Mod-Er-Ate Moi

All righty then, here we go with post number 6 in a series in which the Bitches attempt looks from the Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style using clothing from our very own closets.

While Pirate got to release her inner sex kitten with her Bombshell post of a few weeks ago, I was tasked with releasing my inner . . . Mod. Yeah, baby. And in so doing, discovered that while I'm not at all crazy about the style (I think it works best on young gals with walking stick insect bodies, not athletic JLo types like Moi), I actually have quite a few pieces in my closet that could be considered Mod. Go figure. Not to mention the fact that I still retain what seems to be quite a Mod-ish haircut (note to all you gals considering a pixie crop, just remember: grow out is a bitch).

The look we now call Mod originated in swinging 1960s London and was basically the invention of one woman: Mary Quant.




Mary was hailed a fashion pioneer for her stark, streamlined silhouettes, the use of black, white, and primary colors, and an over all futuristic feel. With Twiggy as her muse, dresses got shorter, boots higher, shoes flatter, and hair, whether long or short, most definitely sleeker.



Key pieces include: flat boots, square stacked-heel shoes, stovepipe black pants, mini-skirts, turtleneck sweaters, wide-legged jeans, knit sweater dresses, swing/shift/a-line dresses, and statement coats of all kinds.

Modern day Mod is being reinterpreted by designers like Norma Kamali and Diane Von Furstenberg, here:



A certain Mod vibe seems to cling to a few Young Hollywood celebs as well, like Emma Stone and Zooey Deschanel.




Realizing that I don't have a single thing in my closet that makes me look like a stewardess on the next flight to Mars, I nonetheless gave it the ol' college try with something in the signature Mod palette, black and white:

LL Bean cashmere turtleneck sweater, Banana Republic hounds tooth pencil skirt, New York and Company belt, Hue tights, Söft booties.

Do Mods live in Minnesota? They do? Good, then maybe this outfit qualifies.

Isabella Bird leather car coat, LL Bean cashmere turtleneck, Seven for All Mankind bootleg jeans, Gianni Bini boots, adjustable Lia Sophia pendant necklace.

My attempt at an Anne Margaret vibe. Only minus the Anne Margaret.

BCBG sweater, adjustable Lia Sophia pendant necklace, CAbi black stovepipe jeans, Calvin Klein silver snakeskin slingbacks.

Statement coated:

And knit dressed:

CAbi wool "Shakespeare" coat, Garnet Hill wool sweater dress, brushed metal and elastic belt, Hue textured tights, Børn riding boots.

And, finally, as close as I could come to the signature Mod look: A-line or swing-shaped dress, tights, and stacked-heel shoes:

BCBG silk shift dress, Hue tights, Gianni Bini black leather peep toe pumps.

While none of these outfits are anything that I wouldn't necessarily wear, neither do I think they are really Mod in the fullest sense of the word. To me, Mod carries with it a definite costumey vibe, which is probably why it's the one style I find myself least drawn to.

Up next: Pirate and Moi do Arty Slick.