Totally Mod: Fashion, Make up, and Culture of the 60s

- “mod” comes from modernist, a term used in the 1950s to describe modern jazz. 

- Evolved into a fashion obsessed young people and a cult of the super cool in the 1960’s.

- The culture started in London and worked its way around to America.

Mod Fashion

- Ground-breaking mod fashions were brash, creative, and daring. Sixties fashion was owned by London, England.

- Set the scene and the rest of the world followed.

- Fashion revolution was all about the young crowd and started in the streets rather than the runway. Carnaby Street and Kings Road in London were the most popular places in England to shop, with Paraphernalia opening in 1965 in New York being the most famous in America. 

- Pastels from 1950's fashions, gave way to bright, bold color often in geometric designs.

- Mod clothes leaned toward ultra-short and sleeveless. 

- Popular styles were miniskirts, jumpers, shift dresses, patent rain trenches, patent leather go-go boots, and tights. 

- A popular outfit was coordinating a ribbed knit turtleneck with a miniskirt with matching tights with knee boots.

Mod Movies

- The Austin Powers movies show in great detail the mod movement in England, and pokes fun at some of the fashions and attitudes of the era. 

- James Bond movies of the '60's starring Sean Connery, with the Italian vistas, beautiful girls in mini skirts, and scooters. James Bond shows the cutting edge of the mod movement in the 60’s.

Mod movies showed what was hip and happening in London. Many times, these movies featured pop acts like The Beatles and the Dave Clark Five, and prominently displayed the fashions of the time.

Some other movies that personify mod style and culture:

• A Hard Day's Night (1964)
• Blowup (1966)
• Catch Us If You Can (1966)
• Ferry Cross the Mersey (1965)
• To Sir With Love (1967)
• Smashing Time (1967)
• The Touchables (1968)
• Wonderwall (1968)

Mod Hair

- Twiggy and Vidal Sassoon having a profound influence on short hair styles. 

- The most popular hairstyle of the mod era was the bob. Cut short and blunt and stick straight, this haircut was the epitome of '60's mod style. Thick bangs were also a crucial part of this haircut.

- Another popular haircut of the mod era was the "five point" Vidal Sassoon haircut, popularized by model Peggy Moffitt. This look was very similar to the bob - a short, angular five pointed pixie cut.

- The hairstyle in vogue for men at the time was similar to that of mod women. Men sported a shaggy crop of hair or a short cut with a burned in part, much like that of The Beatles.

• Five Point Haircut: as modeled by the fabulous Peggy Moffitt.
• Short Mod Hair: the ultra-short style worn by Twiggy

Mod Makeup

-  Lips were left bare, covered over with foundation, or even painted with white lipstick, so that all the focus could be put on the eyes. 

- Mascara was vital. Each application was so thick that the lashes clumped together looking like false eyelashes, which were also in style. 

- Eye makeup was harsh and heavy. Dark eyeliner was applied all the way around the eye, and eye shadow was applied to the entire eye lid. 

- Big, dramatic eyes were the ultimate fashion day or night. Unlike the natural hippie look of the same era, mod makeup was all about drama.


Mod Accessories

- Large plastic bracelets, huge round plastic earrings, and Lucite rings with polka dots were just a few accessories in Mod fashion. 

- Big or small boxy handbags in bright colors, or geometric designs. Most earrings were so big they had to be clipped on the ear instead of having posts for pierced ears. 

- Pale painted nails to match makeup or jewelry were very popular.


Mod Models

Mod models of the 1960's set the stage for the mod fashion movement, and their fashions were emulated by young women around the world.

• The first teenage supermodel was Twiggy, made famous with her small body, short hair, and classic mod eyes. Her thick, dense lashes had girls of all ages heading to the drugstore for a set of false lashes.
• Peggy Moffitt was an actress turned model and was known for her Japanese inspired looks and for her signature Vidal Sassoon haircut. 
• Edie Sedgwick was an American actress, model and heiress. Andy Warhol, the famous artist, considered her his muse.
• Veruschka was a famous German model known for her six foot frame and size 13 feet. It was said she could seduce a person with her limbs alone. 
• Wilhelmina Cooper was one of the most recognizable models of the 60’s, known for her swan-like neck and big brown eyes. She later opened her own modeling agency.

References: Totally Mod: Fashion, Make up, and Culture of the 60s (n.d.) Retrieve on  

20 July 2012 from http://www.fragrancex.com/Fragrance-Information/fashion-make-up-and-culture-of-the-60s.html

Mod fashion is definitely a very influential style not only in movies, make up even in hairdo, accessories. It was all centered around the young people.