Ive wanted to write this blog for ages but with the bakery expanding and everything else ive got on at the minute i havent had time to do it justice.
Im now sat drinking rum looking through old pictures.
So heres how it all happened. To quote the Stanley Unwin narrative
Are you all seated too comfortable, too square on your botty? Then I'll begin....
Once upon a time in the land of dreams,
Where the sky was silky soft
and full of coloured dreams.
Deep inside a rainbow lived Happiness Stan,
in a small pictory of a chalifan
Ok ok they are the lyrics from Happiness Stan. My story begins slightly differently, however i would love to live in a rainbow..
So one day when i was 13 i turned on the radio and was mesmerised by a song that was being played, that song was Supersonic by Oasis, i didnt know it at the time but it was about to change my life. I began to follow Oasis whole heartedly; I didn't have much money being only 13 so I read as much as i could about them in the papers and on the internet. I found out Noel was inspired by Paul Weller and The Rolling Stones, having never heard of any of them I again sought to find out everything i could about them and why Noel was so inspired by him. From Paul Weller I picked up on the Jam, and from the Jam I discovered Northern Soul music, from the Rolling Stones i picked up on RnB, it all came togeher really beautifully.
From then on, and by this time i was around 16 i became heavily engrossed in the lifestyle, music, scooters, and of course hair styles of the 60's and most importantly the mod movement! Mod to me is about more than how i look, its how i act, my morals, my personality and how i carry myself, like a religion. Theres no such thing as a weekend mod, someone who reckons they are is a half rate excuse for a mod. It really is all or nothing.
Just got to say this before i continue. There is a very very specific difference to someone whos into the 60's and a mod. Beehives are NOT mod, girls wore their hair short and neat and looked pretty much androgenous not ragged to death. I like to blend elements of both as i love icons from the 60s such as Dians Ross, Dusty Springfield and Ronnie Spketor of course, afterall im more than a beehive. People get confused with mod as post 64 when the original mod movement was starting to become popularised, anything that was hip or new or fashionalble/trendy was described as mod. Twiggy for example, she was mod as she was cool and in the press, she wasnt an original mod though, and i very much doubt an original mod girl would be seen dead with the heavy makeup she sported.
There has been a lot of twitter debate lately about mod and someone very ignorantly said, mod wasnt about outdressing eachother to see who could be the best mod, man that is the most uneducated thing ive heard since Kerry Katona was in the jungle. To me thats PRECISELY what mod was about, they even had a term for it "topping up" where in conversation, one mod would top another mod up with more indepth knowledge of a subject the first mod brought out.
If you want to call yourself a mod, for me personally you have to be able to hold a discussion about the music, the club scene in the late 50s and the clothing details. Thats it for me, i love scooters and have two lambrettas of my own but there are plenty of top mods without them.
So to continue, I began to backcomb my hair, and try to copy pictures i found on the internet of girls of the 60's. I felt that i was already living as a mod and considered myself one so i might aswel start to dress like one. To me, not dressing like a mod was strange. Its hard to explain but my mam always said i was getting "dressed up" when i wore my 60s or mod clothing, but it wasnt dressing up it was just dressing normal.
My wadrobe consisted of old Levi 501s from charity shops, St Michael pencil skirts, knitted polos and Fred Perry. I gradually began to have my own money, more disposable income and naturally the tailored clothes soon followed. Mod isnt about brands or being flash, its not about spending £200 on a shirt or a skirt, to me its about making the best out of what you have. Presenting yourself the cleanest, sharpest and proudest you can. Thats just my perspective anyway. My nana gave me some of her old clothes, a herringbone knee length pencil skirt and an old Littlewoods polo, i felt a million dollars in the outfit but i bet it cost a few pence when she was a kid.
Dont get my wrong i havent always got it right, ive had some horrific fashion disasters, im talking cord flares with lambretta shirt complete with mod target, god im cringing now but fashion is trial and error and ive got there in the end.
When i moved to London in 2006 i was desperate to meet fellow mods, i used to go out by mysef on weekends to meet people (ive never been shy or retiring so i didnt mind going out alone) Ive got a good few mates in London now which is brilliant.
Clothes wise i live in Fred Perry, John Smedley, half inch swen down turn ups, pencil skirts, 60s dresses, knitted polos and tailored trousers. Ive got a banging pair of prince of wales with a faint red line. The detail on them is really special. I also love
The Carnaby Streak for dresses. Angela is a legend and makes me whatever i want. She totally gets my vision and is a mod herself.
Ive popped a few pictures below some good some bad, this one in particular is when i started to wear my hair in what i call the bun beehive, which is the beehive i wear now. This pic must have been taken in my early twenties and its of me and my best mate Leila. Look at how small the beehive is!
The below dress, i got off ebay for about £3 such a bargain. a 60s look not a mod look.
This below pic was taken around 10 years ago, i look SOOOOO young. Im rocking a parka and a little beehive with a thick white hairband. The patch on my chest is an original Wigan Casino patch.
The below pic was taken when i was around 18. Just to show Ive not always got massive hair.
The below is me now, how im most comfortable, a John Smedley, turn up jeans, loafers and a little hive, this is my every day look, i LIVE in Smedley and Fred Perry, i also love window pane check shirts with v necks and two tone pencil skirts. They are so smart. Britac do the best shirts. When i wear clothes like this i love loafers, ive got a few pairs of Bass obviously, im after a pair of Grensons at the minute, they are amazing but they only do mens in the style i want! So frustrating.
The below pic was me when i first moved to London around 2005. Again with the white hairband which i constantly wore! The dress is another ebay bargain, ive still got it in my wadrobe, i totally love it although its the most anti mod dress in the universe haha! Its paisley with gold brockade detail on the neck bottom and cuffs. You can see how young i look in this picture, compared to the one below which was taken last year.
Again this is me now, wearing another vintage dress. Hair is massive in this one.
