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Chris Casey Combo 66 – SUEDE BOOT GROOVE

Chris Casey Combo 66 – SUEDE BOOT GROOVE

Guys wanted to share this with the people that come on the website. Chris Casey is a really cool guy and has put this tune & video together. With a name like “Suede Boot Groove” we would be silly to ignore.

Chris Casey Combo ’66 – SUEDE BOOT GROOVE
© 2012 – 2014 Chris Casey.

Instrumental written by Chris Casey and performed by Combo ’66

Featuring:
Chris Casey (Guitar)
Colin Fleishacker (Bass)
Toby Surratt (Drums)

Recorded in August 2012.

Darron J Connett – My Top Five Mod Shoes

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darron 02A Guest blog, This time from Darron J Connett. Many of you will recognise him from Delicious Junction advertising and also the band “Last of The Troubadours”.

Lots is happening for him at the mo, he has been involved with the new shoe from DJ called the The Troubadour and the band are to tour with The Rifles.

Anyways he took the time to write us a piece on his 5 fav Mod shoes. Thanks fella and enjoy the article.

Darron J Connett – My Top Five Mod Shoes

As musician,singer,songwriter,modernist,indivisualist,stylist(to some) i love my clobber and 1s & 2s,rhythm & blues (shoes) how ever us londoners choose to call them theyre the things that hold you up all day so should be choosen wisely. Im no expert but i know what i like so here’s my top five mod shoes.

Hudson Chrom Brubaker - Photo is Jim McManus
Hudson Chrom Brubaker – Photo is Jim McManus

1. My favourite has to be the basket weave, good ones are hard to get and very expensive and to be honest they never last very long but what foot furniture they are. I remember the older gents in they’re gabbici’s and farahs in the 80s who always had crocks or bally weave on their feet thinking how smart it looked ,in west london it was very del boy or yardie chic but i remember when i got my first pair circa 2005 they were Hudson chrome Brubaker basket weave which i believe paul weller helped design.I still have them and bring them out for special ocassions and always look out for another special pair….

2.The desert boot is and always has been the casual day wear classic from the late 50s to the present day and i must own maybe 10 pairs in many colours,Brands from sand to red from clarks to Delicious junction and they always do the trick with jeans or dare i say it shorts in the summer.

mod shoes lots of desert boots

A wardrobe staple.
3.Everyone should have a pair of loafers whether there penny, tasseled loakes bass oxblood or black they just simply are a very stylish ivy league type foot attire.Again look great with jeans or a suit.I prefer the slimmer type compared to the more northern soul 70s inspired ones but i own both,so grab your levis baracuta g9 white or red socks and you turn automatically into steve mcqueen…if only.

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4.Gotta love the european driving loafer its uber cool in the summer,just imagine you in a vintage porshe on the Amalfi coast of italy with Grace kelly by your side.No socks though ever!!!!.

mod-shoes-troubadours5.Now this one i guess divides opinion in the mod world but im fighting its corner in the name of style its the chelsea boot.Its very 60s beat band but with a sleek pair of strides on a well made suit or a skinny type jean they look Fab baby!!! obviously theres many brands but the black classic is the best for me which leads me on to the collabaration my band the last of the troubadours have done with Delicious junction

“The Troubadour” we found there wasnt a shoe type version and that needed to be ammended so with the good people of DJ we feel we’ve achieved just that.It still has the expanders on the sides but is low cut so as i said a shoe rather than a boot i hope you like the new member of the mod shoe family…

thanks..

Darron j Connett

Here is the facebook page for the band
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Last-of-the-Troubadours/231392100220545

Here is the shoes Darron has helped design. They are beautiful looking shoes, and make a good addition to any wardrobe.

Rudeboy Tassel Loafers for Women

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SCROLL DOWN FOR LOTS OF PICTURES & SUGGESTED LOOKS

We are getting asked a lot about womens shoes at the moment. We have placed orders with several shoe makers for womens shoes, so expect some cool looking and well made shoes very soon.

Whilst we are waiting for them to arrive, we have always had the rudeboys on the site but no pics showing how they look and fit for women. So whilst we are waiting for new shoes to come through we thought it would be fun to do a photoshot with the rudeboys but from the female perspective.

So below we combined the Classic Tassel Loafers with several looks, Mod, Skin, Northern Soul & Fashion. We wanted to get across that shoe can look with several combinations jeans, tights and socks, and also no socks!

The styling of the Loafers is very 70’s i.e. it is a wider fitting than a normal high street Tassel Loafer. Out of the 2 makes we do at the moment the IKON is slightly thinner and the DJ wider. So without sounding rude, if you are lady with a wider foot, go with the DJ. Thinner feet should try the IKON first.

There are only a few differences between the IKON and DJ makes, Ikon has a part rubber sole, where as DJ is full leather. IKON only do Black & Oxblood, DJ do Brown as well as Oxblood & Black.

We hope you enjoy the pics as much as we did taking them. Many thanks to our model and her time.

Andy

 

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Shoes in the photos above

All of our womens Shoes

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DJ Warren Peace – My Sole Collection

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Guest Blog from Dj Warren Peace. Lots to read here from the Marmite of MOD! Over to you fella. 

As anyone who listens to my show knows by now, I am not what you consider the typical mod. I love the 60’s. It was an era where men were Sean Connery and not Harry Styles. A time of phenomenal music, style and social change. Most importantly to me as a mod, it marked the birth of the movement which changed my life. Whilst I ‘tip my hat’ to this of often over-romanticized bygone decade, I’m happy that I live in 2013. To ’60‘s man’ I am George Jetson and like George, I live my life as a true MODERNist. What does that mean? Well, in a nutshell I’m obsessive about style and details and embrace the finest aspects of what ‘now’ has to offer whilst incorporating the best of the past into my daily wardrobe, living space and iPod. In essence, I celebrate the 60’s but I’m aware (and glad) that I don’t live in them. You could never mistake my look as an extra from ‘The Spy Who Shagged Me’ and my ‘mod styling’ is anything but the bog-standard mod 101 look. As I’ve said ad nauseam on the show, mod isn’t a halloween costume. It’s style over fashion and looking exceptional… without exception. Clean lines, form and functionality. End of. When I look at the way a fellow mod or any man dresses for that matter, it’s the opposite of sexual foreplay with a woman, i.e. I don’t start from the top and work down, I start below the ankle…at the shoes, and work up.

I love shoes. What mod doesn’t? My SOLE collection has always been much greater than my SOUL collection and I’m proud of that fact. (You can’t wear Gino Parks to a cocktail party now, can you?) I live each day as a mod, not just the weekends, so my shoes get a lot of wear and tear as dressing up is just ‘another day at the office’ in Warren’s world. You will find few if ANY ‘mod labels’ in my wardrobe or shoes many would consider ‘proper mod’, or ‘mod’ at all for that matter. I’m into well-made, timeless classics and I’d rather have one of something great than ten pieces of tat glued or stitched together by a 13 year old in Cambodia. Shoes so well made they will last a lifetime with the right care and repair and eventually, accompany me to the great Soul Night in the Sky (by the way, the John Lobb Ilford 6-eyelet prestige oxfords are the front-runners to accompany me 6ft under at the time of writing this!) With that said, here are a few of my current favorites. Warning: My opinion changes weekly so by the time you read this, I’ll probably deny owning half of them.

Let’s kick it all of with my Bergdorf Goodman Dover loafers with front penny strap.Italian made in a gorgeous bordeaux shade of leather. These almost feel like you aren’t wearing shoes at all and that’s a win for me with high arches. Leather sole (which looks a little like rubber in the picture but is not) and hand-stitched detailing.  For the fashionistas among you, the shoes are resting on my  Luciano Barbera three button sport-coat, also classic Italian. I love LB and although you can’t see it here, the lining matches the shoes, so I often wear these in combination with one another. Pair with a light blue, penny collar french cuff shirt and pocket square and we have lift off.

Bergdorf Goodman Dover loafers

My favorite shoes without a doubt have always been and will always be, wingtip brogues. It’s a classic, time-less and versatile shoe that can be worn casual or dressy and brings a hint of elegance to any outfit instantly.

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I’m not big on vintage shoes. Something to do with my distaste for wearing something that’s been wrapped around another man’s sweaty feet for 30 years, but these were just too exceptional to pass up. Tan brogues donkeys years old but still in amazing shape. I look after them well and they’ve lasted because their original owner clearly did the same.

I like to take chances with outfits and have no hesitation pairing these with navy blue or dark grey pinstripe suits for that additional and unexpected ‘pop’ or more traditionally, with my light grey Price of Wales check double breasted suit.

I believe mod is about individuality. Creating one’s OWN style and standing out from sloppy society and what better a way to do it than in these.  Something about them reminds me of my old science teacher…a hard mean bastard but boy…could he dress!

Next up..the iconic mod Chelsea boot, Italian made by Tods in a dark chocolate suede. I like Tods and I LOVE suede. Too much! A b*** to maintain but so worth it. I have lots of suede shoes but my favorite pair of all are my CB’s!

Todds Chelsea Boots

They look great with almost anything. On a recent trip to Montreal I picked up a pair of unworn light beige sta-prest trousers from the 60’s (warehouse find!) thanks to my host, Parka Avenue mod blogger Patrick Foisy knowing the right people. The cut of the trousers are a little higher to the ankle so perfect for boots like these. Check shirt, sunglasses and suede jacket and I’m ready to scoot! I’m also a mod who unashamedly admits to loving the Beatles, although I’ve never done well with a cuban heel. I’m tall and so adding a few inches makes me feel like Gulliver among the Lilliputians! As you can see, the Tods Chelsea boots heels are much flatter.

Back to the brogues! Meet my American pals…the  John Varvatos Hallowell Wing Tips.

John Varvatos Hallowell Wing Tips
John Varvatos Hallowell Wing Tips

The picture doesn’t quite do these justice but the color, a deep rich mocha is jaw dropping and an asset almost any outfit I decide to pair these with.

Since I acquired these I have a better appreciation for how large-breasted women must feel because during every conversation, the other person’s eyes invariably gravitate downwards usually followed by light salivating. Poor old Babs Windsor!

Not the finest quality shoe I own but the highly polished leather, tonal stitching and comfort won me over when I found these on sale earlier this year. I just had a Rodger Stirling (Mad Men) 3-piece suit crafted by my tailor in a light vintage grey with slim lapels and a 6 button vest. Add crisp, fitted imperial oxford weave white french cuff shirt with penny collar, vintage gold wrap-around mesh cufflinks, skinny knitted navy polkadot tie and my JV’s. Does the look follow the mod rule book? Not at all… but stand me next to a Tonik Suit Charlie  wearing his ‘off the rack and on the back’ and tell me who’s the Face.

Prada Penny Loafers

The original Mods look was inspired by the ‘movers and groovers’ of the Italian/ continental high fashion scene and the US preppie collegiate look. Fast forward to today and High Italian fashion in 2013 doesn’t get better than Prada in my opinion. Prada was founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada and is currently one of the most influential clothing lines in the fashion industry, with an iconic collection that includes sunglasses, handbags, suits, shirts and some amazing shoes. These penny loafers have the honorable/notorious distinction of being my dance shoes of choice. All leather in a  strange shade of emerald green/ fading to black. Not for everyone but definitely for me. The ethos of the Face was to push the boundaries and believe me when I say, these do just that. A great shoe to wear with both jeans or trousers. The talcum powder  brushes off with ease and they maintain a flawless, unworn look despite untold hours of gettin’ down! Shoes are photographed here with July 1968’s edition of Playboy and my desk mascot, bulldog ‘Jack’ (a gift from ‘M’).

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Why would I wear decent dress shoes when riding my ’68 Vespa 180SS? Answer…I wouldn’t! Enter the Desert Boot… not necessarily the staple of a Mods wardrobe but definitely a ‘MUST HAVE’ for any scooter riding mod.  NEVER, EVER pair Desert Boots with a suit like Jimmy Cooper! You’re a real mod not an actor dressed by a costumer and you can do better…no, HAVE to do better than that!  I have two kinds of DB’s. Classic brown suede (told you) Clarks with rust stitching and laces (there’s that attention to detail I was telling you about). The lighter suede pair are Italian made by Miu Miu, a high fashion brand of clothing and accessories from the Prada fashion house headed by Miuccia Prada (hence the name). Due to the color they take a lot of upkeep but are going on 13 years old now! Both look great with some light cotton fitted beige chinos for the Sunday scooter ride, leather belt and a casual Fred Perry pique cotton top or my preferred cashmere or merino wool knitted polos.

Tom Ford Tassel Loafers

Last but not least, the latest addition to Warren Peace’s Shoeland, a pair of tassel loafers by Tom Ford. While I can’t say that Tom Ford shoes warrant the ridiculous retail sticker cost that comes with them, I can say that for a “designer” he does have some beautiful and well made shoes under his label (i.e. sources the best shoemaker that he could find in Italy to make his shoes). They give you all that you look for in a high end shoes: good leather, beveled waists, clean looking soles, great design and they’re built to last. The color is described as ‘antiqued’. Every single Italian maker was doing it  a while back and it was almost as if you couldn’t find a shoe that did not have a burnish on it, at least here in the States. Nothing wrong with a bit of toe darkening in my book, so bring on the burnish I say!

I fly often and loafers are practical for darting thorough airport security. I also dress to fly, always. The Jet Age is alive and well, at least in my head, and so at any given time on any airport concourse you’ll find me wearing these or something similar sitting amongst the sea of flip flops, crocs, yoga pants and cargo shorts. Definitely a shoe for the power meeting but less formal and stuffy than lace ups. Dress better than your boss is my MO. These will see to that.

That’s your lot for now. So many shoes, so little time! Again, my daily mod style is anything but cookie cutter. For my money the classic look of the English country gentleman, Italian fashionista or American Ivy Leaguer can’t be beaten. Shoes don’t MAKE the man but they can BREAK the outfit. Be an individual and wear what looks good on you, not the other ten charlie’s at soul night down the Hope and Anchor. Challenge the sensibilities. Be the best YOU can be and when in doubt, refer to the fictional mod rule book that some of the more ‘discerning mods’ among us magically own and often reference. Rule #1… style before fashion, always. Rule #2 Look sharp and watch the details and my personal favorite..Rule #3…there are no f%*&g rules!

Peace out!

mod shoes dj warren peaceWarren Peace hosts We are the M♂ds! with Warren Peace radio show Available for download of streaming on iTunes or Podomatic www.wearethemods.podomatic.com also playing on Mod Radio UK- Radio a Go Go (www.ModRadioUK.net)

How many of us have had a look like this once? Parka, jeans and loafers

This pic has caused a lot of activity on facebook. What do you think ?

The Tassel Loafer, Smart or Casual ?

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The Tassel Loafer, Smart or Casual

The Tassel Loafer is a shoe that I feel fits nicely in to two camps, both smart and casual. Not many shoes do so well, but here goes on why I think so.

mod shoes the specials on rock goes to collegeThe Specials in 1980 were one of the first massive influences on me. The 1st lP cover and the ‘Rock Goes To College’ concert were my introduction into them. The suits and style of both the band and audience, most of which ended up on the stage, was 3 button suits and mixture of shoe styles including The Tassel Loafer.

I was too young to understand it was a late sixties fashion, or that it mainly was an late original mod, skin look. To me it looked smart and nothing like anyone else I knew. At school we wore blazers, but the blazers weren’t the same as the suits, and for defo my shoes were what mum got me.

Anyways my point is they looked smart. Now am I mixing the word, Smart with Cool? No matter really because I still feel the Tassel Loafer is smart and cool.

So lets forward to a few years ago. I was at a Business Networking event. A guy I know, a solicitor, is wearing classic Loake Brightons with a fairly normal blue suit. I said to him, you into the mod thing, he said no, I said about the shoes, he said it is quite common for lawyers to wear them.

Now I think of lawyers as usually pretty good dressers, it is part of the job. You have to look the part. And he was wearing them in a professional capacity. Where as I wore mine with jeans and trousers back as a kid.

So do Tassel loafers work with both?

I know what I think, but the point to this blog is to prove the point. And the only way to do that it is to get some pics.

So first up, the glorious The Specials, I will argue one of the most perfect bands ever, in so many ways. And on the feet of 3 of them were tassel loafers. And all 3 pairs of the loafers are being worn with a suit. So 1 point to the smart side

mod shoes the specials in tassel loafers

Next up. This guy is defo a bit of a dude, not sure about the scarf, but the brown tassel loafers and white jeans, with a tiny turn up, look really good. Weller seemed to spend most of the 80’s in a very similar style. Sorry to say that I don’t know what make of Tassel Loafers these are, but they look expensive. 1 point to the casual.

mod shoes casual tassel loafers with white jeans

This picture , the lady is wearing white socks with the Burgundy, Oxblood Tassel loafers. A classic female look, big in the 80’s with some of the hip hop people. Again it is one of those looks that is casual, but not scruffy. Meaning to me it took a lot of thought to get it right, but at the same time is not formal. So 1 again point to casual.

mod shoes oxblood tassel loafers with jeans

The guy on the left is wearing a look so many of us have had. Button down, parka, dark jeans, white socks and yes Tassel loafers. The picture looks modern so I am guessing perhaps less than 10 years old, but the look is timeless, late teens casual mod, ie out with your mates. Street Mod in fact. So yet another point to casual.

mod shoes mod in tassel loafers and parka

The next set of pictures are of what I think of Smart Young Professionals. My assumption is that they work in the city, but not in banking, probably new media? Anyways loving the suits, although would prefer 3 buttons, and mostly no socks! So although the look is smart, it also saying casual. 1 point to smart.

mod shoe loafers semi casual Scott Disick Films in NYC's Meatpacking District mod shoes tassel loafer with a suit mod shoes tassel loafers with a suit

Again to counter argue, here is some very cool, but never the less, causal looks.

mod shoes loafers with jeans casual mod shoes tassel loafers with jeans mod shoes tassel loafers with trousers

I like this look on this guy, again no socks, jeans with a jacket, but tie pin, the ties a little wide. But he looks cool. This combination normally I hate , jeans and jackets are hard to pull off, but this guy does. And on the feet, yep Tassel Loafers. Again smart casual !

mod shoes tassel loafers with jacket and jeans

This last photo I love the colours, that green and yes brown combination just look so cool. Only the jean shirt lets it down. Again the details on the suit, make the look ‘DING’. But the tassel loafers shine away at the bottom.

mod shoes Green-Suit-Denim-Shirt-Brown-Loafers

The oxblood tassel loafer to me has to be one of the best shoes to wear with a multitude of outfits.

  • With jeans, you go to the pub in them or a northern soul do.
  • Jeans , Fred Perry and loafers, perfect for a ska do.
  • Put on some trousers, add a button down and you look ok at birthday party or evening out.
  • Put on a smart suit and your loafers and you are ready for a smart night or that wedding the wife has dragged you to.

If you made sure you got leather soles, then you can dance away the hours.

And lastly you know you are in the good company of wearers, please stand up, Suggs, Jerry Dammers and many others.

So the Tassel Loafer I conclude is Smart & Casual. I await debate!

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A Mod Classic The Desert Boot

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On page 22 of the Mods Book by Richard Barnes there is a pair of desert boots, along with white jeans, white polo and brown suede jacket. I have always loved the picture and the look. Like a lot of classic mod styles it is one that has stayed with me for many years.

The desert boot has been in the mods wardrobe since the early days and continues to be so so popular. Many people not just mods wear them, and on the scooter they do look the part on sunny days.

Nathan Clarke the designer of the Original Clarkes Desert Boot
Nathan Clarke the designer of the Original Clarkes Desert Boot

History wise it started with Nathan Clarke who designed them during the war, whilst out east in Burma. He saw guys in similar pairs and adapted the look for the public. So hence the poster below.

A massive seller for Clark’s in the fifties the boots have hung around since. Clarke’s make the original and some say the best.

10 mod shoes orginal poster from 40s clarkes

21 quadrophenia desert boots wall picture

I think a lot of us these days would have seen their first boots on the feet of the guys in Quadropehenia. The whole cast seem to be in them, Dave seems to be the only one not in the clumpy ones. I have been told that the boot is an Clark’s Desert Boot Lynx, am not convinced and welcome an answer on this.

In film they are worn with jeans and suits, I have not always been a fan with a suit, certainly the boot is rubbish for dancing, so wonder where this look comes from.

The answer maybe cost, you can get an ok pair of boots for not much money in most towns in the UK. And without close inspection you wouldn’t know you looking at a cheap or expensive pair.

In the picture to the right the cheapest is £30 and the most expensive £250! Number 7 by the way
The cheapest is £30 and the most expensive £250! Number 7 by the way

The boot does go with a lot of outfits and the stone colour is very forgiven with a multitude of outfits.

Which brings us neatly on to colour, there are literally boots in every colour out there. There are also two, three tone and pattern varieties to choose from. My fav colours are

17 mod shoes nice colour desert boots in a row

Stone – Dark Brown – Olive –  Dark Blue – Black

In the pictures that follow you can see many colours. The desert boots doesn’t escape accessories, but do we really need fringes, well I don’t but some do. Also not sure about the ones with the union jacks, but these have been popular.

12 multi colour desert boots clarks

A Friend from Cambridge has yellow and black desert boots, why you ask? Well Cambridge United play in those colours, why else !

A foot note is that Clarkes boots are very popular in the dancehall scene, a lot of the styles are worn there, this guys looks so cool, the red top I defo want.

clarkes desert boots jamica

The desert boot, is also very forgiven in sizing. The suede stretches well and fits around the foot, normally within few hours of wearing. I think I must have had a dozen pairs at various times, some lasting a long time at college.

There is some snobbery about cheap and expensive boots. Having looked many makes over the years, there are marked differences and a good pair do look better. That said the desert boot is worn by many to work as well as pleasure. So a cheap pair of Roamers or Warriors are great for the price.

16 mod-shoes-olive-green-mod-desert-boots-03I wore my ikon olive green desert boots for 3 months straight to work. The colour faded a little and of course they look worn, but the sole has much time left in it. With jeans the olive I thought worked well with many different polo shirts and shirt combinations.

Many many famous people have worn the boots or a variation on them. Music people such as Weller, gallaghers etc, have all been spotted in pairs. Many mod revival bands wore them as you can see below, The Purple Hearts and The Circles to name a few. Britpop to with Damon Albarn. Below even Steve McQueen gets close desert boots, in the film The Great Escape.

07 mod-shoes-gary-crowley-desert-boots 03 mod shoes the circles opening tassel loafers and desert boot

14 neol gallagher in desert boots

Going to end on why I think they have lasted so long. I have been wearing my most recent pair, as I have mentioned before for several months, I have also been wearing some DJ afterglows. The suede allows the feet to brief more than trainers.

They bring you up a few steps from trainers. I like trainers a lot, but Desert boots are less casual. The classic stone colour goes well with most colours, and of course jeans. Throw in a few colours to you collection and you can look great.

And if you look like this guy you look cool.

04 desert boots with white jeans