Sharp Stylings #68: Jimmy McGriff

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.

So last night, I was organizing some LPs, when I came across this one that stopped me cold:

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...

...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!

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?

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.

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.

Alright, instead of blabbing on and on about how slick McGriff is, I should just play this record already.

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.*

Alright, Jimmy... take us out.

*Oh, and let's mellow on the Marriott/Weller pics, please. Played. Out.
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Sharp Stylings #67: DJ Soft Touch

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.
 
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!

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!

Photo by Jesse Chairez.

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:

• A windowpane suit with lapels slightly larger than you'd expect but that work well with the higher button stance. 
• Trousers that look to narrow in around the knee before slightly flaring out at the bottom... no ankle-hugging here!
• A light-blue gingham-checked shirt, with French cuffs and a collar with a wider spread and no button-down or tabbed action.
• A wider-than-average purple tie that plays well against the color of the shirt and the tone of the suit.
• A blue and purple paisley pocket square that just puffs out of the breast pocket without any fancy points.
• 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.
• What's missing from the photo are the purple socks (my favorite sock color) and brown suede wingtips

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).

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.

I mentioned earlier the attitude he's throwing out in this photo. He deserves it. Not only is he one of the sharpest dudes strutting around in L.A., but he's also one of the funkiest DJs around!

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.

Don't you just hate him?

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Sharp Stylings #66: George Best

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 (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'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 The Rock was layin' the smackdown on jabronies across the country.

But I'm not a total sports ignoramus. I know who Wayne Gretzky, the Refrigerator, 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 George Best is.

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:

George Best with Mike Summerbee in front of Edwardia, the clothes boutique they owned.

This jock was so sharp he had to go and open his own boutique! (Bradley Wiggins, ball's in your court.) 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 bottom button undone, but I wouldn't have told him that unless I wanted to risk a head-butt to the noggin'.

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:

But George Best is proof that you can sport a stylish suit-oriented look in your off-time while saving the sports gear for the field. Seems his style sense has been passed on some 45 years later, too.

And now I get why Paul Weller featured him on this cover:

Alright, jabronies, I'm outta here.

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Sharp Stylings #65: Sonny Phillips

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.

Quiz time!

Q: WHAT IS COOL?

A:

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?

No? Good!

Then that gives us time for a little Sonny Phillips soul-jazz jammin':

May your weekend be funky and mellow.

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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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Sharp Stylings #63: Ryan Gosling (Oh, the humanity...)

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.

Look, I don't know the guy. I don't think I've ever seen any of his movies (does Green Lantern count?). Hell, I don't even think he registers on my wife's radar (she's more of a Cillian Murphy kinda gal... to my chagrin). So, slow down before you start raving, "Mod Male, this guy isn't a Mod!" I know that, but bear with me.

Now, despite my Gosling ignorance, there's one thing I can't deny and that's the fact that this is a pretty sweet-looking suit:

Taken from Yahoo!

Okay, okay, let's be honest here... this guy was probably dressed up by a stylist. I mean, do any of these fat-cat celebrities dress themselves for red carpet-walking? Probably not. That said, Gosling's stylist does deserve some kudos for picking out a well-fitted 3-piece suit with a 2-button front that wouldn't normally interest me but does work well with the waistcoat underneath. The trousers fit narrow, but not too narrow, and lack any hideous pleats. For a modern style of suit, this ain't so bad!

But the main thing that attracted my eye was the suit's beautiful shade of rust brown. A vibrant color that you don't see around too often. Unfortunately, the stylist must have fallen too much in love with that suit, losing focus on everything else. The tie is way too boring for the outfit, there's no pocket square, and seriously, what is up with those rhinestone shoes?

It's a good thing Gosling's date is outstylin' him and rockin' that floral-patterned overcoat! Take it away Mama Gosling! (And Gosling earns some points for knowing how to show his mom some love.)

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Sharp Stylings #62: Stevie Wonder

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 admit it, I love color! And I love the colors that were coming out in men's clothing in the late 1960s. Sure, it was a sign of the influence of commercialized Carnaby Street, but it really did help revolutionize men's clothing at the time. And here's a perfect shot of Stevie Wonder tangled up in blues:
 

From http://www.who2.com/bio/stevie-wonder .

The double-breasted jacket Wonder is wearing here is hitting all the right notes for me: beautiful shade of steel blue, ticket pocket, low-enough button stance to give the lapels some room to breathe, and wide lapels with wide notches and a reverse-peak look.

Then, you add in a muted green, almost veering on grey, shirt with a longer collar, reflective of a late '60s/early '70s style. The multi-colored ascot, which appears to be tied around the collar of the shirt instead of his neck, not only ties (no pun intended) the whole outfit together but also includes other colors (purple, white) to make it pop out. Without that purple and white, the ascot may have just made this whole ensemble look too monochromatic (something I've fallen victim to many times in the past).

See guys... why settle for the staid black & white Reservoir Mod look when color exists? You really gotta hand it to Stevie Wonder's stylist at the time as it was most likely her or him who picked out this whole ensemble. The only thing that bums me out is that he wasn't able to appreciate those choices of color.

But, hell, I really don't think Stevie Wonder was worrying too much about clothes. He was too busy with work:

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Sharp Stylings #60: The Older Man

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.

What's that you say? You're in your, say, mid-40s and have reached a point in your life where comfort trumps all. You're happy hanging out in your Levis 501s, Adidas sneakers, and a Jam t-shirt because, after all, Mod is 'in your heart' and just a 'state of mind' anyways.

Well, SNAP! This dude down here says, "TYA because I'm off to TCB."

Photo from the Mode Parade blog.

That's right, this is how you gear yourself up when you're out makin' the scene. Hell, this dude's sharper than most 20-something Mod dudes I see walking around in sneakers and a parka. And he ain't following the path of guys his age who've just given up, happy to be 'comfortable' in their t-shirts and jeans. As an older fellow, this is how you command attention without saying a word.

And check out that forest green suit! See what I'm talking about when I say you can work within the framework of the 3-button suit and not look like every other Mod guy at the club? Check out the detailing here. First off the shade of that green is magnificent. (What would you say, forest green or hunter green? A reader suggested 'ivy green' and I like it!) Secondly, look at how that red lining just contrasts so beautifully with the outer color. This is why the color of a suit lining is so important... adds in that bit of detail just in case the jacket opens up slightly. Now, look at the cuffs... hard for me to tell, but those don't look like buttons, they look like white loops. Never seen a detail like that before! And lastly, look at the way the 3-button front is arranged. The buttons are tight in the center of the suit so that the jacket flares out a little nicer at the bottom. The wider lapel also helps contrast against the look of the narrow button field. The stance of the buttons is neither too high or too low, just dead center.

At this point, do we even need to go into the tight fit of the trousers, the silver cufflinks on the French cuff shirt, the puffed-out pocket square, or the pale pink tie which pushes a focus on the color of the suit?

Yeah, I didn't think so. Men, you always hear that you have it easy because, supposedly, you age more gracefully than women (not my personal opinion, by the way). Well, don't take that for granted. Earn the grace you supposedly have!

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Sharp Stylings #59: Claudio De Rossi

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.

Here's a piece of advice: If you're dressed up in your finest Mod gear, ready to hit the town, get your dance on at a soul club, and bird-dog the chicas, do NOT look at what Claudio De Rossi is wearing. It will make you feel like a stone-cold ticket.

Many of you probably know Claudio from his amazing clothing brand, DNA Groove, which features a line of clothing that combines colorful fabrics, Mod detailing, a dandy aesthetic, all with a modern, contemporary flair. (Oh, and just wait until you see the shoes he offers!)

Claudio De Rossi is one of the few who took their love of Mod stylings to the extreme. And by that I mean he wasn't just happy buying clothes from other designers... naw, he became his own designer! And from there, he made a great business out of it, supplying stylish men with a good source of clobber based on his own ideas. Claudio's like someone with a sweet tooth who's opened his own chocolate factory.

And trust me, this guy's got a good eye for detailing, color matching, and fittings. Here he is in a simple outfit that outshines most pattern-heavy outfits I've seen:

Light pink shirt, charcoal trousers with a slight flair, and an off-white suit jacket with a high gorge, lapels that look to angle downward, and sharp side vents. Very muted colors are used with a pocket square that ties the trousers and shirt together. And, again, wait until you see the shoes! Beautiful off-white loafers with  burgundy detailing.

Not only is this all kinds of dapper, but it's versatile too. You can wear something like this during the day as casual wear or during the evening for a social outing (tie optional). Heck, based on the hose in the background, this is how Claudio dresses when he's gardening! Dang... makes me think twice about what I wear the next time I'm at the laundromat.

Seriously, though, Claudio De Rossi is pure inspiration when it comes to clothing ideas. He's extremely creative in his color choices and how he matches certain pieces. He's put out a great clothing label that has reached beyond a Mod base and has gotten the attention of the male fashion world in general.  And, he's a good guy on top of all that.

Personally, though, I'm just glad he doesn't live in my city. Imagine having to keep up with this guy all the time?

For more on Claudio and DNA Groove, check out this ModCulture interview along with this College No. 9 interview. And, if you're on the Facebook and want to keep up with DNA Groove updates, then check out the Facebook group here.

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Sharp Stylings #58: Dave Pike

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.

First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! Hope you had a great time! Unfortunately, I spent it downing a magnum of Dayquil while we watched fireworks on Channel 4.

Now, in case you are wondering, my biggest MOD MALE resolution this year: POST MORE SUBSTANTIAL POSTS, not just Friday musings on sharp and casual styles. My other personal resolution: try to wear ties on a more daily basis. (For some reason, my wife rolled her eyes at that one.)

But let's start the new year off with a look at one of my favorite jazz figures, Dave Pike. A couple of weeks ago, there was a discussion on double-breasted suits on the We Are The Mods Facebook page. Me, I'm a huge fan of the double-breasted look and, here, on the back of his Doors of Perception LP, Dave Pike shows how to rock the look:

Sure, it's a much later style, circa 1970, but dig on how well this looks. Four-button jacket with a high button stance and a high gorge, so that only a bit of the tie and shirt are revealed. (Remember, less is more!) I know many of you are fans of thin lapels, but on a double-breasted jacket, I tend to prefer some width. Pike's lapels hit the mark here. The pattern of his suit is just icing on the cake. And in order to ensure the pattern stands out, he's using a white shirt (with long collar) and a lightly-colored tie so that all your attention is focused on the double-breasted action.

Oh yeah, I'm sure most of you think I'm going to end this post with Dave Pike's Mathar, which should be a staple in any Mod DJ's collection, but instead let's stick that that period right before he fell in with the sitar crowd. From Doors of Perception, here's a funky slice of free-flowing jazz for you: The Drifter.

[UPDATE: And check out this live footage of Dave Pike, along with guitarist Volker Kriegel, in action!]

Enjoy the weekend and spread some good vibes!

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Sharp Stylings #57: James Bond

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.

Man, what happened? This holiday season just knocked me out! I'm slowly crawling out of a blogging black hole... slowly.

So, let's get to it. James Bond. He's been all over the place lately, because, y'know, Skyfall, which I still haven't seen. I think I need to see it soon, though, especially after dreaming about it last night (yes, dreaming). And I hope the movie is as awesome as my dream was... I mean, it better include a scene in which he engages in a swordfight (with his hands tied behind his back) by using his nose to nudge his girlfriend's sword into position to battle their opponent... and actually wins. And his beaten opponent better transform into a winged demon and fly away in defeat. If these scenes aren't in Skyfall, I'm going to be very disappointed.

But one thing I know I'm not dreaming about is that James Bond is helping to bring the tab-collar back into style for men's fashion! For years, it seemed so difficult to find good tab-collars, but things may be changing thanks to Tom Ford's designs for the new James Bond film.

And if you want to talk about 'Sharp Stylings'... friends, from what I could tell in the commercials, Skyfall contains what might just be the most bad-ass sharp-styling scene in all moviedom: James Bond, in a clean tab-collar shirt with pointed collar and french cuffs under a slim grey suit, adjusting his cuffs after narrowly avoiding a blow-out behind him. Hey, if you're gonna face death, you might as well look good doing it!

Image from The Suits of James Bond.

Now, there's no doubt I'm on Team Craig when it comes to past James Bonds. Heck, Casino Royale's opening sequence even dwarfed my previous favorite James Bond opening sequence... yup, the one from Octopussy! Sorry, Roger Moore...

But no matter how styling, how tough, how bad-ass the Daniel Craig James Bond is, well... there will always be one better. When it comes to suave James Bond style, you all know the score: 

Image from The Compass.

Yup, I'll drink to that.

Sharp Stylings #56: Charlie Watts

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.

Have you hugged your local drummer today? Because, man, those guys are some of the hardest working guys in the music business. Trust me, I've seen enough live bands to notice how difficult it's gotta be up there on stage, pounding away on the sticks, and working up a sweat. It's totally understandable why Keith Moon and countless other drummers settle for wearing a t-shirt while playing.

But then you got guys like Charlie Watts who, sometimes, don't let all that hard work get in the way of good style:

From the VoxSartoria site. Thanks to Chris P. for hippin' me to this!

Not only is Charlie Watts drumming while dappered up... he's drumming while rockin' a full-on Ivy look! Check it out: thin, pretty conservative-looking tie, white button-down shirt with french cuff and cufflinks, and narrow, double-breasted jacket.  It don't get much cooler than this. I've mentioned before how stylin' Watts could be, but this is just a great shot of him swank and in action.

Yeah, next time you consider wearing a suit and tie too much 'hard work' for hanging out with your friends and family, keep Charlie Watts in mind. This is how he dresses for manual labor!

Now dig on the man just doing his job:

Sharp Stylings #55: Study in Contrasts

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.

This past week, my friend sent me a link that made me cringe. I can't bring myself to say who the subject of the link was (*cough* *cough* paul weller *cough*), but that person was wearing flip-flops, denim shorts, and a tank top... a look that has appalled me since I was a pre-Mod kid.

Now, keep in mind, in general, I like this fellow... heck I featured him as a Sharp Styling subject just last week! But in that same week, he crossed into some terrible fashion folly territory while out shopping with his kids in Los Angeles. So, I posted the above article up on the ol' Facebook Mod Male page and got enough comments to fuel this blog for another 3 months alone.

But today I just want to show how two different people have approached Summer wear.

On one hand, you have a public figure, one who has made a career utilizing a 'Mod' aesthetic. He's a multi-millionaire making his money off of his music, interviews, and clothing endorsements, including John Varvatos, Pretty Green, Fred Perry, and Ben Sherman. These companies approach Paul Weller because he's become a style icon thanks to his Mod leanings. And these companies know that if Paul Weller endorses their clothing lines, you can pretty much expect new Mod customers lining up at the doors. So, yeah, it's a bit of a let down to see the guy walking around looking like he's out of 'costume' and taking a Matthew McConaughey approach to Summer style.

On the other hand, you have this guy:

From the Mean Spirited blog.

Here's a nameless Congolese sapeur, also taking a walk with his kids on what is most likely a hot African day. This guy does not have the $$$ of the other and is not getting clothing endorsements. He's just taking the heat in stride and cruising around with his kids without a single name brand shop around him. And he's taken the time to amp up his look, regardless of his environment. I've said it before, but THIS is 'clean living under difficult circumstances.'

Look, I'm not saying you have to wear a suit 24/7, rain or incredible shine. There are ways to dress casually and still look slick in the heat. Light-weight fabrics, short sleeved polos or button-downs, seersucker, loafers, white linen, and yes, even shorts. But please, don't tell me flip-flops, denim shorts, and a tank top is the new, forward-thinking Mod look.

It's just straight lazy.

Sharp Stylings #54: Paul Weller

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'm skipping out on Casual Fridays today in honor of Paul Weller's show tonight. Besides, if you wanna find a casual photo of Paul Weller, just do a quick Google search and I'm sure there'll be casual shots galore!

Instead, let's get back to what I dig appreciating most: sharp suitin' style! Now, even though he likes spending most days in casual wear, when Paul Weller does actually suit up, he brings it! For instance, take this oldie-but-goodie here of Paul Weller back in 1995:

If any of you out there in Internetland have a copy of this magazine handy, pull it out and take in all the great color going on in this outfit. Looks to me like he's wearing the same shirt/tie combo from the 'Changing Man' video. Nice, coloful splashes from that tie contrast well with the deep blue of the shirt. But then, combine that with what looks like a Prince of Wales check double-breasted jacket and you got a winning combo there! (My copy of this mag is in storage so I can't confirm the POW pattern.)

But seriously, a great lesson on how to play with color and patterns.

Paul Weller... when's he's on, he's ON.

Sharp Stylings #53: Batik Suit Jacket (Tiki Oasis 2012)

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.

A quick one today, folks, as I'm packin' up for Tiki Oasis 12 happening this weekend in San Diego, CA.

Gonna be straight with you, I'm NOT a tiki guy. I'm pretty ignorant of that whole scene, but I do like the tiki-esque art (Shag, Derek Yaniger, etc.), the drinks, and some of the wood-carved pieces. I'm mainly heading down to have a good time with friends, listen to some good music, and dig on something new to me.

So, in honor of the event, dig on this nice batik suit jacket in the image below:

Image from the Film Noir Buff forums.

Pretty appropriate for a weekend of tiki, I think! I'll be packing up my green batik jacket for the trip, but that's probably about as festive as I'll get.

Maybe I'll see you there!

Sharp Stylings #52: New Faces

Okay, the Mod Male giveaway drawing for Robert O'Byrne's The Perfectly Dressed Gentleman has ended. However, I will NOT be announcing the winner today. I got caught up in other things last night! But I will announce the winner on Monday. Suspense! Now, on to today's post.
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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.

Wow, 52 Sharp Stylings posts... that's a whole year! (Well, there've been 53, really, since I miscounted at 39... doh!)

Over the year, I've spent too much time getting down on Mod stuff I don't care for (as in yesterday's post). But my intention was always to balance those posts out with these Sharp Stylings posts that just focused on good style for us to get inspired by. I never wanted these to be limited to straight-up 'Mod' looks, either. Heck, I even featured one of the guys from True Blood, early on, along with a Gossip Girl guy. But the point of those was to notice the detailing in their outfits and take ideas to incorporate into your own look.

On the Mod Male Facebook page, reader Jose D. made a great comment: "The church of Mod is a broad one..." I know it's been said before, but this comment resonated with me because it's important to keep in mind that many people approach this thing in different ways.

Some people out there are still content with walking around in jeans, desert boots, and a Jam t-shirt, saying things like, "we are, we are, we are the Mods," and, well, that's their thing. Others are more interested in casual Fred Perrys and a pair of Adidas, and that's their thing. Others are way more interested in decorating their scooters with lights and mirrors than investing in their own wardrobes, and that's their thing. Not mine, but to each his own.

Then, you see an image like the one below and it gives you hope that there are younger people getting into the Mod thing and pushing forward the fashion/style aspect of it. Check this image out from Dean Chalkey's The New Faces documentary:

So much of this works for me and what's even more important is that these guys each have their own individual identity within the 'look.' Different hair styles, different cuts of suits, different shoes, different detailing. Each person seems really invested in the look he or she has put together. And, at least in my eyes, they don't necessarily look like stereotypes. There's just a great mix'n'match feel with this photo.

That, to me, is one of the most fun things about the Mod thing. I'd be so bored walking into a club and seeing people in the same parkas, the same Merc suits, or the same desert boots. But if I walked into a club and saw people like in the photo above, I'd be checking out the individual detailing of what they had going on. "Aw man, check out that guy's striped jacket. Sweet! Oh wait, I'm digging on that dude's 3-piece suit. But look at how well that guy contrasted his tie and pocket square!" And so on and so on. (And yes, I know you'd probably be checking out the Mod gals. But hey, I'm happily married so I don't need to!)

Years ago, we used to check out the websites for various German, Italian, and Spanish Mod clubs. My buddies and I would take notes on the different colors, patterns, and cuts of clothing the Mod guys wore in those photos. This was the stuff we obsessed over! Unfortunately, 10 years later many of those sites seem to be defunct so I can't link to them. But the Mod guys over there really put a lot of effort into looking slick in his own way.

Sure, there are a lot of guys out there happy in their target t-shirts. And that is what most not-in-the-know people think of when it comes to the Mod thing. But, there are so many others out there who also get more excited over a tailoring detail done on a shirt, the type of fabric used in the making of a jacket, or the simple touches of Ivy stylings. I see these guys going back and forth on internet forums, appreciating the finer aspects of attention-to-detailing.

These are my people!

Sharp Stylings #51: Steve McQueen

Before we begin with this week's post, don't forget to enter the Mod Male drawing I posted about last week for a chance to win 'The Perfectly Dressed Gentleman' by Robert O'Byrn and Lord Dunsby! For full details, visit the Mod Male blog post, The Mod Male Blog Is One Year Old Today. But for the short version, all you have to do is one of two things:

1. Become a follower of this blog, if you're not already, and leave a comment on the blog telling me how you got into the Mod thing OR how you got into whatever it is you're obsessed with (i.e., goth music, a baseball team, your favorite author). Doesn't have to be Mod-related. Or,
   
2. 'Like' the MOD MALE Facebook page and leave a comment on the page, telling me how you got into the Mod thing OR how you got into whatever it is you're obsessed with (i.e., goth music, a baseball team, your favorite author). Doesn't have to be Mod-related.

Contest ends August 9th, at 6:00pm PST! Good luck!

Now, let's move on with this week's post...
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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. 

Recently, the Parka Avenue blog ran a post on double-breasted suits, so in honor of that, here's a snappy shot of Steve McQueen, rockin' the DB with his wife, Neile Adams:

McQueen's double-breasted jacket has a nice 3-button front with the bottom button, unbuttoned. Peaked labels, seen on this jacket, do look best on double-breasted jackets. Really adds a nice angle coming off the top far left (or is that right?) button. A nice dark pocket square, dark tie, and white shirt just add to the overall classic look Steve McQueen is sporting here.

The only thing I can't really get behind are McQueen's shoes. Maybe they're obscured by the grass, but am I the only one that thinks they're a tad too bulky?

I'm traveling for work this week so don't have a lot more to add today. Just take a moment to dig on a well-done double-breasted suit. Then, take another moment to dig on his wife's even better get-up, down to her go-go boots! Yowza!

Sharp Stylings #50: Bradley Wiggins

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. 

Hold on a sec while I climb aboard this bandwagon...

Okay, the name on everyone's lips right now is Bradley Wiggins and for good reason. The guy won the Tour de France! Hey, that ain't no easy feat. Trust me... I've seen The Triplets of Belleville!

Oh wait, what? Did you say he likes Paul Weller and Fred Perry? Oh man, forget the bike thing... let's talk about that instead, here and here and here...

Actually, if we're gonna take this down a mod path, then I foresee a lot of future 'mod' types skipping out on suits and even Fred Perry polos in favor of cycling shirts. And let me tell you, ya gotta be in pretty good shape to get away with those. (Why do you think I avoid them?)

Instead, people should be looking to this image for inspiration:

Photo taken from the Stockholm Mods blog.

I love this photo just for the quality, the choice of B&W, and the style of bike he's leaning on. Plus, he's got on a pretty dapper suit! The waistcoat buttons a bit too low for my personal tastes, but he is just looking razor-sharp here! Well-cut pants with just the right amount of narrow going on. Three-button, light-colored jacket with high arm-holes, ticket pocket, and medium-width lapels (not a bad thing). And it looks like he's wearing a french-cuff, rounded tab-collar shirt. Toss in the beautiful B&W wing-tip shoes, and you have one of the most stylin' athletes around! (And let me tell you, if I won the Tour de France, you better believe I'd be stocking on a whole mess of bespoke suits!)

Everyone right now is playing up the 'mod' angle behind Bradley Wiggins. Hey, I don't know how 'mod' he is outside of having pretty good tastes in general. But what all this attention has shown is that people from all walks of life get into the mod thing and that it's only one aspect of a person's character. Mod types aren't one-dimensional. They're musicians, graphic designers, business people, construction workers, managers, computer programmers, and athletes.

Whether Bradley Wiggins is mod or not doesn't matter... the guy just won the TOUR DE FRANCE!!

He's now a sports hero.

And if you want a great analysis of the media's coverage of Bradley Wiggin's mod leanings, ModCulture has you hooked up.

Sharp Stylings #49: Ronnie Lane

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 get straight to the point today. This is Ronnie Lane, of the Small Faces, in an awesome window-pane jacket with a breast-pocket flap:

Photo from the Magic Mac blog which always has the best photos.

Lane's hair is styled perfectly with sides that aren't TOO long and bangs slightly above his eyebrows. A nice pink-toned button-down which goes great with the brown of the jacket. And that jacket... whoa! You ever wonder if any of these clothes still exist out there in the world? Is this particular jacket hidden away in someone's closet, being unappreciated? Or is it in a trash heap somewhere? Just dig on how slick, yet comfortable, it looks!

Yeah, I used to be a Steve Marriott devotee. I dug it all, from his immense voice, to his sharp outfits, to his mannerisms on stage. When I was younger, I used to backcomb my hair, hoping to reach Marriott heights. Heck, I used to jokingly call myself 'Esteban Marriott.' And I still do really dig Steve Marriott, don't get me wrong, but these days, I'm much more of a Ronnie Lane devotee.

A few years back, our friends Mike and Sarah lent us a DVD on Lane's life (see bottom of this post) and it totally changed our perspective on his contribution to music. Soon after watching the biography, we hunted down his solo material and played it every day for months. I dug even further into The Faces output for every song Lane either wrote or sang on.

I know I should be writing more about how awesome Lane's Mod style was, but his music trumps all of that. If you're already hip to this stuff, you know where I'm coming from. If you're starting out with this Mod thing and haven't moved beyond the Small Faces yet, give Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance a... chance. You really won't be disappointed! The following are just 5 songs to open you up to the beauty of Ronnie Lane.

1. Debris

2. Kuschty Rye

3. Glad and Sorry

4. Barcelona

5. The Poacher

And here's just Part One of the documentary I referred to earlier. Enjoy!

Ronnie Lane... a Small Face with a sweet soul.

Sharp Stylings #48: Andrew Loog Oldham

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.

Everyone on Facebook is talkin' about the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones' first show. Listen, after enduring celebrity birthdays and celebrity deaths on Facebook, I don't think I can handle anniversaries of shows on there. (I can barely keep up with birthdays and anniversaries of real-life friends!) When a celebrity starts wishing ME happy birthday or happy anniversary on Facebook, than I'll get more excited about wishing him/her one on Facebook!

That said, in honor of the 50th anniversary, let's take a look at a stylish shot of early Rolling Stones manager, Andrew Loog Oldham:

Although I'm not into the general shape of Oldham's jacket, I still find it pretty interesting. For me, the lapels are a tad too wide, especially for a 2-button front. Growing up in the 1980s really turned me off to this look. But why does it work on Oldham? Is it due to the ticket pocket? Is it due to the pattern? Or does Loog just carry it off because of the confident swagger?

The details of the jacket aside, Andrew Loog Oldham just owns this look! The black button-down shirt, unbuttoned on top... that wide belt with the HUGE round buckle... the slim-fitting (but not 'skinny') pants... and a pair of sharp, narrow shoes. Damn!

Again, a great way to carry off a casual, yet swank, look. Think about this image next time you're trying decide on what t-shirt will go better with your jeans, the target t-shirt or the Jam t-shirt.