Very sad news this week for all fans of film. The great Roger Ebert passed away. For some reason, this celebrity death kinda got to me, mainly because of just how brave Ebert had been during his recent fight with cancer and how his writing prevailed through his continuing reviews and social stances. Chicago's horror host, Svengoolie, offers a <a href="http://svengoolie.com/?p=6532" target="_blank">nice remembrance here</a>. </li>
<li>The reviews for that new "MOD: A Very British Style" book are becoming my new favorite literary genre. Here's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R7FXIO42BWMLZ/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0224073915&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=266239&store=books" target="_blank">my current favorite</a>.</li>
<li>I love corduroy, but never feel like I look good in it. Too bad, it's <a href="http://phil-are-go.blogspot.com/2013/04/his-sportswear-i-have-solved-corduroy.html" target="_blank">a great casual style</a>.</li>
<li>I love 45s as much as the next guy, but with all these great <a href="http://modernistsociety.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-breed-blues-with-black-popcorn-kent.html" target="_blank">new comps coming out</a>, my pocket cash is going to CDs lately!</li>
<li>Oh, but wait! One of my favorite comps of the 1990s (has it been that long?), Mod Jazz, is finally getting <a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/mod-jazz-to-be-issued-on-heavyweight-vinyl-by-ace/" target="_blank">a vinyl release</a>! Man, I can't tell you how influential these comps were in my djing days. </li>
<li>Maybe <a href="http://modernkiddo.com/vintage-style-the-fabulous-sunglasses-hat/" target="_blank">these sunglasses hats</a> will appeal more to the sunny California ladies who might read this blog, but let me tell you, if someone created a sunglass fedora hat... I just might have to pick one up!</li>
<li>Fitzgerald's is the NEW brand of shirt you need to keep your eyes on. <a href="http://rhythmshaker.tumblr.com/post/46969575158/fitzgeralds-clothiers" target="_blank">College No. 9 takes a deeper look.</a></li>
<li>But don't forget the classics still around, like John Simons, as explored by Jimmy Mellor, <a href="http://amodernist.blogspot.com/2013/04/john-simons-online-2013.html" target="_blank">guesting on A Modernist</a>.</li>
<li>Okay, okay, once you're done listening to We Are The Mods, tune in to <a href="http://www.modculture.co.uk/spotify-playlist-modernist-jukebox/" target="_blank">this great playlist featuring so many great early hits</a>!</li>
<li>Space age meets men's fashion thanks to <a href="http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2013/04/cosak-tailoring-into-the-space-age.html" target="_blank">Cosak cloth</a>!</li>
<li>How would <a href="http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-jam-reunite.html" target="_blank">YOU react</a> if The Jam reunited?</li>
<li>Back when we visited London, I was bummed we didn't make it to the Tate Modern. But if you're around the area, <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/04/roy-lichtenstein-retrospective-at-tate.html" target="_blank">check out the Lichtenstein exhibit</a>! Trust me... we have a few at the SFMOMA and they are worth taking a look at close-up.</li>
<li>Vegas isn't all gambling, drinking, mall shopping, and shows. <a href="http://parkaavenue.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-mods-shopping-guide-to-las-vegas-part.html" target="_blank">There's also good vintage and record shopping</a>! </li>
<li>Finally, end the week with a glimpse at the new video by local faves, <a href="http://dereksdaily45.blogspot.com/2013/04/you-got-my-love-new-video-from-my-band.html" target="_blank">The Bang</a>!</li>
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That's it for today... and in case you forgot, tune in to the <a href="http://wearethemods.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-03T13_52_16-07_00" target="_blank">We Are the Mods</a> show!<br />
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Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-1704223572609892072013-03-29T09:46:00.001-07:002013-03-29T09:55:01.258-07:00Sharp Stylings #64: Del (and Gill) Evans<i>We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons. And living in a post-<b>Mad Men </b>world
means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday,
I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style
inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod
enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to
appreciate and maybe even adopt.</i><br />
<br />
Let's take it back to what really inspires us: the originals.<br />
<br />
I first came across these photos on the <a href="http://jackthatcatwasclean.blogspot.com/2012/03/memories-photos-of-birmingham-mods-del.html" target="_blank">Jack The Cat Was Clean</a> blog (definitely worth stopping by for stories from the people who were there in the beginning). Out of most 1960s photos I've seen, these were the ones that really spoke to me. Photos of a couple (Gill and Del Evans) who really knew their style and went all out with it.<br />
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It got better once you read their own story about the time: a couple who met and fell in love amongst a background of cafes and clubs. A shared enthusiasm for clothes and music is what brought them together and, years later, they remain together. And that love of clothing didn't diminish over those years: Del is still a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GillEvansDesigns/info" target="_blank">designer dressmaker</a>! And her husband still kicks down with the suit and button-downs!<br />
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But let's go back to those early days and zoom in on a photo that, for me, captures what I love most about the Mod thing: the styling! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiGCYIWOjfM/UVWlw4cmMCI/AAAAAAAACQY/eUP5iXmzuJA/s1600/Del.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiGCYIWOjfM/UVWlw4cmMCI/AAAAAAAACQY/eUP5iXmzuJA/s640/Del.jpg" width="433" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, ladies, this man is taken.</td></tr>
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BOOM! You just got served with a class act.<br />
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Del Evans, 1964, in a self-designed suit (Del drew his own designs) made to measure at Hepworths in New Street, Birmingham. According to Gill's description, the detailing of this suit included black & white tweed, narrow trousers, 4-button front (much coveted among the male Mod set), flap pockets including the ticket pocket AND breast pocket, 8" side vents (8 inches!), and black leather buttons. Top that off with a black knitted tie with tie tack and a pair of black narrow shoes with a subtle pointed toe, and you have a look that the original <i>Mods</i> book really could have benefited from.<br />
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Oh, the cane? Shoot, that's just icing on the cake. According to Gill, there was a short period when the walking stick was a necessary accessory to getting your groove on at the local clubs. Gill Evans: "<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">A walking stick was a popular accessory for a time and at the West End
Ballroom Birmingham. The Mods would dance in a circle with them.</span></span>"<br />
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This is the stuff many of us love: the clothes, the pose, the detailing, and the story behind it all. <br />
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And hey, like they sometimes say, behind every stylish man is a stylish woman:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7z69UI96LoU/UVXC11B2MwI/AAAAAAAACQs/w630ORfpLf4/s1600/Gill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7z69UI96LoU/UVXC11B2MwI/AAAAAAAACQs/w630ORfpLf4/s640/Gill.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gill Evans: sharp, sassy, and slick!</td></tr>
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Interested in reading more about their story? Check these links:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://jackthatcatwasclean.blogspot.com/2012/03/memories-photos-of-birmingham-mods-del.html">http://jackthatcatwasclean.blogspot.com/2012/03/memories-photos-of-birmingham-mods-del.html</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ModTogs" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ModTogs</a> </li>
</ul>
<span id="goog_1005385597"></span><span id="goog_1005385598"></span><span style="color: white;"> <span style="color: black;">Well, that's it for me today. I'm off to shop for a walking stick...</span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-58678015655641426412013-03-27T11:04:00.000-07:002013-03-27T11:15:57.316-07:00March Music PicksSo, I think <a href="http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2013/03/marchs-picks.html" target="_blank">Anorak Thing</a> and <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/03/march-playlist.html" target="_blank">Monkey Picks </a>have been on to something good with their monthly music picks. Something so good, I think I'll join them! <br />
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Years back, I used to take part in one of those Live365 internet station things and I used to love uploading a wide range of good music. I got burnt on having to convert everything to MP3 though, so I eventually pulled out. But, now that YouTube has grown into a vast video archive, I can just grab songs off of there. Hopefully, I can keep this up on a monthly basis.<br />
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Anyways, here's a Top 10 list of stuff that's been hittin' me just right this past month:<br />
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<strong>1. Herbie Hancock - Fat Mama</strong> - Makes me miss the days a couple of years back when I used to DJ jazz/soul tunes in between sets of live jazz from The <a href="http://amodernist.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nick Rossi</a> Trio at the Burritt Room in San Francisco. It was a mellow time when I got to experiment with '50s/'60s/'70s jazz along with newer tracks, then taking a break to enjoy a drink and listen to the guitar, bass, and vibes from the Trio.<br />
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<strong>2. Nina Simone - Cum By H' Yere (Good Lord)</strong> - Pulled this album out again recently. Amazing voice and stripped-down instrumentation. Love the way it just soars as it goes.<br />
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<strong>3. Simon & Garfunkle - Homeward Bound</strong> - One of my fave S&G tracks, amongst many. I was always a fan, in general, but that fandom went up a few notches when we picked up their 'Old Friends' live CD a few years back. They still have that chemistry!<br />
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<strong>4. Prince Phillip - Keep On Talking</strong> - Received the <em><a href="http://acerecords.co.uk/hall-of-fame-rare-and-unissued-gems-from-the-fame-vaults" target="_blank">Hall of Fame: Rare and Unissued Gems From The FAME Vaults</a></em> compilation for Christmas and it's been playing often on our system. The track that gets me going and makes me want to go back to hunting for good soul 45s, though, is Prince Phillip's 'Keep On Talking' written by Dan Penn. <br />
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<strong>5. Gil Scott Heron - I Think I'll Call It Morning</strong> - This one off another album I hadn't listened to in a long while. You know how it is: you get into a record, put it away for a couple of years, and when you re-visit it you re-discover songs that you may have overlooked before. This track became my new favorite.<br />
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<strong>6. Rodriguez - Crucify Your Mind</strong> - We're late to the Rodriguez party, barely catching the <em>Searching For Sugarman</em> movie at our local Elmwood theater over a month ago. And yes, it IS as good as you've heard. I couldn't decide on which track to include, so I'm sticking with my wife's favorite.<br />
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<strong>7. Dexy's - Nowhere Is Home </strong>- This new Dexy's stuff ain't bad, I tell ya. I keep coming back to this one, playing it over and over while I'm at work. Just has that type of mellow beat I'm really into these days.<br />
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<strong>8. James Hunter - Minute By Minute</strong> - Caught the James Hunter Six earlier this month and, as always, it was a great show. Now, his CD is playing non-stop in our car and this is the fave track.<br />
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<strong>9. Ten Year After - If You Should Love Me</strong> - Sad news earlier in the month when Alvin Lee from Ten Years After passed away. Admittedly, as a young Modnick, this is a band I NEVER thought I'd ever get into. Then, one day, I heard this song and my musical horizon expanded just a bit more.<br />
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<strong>10. Dr. Robert - Heavenly Thing</strong> - Back in the '90s, my friends and I got on a huge Dr. Robert kick. Some of you might have remembered him from his Blow Monkeys days, but when he released his solo EP, <em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmar6AYufQI" target="_blank">Coming of Grace</a></em>, we were hooked. Now, in all honesty, it may have had a lot to do with the fact that the EP featured back-up from people like Paul Weller, Mick Talbot, and Rhoda Dakar. No matter what, though, it was Dr. Robert's voice and the songs' compositions that kept that thing on re-play. Egad, almost 20 years later, and Dr. Robert has done it again with this sweet slice of modern soul! (This clip includes a sample of the track mixed with 'Realms of Gold' which was my fave track off the <em>Coming of Grace</em> EP.)<br />
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That's it for this month. Hope these songs grab you like they grabbed me!<br />
<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-77736225207490533602013-03-26T09:04:00.002-07:002013-03-26T09:05:25.248-07:00Weekly Blog Roundup: 3/26/2013<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Wow, <span style="font-size: small;">Daylight Savings Time mess<span style="font-size: small;">ed me up more than I <span style="font-size: small;">thought. This post should have gone up over the weekend!</span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">I don't get much into 'Northern Soul' st<span style="font-size: small;">yle because that's not really my bag<span style="font-size: small;">, but here was <span style="font-size: small;">an <a href="http://www.thechicgeek.co.uk/index.php/features/main-features/item/1905-trend-soul-boy-northern-soul" target="_blank">interesting post on its influence on current men's clothing</a>.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span> </span></li>
<li>The reviews for the new 'Mod: A Very British Style' keep coming in. <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/arts/book/mod-men--but-were-they-anything-more-than-just-sharp-dressers-of-the-sixties-8543862.html" target="_blank">This one</a> has one of my favorite lines: "If everything is mod, surely nothing is.."</li>
<li>A great piece on a '60s Carnaby Shop you don't hear about too often, <a href="http://rhythmshaker.tumblr.com/post/46013424979/getting-matey" target="_blank">Mates, owned by Irvine and Elizabeth Sellars</a>.</li>
<li>I'm sure, for many of us, The Jam played a huge role in providing an introduction to this whole thing. Read up on how the <a href="http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2013/03/personal-situations-my-road-with-jam.html" target="_blank">Anorak Thing got hip to these guys</a>.</li>
<li>MY FAVORITE POST this week: <a href="http://gibsonssyllabus.tumblr.com/post/45751407297/i-was-a-mod-its-the-only-youth-cult-ive-ever" target="_blank">The Syllabus, with some help from John Cooper Clarke, explain why this thing still matters to some of us older folk</a>.</li>
<li>David Reeves gets to the core of <a href="http://davidreevesbespoke.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/what-is-a-bespoke-suit/" target="_blank">what makes a 'bespoke' suit</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://phil-are-go.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-1962-fords-four-pages-worth-spread.html" target="_blank">THIS is the type of stuff early '60s Mad Men were working on</a>. Sexy!</li>
<li>After catching The Specials over the weekend (and YES, they were fantastic), I'm now in a ska/rocksteady mood. Luckily, <a href="http://funky16corners.com/?p=3726" target="_blank">Funky 16 Corners has what I need</a>!</li>
<li>An absolutely <a href="http://monkey-picks.blogspot.com/2013/03/thinking-about-curtis-mayfield-and-few.html" target="_blank">beautiful piece on Curtis Mayfield</a>, from Monkey Picks, who actually got to catch him live... more than once!</li>
<li>For the scooter folk, Parka Avenue captures <a href="http://parkaavenue.blogspot.com/2013/03/vespas-lambrettas-and-more-at-high.html" target="_blank">a lot of the chrome that made it's way over to Las Vegas</a>.</li>
<li>A Dandy In Aspic captures a <a href="http://dandyinaspic.blogspot.com/2013/03/swinging-london-gone-wrong.html" target="_blank">great piece of Swinging London zaniness</a>!</li>
<li>Any graphic designers out there looking for <a href="http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2013/03/jauna-gaita-cool-covers-from-latvia.html" target="_blank">inspiration</a>?</li>
<li>Holy moly, <a href="http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2013/03/michael-caine-in-los-angeles-in-1966.html" target="_blank">Michael Caine hippin' it up</a> in Los Angeles in 1966!</li>
<li>A Modernist speaks with <a href="http://amodernist.blogspot.com/2013/03/donn-trenner-1927.html" target="_blank">Donn Trenner</a>, one of Charlie Parker's last remaining band members.</li>
<li>Speaking of A Modernist, got to enjoy a great road trip up to Northern CA yesterday, which got us on an Alfred Hitchcock kick. Got me more curious about looking into<a href="http://www.footstepsinthefog.com/" target="_blank"> the Bay Area-Hitchcock connection</a>!</li>
<li>Now let's end this with a nice <a href="http://dereksdaily45.blogspot.com/2013/03/brothers-of-soul-id-be-grateful.html" target="_blank">bit of sweet soul</a>...</li>
</ul>
<div>
Alright now, continue on with your week.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fCvJFGFBL8U/UU3wQqkS3oI/AAAAAAAACLQ/4OabfPk7wuk/s320/swinginglondonwrong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fCvJFGFBL8U/UU3wQqkS3oI/AAAAAAAACLQ/4OabfPk7wuk/s320/swinginglondonwrong.jpg" usa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://dandyinaspic.blogspot.com/2013/03/swinging-london-gone-wrong.html" target="_blank">A Dandy In Aspic</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-66301216330138889542013-03-22T10:12:00.000-07:002013-03-22T10:12:28.800-07:00Casual Friday #12: Martin Freeman<i>Working to look sharp for a rare evening out on the town can actually be easy. The tough job is trying to look sharp on a daily, casual basis. Yeah, you might have your Friday night suit at your beck and call, but what does it matter if you spend the rest of your time in target t-shirts and jeans? Every Friday, I'd like to offer up some style inspiration for tightening up your casual look, because let's face it... sometimes you just don't feel like wearing a tie, but still want to keep it sharp.</i><br />
<br />
Casual comes in all kinds of different flavors. There's the type of casual you wear when you're out being active (hiking, long walks, working in the yard). There's the type of casual you wear when you want to just take care of errands or want to spend the day hanging out with friends. And there's the type of casual you wear when you want to look <em>sharp</em>, but, well, a tie's just too much. (My favorite kind of casual, really.)<br />
<br />
Martin Freeman knows how to do up that type of casual. Recognize: <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MVQK1oz9l8M/UUxqKSKVRpI/AAAAAAAACQE/9luqslHc3y8/s1600/martinfreeman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MVQK1oz9l8M/UUxqKSKVRpI/AAAAAAAACQE/9luqslHc3y8/s400/martinfreeman.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from the December edition of British Esquire from <a href="http://freemanweb.tumblr.com/post/34827198814/bondbear-martin-freeman-december-edition-of" target="_blank">Freemanweb</a>.</td></tr>
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Friends, this is how you lay down the suave. This is the type of casual that just sets you apart from the Fred Perry and Adidas army. Simple, pale-colored shirt that goes with most anything (not sure how I feel about the button-to-the-neck though), dark 3-button jacket that's trim and well-fitted, light-colored pants (it is Spring, afterall) and a beautiful pocket square puffed up just right with a nice pattern to provide a bit of focus to the whole outfit.<br />
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Now unless you're spending the day playing <strike>socc</strike> football with friends, this is a casual look that can be very versatile. Dress like this when you're out grocery-shopping. If you're a single fella, you just might find yourself with a Friday night date by the end of the check-out. Dress like this when you're out just having a cup of coffee. Your hero, Paul Weller, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1303861/Paul-Weller-Noel-Gallagher-enjoy-quiet-cuppa-greasy-spoon.html" target="_blank"><em>sometimes</em> still does</a>. Dress like this when you're out having a drink with friends. Who knows... if they're the target t-shirt and patch-covered parka type, they just might learn a thing or two from you. <br />
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Sure, many people dress like this when they <em>know</em> other Mod types will be about, but screw that! Dress like this regardless of whether or not you'll be seen by your fellow modernistos. Don't save up your good outfit for that one Saturday night of the annual scooter rally. <br />
<br />
Set a higher bar for yourself and pump up the casual!<br />
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<span style="color: white;">*</span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003549771029270052.post-21109389780515265582013-03-18T08:19:00.000-07:002013-03-18T09:22:55.801-07:00Mod Gone Wrong: Mad Men? (You Decide!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, I'm as big a fan of <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men" target="_blank"><i>Mad Men</i></a> as the next guy, really. Sadly, my wife and I have fallen really on the show, leaving off somewhere mid-third season. But we are planning on catching up real soon, because it is an amazing show. <br />
<br />
Sure, there's the great set design, the beautiful early '60s costuming, the solid writing, and, of course, all those great characters. But, heck, I was sold by the first episode when they referenced the famous
Volkswagen <a href="http://www.writingfordesigners.com/?p=1731" target="_blank">'lemon' ad</a>, which is generally credited for shifting the tone of
advertising to a more 'hip' sensibility in the early '60s. (If interested in this subject,
look up Thomas Frank's <a href="http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/259919.html" target="_blank"><i>Conquest of Cool</i></a> book... yes, I'm a nerd for this stuff.) Over 50 years later, advertisements have pushed the idea of 'hip' way past its breaking point. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IPknznqmrIo/UUawzrj3yMI/AAAAAAAACOc/K7pnfSJfin8/s1600/vwlemon-mad-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IPknznqmrIo/UUawzrj3yMI/AAAAAAAACOc/K7pnfSJfin8/s400/vwlemon-mad-men.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And, what's hip these days? Yup, you guessed it: Mod! (To paraphrase my wife, "'Mod' is this season's black.") And what show is delving into the American 'Mod' era of the 1960s? Yup, you know it: <i>Mad Men</i>! So, it makes perfect sense to sell people a hip new line of clothing inspired by 'mod' as filtered through <i>Mad Men</i>. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MdxrlJZ7c3o/UUaxUJml2TI/AAAAAAAACOk/EYg0qSjUs2Y/s1600/MadMen-Sweepstakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MdxrlJZ7c3o/UUaxUJml2TI/AAAAAAAACOk/EYg0qSjUs2Y/s400/MadMen-Sweepstakes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Want a chance to live the "Mod life" in NYC? <a href="http://www.amctv.com/sweeps/madweekend/index" target="_blank">Here you go!</a></td></tr>
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It really is weird, if you think about it, though. One of my first posts, way back in 2011, gave <a href="http://mod-male.blogspot.com/2011/08/remember-when-trendy-was-bad-thing.html" target="_blank">slight mention</a> of the influence <i>Mad Men</i> was having on men's fashion. It wasn't the only influence, but it was a good one! Finally, suits were more fitted, lapels were slimmer, trousers were more narrow. No, <i>Mad Men</i> wasn't having a direct major influence on men's style, but it was contributing to a changing approach to a 'new' look for men. Words like 'retro,' European fit,' and 'slim fit' were tossed around to describe this look.<br />
<br />
My guess is that, in time, people are just going to refer to this look as (the catch-all) 'mod.' And you'll probably be able to thank <i>Mad Men</i> and Banana Republic for that. You see, the big news all around is that Banana Republic has released an official <i>Mad Men</i>-licensed 'mod' line of clothing! Yup, <i>Mad Men</i> is about to have a very direct influence on men's style.<br />
<br />
People are going to be walking around in clothing inspired by the clothing worn on a television show inspired by the clothing worn by real people in the 1960s. Talk about 'life imitating art imitating life!' <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1szb9ve2UA/UUaxxR1AwDI/AAAAAAAACOs/oGT8yRG1Am0/s1600/MadforMod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1szb9ve2UA/UUaxxR1AwDI/AAAAAAAACOs/oGT8yRG1Am0/s400/MadforMod.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.brthemagazine.com/?tid=brvu000018" target="_blank">Another Mod revival?</a></td></tr>
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Now the weird thing is how the whole 'mod' thing plays into this. You know the basic history of the culture that developed with English youth in the 1960s and remained relatively 'underground' until the media exploitation of "Modsversusrockers." This, of course, led to a commercial bonanza with 'Swinging London,' the 'Swinging Sixties,' and a whole world gone 'MOD'!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SPcZzg6ZSAY/UUayL5NKgoI/AAAAAAAACO0/ThjxNPKaBqU/s1600/TimeSwingingLondon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SPcZzg6ZSAY/UUayL5NKgoI/AAAAAAAACO0/ThjxNPKaBqU/s400/TimeSwingingLondon.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
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Soon, 'mod' found its way to the United States, no longer really used as a noun to describe those English kids, but rather as an adjective used to describe pretty much anything new and 'hip.' And the the American youth ate it up! Feeding them all the 'mod' they wanted were companies mastering all those new hip techniques of advertising.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDKGYIoKj5A/UUa2htWx6DI/AAAAAAAACPE/kqkKjauDI-Q/s1600/Barbara+Bach+Ponds+1966.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDKGYIoKj5A/UUa2htWx6DI/AAAAAAAACPE/kqkKjauDI-Q/s400/Barbara+Bach+Ponds+1966.jpeg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mod acne solution! Image from <a href="http://www.bellybuzzonline.com/celebrity-ads/2012/1/14/sexy-barbara-bach-goes-mod-for-ponds-fresh-start.html" target="_blank">Belly Buzz</a>.</td></tr>
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Stuffy old adults just looked upon this as another teenage craze. In time, though, even those adults fell into the Mod pool. After a few years, their uptight clothing choices became more free, youthful and, yup, mod!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bOPs5495mz8/TlfoAUo1kNI/AAAAAAAAAFg/YwqkTlGUD44/s1600/CF0517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bOPs5495mz8/TlfoAUo1kNI/AAAAAAAAAFg/YwqkTlGUD44/s400/CF0517.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modnick slacks & shirts for the older man. <br />
(And remember, in the 1960s, 'older man' probably meant anyone older than 25!)</td></tr>
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And this is where <i>Mad Men</i> comes in. Think about it. The characters on <i>Mad Men</i> aren't young (by 1960s standards). The 'mod' look they're about to be wearing in this new season is what people their age would have been wearing in the 1960s, a look that was no longer that cool with 'hip' American youth. If you were an American kid in the 1960s, would you have wanted your parents dressing like you?<br />
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Now, don't get me wrong... you all know I LOVE the Mod look! But let's be real here. Banana Republic is releasing a 'mod' line of clothing based on what <i>un-hip</i> adults would have been wearing in the United States in the late 1960s.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCO9CqomNgI/UUa3WLul8qI/AAAAAAAACPQ/-WU9fPS7h-k/s1600/trudy-campbell_mod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCO9CqomNgI/UUa3WLul8qI/AAAAAAAACPQ/-WU9fPS7h-k/s400/trudy-campbell_mod.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know, Pete Campbell, right?</td></tr>
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And, boy, is Banana Republic going for it! "<a href="http://www.brthemagazine.com/?tid=brvu000018" target="_blank">Mad For Mod</a>" is the tagline for the ad campaign. But mad for what kind of 'mod'? This type of <span style="font-size: small;">'</span>mod'? <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_dmfwrsqz5g/UUawVPwJ5MI/AAAAAAAACOU/xHeZXtfrofI/s1600/Matt-Helm-dean-martin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_dmfwrsqz5g/UUawVPwJ5MI/AAAAAAAACOU/xHeZXtfrofI/s400/Matt-Helm-dean-martin.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dean Martin, the guy who <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOr2a9oEzGQ" target="_blank">didn't "get" The Rolling Stones</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Hey, look, the clothing isn't bad<span style="font-size: small;">, really. <span style="font-size: small;">For new clothing, it's quite nice. You wouldn<span style="font-size: small;">'t expect anything less fro<span style="font-size: small;">m<span style="font-size: small;"> Banana Repub<span style="font-size: small;">lic<span style="font-size: small;">, which has developed a well-earned reputation<span style="font-size: small;"> over the years.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span>But<span style="font-size: small;"> when it comes to <span style="font-size: small;">"<span style="font-size: small;">Mad <span style="font-size: small;">For Mod," I'm not sold. </span></span></span>O</span>ther than a slim<span style="font-size: small;"> fit, the men's line doesn't do a whole lot for me. The women's line looks a bit nicer, <span style="font-size: small;">of course, what wi<span style="font-size: small;">th the <span style="font-size: small;">geomet<span style="font-size: small;">ric shapes and bright colors and all</span></span></span>. </span></span></span></span>But what all this does is make me wonder what this means for those of us already into this Mod thing. Are you going to walk around in Banana Republic Mad Men<span class="st"><span style="font-size: x-small;">®</span><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">(yes, <i>all rights reserved</i>) a</span>ttire</span>? </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;">My wife pointed out a key reason why she'd avoid the women's selections
of <span style="font-size: small;">this new 'mod<span style="font-size: small;">' line</span></span>: "Are you kidding? The minute you show up in one of
those pieces, everyone will know. 'Hey, she's wearing a <i>Mad Men</i> dress!'" <span style="font-size: small;">Heck, imagine showing up to a party in your new chic <i>M</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>ad Men</i>-approved dress<span style="font-size: small;"> and finding one or two other women in the same exact dress? </span></span></span></span></span><span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Quelle<span style="font-size: small;"> horreur!</span></i></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v-mnTxCjV4/UUa39A6Xo0I/AAAAAAAACPY/YvYS2T5y8gE/s1600/banana-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v-mnTxCjV4/UUa39A6Xo0I/AAAAAAAACPY/YvYS2T5y8gE/s320/banana-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plus, for me, it'd be a little weird buying clothes based on a f<span style="font-size: small;">ashion designer<span style="font-size: small;">'s</span></span> interpre<span style="font-size: small;">tation of</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1960s styles f<span style="font-size: small;">ound on a television</span></span> show <span style="font-size: small;">taking place in an era I've been interpreting on my own all this time. It'd be like rockabilly pe<span style="font-size: small;">ople buying a line of clothing based on <i>Happy Days</i><span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">Steampunk people buying a line of clothing based on <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t_UuTCbCZU" target="_blank"><i>Wild, Wild West</i></a>. </span>O</span>r<span style="font-size: small;">, I don't know, gothic p<span style="font-size: small;">eople buying a line of clothing based on<span style="font-size: small;"> <i>Twilight</i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: small;">(don't know if this an<span style="font-size: small;">alogy makes sense, but I like it)</span></span>.<span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">But hey<span style="font-size: small;">, <span style="font-size: small;">always look on the b<span style="font-size: small;">right side, right? </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">When you're walking down the street you'll be hearing a lot less "Hey,
it's a Beatle!" Instead, that'll be replaced with "Hey, it's a Mad
Men!"<span style="font-size: small;"> And, you won't have to both<span style="font-size: small;">er expla<span style="font-size: small;">in<span style="font-size: small;">ing what you're about<span style="font-size: small;"> to strangers<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> anymore</span>.</span> "Oh, I know what<span style="font-size: small;"> a Mod is. <i>Ma</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>d Men</i>, right?<span style="font-size: small;">" </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The flip side of that is that i</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">n a few years time, when mainstream fashion h<span style="font-size: small;">a<span style="font-size: small;">s moved away<span style="font-size: small;"> from the <span style="font-size: small;">"Mad <span style="font-size: small;">For Mod<span style="font-size: small;">" look, you'll get to hear comments like, "<span style="font-size: small;">Hey! 201<span style="font-size: small;">3 called. It wants i<span style="font-size: small;">ts <i>Mad Men</i> clothes back!"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="st"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">But in the end, if I'm bein<span style="font-size: small;">g honest with myself<span style="font-size: small;">... yeah, </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">I'll <span style="font-size: small;">p<span style="font-size: small;">robably be looking for one of those <i>Mad Men</i> ties in the sales bin<span style="font-size: small;">s.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Besides, somehow<span style="font-size: small;"> we survived <i>The Nanny</i> going 'Mod' in the '90s. We'll survi<span style="font-size: small;">ve this too.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">*</span></span>Supermodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441428489565098268noreply@blogger.com13