A Sixties costume idea for a costume or theme party or for Halloween is dressing as a Mod. Mods were a subculture in Britain that originated in the 1960s that were famous, or more properly, notorious, for the brawls they engaged in with another subculture, that of the Rockers, most notably at various seaside towns in the south of England. The name “Mod” is a shortening of the word “Modernist” which was used to describe modern jazz music of the 50s, to separate it from the traditional, or “trad” jazz music. The original scene was also associated with all night dancing and drug use.
As with many of the subcultures, fashion was an important part of the Mod culture. Some of the Mod fashion was inherited from that of the earlier Teddy Boys and their dandified look.
Tailor made suits with thin lapels were the main item of dress. Under these would be a button down shirt and a thin tie and a wool or cashmere jumper, with either a crew or a V-neck. Shoes included Beatle boots, which were ankle-high Cuban-heeled boots named after the Beatles, loafers, Clarks desert boots and bowling shoes. Some male Mods would also wear eye shadow, eye pencil and lipstick. Hairstyles would be copied from French New Wave actors.
The Mod culture also had an effect on women’s dress. Female mods originally affected a rather androgynous role (which, when combined with some of the men wearing makeup, made things rather confusing) with short hair, flat shoes and men’s trousers and shirts. As the decade progressed, though, women started wearing miniskirts which became shorter. Little or no makeup was worn.
Another item that was strongly associated with the Mods was the customised motor scooter, in particular Vespas and Lambrettas as the body panels covered most of their moving parts, reducing the chance of damage to clothes, although this accessory is, in the majority of cases, just as unsuitable for a costume party as the Rockers’ motorcycle.