It Always Goes Back To the Mods! Book

This 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 Mods! book, and it hit me. This is the book I keep coming back to, and for good reason. It still remains THE book.

In recent times, I've found myself getting down on the Mods! book, but I've come to realize there are really only two reasons why I don't like this book:

1. Some people rely too heavily on it as the end-all and be-all of Mod thinking and,
2. 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.

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, we'll get to read those stories. (Many gaps within the Mods! book have already been filled in over on the Original Modernists FB group.) But the info that we do get from the Mods! book is immense.

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 Mods! has had.

And talk about 'attention to detail,' man... Mods! 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.

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. (Guilty!) And this does become a complete drag when people use it to limit their outlook on the culture.

In reaction, many out there now call out that 'there are no rules' when it comes to the Mod thing. 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'.

You can ignore the types of details brought up in the Mods! 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:

Bryan Ferry

Interpol

Nick Cave

For me, what made the Mod look so interesting was the framework laid out in the Mods! 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.

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!

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 Mods!.

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, Picasso did know how to draw.

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 Mods! book. It's almost as if there's a conscious move to ignore a particular 'rule' (button count, tie width, jacket vent. Ahem... like this guy.)

And yeah, many of these 'rules' are what were described in that Mods! 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.

And remember, there's so much more to a Mod look that just being stylish. Pick up the Mods! book and see for yourself.

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What's In A Name? (10 Reasons Why I'm NOT a Mod)

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:

"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."

GAH! You say a word enough times and it just starts to lose meaning to you.

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.

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.

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, the sixties." Because, really, who wants to get stuck in that conversation?

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?

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.

And who am I to argue? Heck, I'll even go ahead and give you the Top 10 Reasons Why I'm NOT A mod:

1. I don't wear a Target, Union Jack, or Mod lapel pin. 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.
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2. I don't ride a scooter. 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 spare change 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.
   
   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.
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3. I like rock'n'roll music. 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! (Oh, and here's a secret for you: when 'Freebird' comes up on the radio... I keep it on!)*
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4. I'm old. 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?
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5. I'm not British. 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 'Heinz Baked Beans'.) My only consolation for not being British is that I can find great Mexican food out where I live. And I don't need to tan.
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6. I wasn't 'born Mod.' 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 'Theme to Rocky' 7-inch, an 'Amazing Spider-Man and Friends' 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, neither were you. 
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7. I don't live in the 1960s. 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.
   
   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. 
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8. I don't listen to trip-hop or rave music. 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 (see #10 below), but no need to use it to justify your 'modness.'
   
   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?
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9. My circumstances aren't as 'difficult' as they used to be. 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.
   
   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.
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10. I like some mainstream pop music. 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 'Beautiful', 'Dog Days Are Over',  'Hey Ya!', and 'Rolling in the Deep'. They're just well-crafted pop songs.
    
    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.
    
    Silly now that I look back on that way of thinking because the music itself 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 quite some time now.

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.'

See, I don't like soul music, 3-button jackets, chisel-toe shoes, and vintage scooters because I'm a mod, but rather, maybe, just maybe, 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.

And that's why being called a mod isn't as important to me. I still dig it and will continue to exploit 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.

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.

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Sharp Stylings #64: Del (and Gill) Evans

We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons.  And living in a post-Mad Men 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.

Let's take it back to what really inspires us: the originals.

I first came across these photos on the Jack The Cat Was Clean 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.

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 designer dressmaker! And her husband still kicks down with the suit and button-downs!

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!

Sorry, ladies, this man is taken.

BOOM! You just got served with a class act.

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 Mods book really could have benefited from.

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: "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."

This is the stuff many of us love: the clothes, the pose, the detailing, and the story behind it all.

And hey, like they sometimes say, behind every stylish man is a stylish woman:

Gill Evans: sharp, sassy, and slick!

Interested in reading more about their story? Check these links:

• http://jackthatcatwasclean.blogspot.com/2012/03/memories-photos-of-birmingham-mods-del.html
• https://www.facebook.com/ModTogs 

Well, that's it for me today. I'm off to shop for a walking stick... 
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A Very British Phenomenon, But...

At a pretty early age, I became infatuated with a particular British subculture... which is obvious if you're reading this blog. However, it wasn't the 'Britishness' which captured my attention. It was the method by which that subculture chose to express itself which piqued my curiousity, leading me into a life-long obsession.

Sure, the fact that the whole Mod thing was, indeed, very British did get me interested in the social/economic/cultural conditions of post-war England that led to Mods and surrounded their existence throughout the sixties and beyond. And to this day, I still find that whole history fascinating.

However, as much as I love that history, as much as I think the Union Jack is actually a great design motif, and as much as I really dig the humor of Ricky Gervais, I've never considered myself an Anglophile. For one thing, I don't spell the words humour or colour. Too much typing energy for me. I have also never used the words mate, oi, blimey, carboot, arse, or shite in conversation. I use my middle finger when flipping people off, not a two-finger salute. I call women women, not birds. And I don't know a thing about Manchester or Liverpool football teams. (But I do know it's better to call it football and not soccer!)

That said, I love a lot of British music from the 1960s up to today. (But, I also don't care for a lot of British music... Blur and Oasis, I'm looking at you.) I would rather watch a marathon of the U.K. Office instead of an episode of the U.S. Office. (Let's face it, the British know how to make great TV!) I think know James Bond is way cooler than Jason Bourne! And, of course, British culture helped spawn my greatest obsession: Mods!

And yes, it was a 'very British phenomenon.' Over the years, on occasion, I've heard about how non-British Mods have gotten called out on how they can be into this subculture when they themselves aren't even British. I've always found that to be an odd put-down, especially considering how world-wide interest in Mods has grown over the years. As a Mexican-American, personally, I've been asked before how I could be into a culture that is neither Mexican nor American in nature. And heck, I don't even live in Mexico, unlike these Mexican nationals!

My response to questions like these is that Mods/Modernists themselves weren't feeding off their own culture to begin with! Heck, they were influenced by bits of European culture (Italian scooters, French films, etc.) and a whole lot of American culture! In fact, as I've gotten older, I've realized I'm getting more into the American influence that originally fed Mod tastes and continues to do so today.

So today, in honor of the 4th of July (Independence Day), let's celebrate some of the American influences on Mod/Modernist culture over the years. (Click the header links for more info!) And then, go throw on The Kinks' Something Else LP to balance it all out!

Modern Jazz (and Soul Jazz, for that matter)

John Coltrane
Photo source: the Ivy Style blog.

The Chico Hamilton Quintet
Photo source: Night Lights.

Ivy League Style

Photo source: The Ivy League Look.

Photo source: Ivy Style.

Photo source: A Modernist.

Photo source: Phil Are Go!

American Blues and R&B

Muddy Waters

Little Walter
Photo source: All About Jazz.

Levi's 501s, Sta-Prest, and More

Photo source: Where is the Cool?

Photo source: VINMAG.

Soul Music

The Impressions.
Photo source: Doo Wop.

Etta James.
Photo source: Little By Little (Hales).

Steve Wonder and the Funk Brothers.
Photo source: Soul Walking.

Bass Weejuns

Photo source: The Weejun (didn't see that coming, did you?)

American Pop Artists (Yes, British Pop Art did pre-date American, but keep in mind the prevalence of these images in Mod design over the decades.)

Roy Lichtenstein - Sweet Dreams, Baby, 1965

Andy Warhol - Campbell's Soup Can, 1964

Well, there you go. Mod may be a British phenomenon, but where would it have been without all of these great American influences? And, quite frankly, where would I be without all of those great British Mod influences? Not writing this blog, I'll tell you that.

Hope you have a super fun Independence Day today! Me, I'm oddly craving some fish & chips, a pint of Boddingtons, and some British freakbeat music right now. Go figure.

Sharp Stylings #40.1: David John Dry [UPDATED!]

We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons.  And living in a post-Mad Men 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 don't think I can find a better illustration of how staggeringly stylish a person can look on a scooter:

Photo courtesy of David John Dry, original 1960s Mod.

 One of the best Mod photos I've seen with everything right going on. Scooter not hidden beneath a wall of lights and mirrors... check! Sharp suit... check! Parka... ch--- wait! No parka??? Dang! That's what makes this image the shizznit!

Check that guy out there... he's sporting a beautiful overcoat with tight, thin lapels. A perfect extension of the style he's wearing underneath. That suit ain't covered up by a grubby parka. No way... this kid's settin' the standard!

Any young Mods out there looking for inspiration? The search is over.

[UPDATED: Thanks to the power of the internet, someone was able to track down the person in the photo, and he was very kind to offer a better version of the photo along with information on this look. I want to thank David John Dry for allowing the use of his photo and to remind you to keep an eye out for Paul Anderson's upcoming book, Mods - The New Religion, which looks to include more stories like this! To keep up to date on the progress of his book, LIKE his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MyForthcomingBookModsTheNewReligion.

Now let David Dry explain his photo in his own words:

"The picture, I think, was taken in 1965/6? It was shot in a road called Friars Place Lane quite close to the Western Avenue in Acton W3, London.

The coat was made to measure from Harry Fenton's in leather with two vents in a Wine (Maroon) colour. Levi jeans (Indigo - so called: 'Shrink to fit) at the time, now known as 501's are in evidence - a relative rarity in England at that time. Often purchased from American servicemen via their PX, such was the supply problem. The nearest airbase was West Drayton, near London Heathrow, not that far away. The button down shirt is white with a box check in brown from Lord John's in Carnaby street. The jacket is a four button grey wool mix FROM TAKE 6. Tie was, I think, a woven slim style cut. Shoes hand stitched Italian and are from Toppers of Carnaby Street. The look, less the coat, was a mix of American Ivy League and Italian style - British MOD!

Just as a point of information - wearing a crash helmet was not a legal requirement in the UK at that time. This legislation came in in 1972. The Vespa (Douglas) Sportique Supreme is also featured in the picture - silver paint and chrome plated side panels (called 'bubbles') and front fender (just for you in the US!). This scooter was not mine and belonged to a friend called Mick Derry. "] 

Seriously, guys... this is the kind of stuff that brings back the excitement I once felt as a teenage kid learning about Mods for the first time!

How I Learned To Stop Worshipping The Parka

I remember those hot, humid, sunny days, walking around my neighborhood in La Puente, CA, sniffing the roses and enjoying the smoggy air... all while wearing a parka! Yes, when I was younger, I wore a parka... rain or shine.

There was a time when my parka, or anorak, pretty much defined me... mainly, because I usually had 'M-O-D' spelled out somewhere on it, either in badge or patch form. I was proud of that parka. I felt like I was carrying on a tradition started by sixties Mods, popularized by Quadrophenia, and celebrated by bands like the Merton Parkas and The Sussed. But then, gradually, I phased the parka out of my wardrobe completely. Well, here today, I'll explain how I turned away from worshipping wearing a parka.

I was about 16 years old when I bought my first 'parka,' which was really just a short non-fishtail army jacket with a hood that you could zip up inside the jacket to hide it away. Sadly, I don't remember much about the patches and badges I stuck to this jacket, but I do remember what I did to the back of it. One evening, while watching an episode of Twin Peaks, I took up some fabric paint (red, white, and blue) and MOD-ified my anorak with a famous Mod song title, Mod symbology, and some 'Mod' band logos spanning the '60s-'80s. Since that jacket was lost during one of my family's moves and I have no pictures of it, allow me to re-create it here through the magic of Photoshop:

Recreation of my first high school parka.

Yup. I used to walk around my high school campus letting people know my butt was the Face. No joke. And, yeah, those were the bands I flaunted to the world. Uh-huh, The 2nd Generation.

I only wore this for about a year or so because my father soon handed down his own army parka to me. No, he didn't earn it fighting overseas... he picked it up at a surplus shop. But for me, this was the real deal! Now, I don't really know a whole lot about the different types of army jackets there are, but once, I walked into an army surplus shop while wearing this anorak, and it really impressed the Korean store owner. He told us it was pretty rare and offered to buy it from me. But I kept it. I had to... it was Mod.

Of course, there was no way I could walk around campus in a plain ol' army parka. No, I had to add the 'Mod' touch to it. So, I took my old Jam t-shirt, cut out the design, and sewed it on to the back. Now, everyone would know who my favorite band was! Then, I added a couple of rally patches, a Who target patch, some Mod badges to the front and voila! I was a walking Mod advertisement! The only thing missing was an "EAT AT MOD JOE'S" sign somewhere on the jacket.

My parka... today.

I wore this parka for a few years, from high school and into college. It kept me warm in the winter and smothered me in the summer, but I didn't care. In college, it kept my clothes clean during the Bay Area rains. It kept me warm when I rode on the back of someone's bike, especially across the Bay Bridge. Sometimes, it acted as a warm blanket when I partied too hard and had to spend the night over someone's house. I wore this thing even when it began to fall apart. But eventually, I phased the parka out of my wardrobe.

The older I got, the more I realized that I didn't want or need a parka to speak for me. I didn't care if the whole world knew I liked whatever Mod bands were on the parka. And as my wardrobe improved over those early years, I didn't want to cover it up with a beaten-up old army anorak. I started to see so much more value in a nice overcoat, something that looked sharp on the outside, while protecting the clothes underneath. I thought Paul Weller was on to something in those early Style Council photo shoots. And I saw other friends who demonstrated just how much more polished a sharp coat looked over the typical parka:

Photo from around 1994 of old pal, Jarrod L., of the Le Drugstore 1968 blog.

Really, after seeing a photo of the style gauntlet being thrown down like that, how do you go back to the parka?  I was ready to move in a different, more stylish direction. So, I hung my parka deep in the back of my closet, and replaced it with a variety of overcoats. At age 18, this was my preferred cold weather jacket:

These days, I prefer this look:

Fellow dapper-nisto Douglas Dillon, my wife Irene, and I, enjoying an evening out. Photo courtesy of Douglas's more stylin' half, Rosa Dillon.

Now, the thing to remember is that the parka has one main function: to keep your clothes clean while you ride your scooter from point A to point B. That's really it. But that same function can be accomplished with a nice, slick overcoat.

Oh sure, I understand how useful parkas can be in certain situations*. They're probably great for riding through a dirt storm on your scooter or protecting your clothes from all those bugs flying in to you. And I understand their use in the foggy weather conditions of London, the harsh winters of the American east coast, or the never-ending rains of the upper west coast. But why on Earth would you wear a parka in the warmer states, warmer countries, or, heck, south of the San Francisco Bay Area?

Heck, I live in the Bay Area and no matter how cold it gets here, I still don't toss on the ol' anorak! Why would I want to cover up a nice ensemble with an army parka or let the parka display what I'm about? I don't need a parka to announce to the world what I'm into. That's what my actual clothes underneath are for. I'd rather have a nice, sharp suit take precedent over a parka covered in patches and buttons.

And yes, I know plenty of Mods wore them in the sixties. They were probably affordable, accessible, and really useful in protecting your clothes in harsh weather or while fixing your scooter. But hey, as this photo shows, not all Mods wore parkas! Or at least they didn't wear them all the time.

Photo of Nottingham Mods, courtesy of the Jack That Cat Was Clean blog.

Yes, the parka has risen in prominence since then thanks to the 1970s revival.

During this time, the anorak became a canvas on which to display all of your Mod interests, just in case wearing slick Mod clothing underneath it wasn't enough. As noted previously, even I was guilty of this. Targets, Union Jacks, band logos... heck, I was a walking Modvertisement! These days, however, I follow the Booker T. and the M.G.'s school of thought: less is more. Remember, subtlety goes a really long way. These days, my parka is long retired. I believe this is its last reported public sighting, around 7 years ago:

Photo of Karen F., of the 97 Things To Do Before I Turn 97 blog, hi-jacking my parka. Photo courtesy of my wife, Irene (who says she never went through a parka phase).

Some of you out there still think the parka is a Mod gem, I know it. In fact, you're probably humming this in your head right now, while reading this post... in your parka. Well, alright then, let's take a trip in the Wayback Machine to see how the parka would have affected some classic, stylin' looks.

First up, let's check out Mr. Modfather himself, Paul Weller, back during his early Style Council days when he started wearing a beautiful white mac. This was probably one of my early non-parka influences:

Well, imagine if he was walking down the road, parka-fied!

Okay, remember this dapper little kid?

Now, let's see how he comes off with a parka covering up his threads:

Okay... the kid's got enough sass to almost pull it off...

Let's move on then to a sixties Mod icon. What about Steve Marriott? Here he is, sharp as ever.

Now, imagine if he time-traveled to today, visited Carnaby Street, and found the Pretty Green shop. OH NO!

Now, if all these arguments fail to convince you that it's time to trade in your parka for an overcoat, well then, think of this: remember Sting's 'Ace Face' character in Quadrophenia? Y'know, the guy with bad hair who Jimmy had a total bro crush on? Yeah, not even that guy wore a parka:

'Nuff said!
  
Obviously, these opinions are all my own and probably in the minority. 
For further info on parkas as a part of Mod history, please visit the following sites:
http://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2010/09/parka-power.html
http://www.fishtailparkas.com/fishtail_parkas.html
And, I'm happy to see I'm not the only one who thinks the parka has had its day. The ModCulture site was 10 years ahead with this opinion:
http://www.modculture.co.uk/the-death-of-the-mod-parka/

*The parka can also be used creatively as in the band name, The Merton Parkas, and in the name of one of my fave blogs, Parka Avenue.

The Bottom Button

To button the bottom button or NOT to button the bottom button... naw, that's not really a pressing question. Besides, the answer's simple: NOT to button the bottom button. (Say that 3 times quickly.)

I see a lot of Mod fellows out there buttoning down their suit jackets all the way from top to bottom, but that's just not the way to go. Here are the reasons I see as to why you should leave the bottom button alone:

1. It's tradition. Sure, not all traditions are worth following, but, um, this one is.
2. In general, suit jackets are designed to leave that button undone.
3. Trust me, you'll look so much less uptight with that bottom button loose.

Let's start with a little historical overview of how this look began. The man credited most with beginning the tradition of leaving the bottom button of a suit jacket unbuttoned is King Edward VII, who reigned from 1901 to 1910. According to Eric Musgrave's Sharp Suits book, Edward had "an obsession for clothes" and "was the first menswear icon to be seen regularly by the general public." He is known for popularizing various fashion trends including the first modern dinner jacket (tuxedo), cuffs (turn-ups) on trousers, and the open bottom button. And why did he leave that button open? Well... as seen below, he was a big guy. In an effort to feel more comfortable, he relaxed that last jacket button, thus inspiring many sycophants to follow, leading to a tradition that still continues to this day.

King Edward VII, looking sharp and relaxed.

Well, Mods don't follow tradition, am I right? They're a rebellious sort who follow their own rules of dress. Hey man, I hear you. But here's the problem: thanks to the tradition started by King Edward VII, most suit jackets today are designed to leave the bottom button undone. According to the Art of Manliness blog, modern suit jackets are actually made to flare away from the hips with the bottom button unbuttoned. Otherwise, the fabric of the jacket pulls around your waist awkwardly. The Permanent Style blog also mentions this design detail in the construction of a suit jacket. Their advice is to always keep, at least, the middle button done up, but never the bottom button. Your jacket will sit more naturally on your frame with the bottom button loose.

Looks like The Small Faces got the memo! (From Magic Mac.)

Of course, if you insist on keeping all buttons on your jacket done up, well... knock yourself out. Keep in mind though, it's a pretty uptight look. The thing about good style is that it should look relaxed, not overdone. With all your buttons buttoned, you'll look stiff and closed in, like a giant cylinder. Plus, since jackets aren't designed for buttoning all the way down, the lines of your jacket will look awkward on you with that pulled fabric around your waist. Oh and here's a test for you: try reaching into your trouser pocket while the jacket's buttoned all the way. Yeah, look at all those horrible folds! And really, how does one sit down all buttoned up?

The Lambrettas photo from the Magic Mac blog. Notice the difference in how their jackets drape.

Now, there is one exception to this rule: if it's really cold and windy, AND you don't have an overcoat on, AND you're coming down with a cold, then button up all those buttons! But other than that, I hope you'll think twice next time you are buttoning up your jacket. And if some of you Mods out there still insist on doing away with this rule, take solace in the knowledge that you're not alone (granted, this is in reference to the vest buttons).

I leave you now, but want to let you know that, yes, I too used to button all the way up before I got a clue. So don't feel bad if this is something new to you. It was new to me once too.

Mod Fail at age 20! Bottom button done up and look at how the jacket pulls.

When in doubt, think of your buttons this way from top to middle to bottom: "Sometimes. Always. Never."

Sharp Stylings #9: Shoe Edition

We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons.  And living in a post-Mad Men 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.

Oh, what, you thought I was done talking about shoes?


Permission to use this photo very kindly granted by Lloyd Johnson, one of the original Modernists.

Earlier in the week, I spoke of my love for chisel-toed shoes. Well, they don't get much more chiseled than these! Just take a look at the beautiful detailing in the shoes above: suede/leather combos, slip-ons and lace-ups, beautiful heels, wingtips and stitched designs... seriously, with shoes like these around, how on earth did the desert boot become the Mod shoe staple?

If there are any shoe designers out there, hope these serve as some inspiration. Alright... I promise, next post will be shoe-free! I know, I know... you probably don't want it to stop either, but it's time to move on.

Now excuse me, I'm off to find a cobbler!

From Velcro to Chisel-Toe

Never count DSW out... found these awesome NEW shoes there!
Photo courtesy of Carrie Swing at http://carriedawaywithvintagegourmet.blogspot.com/.

Okay, enough with old memories... let's bring this blog back to what I wanted to focus on in the first place: clothes! Specifically, let's talk about shoes. Mod shoes... starting with an old memory.

When I was MUCH younger, all I needed in a pair of shoes were some good ol' Velco straps. I was a no muss, no fuss kinda kid... toss a pair of shoes on, velcro them up, and off to play with my buddies. That changed in the 7th grade. As the idea of 'cool' was becoming painfully apparent to me, my parents kindly bit the big one and invested in a pair of white, round-toed Reeboks for me. Of course, by the time I got them, the shoe trend had moved on to British Knights (BKs).

Yes, I admit it. I once wore shoes this ugly.

That Halloween, my buddy Robert showed up in a kind of costume: white t-shirt, spiked hair, and green make-up. He was a 'crazy person,' if I remember correctly. What really caught my eye, though, were the shoes he was wearing: his older brother's grey and black, pointed Na-Na creepers. I thought these things were the coolest shoes EVER. He then told me that you could buy shoes like these at a magical place called Melrose. (Of course, I thought he was talking about an actual store.) Unfortunately, however, I had to live out the rest of my 7th grade life in those Reebok tennis shoes. 7th grade... the last time I ever wore tennis shoes again as a daily part of my wardrobe.

I started the 8th grade out in a type of grey casual shoe that I saw the Filipino dudes at my school wear. Nothing special, but I thought they were pretty 'hip' since they weren't tennis shoes. But they were nowhere near as hip as my birthday gift that year: a pair of black and white, pointed Na-Na creepers with a buckle and the stitching on top! Sure, I had to endure an entire day of getting picked on the first time I wore them out, but hey! Isn't that what being 'different' and 'anti-society' was all about back then? (And yes, that day was going absolutely miserable until my skater/new wave friends started complimenting the shoes!)

Can't tell you how many times I heard kids yell out, "Hey Frankenstein!" (Ironically enough, creepers were "in" the following year.)

My next big shoe purchase was a gift for 'graduating' from the 8th grade: a pair of Dr. Martens! I can't remember how I had heard of these, but I do remember them being a big deal to have if you were on the 'new wave/punk' tip. So, I picked out a great lace-up pair in black leather with a pointed toe and stitching along the top, exactly like my creepers but without the 2-inch sole. I felt like I had finally hit 'ultra-cool' status, what with being the first kid in my 'clique' with Dr. Martens and all. Unfortunately, these came at the end of my junior high life.

I dug these shoes so much that I wore them from the ending of the 8th grade up to my first year in college!  And hey, these shoes were for sale a year ago... and they were considered 'vintage!'

I was sold on Dr. Martens after these and ended up buying 2 more pairs at a Na-Na sale in Santa Monica right before 9th grade started: one gray lace-up pair with a pointed toe, and a second pair with a pointed toe and buckle, in marble blue leather. Unfortunately, these shoes were pretty large for my still growing (but not by much) feet. Still, I wore them around school and didn't care what people thought. Not so sadly, these were the last pairs of Docs I ever got, never veering into boot territory, because after this, I was on the hunt for 'Mod' shoes!

And by Mod shoes, I mean loafers. And by loafers, I don't mean Bass Weejuns, but rather whatever penny loafers I could find at the Buster Brown shoe store in the local Puente Hills Mall. Man, I can't tell you how cool I thought I looked in those penny loafers, along with white socks, high-water tapered Dickies pants, and burgundy flight jacket with ska/mod pins! Shortly afterward, I moved on to a slicker form of shoe... the kind meant for suit-wearin': wing-tipped tassle loafers! Oh man... rude girls, prepare to swoon! (No, no swooning was ever done.)

Then I moved to the Bay Area and it was here that I really fell in love with shoe wear... actual Mod shoe wear. Aww... I still remember it like it was yesterday. I found my first pair of 1960s pointed ankle boots on Telegraph Avenue at Wasteland (before it was called Mars Mercantile) and these started an obsession with '60s pointed and chisel-toed shoes that I still have to this day. Sure, I went through bowling shoe and Jam 'stage shoe' phases. Had to get these out of my system, because after this, it was all '60s-styled shoes for me!

Back in college, I almost passed by one of my now favorite pairs of shoes: a total suede and leather Carnaby Street number. A buddy and I were in Mars Mercantile one day and he was kind enough to point out this pair of shoes in the women's section. I dismissed them without even looking until he brought them out. So glad he did because $10 later, I had these:

Sigh... unfortunately, when you get cool shoes you can either store them away for safekeeping or... wear them. As you can tell, I've worn these.

Then came the Bay Area Vintage Shoe Glory Days! One day, around 8-9 years ago (yikes!), a bunch of us were spending our happy hour at the Casanova Lounge in San Francisco. My pal, Jason Ringgold, and I decided to take a break and walk up to Clothes Contact where you could buy clothes by the pound. We were surprised to find a beat-up pair of absolute cool sixties Mod shoes. They were relatively plain but with a nice chisel-toe (imagine a pointed shoe with the tip of the shoe cut off). After snatching them up, we found out that the owner of these vintage shops had come across a warehouse in Germany with dead-stock '60s men's shoes! For the next several years, we were finding a pair here, a pair there... it was absolute shoe heaven for us! My personal shoe collection grew with the following:

Ya can't beat leather and suede combos!

Love the detailing on the sides.

My Small Faces shoes... but these were hand-me-downs from Mike Therieau, not a part of the German warehouse stock.

Soon, us Bay Area Mod dudes were classin' up sidewalks all over town! Eventually, this surplus dried out, but every once in a while, you can still find a pair from this old stock. In fact, about a month ago, I found these:

Suede and leather again... SH-BAMM!

I'm still totally obsessed with 1960s-style pointed-toe and chisel-toe shoes. I'm not as into the winkle-picker points as I used to be and I'm still not into heavy boots of any kind (i.e., Dr. Marten boots, monkey boots, etc.) or desert boots, as I've discussed before. No, I like my shoes narrow, with some cool detailing, a nice toe, and all-around slick!

Now, allow me to get a formality out of the way: Mod shoes. Mod shoes. Mod shoes. Mod shoes. (There. Now when people from the future do on-line searches for 'Mod shoes,' hopefully they'll be pointed here instead of some company selling bunk bowling shoes.) Mod shoes.

QUESTION: If you have a moment, please leave a comment describing your favorite pair of shoes. And this isn't just for the male Mods in the audience. Or Mods, for that matter. Just in general, what's your favorite shoe?