Taking Influence From The Mod Trend

This trend baffles me somewhat, part mod, part skinhead, part new age and part vintage. I can only describe it as a trend that I can imagine to have been big in Brighton in the 60’s – whether that is correct or not is another matter. One thing that is for certain is fashion is going around in a full circle and men are taking inspiration from trends that were popular many generations ago. I’m going to take a look at the main aspects that surround this trend and the wardrobe staples that you all need.

Denim

One of the most popular aspects of this trend is the skinny jean, a trend that originated in the 1950’s and has been a constant fashion jean ever since. Over the past couple of years skinny jeans for men have become bigger than ever, and now every well-known brand stock slim and drainpipe fitted jeans.

As well as jeans, denim jackets are also making a surprising comeback; some vintage stores even stock these jackets dated back to the 1940’s – its not a trend for everyone, but paired with some drainpipe trousers, a bow tie and a printed tee, you will be this trend personified.

Printed Tees

Printed t-shirts have always been around, but for this trend you need to opt for more retro prints, such as this sex pistol one; the key to this is not to look overly ‘2012’ – there may be a lot of printed tee’s on offer but not all of them would go with this trend. Look for white t-shirts with single or two colour screen-printed designs, my personal favourites are from ASOS Marketplace – they have lots of screen-printed designs to choose from.

Braces

Not everyone’s cup of tea, braces are also making a comeback. What was once (and still is to some) known as ‘geek chic’, a pair of braces are the perfect accessory if you are wanted to look a bit different and still have a fashion edge. In terms of what to wear them with, for this trend anything goes; if you want to aim towards the mod style, pair them with a skinny fitted suit and a crisp shirt, and if you want to sway more to the skinhead then a pair of acid wash jeans and a slogan top will look perfect too.

Bow Ties

This is where the mod aspect of the trend comes in and once again not everyone is going to be a fan, but we are starting to see more and more bow ties on the high street. This is where you can experiment with clashing prints, a faded Hawaiian printed shirt clashed with a floral patterned bow tie, finished off with a pair of blue skinny jeans. Or if the print clash isn’t your thing, make a plain shirt a little more interesting with a coloured (or patterned) bow tie.

You can make this look your own in a number of ways, be it just adding a pair of braces to your outfit or going all of the way with a top and drainpipe jeans. But if this trend is a little ‘dark’ for you then try a vacation style take on this trend – pairing the same aspects of this one but using pastel shades and patterned prints. Here’s some product picks to establish this trend: