MOD Monday - Julie Driscoll

In the 60's, music had a huge influence on the fashions that shaped the 'Mod movement' and British singer Julie Driscoll was definitely in the realms of those who inspired people to dress a certain way.  Hailing from London, England, she started out staking her claim to fame by covering a Bob Dylan original titled "This Wheel's On Fire" and soon thereafter became instrumental in defining the psychedelic era that was British music.  In her teens, Driscoll was the prez of the Yardbirds fan club.  

As she progressed on through to the 70's she focused her musical talents in the genre of Jazz and since then goes by the name of Julie Tippet's, having taken on her married name.  In the late 60's, Julie's bohemian style became truly representative of the vintage mod fashion scene.  

The bohemian 60's was different from the hippie 60's in that it wasn't about baring your feet and wearing flowers in your hair.  It was more of a flowy maxi skirts, floppy hats, boas, faded torn blues and cheese cloth blouses that you can see through (I know because my aunt had one!) were what boho was all about. The mod mix in of course was the pixie hair do that was being duped by everyone from Twiggy, to Mia Farrow!

This Fall 2011, we've been seeing a resurgence of the vintage mod styles in stores everywhere!  Mod boho is one of the simplest to emulate with just a few simple additions to your wardrobe.

My fave Julie Driscoll tune is "Season Of The Witch" which was originally put out by the artist Donovan.  In her time, she was totally a hipster chick!



pics: tumblr.com, psychedeliclion.blogspot.com, polyvore.com, broadcast090511.cocolog-nifty.com 

Spotlight Saturday - Amy Whinehouse

The soulful sultry voice of brit born Amy Whinehouse has been stifled long before its time as the 27 year old, best known for her old school sound and amazing contralto vocals was found dead this afternoon 4:00 UK time, in her home in Camden, London.  The cause of her passing remains 'unexplained' however, it's no secret that the young singer had an ongoing history with drugs & alcohol.  Whinehouse gained popularity in the UK several years before she came on the scene in America with her second album titled, 'Back To Black' in 2006.  Ironically, it wasn't until 2007, with her hit song 'Rehab' that she rose to fame here in the states.  Besides being noted for her vocal abilities, Amy was the muse to fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.  She wasn't just the beehive, eyeliner and tattoos, she was an amazing talent who had the ability to infuse jazz, r&b and soul into every song she sang.   

                                      In the spotlight today...            
                                      Amy Jade Whinehouse
                            September 14th 1983 - July 23rd 2011


pics: fitceleb.com

MOD Monday!

We've decided here at Retro Threadz that every Monday we're going to be doing a flashback of popular vintage fashions or fashion models from the era of the 60's because seriously...we 'love love love' the fab & funky mod styles of that era so with that being said, when it comes to mod, "what goes around comes back around" as this colorful, versatile style isn't going anywhere soon!

Mod fashions and the models who wore them were brash and daring and definitely ahead of the times!  The styles of the 60's were owned by England but it wasn't too long before Americans hopped on board!    


The term 'Mod' is derived from the word 'Modernist' and is defined as...
mod ¹  (md)

n.

An unconventionally modern style of fashionable dress originating in England in the late 1950's & early 1960s.

adj.

1. In or characteristic of this unconventionally modern style.

         2. Fashionably up-to-date, especially in style, design, or dress.

In and around the 60's, two youth subcultures became ground breaking for mod fashion; the bongo beating bohemian beatniks with their berets and turtlenecks...

And the Teddy Boys with their spiffy dandy narcissistic style that made a man having interest is fashion socially acceptable...

From the mid 60's and on, the term mod was used to describe anything that was thought to be 'popular' & the 60's will always be known as defining Mod as the 'cult of the super cool'.  Today's fashion trends still continue to incorporate that concept into designs.

There is a bevy of 60's styles, fashions, fads, icons and trends to cover and we look forward to bringing them all to light for you... So make sure you stop by next week for our MOD Monday 60's retro rewind!  

Browse our 60's style digs!

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