The Look: Mod Inspired - Farah Vintage

A modern take on the 'mod' trend (left) inspired by original mod, Mark Goldsworthy

We all look to others for inspiration, there's no shame in admitting it. Appreciating what others have done before us is a grand thing to do! Whether it's McQueen, Newman, Bowie or Beckham, we all get style ideas from someone. And if you don't, you're probably one of those mentioned...

It's not just individuals that inspire us though. No, it's eras too. The 1940s, 50s and 80s to name a few, have provided us with some of the very best style a man has ever seen. They are the foundations upon how we create our outfits today, and for that we should be very grateful.

Here at The Modern Man Blog, I teamed up with Farah Vintage to take things a little further. Pinpoint an era, a lifestyle, a brand, a person and share with you my findings...

From these findings, I have created a look - inspired by those who have done it so well before us. That look? Mod inspired, Farah style!

Born in the 1920s, Farah was a hot favourite amongst the likes of the 1980s fashion savvy hipsters - including the mods, skins, sticksmen and Mark Goldsworthy...

Who? Mark Goldsworthy. A true 1980s mod with a huge love for fashion and Farah. It's through him I have learned the way of a mod, and what Farah meant to him:

What does/did being a mod mean to you?

The ethos for me is true to the old sayings of 'clean living in difficult circumstances' and 'once a mod always a mod'. It's all about looking sharp and looking forward with a nod to the past and without looking like an extra from Austin Powers.

Attention to detail is a must, from your shoes to your hair, to how your trousers hang, to how you tie your scarf. Akin to a secret society I can tell within seconds if someone is following along the same path as me and being a leader not a follower of fashion.

Describe your style?

Modern Ivy League - In a time of bland uniform high streets with all the same big brand shops in each one the need to source the perfect item with a twist means hours of hunting the right thing down.

Casually I still stick to my faithful brands that most people wear, with a smattering of new designers but again all in the detail. Mixing and matching designer with high street and going the extra mile to make sure you're a bit different from the norm. Online shopping has made this a bit easier with a couple of shops in particular, Endclothing and Oi Polloi.

How did Farah fit into the style of a mod?

I'm not sure why they were the chosen choice of trouser. Growing up in a small town but getting ideas from music, TV and film must have been an influence. Clean and simple lines, never too wide at the bottom and the fact they were 'sta press' meant you always looked smart.

An option from the normal jeans or cords, you felt 'dressed' when you wore a pair. Again a little nod to the 60s but adopted and worn in a forward thinking way, this time with trainers, Dr Martins or monkey boots.

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Whether it's mods, casuals, skins or just someone you know, we can all get inspiration from somewhere. Have fun like I did. Choose a subject and turn a piece of history into something new...

All pieces featured in the look are Farah, apart from the desert boots which are my own. This feature is part of Citizens of Farah. An extended version of this piece will soon be on Farah.co.uk