Mod subculture
Modernist
Modernist
A
teenage sub-culture movement started in the late 1950s-1960s in England, as a
result of post war habits. Instead of putting earned money to the family’s
finances it was used to their personal leisure. This group of teens has been
tired of the traditional rules placed by the past generations that they
revolted by being different in fashion looks and how their time was spent.
Theses teens moved to the terms of being hip cool and hyper cool. As a result
they were inspired by French and Italian pop culture along with the early teddy
boys in the sense of some fashion inspired ideas like wearing turtlenecks and
the narcissistic and fastidious fashion tendencies.
The
official beginning to this subculture is an unknown statement but it travels back to the
late 1950s, where the term “Mod” was used to classify people who were fans of
modern jazz. The term “mod” came from the word modernist of course from modern
jazz liking. Also another story of beginning is that these teens would do an
all-night and use amphetamine pills to stay up and alert this was so common
that it was the “modern” thing to do.
Values and beliefs
In this time the teens valued over all the accompaniment of friends being in the same team, having that fashion, and being as hip and cool in front of others.Some people would not go out if anything was not perfect in their fashion statement it hurt their pride as Mods.The Mod generation believed in being the most cool one could be, they praised their friends and jobs the most over fashion. Mods are very picky when it came to fashion, because this was the main part of being a mod. Mods became a symbol of change they where the first actual generation to live without the full burden of war. These teens had a belief that the family did not matter as much as it did for the past generation. Originally a mod was all about the music but being inspired changed the characteristic of a Mod.
Symbols and language
In essence to being a mod you most likely had a scooter these scooters where Italian Vespas or Lambettas, it was essence to have a good scooter and have it well rounded. They were treated as a fashionable accessory, decorated with mirrors, chrome, paint jobs, luggage racks, anything one could do to a scooter. The mods had a logo associated with them it is a target with blue in the center white and red in the outer extreme, they also identified themselves with the custom army green parka, or, the couple that match accordingly to fashion even if it was also a pointer of who they are.
Fashion
The teens mostly inspired by Italian pop culture, wore bold
colors expensive fitted suits and miniskirts with flats to show that revolt
against the traditional views of society expected of them. Men dressed in nice
bold suits or just really adjusted clothes. They used army parkas to protect
their expensive garment clean and to keep warm. Women in return had miniskirts
and flat shoes most of the time. Both genders would care for their hair immensely
have it nice clean and short. To style it they would use warm water and sugar
to shape their hair to perfection, if something in their fashion statement was not to perfection they would rather stay at home and do nothing than going out and "shaming'' the Modernist way.
Rivals
Like
any other group there must be a rival in this culture the rivals are the
Rockers. The Rockers are people with motorcycles, gel in hair, leather jacket,
trouble seeking group. Had fights every now and then but noting major, once
they had a riot by the beach 70 where arrested out of the thousands that came. Mods would cheer "we are the mods" in a very cheerful tone every where they went.
Mods Today
Today mods are not recognized very well but in the fashion industry they are remembered. In London they are still in fashion they influence main stream society in a normal way that it is a habit among them. Mod fashion was the first to change the way people dress and still inspire new designs every day. Mods have many blog sites where they can connect and remember the days of being a mod. In the website http://www.themodgeneration.co.uk/2012/01/today-on-mod-generation.html you can find blogs, pictures and resources to fashion. This website mostly all you need to know about being a mod, the basics. There is also another website http://www.modculture.co.uk/ that gives you more clear information, it demonstrates a more clear view of a mod it makes you connect to become a mod and feel the reality of modernists, this website is my favorite because it advocates for modernists. In the video above it gives us a brief description and interviews on real mods during the 1960's.
