Wow, where should I start? It’s almost impossible to name all the fashion styles that arose in the 70s, some of which became iconic symbols of the time. Hippies, mods, punks, you name it! The different counterculture movements of the decade were quite unique and diverse, and it seems unreal that the disco movement coexisted with the punk one and they both thrived!
(image credits)
When choosing a movement to write about and discover (yeah, fashion isn’t my cup of tea and I feel quite ignorant when discussing this issue, so it’s quite challenging, which is pretty cool!)…. Errrrr…. where was I? Oh yes, after some extensive research, I decided to get to know the Mod subculture more in depth and it sure managed to surprise me!
It began in London, from there it travelled all across Great Britain and it didn’t stop there! Eventually, it influenced fashion and trends in other countries. So, how did it begin?
Young men in the late 1950s were called Modernists by other people, because they listened to modern jazz, hence the name. Saying that they were modernists was too long of a name, therefore people abbreviated it. These men were the baby boomers of post-war Britain.
As the country was recovering from the devastating consequences of WWII and the families were finally wealthy again, that meant they had the money to spend and they chose to spend it in the best Jazz clubs. What better than the finest Italian slim-fit suits to fit in that fancy environment? So, the music of choice was modern jazz and this new style was brought to Britain by post war immigration, particularly from the Caribbean.
The clothes Mods privileged were all about looking smart, but they were also a way of distancing themselves from the clothes the previous generation chose to wear.
As mentioned before, this included slim-fit and quite elegant tailor-made suits! Nice, uh? Also, a proper Mod would make a careful choice of music to listen to and own a motor scooter– usually a Vespa or a Lambretta.
Early Mods preferred not to wear logos on their clothes, but this would eventually change with the ones that lived in the late 70s. They also decided to make their style look a little more relaxed. I mean, can you imagine having to wear a tie the whole day, in every situation, even when you were out dancing and listening to music?
Errrrrr…. Thanks, but no, thanks!!
Therefore, a more casual look appeared, one that did not require such a strict code. As a result, instead of plain clothes, some symbols became a part of their outfits. For example, the Union flag and the Royal Air Force roundel were put on jackets in a pop art-style, which made their clothes look kinda cool, don’t you agree?
With time, the musical tastes changed, and the Mods started listening to pop rock groups. The Who were one of these bands and they were extremely popular with young people. London became synonymous with fashion, music, and pop culture. It was so popular that this subculture started being viewed less as an isolated one and it became emblematic of the larger youth culture of the era, spreading across the ocean and arriving in the USA!
Soon, lots of pop stars were adopting the Mod look and they were followed by millions of young people. I’m talking about The Action, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, The Beatles, David Bowie…
More recently, we could mention Oasis, Blur, and even Amy Winehouse! Oh yes, surprisingly, in the 90s, the Mod scene was back into action and naturally they once again innovated with a more casual look, but still there’s no doubt that their appearance, as well as their attitude of defiance and confidence, derived from the Mod look! A good example of this is the band Oasis, maybe the most important British group since The Beatles.
Even today it is easy to see the influence of the Mod movement in the world of fashion. All it takes is for you to go for a walk in London and you’ll end up seeing some pieces of clothing and accessories which were clearly introduced by the Mods. Polo shirts, parkas, tailored suits, you name it! (I think we should all go to London to make sure that this information is true, what do you think? *wink wink* ;)
