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.

Weekly Blog Roundup: 6/29/2012

Another week down and time for the weekend. And to start you off, some good link readin':

• Lots of Ivy talk this week, starting off with an article recommended by Nick Rossi on the influence of Ivy League style on London fashion scene of the 1960s.
• The Syllabus gets ready for an upcoming exhibition of Ivy Style Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
• Speaking of this exhibition, an accompanying book will soon be released: Radical Conformist. Yale books uses the opportunity to catch up with J.P. Gaul and his love of Ivy Style.
• An obituary for yet another historic, mid-century restaurant, the Riviera, located in Westminster, CA.
• For the more dandy-oriented dresser, a nice write-up on Michael Fish and Simon Dee.
• Anorak Thing explores the influence of Ian Dury on Madness.
• For those shopping for vintage clothing in London, here are some great suggestions for you.
• I'm not a musician and when it comes to guitars, all I can really tell you is they have 5 strings. But A Modernist is a great guitarist and gets into something that interests me: the design of the Fender Telecaster.
• Great... another design book that's going to hurt my wallet. This one, on psychedelic graphic design (one of my faves), called Electric Banana, reviewed by Monkey Picks.
• And now, get in a dancing mood for the weekend with this find on Derek's Daily 45!

That's it for today. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Sharp Stylings #46: Georgie Fame in Madras

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.

Stickin' with the madras tip, let's take a look at a guy known for this look, early on in his career: Georgie Fame.

Thanks to Oliver Twist for posting this photo from the East Anglian Daily Times.

An early shot of Fame, wearing Ivy Style influences all over his sleeve! Madras plaid-patterned blazer with natural shoulders and thin lapels, short tab-collar shirt (rather hard to find, these days), and a narrow knitted tie (back in style, these days).

Fame's outfit here doesn't just look cool in a 'hip' sense, but also cool in a 'comfort' sense... there's just something easy, laid-back, and un-uptight about it. You could sport this on a nice summer evening and not worry about beads of sweat rolling down your neck. (Okay, maybe a Bay Area summer... Los Angeles summers are a tad warmer.)

As I mentioned before, seems knitted ties are back in vogue and you may have an easy time finding them at a Macy's near you. I've found a few there in the past couple of years in solids and horizontal stripes. There's a nice, casual feel about knitted ties for those days when you feel like dressing up without wanting to get too fancy. Pair the tie with a button-down Arrow shirt (sometimes found at a local Ross shop), a jacket in a light-weight material (like above), and a pair of sta-prest trousers, and you're good to go for the day!

So, a question for you: How many of you guys still wear madras jackets? Gonna try something new here, but if you do, post a photo on the Mod Male Facebook page! I always dig appreciating other guys' sharp styles out there!

The Madras Jacket

Alright, as much as I hate to admit it, summer is upon us. I'm sure I've said this before, but I just don't do well with summer... or hot weather, in general. (What do you think spurred my move from Southern California to Northern California?) However, summer is a great time to finally bust out a nice madras suit jacket!

For those of you who don't know (and are having a hard time connecting to Wikipedia), madras is a lightweight cotton fabric, named after the Indian city of Madras. As the Ivy Style blog illustrates, madras was imported into the U.S. as far back as the turn of the century, but once Ivy League students latched on to the fabric in the middle of the century, its popularity grew more and more, despite the bleeding quality of the fabric (which became a large selling point). Although madras can come in plain colors, stripes, and other assorted patterns, the plaid design is probably the most recognizable.

Image taken from The Ivy League Look blog. 

This look was an early influence on the Modernists of the late '50s/early '60s which continued to spread to the point where madras jackets could be seen on many English youth (and bands) throughout the early to mid-sixties. Georgie Fame and the Small Faces are probably some of the more famous examples of the madras jacket in action, but here are some more:

Cliff Bennett's band in matching madras jackets.



J.J. Johnson image from the Jack Davis blog.

Now, the first time I ever really noticed a madras jacket was in the inside sleeve of my very first Small Faces CD, From the Beginning:

Yes, my eyes were a tad blinded when I first saw this photo, but it was an image I kept turning back to, curious as to how wild their whole look was, while still keeping within the ol' suit-and-tie realm. Although Ronnie Lane's jacket fit my tastes more, the plaid madras of Steve Marriot and Kenny Jones totally challenged my perceptions of a 'mod' look back then. It was a loud look but, as a teenager, that's what I was after. Would I have worn a checkered tie with a madras jacket like that? I can say now that I probably would have avoided that look... but the 16-year-old me, if truthful, would have totally tried it. Good thing none of those pieces were anywhere near me!

A few months later, I was definitely sold on the madras jacket. In June of 1991, I went to my first ever 'Mod' show and saw a band that helped blow away my power-pop, revival leanings: The Loved Ones. (But, that's a story for another time.) Not only was I taken with their mid-sixties R&B sound (I still remember them covering 'I Just Want To Make Love With You', one of the few R&B songs I actually knew from a cover done by The Rolling Stones) but their outfits on stage were in stark contrast to just about everyone in the audience. All around me, people were dressing in black, navy, or dark brown suits, but up on stage were these guys:


A hard-to-see Nick Rossi, Bart Davenport, and Xan McCurdy of The Loved Ones - June 1991 at the Mount Baldy Lodge in Southern California.

And the outfit that most opened my eyes was that light-brown plaid madras blazer! I had to admit it... he looked more styling than either of the Small Faces in the previous photo. There, in front of me, was a loud Mod look done so right, that eveyone else in the crowd, including me, looked just so wrong. Turned out, this was a look that other Berkeley Mods had adopted. When my buddy, Juan G., picked up a copy of the Loved Ones debut 45, further proof of the slickness of the madras jacket was demonstrated:

Drummer John Kent in his madras jacket which he handed down to me later on in life.

By the time I moved to the Bay Area and met up with these guys, well, I must have gone on and on about how much I loved that light-brown madras jacket. For me, it was a reminder of the first Mod show I ever attended and a symbol of the look that really increased my interest in Mod clothing. Well, eventually, that jacket (along with others over time) was handed down to me and still remains in my closet, waiting to fit again.

Photo from around 1994 in that same madras jacket. NOTE: This was NOT my scooter.

John Kent passed on his jacket as well and I still continue to appreciate it to this day. Here's one of the only photos I could find, wearing that jacket:

Only photo of me in the jacket, from around 1996. The label inside the jacket reads 'IMPORTED HAND WOVEN Bleeding India Madras' from Lord & Taylor, Fifth Avenue.

As I mentioned previously, plaid isn't the only variety of the madras jacket. Here's a shot of The High Numbers' John Entwistle in a striped madras for you:

And here are couple of batik-patterned madras jackets you can find around:

Madras batik pattern from the Film Noir Buff forum.

George Fame in a madras jacket patterned in a mix of plaid and batik.

I'm still a huge fan of the madras jacket and love that many others are into the look as well. As I got older, there was a brief moment when I thought they might be too loud to get away with... but then, I regained my senses. I don't care how loud they are... the jackets are the way to go, especially now that the weather is perfect for them! Here's one of my favorites, worn during our trip to Europe last year:

Bart Davenport, me, and my wife Irene, spending time in Paris.

If you look around the internet, you'll see that the madras jacket is really coming back and not just for fans of Mod styles or the Ivy League look. And my guess is that you'll be seeing more and more madras jackets, thanks to that show of shows: Mad Men.

Pete Campbell hippin' people to the madras!

Sharp Stylings #45: The City Gent

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.

Okay, so it's not really a summer-inspired photo this week. However, this is the type of outfit made for a San Francisco summer... if you're in the City and looking out the window right now, you'll know what I mean. Plus, a super swank shot to inspire you for the weekend:


Photo taken from Gillian Long of Cock of the Walk bespoke tailoring.

 According to Long, this is "an old stock photo from about 1966 that tailors and cloth merchants would use in mens mags and trade mags. Most likely from Man About Town but I can't be 100% sure."

Sure, it might be a bit too 'city gent' for some, but there are just so many great touches in this entire outfit. Nice fedora hat with a short brim (my fave!), thin tie, checked suit with contrasting waistcoat, pocket square, and narrow, slightly-pointed shoes. All the ingredients of an immaculate look!

The suit itself is of a nice narrow cut all around. Three-button with a lower stance than I'm normally into, but which probably works to show a sliver of waistcoat when buttoned. Ticket pocket, which is recommended as often as you can. The trousers are tapered, but not too tapered or too 'skinny' (blech!) and also barly touch the shoe. Many times, people go for the high-watered trouser look, but here, the trousers barely carry a break with the shoe. A clean, unexaggerated look for your pants.

The last bit is the most obvious: the pattern of that suit! A small-checked look that's not too loud or crazy, but enough to catch the eyes of passers-by. What also helps is that the pocket square, tie, and waistcoat don't carry any patterns that conflict with the suit, so that the suit itself is what stands out. The only thing I'd probably change is the shirt. The collar is a tad too plain for me. I'd rather sport a tab-collar or pin-collar shirt to work with this.

Overall, a killer look and one I wish more Mod-leaning types would explore. And you know what? This guy's probably dressed this way just to grab a cup of morning coffee! Yes, I know this isn't really daily wear these days, but hopefully it's inspired you to ramp up your own look a bit.

If you're visiting a tailor this weekend, be sure show off this photo!

Weekly Blog Roundup: 6/21/2012

Okay, so I'm a little light on content this week. Plus, I skipped out on a roundup last week. So, let me cheat by piggybacking off of other people's great posts over the last couple of weeks!

• Years ago, some friends and I used to run a very fun club called Diabolik which ran the gamut of '60s soul, psych, freakbeat, r&b, garage, and more. But what made that club so great were the people who showed up to dance into the morning hours and the people who ran The Werepad, which was the location Diabolik was held in. Great decor that matched the vibe of the club. Some of those people now run a new venue, The Vortex Room, which features fantastic movie nights and parties. In fact, some friends and I used to put on a jazz club there called soundscape*. Want to see what the Vortex Room is all about? If you ever make it to a movie night, order a Manhattan. You won't be disappointed!
• Check out the latest Clifton's Corner for a great tribute to some recent music legends who have passed on. Great music to get you through the day!
• A Modernist offers up a great tribute his father and the Ivy League tradition he's passed on. (And I've learned something new from this post: the difference between a short-sleeved shirt and a half-sleeved shirt.)
•  Ivy Style gets into some good Summer clothing suggestions for you. Great tips for cool wear that looks cool!
• Parka Avenue continues to profile some of the top DJs spinning ModChicago here and here. Speaking of which, by my watch, looks like ModChicago should be starting... TONIGHT! I hear it may be the last one. Kudos to Eric Colin Reidelberger for keeping ModChicago alive after all these years and to John Manion for beginning a great yearly tradition in the first place!
• If you're in Portland, please visit this awesome-looking restaurant, reviewed by Le Continental, before it closes!
• Monkey Picks has a couple of great posts, showcasing some original Ricky Tick Club flyers (Photoshop? Psh!) and his run-in with Martin Fuggles, '60s Ricky Tick DJ!
• Voices of East Anglia provides some beautiful eye candy with a gallery of mannequin brochures. And when you're done there, check out their great piece on jazz harpist, Dorothy Ashby.
• DNA Groove's Claudio De Rossi catches up with Jimmy Frost Mellor to discuss the Ivy League influence on Modernism. Great reading and great styling!
• The Anorak Thing breaks down the musical styling of Graham Gouldman, writer of songs such as  'Bus Stop' (The Hollies), 'For Your Love' (The Yardbirds), and future member of 10cc.   
• A couple of great tracks featuring a little bit of soul and a little bit of boogaloo on Derek's Daily 45, your one-stop shop for a quick 45 snack!

Enjoy!

Sharp Stylings #44: Marc Zermati

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 summer, during our trip to Paris, we stayed with our French Boutik pals, Gabriella and Serge (LIKE their page here!). One day, I was leafing through a French book they had on the Swinging Sixties and was blown away by all the great photos. Serge walked over and made sure to point out one of the key figures in the book: Marc Zermati. I was floored by his swank Parisian styling!

Seeing as summer is upon us, I figured this would be a great shot to kick off the season:

Thanks to Alexandre of Bouton Rouge for posting this photo!

For anyone who doesn't know, Marc Zermati was a key figure of the early Punk scene, establishing Skydog Records which released music by Iggy & The Stooges, MC5, and the Flamin' Groovies. In addition, he organized punk festivals in France which included acts such as The Clash, The Damned, Eddie & The Hot Rods, and more. He appears to be active in the music scene to this day!

But, even more importantly... look at how slick he was back in the '60s! And here, he's just rockin' a casual look perfect for summer: a nice light-colored suit jacket and trousers with a 3-button polo shirt.

It's easy to fall into the trap of dressing 'down' in the summer due to the hot weather. Grab a t-shirt, some jeans or shorts, and a pair of sneakers. And I know I don't have much room to talk, living with an almost perfect Bay Area climate where a hot day for us just means the breeze is a little less cool. Nonetheless, summer shouldn't stop you from crankin' out some style.

Zermati's look above isn't right for everyone's summer heat, but if you can get away with a nice off-white colored suit jacket and pants in a lightweight material with a colorful polo, then get to it! Zermati just eases into the day looking breezy, easy, and cool. Granted, his jacket does look a little heavier than you'd want for summer wear, but you get the drift.

Now, I can't speak French very well, but maybe you can. If so, enjoy this clip of Marc Zermati speaking at his exhibit: