Taking the Right Path

Friday might is a funky soul night at Pathfinders with soul DJ Divine Law, who plays a sharp blend of the delicious heart sinking soul and funk. Its another good night out for the mod on the grid looking for some entertainment and soul enlightment, taking me out of my northern cocoon and exposing me to great new tunes.

There is good crowd of regulars in attendance, from the crew at the Original Soul Rebels HQ who dance the night away to some chilling music. It is definitely worth putting on your diary list as a cool night of scinterlating soul delivered by the divine DJ Ms Laws. So if you enjoy soul music its definitely worth seeking out.

Pathfinders

Modernist Fashion in SL

Generosity

One of the things that delights me about Second Life is the generous spirit of those involved. For example, here I am on this naff little blog whinging on about there not being enough Mod clothes for men, boo hoo etc; then, I head off to the Mod Night on Tuesday and lo and behold Eden from ModSquad Designs gives me a cool Mod cardigan, in smooth navy with nice white trim, and a chilling white polo underneath. Classically sixties it will look cool with jeans or trousers, even outlandish Two Tone check like these from .::() ()::. ALIENATED .::() ()::.

So this is a plea if your looking for stylish Mod clothes, don't just sit there in that knock off cheap designer T-Shirt or those ripped jeans, get into the stylish stores of Second Life and splash a few lindens, you never know what you might get treated too.

Thanks Eden, looks cool.

Mod Squad Designs

Modernist Fashion in SL

This awesome suit from Shiki has a classic sixties feel to it, granted the more outlandish colours would perhaps struggle to pull off a sixties look but in classic black and white check it does it beautifully. It has a traditional English feel to it, worn with a waistcoat and straight white shirt and black tie [as supplied by Josef], reminiscent of the 007 suits worn by Sean Connery as James Bond.

Shiki specializes in contemporary Japanese styles but many of the designs can be used in a classic Modernist fashion hook, the argyle sweaters are standard casual wear, the hipster jeans and trousers scream early sixties, whilst the style of the suits are classically sixties in look and colour scheme. Vibrant yet traditionally styled, Shiki should definitely be added to you virtual modernist shopping list.

The suit is accessorized with cool PrimOptic Arkos glasses and a FKNY cigarette nonchalantly dangling from the mouth, hey its the sixties smoking was essentially cool back then.

Shiki

Modernist Fashion in SL

Skinheads of the early seventies era were cool, sharp dressed and often emerged as younger siblings of the early sixties modernist. Their music bore little resemblance to the "OI!" brigade of the early eighties, and neither did their outlook on life. This sharp skinhead look is easily replicated in the virtual world and can give a new dimension to the virtual mods fashion brief.

Alongside Fred Perry shirts and braces, a cool jacket and crucially some cut off jeans like these from Lian's Clothing; this look has to have boots preferably replica Doc Martin boots, or very close assimilation's of this iconic skinhead item.

It is not essential to be a skin as we are merely looking to be influenced by the style not immersed in it, so a cool hair style is still okay with this look, and tight shades bring the whole thing together. Grab a fag from the FKNY cigarette set and you are almost there. Cop a mean moody pose and you have a definitive skinhead inspired modernist style.

Lian's Clothing Store

Modernist Fashion in SL

HATS

Is a hat a crucial aspect of modernist fashion, probably not, but they can add a little sixties chic to the dull jacket and tie ensemble. And thats essential to any modernist look, that slight touch of class; elegant chic that stamps you out as a fashion chaser.

So is the virtual mod well catered for, KMADD do a great selection of hats, as do Truth. These trilby style of hats give me a Harry Palmer [who? oh dear...Micheal Cains antitheses to 007 in a couple of sixties films, check 'em they are awesome.] and give a lift to this cool Meriken jacket [in the snapshot]. If its caps your after Argrace do some truly wonderful items; but as a modernist stay clear of baseball caps. No matter what anybody says they are not a good look for a mod, in the whirlpool of Second Life fashion save baseball caps for another day. So get out onto the grid and check those stores for suitable sixties influenced hats to accompany that cool mod look you've assembled.

Does the virtual mod need a hat? Not really but its just another little twist that gives you a sixties style in Second Life, hats are only essential for rude boys,,any ska merchants here...get a hat.

Truth
Argrace
KMADD

Modernist Fashion in SL

This superb black suit from Aoharu is currently my uno numero suit for virtual nights on the town. Its beautifully styled with lots of prim additions and comes with various accessories, buttonholes and waistcoats to mention but two.

A supreme piece of creation from one of the grids finest designers its a suit any ace face should be looking to steal away in his virtual wardrobe. With so few pieces of classic male modernist design out there in virtual mod land this is one to treasure, its not cheap but even virtual quality comes with a price tag, but its one worth paying if you want to be a virtual modernist.

Coupled with a cool pair of loafers [unseen from FKNY] and cool Neaban Wayfarerer shades and a chilled mod wig styled by the iconic fashionista Maddox DuPont over at KMADD you can paint yourself as one of the iciest of the cool virtual modernists.

Aoharu

Soul Salvation...

...quite literally. A sensational new mod club has come to the assistance of all those modernists seeking northern soul, sixties beat and eighties revivalism sounds. Modelled on the Highland suite at the Blackpool Mecca it looks cool and the sounds provided on the opening night by star ModDJ Eden were utterly sublime.

Playing her usual style of sixties bands and soul with the odd ska, revivalist track tossed into the mix she had the floor buzzing with happy dancers thrilled to be dancing to classic mod beats and the whole room echoed to chants of "we are the mods, we are the mods". The atmosphere was truly brilliant and it looks like its going to be a regular Thursday night spectacular, I couldnt be happier.

If you like soul with a beat, northern soul and sixties beat; ska and revivalist mod music; having a laugh and dancing the night away this is the place for you. To employ that hackneyed phrase you best be there or be square Second Life's very own Blackpool Mecca a throbbing heartbeat of modernism.

Its time for action, its time to dance:

So modernism is still well and truly alive in Second Life, a huge thanks to Dugi and Aston for providing a space for virtual mods to thrive and dance the night away. Lets just hope the throng doesnt crash the sim, virtual modernism rarely gets better than this.

Modernist Fashion in SL

What kinds of modernist accessory am I longing for? Braces, or suspenders to our US cousins, worn with a cool pair of jeans and shirt or T-Shirt they look the business.

While there are dozens of prim braces worn slung down your legs there are very few that are actually wornm over a shirt. Indeed the only pairs I have found were at Adjunct as part of the MHOH2. They come as a shirt layer in the free treasure gift with several pair of jeans and look great. As a freebie gift it seems churlish to complain, but if they were sold i'd prefer them to come as "undershirt,shirt and jacket layers" as that gives more freedom in what you can mix and max them with. I have very few "undershirt" shirts so my use of the braces is limited in their shirt format as a jacket layer their use would be almost limitless; its a simple design modification but its application brings huge benefit to the consumer. There are several other items that could possibly see there way into the modernist wardrobe, but the braces should be seen as a highly desirable item and if made as a jacket layer truly an essential of any mods clothing rack. Check it out, IM the designer if there's enoigh interest maybe he will swing it. And buy some stuff its a cool store.

Oh by the way the cool shirt with black tie is from Josef and I use it as a staple of modernist fashion.

Adjunct

Essential Nights Out

So. where does the dedicated modernist head to immerse himself in dynamic music. The demise of the Wheel left a huge vacuum; yet there are still several great places to enjoy classic modernist beats. A highlight is the weekly residency at the AA <))) Alternative Indie Club, hosted by mod DJs EdenSky Cortes and Kimberley Sixpence; co-owners of classic ModSquad Design retail store. They play an eclectic mix of sixties classics from such bands as: The Action, The Kinks and The Small Faces alongside more esoteric soul/beat tunes of the period. Its a great nights entertainment two hours of blistering tunes and any virtual mod would enjoy tuning in. Hope to see you there one night.

AA <))) Alternative Indie Club

Photo credit: Poster used was created by Graz Firecaster

NeoMod

What are neoMods?

NeoMods draw their fashion influences from the original sixties modernist movement supplementing it with seventies skins, eighties revivalism [with its ska and rude boy influences], acid jazz and the casuals plus contemporary style that tweaks the modernist look. Overall the style is modernist it merely incorporates items unavailable or perhaps discarded by the original mods.

The look is classic suits, leather coats, button down shirts, sweaters, polo's, trainers [sneakers], jeans et al. Its an amalgamation of several youth cultures intertwined by music and fashion. A more fluid approach than core modernists but still holding true to the belief of style and substance.

NeoMods are merely the evolution of the styles of sixties, seventies and eighties into a coherent fashion statement. Iconic neoModernist the Modfather Paul Weller is the embodiment of everything neoMod.

Modernist Fashion in SL

Fred Perry Shirts

An iconic polo shirt for skinheads, rude boys and mods the Fred Perry [buttoned up] is the crux of many modernist fashion statements. It is sharp enough to looks cool with a crombie or suit; whilst also being chilled enough to look good with jeans in a more relaxed style. A fashion essential for all neoMods it has fashion applications throughout several British fashion movements and still remains a stalwart of any true modernists wardrobe.

Polo shirts can be found throughout the grid, and some of these can be of use to the virtual modernist. However to clearly define your modernist look a designer incorporating several key elements into his design is crucial for that sharp mod look. If the polo looks like a Fred Perry success is guaranteed; and, amongst the best is the range from FS Model and Design.

The designs incorporate all the classic Fred Perry elements. Solid colours, simple twin stripe detailing on the collar and sleeve, plus crucially the laurel leaf logo on the breast, they look and feel like authentic Fred Perry shirts, If your looking to be a virtual skin head; or rude boy, or mod , or casual you need a shirt like this to justify your modernist existence. So get one !!!!

FS Model and Design

Jealous.....moi?

Second Life fashion is dominated by the women's retail sector [a bit like real life I guess] and this is no more evident than in the retro sector. Scanning the search facility for sixties retro clothing brings up several stores but when you arrive you are greeted by a sea of cool monochrome and sizzling vibrant colours in the sixties mod look...but sadly they are all for girls. The modernist bloke is left shivering out in the cold in his universal "businessman's suit" and splash of black and white.

For many stores earning cash to pay rent, tiers etc is the priority so they can hardly be blamed for seeking to match products to the market. And, the market is women's fashion; as many men seem happy with a freebie T-Shirt, excessive tattoo, heavy bling and cheapo jeans with monster boots to match their monster avi. Bitter, me...nah, of course not! Obviously there are some uber stylish Men's retailers and fashion stylist; but nobody really working extensively in the men's retro [specifically modernist/sixties] fashion market. There are the odd gems, but overall its a hard task to dress in a modernist style; whereas our sisters have a plethora of superb styling to choose from, Lady Chelsea and ModSquad Design [who house a couple of male treasures]being classic examples.

Its enough to send the dedicated modernist into a spiral of virtual depression. So am I jealous,,,you bet I am!

Mod Squad Designs
Lady Chelsea

Souled Out.......

...to the rhythms of ska, Northern Soul, sixties beat music and the neoMods of the eighties and beyond?

Looking to find a suitable place to lay your hat; perhaps the Original Soul Rebels HQ can fill a void. When I visited the floor was heaving in celebratation of a Mod birthday, for an SL face and scooter creator. The music was sounding awesome a wide range of beat bands with the odd soul track thrown into the mix to spice it up.

The art work on the club is wonderful, but the architecture and general feel is more airport lounge than thrusting club, bit of a dissapointment. Ignoring the insipid structural flaws the sounds were stunning the DJ really knew how to string a set of tunes together and the enthusiastuic dancers bayed and hooed for more and he served up a cracking set on a platter. I thoroughly enjoyed it as did everyone else there.

So should you add the venue to your Modernist list?

Well the night I asttended was a party, but the DJ is a regular and it was worth going to hear his set. Give it a whirl. I'll be trying it out again soon.

Original Soul Rebels HQ

Tobacco Dock

An interesting find with some very cool items for the modernist at extremely reasonable prices. Amongst the hidden treasures is a trio of cool insignia T-Shirts [the Union Flag, the Ensign and the classic mod Target] ideal for throwing on alongside a pair of faded jeans and heading out on your scooter. Other cool T-Shirts are a soccer shirt emblazoned with the three lions; there is also a blue shirt sporting the three lions but in the cricketing style.

Continuing with the sporting theme is a true gem that could give you that little individualistic flair essential in any modernist wardrobe. A fell set of cricketing whites plus blazer, combining this with an uber cool sweater from Muism you can create a classic gent style with sharp English iconagrphy and real modernist appeal.

While you're there grag the scooter hoodie, which has several modernist applications and possibly the ragged union jack jeans. Although they may bne a tad too raggedy for uber cool modernists they can provide a subtle mod look in a skinhead/punk vein. The neoMod embraces several styles to create a unique modernist look for themselves.

Tobacco Dock
Muism