MODS TO MOON GIRLS
An overview of some of
the major trends and designers in early-to-mid 1960s Fashion, followed
by discussions of specific costume designs from 60s cinema. Look for
new article and video additions at the bottom of the page, including
The 10th Victim, James Bond, The Prisoner, The Avengers, and see writer
Jason Whiton go Nehru! See also Fear and Fashion page.
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MODS TO MOONGIRLS
An
overview of some of the major trends and designers in early-to-mid
1960s Fashion.
YOUTH GENERATION
As
President Kennedy announced the Space Race in 1961, an emerging
generation of kids in Europe and the US were looking to the stars and
beyond for ideas about what life had to offer. There was freedom in the
air. And while NASA launched rockets, young adults fueled a youth
movement that ignited the planet. (below: David Hemmings as a
photographer in Antonioni's Blow Up).
In
England, government policy changes in 1960 had direct social
repercussions- young men found themselves suddenly free from national
service. Beatles drummer
Ringo Starr said in a May 2008 interview that the end of mandatory
national service in Britain made it possible for The Beatles to exist.
“We were the first generation that didn’t go into the army. I missed
the call up by, like, 10 months, and so we were allowed, as these
teenagers, not to be regimented and turn into these musicians."
Economies
were stronger and teenagers found they didn't have to contribute as
much to household incomes with money earned from after-school and
summer jobs. They had time and, more importantly, they had spending
money. It was a new era that offered young adults the freedom to invest
in clothes and hobbies like never before as they explored
self-expression and identity. The power of these dollars and pounds was critiqued alongside the Fashion world in the excellent film, Who Are You, Polly Magoo?,
where TV interviewers producing a feature on a young model discussed
how the ideal of sexuality and beauty had suddenly grown younger due to
the youth market. I wonder what they would say about contemporary
advertising and ageism? A short piece covering 60s trends at Sixties City.
OF MODS AND MEN
One
group of British kids with a taste for Jazz and American R&B began
dressing in tailored Italian suits and pointed shoes. Distancing
themselves from the biker-greaser look of the "Rockers", the "Mods"
were a sub-culture that prized a minimal, modern aesthetic. In TV
documentaries of the time, much attention was given to young men who
spent large sums on their outfits and to the particulars of cuts and
fabrics. Part of an interesting paper on Mod history here. Mod movies Here.
Where
Mod style had originally defined a smaller sub-culture (and one with
incarnations through to the present), the word Mod has became a bit of
a generalization to describe fashion that reflects minimal, trim,
monochromatic, two-tone, Pop Art, and Op Art sensibilities. The Who, a
band with Mod roots, became well-known for using Pop Art-influenced
symbols in their wardrobe. Along with bold stripes, images that had
iconic British-ness, like the Union Jack and RAF target, took hold in
the mainstream and remain identified with Mod revival. Patrick
McGoohan's The Prisoner followed a similar line of fashion with
characters in bold stripes and accents. A more-to-Mod roots band meets Eero Aarnio below in a rare shot of The Small Faces. Readers interested in a historical view on stripes can check out the book, The Devil's Cloth.
  
"Are You a Mod or a Rocker?"
"I'm a Mocker."
-Ringo Starr/A Hard Days Night
With
the pop explosion of The Beatles, The Who, and The Rolling Stones, a
variety of fashion styles and sub-cultures entered the mainstream and
became world-wide expressions of the generation. Boutiques
sprouted up to meet the demand. Carnaby Street was an epicenter,
mythicized further in pop films like Smashing Time. According to
Sixties City, the Treasury in the UK reported that fashion
reached a 1.7 billion pound industry in 1965. That's a figure worth
tracking down! I'm curious to learn if those numbers are accurate.
 
Designer
Pierre Cardin defined some of the suited look of the period, dressing
Patrick MacNee's John Steed in The Avengers and inspiring the
collarless suits for The Beatles. A British Invasion look was in! And
for men looking for a dressy alternative to wearing ties, U.N.C.L.E.'s
David MacCallum and The Beatles inspired a re-popularization of the
turtleneck.
 
 
MOONGIRLS
Fashion
for women embraced the anything-goes attitude of the times. Yves Saint
Laurent's Mondrian dress and the mini skirt popularized by Andre
Courreges and Mary Quant were stand-out creations. In 1964, the year
Beatlemania really hit on the global level, Andre Courreges'
fascination with the Space Age resulted in a fabulous line of clothes
inspired by NASA white and silver. He launched his Moon Girl
Collection, which included high skirts and dresses with geometric
patterns and cut-outs, space-like helmets, and mid-shin PVC boots.
 
Paco Rabanne, Pierre Cardin,
Rudi Gernreich, and others followed with their own Futuristic lines.
The movement had a great effect on costume design in a number of iconic
1960s films, including The 10th Victim (Elio Petri/1965) and Barbarella
(Vadim/1968). Agent David Foster (Permission To Kill) found the portraits of Patty Boyd below reminiscent of the graphics for the Eurospy classic Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
   
 
What
I will generalize as "Mods and Moongirls" are some aesthetic anchors to
the Spy Vibe of 1960s Film and Pop Culture. The styles define the era
and continue to resonate in contemporary culture.
It seems, however, that where a 60s trim style for men has returned in
a Metro look, the experimental, Space Age look of Women's fashions has
remained 60s iconic. Gone are the bold stripes, cut-out dresses, Go-Go
boots, and other PVC gear. Many echoes of 60s fashion crop up around me. I haven't spotted a Moongirl yet, but I'm still looking :)
With this general overview of a cultural context, we'll explore specific Spy Vibe film costumes in... THE FUTURE!
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SPY VIBE GOES NEHRU
Writer Jason Whiton gets into the spirit with Nehru Jacket (Zara), white shirt (Armani), and a vintage thin black tie.
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NEHRU JACKETS
*new images added
One
of the iconic outfits for spy guys in the 1960s, the Nehru Jacket was
named after Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister from 1947 to
1964. Adapting the original to meet the early-to-mid 1960s taste for
minimal design, the coat was shortened and given a cleaner, jacket-like
look. The Nehru Jacket became highly visible in the mainstream with
support from trendsetters like The Beatles and Sammy Davis Jr. (who was
reported to have had more than 200 of the jackets hanging in his
closet!). Designer Oleg Cassini,
whose clients included Jackie O and Marilyn Monroe, is said to have
claimed responsibility for making the jacket popular. He designed a
line of clothes for Johnny Carson, who is also said to have captured
audience attention dressed in a Nehru. Nehru himself, of course, was
often seen around the world in His Jacket with the movers and
shakers, including the Kennedys.
JAMES BOND vs NEHRU
The design was a central element in establishing the tone of James Bond in the first film in the series in
1962. To accentuate both the modern, minimal look of Ken Adam's sets
and to give the baddie a more Asian tone, Dr. No was dressed in a Nehru
Jacket. He even wore it under his plastic radiation suit! In the film,
Bond is captured and stripped of his contaminated clothes, and given a
jacket to wear to his dinner appointment with the good doctor. As a
film, Dr. No established Bond's larger-than-life take on the spy
thriller with a dash of sci-fi, and the Nehru Jacket added to its
modern, exotic flair.
  
But
Dr. No was not the only villain to wear the garb. The Nehru Jacket
returned many times as the look-of-choice for James Bond villains. In
some cases, slight Mao collars were added, rather than a strict stand
up collar, but the look maintained its essential qualities.
Nehru-sporting baddies include Blofeld (You Only Live Twice, On Her
Majesty’s Secret Service, Diamonds Are Forever), Jimmy Bond (Casino
Royale), Drax (Moonraker), Khan and Henchman (Octopussy), and, of
course, the Blofeld-spoof, Dr. Evil, in Austin Powers.
       
FAB WORLD OF NEHRU
The
Spy Vibe show that implanted the Nehru look on my brain, however, was
Gerry Anderson’s UFO (1970-1973). Anderson’s first live-action series
got under way just at the end of the 1960s. Production design really
started with the film project, Doppelganger/Journey to the Far Side of
the Sun in 1969. As with other Anderson efforts, his wife Sylvia was
the guiding force as a designer. Watching UFO on a black and white set
as a kid, I never realized that the jackets (and the wigs!) were
sometimes quite colorful. The minimal, stand up look really gave UFO a
cool style. Straker and his fellow SHADO agents used a movie studio as
their cover, so they had a great excuse to look hip! Images from the
excellent UFO Series Site.
 
   
Join the discussion on the Spy Vibe Blog.
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PEELING OFF THE TRENCH COATS
The crime and espionage adventurers of the post-war era were often found in cramped little, private offices. Tucked way in the back, up flights of stairs, they sat at desks in dark rooms and watched the ice melt under bourbon for clues like one might study tea leaves. These were noirish, manly men with trench coats, 45s or snub-nosed 38s, who seemed determined to charge ahead in thankless jobs, behind in their rent, never to rise above the seedy streets to join the world of their wealthy clients. This was the adventurer of the 40s-50s, reflecting, I believe, the underlying suburban gloom that was dying for the freedom represented by Hugh Hefner, the pill, and the coming youth movement of the 1960s. The youth of the late 50s and early 60s ushered in new attitudes about lifestyle. They rejected the drudgery of the grey flannel suit world and embraced a sense of playfulness and joy that manifested throughout the Arts. Off came the trench coats. International, larger-than-life spies replaced the private eyes, and drew on the traditions of men's adventure, cliffhanger serials, wealthy detective/playboys, and science fiction. Adventurers looked for new apartments with high ceilings and rotating beds, and found something new in their fight against crime- Style!
THE AVENGERS
The Avengers began as a program, as Patrick Macnee has been quoted to describe, about "cigarettes and dirty macs." The scripts had the characters lurking about in alleys dressed in trench coats and fighting criminals and spies. But the cast and crew knew they could push things a bit further. Macnee was asked to develop his screen persona to be more interesting and way out. Macnee describes in his book, The Avengers and Me, that he began to create a suave man of leisure- a quality of dandyism and Eduardian perfection- a well-dressed fop of an image to veil the shrewd spy of a man within. Drawing on memories of his father, his Navy CO, as well as The Scarlet Pimpernel, Macnee created his timeless alter-ego, John Steed. With clothes designed by Pierre Cardin, Steed's double-breasted suits, bowler hat, and gadget-umbrellas became one of the most iconic outfits in spy fiction. Pierre Cardin received prominent screen credit, as James Chapman points out in Saints and Avengers, establishing the show as a launchpad for direct product placement and consumer culture. In 1963, Macnee was voted one of the Ten Best-Dressed Men in the World, and was part of a Pierre Cardin collection based on his character.
Macnee contributed even more to The Avengers' style when he suggested leather for his female partner, played by Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore/Goldfinger). Setting the tone that would be repeated with his future partners, Blackman's Cathy Gale was a powerful, liberated woman of her times. An accomplished academic, author, and martial arts expert, her leather jumpsuits and boots added a fetishist quality to the show and caused quite a stir in the culture. Macnee writes about her catsuit, "Lit and oiled, it can be a second skin, and hugely erotic. At the time it was seen as something frightfully naughty. We knew that, of course. I like to think that we went for it because it was a fetish." And addressing the many moments that Steed came to rescue of his tied-up partners, "We used bondage... we suggested bondage. We implied everything on that show, but mainly we used humour. Without humour none of it would have worked." The stylish combination of Steed's traditional bowler and umbrella with the sensual and modern power of Cathy Gale was a pop sensation. And like many pop sensations of the times, the actors were invited to record a number of records- resulting in one memorable cult classic, Kinky Boots. It's interesting to see how the lyrics poked fun at consumerism while celebrating the fashion at the same time.
 
KINKY BOOTS LYRICS
Her: Everybody's going for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Him: Kinky boots,
Him: It's a manly kind of fashion that you borrowed from the brutes,
Her: Borrowed from the brutes,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots.
Her: Fashion magazines say wear 'em,
Him: And you rush to obey like the women in a harem.
Her: Full length, half length,
Him: Fully fashion calf length,
Her: Brown boots, black boots,
Him: Patent leather jackboots,
Her: Low boots, high boots,
Him: Lovely lanky thigh boot,
Her: We all dig those boots.
Her: Everybody's crazy for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Him: And whether you're in evening dress or bathing suits,
Her: You wear boots, boots, kinky boots.
(Boop boop, boop boop)
Her: There are twenty million women wearing kinky boots, kinky boots,
Him: Puss in boots,
Him: Footwear manufacturers are gathering the fruits,
Her: Gathering the fruits,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots.
Her: Advertising men say try 'em,
Him: And you all run amok like a flock of sheep to buy 'em.
Her: Sweet girls, street girls,
Him: Frumpy little beach girls,
Her: Square girls, cool girls,
Him: Sexy little schoolgirls,
Her: Maiden aunties,
Him: Major debutantes,
Her: They all dig those boots.
Her: Everybody's rushin' for those Russian boots,
Him: Prussian boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Both: Cover up those slender little tender foots with kinky slinky,
Him: Leather is so kinky,
Her: Come and get those kinky boots, boots, kinky boots. Her: Everybody's going for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Him: Kinky boots,
Him: It's a manly kind of fashion that you borrowed from the brutes,
Her: Borrowed from the brutes,
Her: Kinky boots.
Her: Fashion magazines say wear 'em,
Him: And you rush to obey like the women in a harem.
Her: Full length, half length,
Him: Fully fashion calf length,
Her: Brown boots, black boots,
Him: Patent leather jackboots,
Her: Low boots, high boots,
Him: Lovely lanky thigh boot,
Her: We all dig those boots.
Her: Everybody's crazy for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Him: And whether you're in evening dress or bathing suits,
Her: You wear boots, boots, kinky boots.
(Boop boop, boop boop)
Her: There are twenty million women wearing kinky boots, kinky boots,
Him: Puss in boots,
Him: Footwear manufacturers are gathering the fruits,
Her: Gathering the fruits,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots.
Her: Advertising men say try 'em,
Him: And you all run amok like a flock of sheep to buy 'em.
Her: Sweet girls, street girls,
Him: Frumpy little beach girls,
Her: Square girls, cool girls,
Him: Sexy little schoolgirls,
Her: Maiden aunties,
Him: Major debutantes,
Her: They all dig those boots.
Her: Everybody's rushin' for those Russian boots,
Him: Prussian boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Both: Cover up those slender little tender foots with kinky slinky,
Him: Leather is so kinky,
Her: Come and get those kinky boots, boots, kinky boots.
EMMA PEEL
American audiences were introduced to The Avengers as Steed took on a new partner, Emma Peel, in 1965. The producers were literally looking for a character with "man appeal," "m-appeal," thus her name was born. Played by RADA actress, Diana Rigg (Tracy/On Her Majesty's Secret Service), Emma Peel quickly became a major fashion maven of the mid-1960s. An early Courreges mini skirt was introduced on the show, followed by leather cat-suits, mod-striped jumpsuits (Emmapeelers) with cut-outs and large ring zippers, striped and suede go-go boots, and all manner of Pop Art-influenced outfits and accessories. Quoted by Toby Miller in his book, The Avengers, Peel's outfits were the first publicly available line of clothing designed for TV in 1965.
 
Mrs. Peel's most notorious costume was for the episode, A Touch of Brimstone. Banned in the US as too kinky, Emma goes under cover in a modern-day Hellfire Club dressed as the "Queen of Sin." As Macnee remembers, Rigg designed the costume herself, 'dressed in whalebone corset, high, laced boots and a spiked dog collar." In case younger readers are wondering if The Avengers was too adult or inappropriate, rest assured that the kinky elements were done in fun with a great dose of humor and spy adventure.
 
The style of The Avengers costumes existed both as an essential element to the storytelling and as a cultural, fashion phenomenon. The look, and more importantly, the performances symbolized the playful attitudes of the times and reflected a shared fantasy with the audience about an adventurous life devoted to pleasure, wit, and sensuality. The trench coats were off and there was fun to be had! Indeed, the opening credits of The Avengers featured champagne toasts alongside karate cops and silencers. Like 007, no moment was too dangerous for our spy heroes to take time to stop and smell the carnations and to sip a rare port. The characters crackled with delight, depth, and humor, making The Avengers one of the most enduring shows of the 1960s.
  
For more information, please visit the SpyVibe Blog and the excellent Avengers fashion site.
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