Modern Day Mod's

The ‘mod’ subculture dominated the 1960’s. Significant elements of this subculture included tailor-made suits, soul and ska music and motor scooters. However, mods were also automatically recognisable through their aesthetic. Male mods had a ‘smooth and sophisticated look’ that included tailor-made suits, thin ties, cashmere jumpers, Chelsea boots or loafers. Their hairstyles often replicated various 1960’s actors and some men even challenged stereotype by wearing eye-shadow, eyeliner and lipstick. Female mods on the other hand, dressed androgynously, sporting short haircuts and wearing men’s trousers or shirts, flat shoes and minimal make up. Their miniskirts also became increasingly shorter as the era progressed. Female mods were often in awe of slender, mainstream models such as Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton, and it was at this time that fashion designer, Mary Quant, emerged, turning the fashion world upside down.

Mary Quant did not just popularise the mini skirt during the 1960’s, she also set the pace by having her own hair cut into an asymmetric bob by Vidal Sassoon himself and producing false eyelashes in long strips which could be cut to custom fit the eyes, many of the female mods loved the false eyelashes and introduced them into their daily routine. Surprisingly, false eyelashes and geometric hairstyles are still popular today.

The mod subculture, however, did not just dominate the 1960’s, it has made several reappearances in the modern day, particularly recurring in high end fashion. This has been documented by designers in catwalk shows. In Celine’s Ready to Wear S/S15 collection, Phoebe Philo has used dark colours alongside androgynous shapes and harsh tailoring. This almost mirrors the way female mods dressed in the 1960’s. Furthermore, Acne Studios took inspiration from the mod aesthetic in their Menswear A/W14 collection. Jonny Johansson has discreetly implemented the key elements with the use of tailored jackets, tailored trousers, dark colours and loafers with chunky socks which look sleek and smart, a stereotypical feature of a male mod.