A section called Style Wars about "tribal Britain" featured classic looks of the time adopted by Skinheads, Punks, Rockers, Teds, Hippies, Goths, Pimps, Rockabillies, Psychedelics, Preppies, B-Boys, Gents and of course Mods. “Classic looks aren’t static looks,” they wrote, “but customised by new generations and adapted to modern needs.”
Mods have rarely been covered well by outsiders but this four-page spread with photographs by Nick Knight and Simon Fleury did them justice and was an accurate reflection of where the scene was at the time. Many insist the mid-80s Mods were smarter than their 60s counterparts and this article gives weight to their argument.
“Forget Carnaby Street, as most serious Mods tend to have their own tailors; trouble is, most of them get quite secretive when you quiz them about where they go, as originality is the name of the game here. Mods look to the Sixties for inspiration, not the trash of the Eighties. Emphasis is very much on the small details in which true Mods take pride, and if your tailor is any good he should be able to accommodate you in this quest for perfection”.
There’s not much more to it.
Those paisley tights look like the ink you see in pics these days on the biceps of American "mod" girls at North American weekenders!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, what Wilthomer said.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, thank you for posting this! I've never seen the full article before, but I remember many of these images used in modzines at the time.
If you're able to, also track down the Details magazine article from around this time, which covered the Californian Mod scene. (Of course, I'm guessing you have it already!)
Cheers. I don't remember seeing that article. Will try and hunt it down.
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