Adolfo Mod Style Helmet

Gerald McCann Dress

Just like the art movements of the period, pop and op, fashion of the mid 1960s was bold and graphic. Color was used against black and white, and colors were often primary and bright. Geometric shapes such as circles were popular in fabric design.

Dresses were worn with contrasting (or the ever-present black and white) opaque tights and brightly colored shoes. Dresses and skirts were also worn with black, white or even colored boots, which often reached the knee. A jumper or sleeveless dress might have been worn with a contrasting turtleneck beneath.

The mini skirt was THE Mod skirt. By 1965, girls were wearing their skirts and dresses several inches above the knee, and hemlines went even higher as time went on. Skirt waists were dropped to several inches below the natural waist, and dresses often had no waist, had dropped waists or had empire styling. Wide pleats were popular on dresses and skirts, but they always started at the hip, not the waist.

Dresses and skirts were not perfectly straight, but were A line in shape. Skirts flared out slightly from the hips to the hem.

For the first time, women started wearing pants for other than the most casual of occasions. Pants were shaped like skirts at the waist, but the legs would have been either straight or slightly flared.

1960s Mary Quant Ginger Group Dress

Mid 1960s Mary Quant Dress

Not only were the hemlines and the shapes new, but Mod also embraced the use of new materials. Shiny was IN, and shiny vinyl was used to decorate dresses and coats. Entire dresses, coats and jackets were made from plastics or other unusual materials such as paper and metallics. Shoes, boots, handbags and shoulder bags were made from shiny “wet look” vinyl and from metallic lame’ fabric.

Plastics were used as decorations on garments and in accessories like chain link belts. Jewelry was made from plastic, and in keeping with the general trends, was bold and colorful.

Metal chains were also used to accent clothing and accessories. Belts and half belts were made from metal, as were the shoulder straps on bags.

Probably most importantly, Mod was young. Many of the clothes of the time were designed by the young for the young. And like the young, the clothes had energy. Maybe that's why the look keeps returning, and continues to look so fresh and MODern.