Mods, parkas and pins (Part 2)

In the April 5th post, I revealed the pin that has a premiere spot on my parka. We all have a favorite pin that we will never part with. Today, we're going to have a look at the different types of pins the contemporary Mod will display proudly on his suit lapel. It's a whimsical glance at the various categories of pins, the button conscious Mod wears. So here is my top ten categories of the little round fashion accessory that has graced parkas the world over.

1) The vintage pin

This type is more of a fifties thing than anything to do with the original Mod movement of the sixties. Members of scooter clubs would wear them on their riding jackets. They usually represent your scooter model, your preferred brand of oil or gasoline or a tire maker's logo. They were often given away as a promotional item. Made of tin or plastic, they have a long needle in the back.

Those are getting harder to find and are quickly becoming collector's items. I like to wear mine on a classy suit lapel during a night out on the town. I don't recommend wearing them at a concert or on a rally. They are fragile and are easy to lose.

2) The typical 80s ska pin

Usually depicting Walt Jabsco or the Beat Girl, they can be seen striking a pose, dancing or playing a musical instrument. A distinguishing feature is that it has a small safety pin in the back. It screams Mod revival! Personally, I think there are too big for a suit lapel. I opt for my parka or the collar of my Harrington jacket.

3) The Mod target pin

It might be an obvious choice but you can't argue with the classics. It will look as good on a jean jacket as on a tonic suit. Wear it with pride and show your allegiance to your tribe.

 4) The enamel pin

This is the 21st century version of the traditional button pin. Very chic and easy to find, it's the perfect way to make a subtle fashion statement. There are a wide variety of choices. Chances are you can find your exact scooter model, in your color!

5) The military medal

Picture a young Pete Townshend wearing a white jacket or shirt full of patches. This is probably the closest to what the original Mods wore in the sixties.

6) The musical group button

This is a way to share your musical taste with the world. It's a trend that is also very popular with punks. Every Mod musical genre is up for grabs: soul, ska, rocksteady, jazz, garage, brit pop.

Aside from the Mod target, the iconic northern soul black fist rising has to be the most recognizable Mod image to grace parkas over the years. If you don't have one, grab your coat and go find yourself one right now!

  
7) The flag pin

Show off you national pride with a flag pin. The Union Jack is of course, by far, the most widespread pin. It is now elevated to the pop art icon status. You will find tons of different depictions and artistic versions of the British flag. Let's not forget the St George's Cross. It's also very present. Another popular choice is the Italian flag. Very closely associated with the Vespa and the Lambretta scooter, the Italian colors are often seen. And for all you ska fans out there, lets give an honorable mention to the Jamaican colors.

8) The football club pin

More prevalent amongst the Casuals and the Skinheads, it's hard to ignore the fact that some people are fanatical about their teams. Keep in mind that it might look cool on a bomber jacket or a Harrington but it should stay off, in my humble opinion, a sharkskin suit.

9) The cult classic movie pin

Quadrophenia has to be at the top of the list. The film is why a lot of us got bit by the Mod bug. Jimmy on his scooter is one the most popular pins around. Clockwork Orange, Blow-Up, Roman Holiday have found their way on a parka or two. My personal favorites are The Saint stick figure and the James Bond 007 logo. There is something about Mods and spies that just seem to fit.

  
10) The fashion brand pin

This is the type of button I don't really quite understand but have been guilty of wearing once in a while. This is the pin that advertises the brand of clothes you like to wear. The most common are: Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, Lonsdale and Dr. Martens. Why would you want to announce to the world you like a brand instead of just wearing it? It's the same as putting a pin that says Parka Power on your parka.

One pin that I could include in this category is "the" Mod fashion icon, Twiggy. Her face has become synonymous with Mod fashion. You will also find pins with a variety of different pin-ups posing on Vespas and Lambrettas.

So here you have it folks, hundreds of pins to choose from. Stick with what you like and don't go overboard. I saw a guy recently at a ska show that had about 10 pins on each lapel of his suit. He just looked silly and didn't have any sense of style. Choose one or two and mix it up every time you go out. Do it with class!

Do you a have a sentimental favorite? I want to know. Tell me about it...

Mods, parkas and pins

Pins have adorned many parkas over the years. They range from music labels, favorite bands, cult movies, scooter models, Mod icons, every design of the Mod target possible to your preferred brand of 2-stroke oil. This phenomenon seems to have been most popular during the Mod Revival of the eighties. I did not live through the original movement of the sixties so it’s hard for me to judge how prevalent that fashion statement actually was. From what I can tell of the many photos I have seen, pins or badges were not a widespread convention. The only person from that era that might have influenced that trend was Pete Townsend from The Who. But when the Mod Revival hit, watch out, pin overload!

The Mod target, also referred to as the roundel, is the Mod symbol by excellence. It first symbolized the British Air Force and aside from its apparent and indistinguishable appearance, that’s where the similarities end. The Mod target is more of a Pop Art symbol than anything else. Keith Moon, of the band The Who, claimed that he was the first to introduce the roundel in popular culture.

Another common figure to grace numerous suit lapels is Walt Jabsco, better known simply as the Rude Boy or the Ska Man. He entered the collective consciousness with the arrival of the 2-Tone ska label. Horace Panter, original bass player for The Specials, talks about the origins of Walt in his book Ska’d for Life: “This was a caricature of Peter Tosh taken from an early photo of The Wailers. It was a brilliant image. Simple, which said everything about us in a three-inch circle of paper. Those four years at art college were not wasted! The 2-Tone man was, somewhere along the line, given the name Walt Jabsco. This was the name on the back of a bowling shirt Jerry had picked up somewhere.”

His girlfriend, the Ska Girl, later accompanied him. Also known as the Beat Girl, she first appeared on The Beat album I just Can’t Stop It. Hunt Emerson was credited for coming up with the iconic image. She was based on a sixties photo of a girl dancing with the ska forefather Prince Buster.

 Her image might be just a notch above a stick figure drawing but I still think she is sexy as hell.

My most prized pin is of Walt and her on a Mod scooter. I bought it when I was in high school in Toronto. It came from a small shop on Yonge Street. Not only was it pretty cool but also very rare. I’ve been going to ska shows for over 20 years now and I never came across someone who had one. Every once in a while, somebody comes up to me and offers to buy it from me.

As a matter of fact, a few years ago, The Beat was in town. They were playing the Café Campus on a Tuesday night. I decided to show up early to buy tickets before I went to have dinner on Prince Arthur Street. The ticket booth was closed so I decided to walk upstairs to the third floor where the show was being held. That’s when I came face to face with Dave Wakeling, legendary front man for The Beat.

This is how the conversation went:

- Dave: Can I help you guys?

- Me: I hope so. I came to buy tickets to come and see you.

- Oh cool! Why don’t you give me your names and I’ll put you on my guest list.

That’s when he noticed the Walt and Beat Girl pin I had on my Harrington.

- Dave: Wow! You have that pin! That one’s pretty rare. I’ll give you my email so you can send me a picture. I want to start a website on rare pins.

As he was saying that, I unhooked the pin from my Harrington and handed it to him.

- No, I can’t accept that. Are you sure?

- It’s the least I can do. You put me on YOUR guest list. Besides you’ve given me so much over the years. I couldn’t think of a more deserving person.

He smiled, thanked me and asked me for my email so that he can send me the link once the website would be up. I have no regrets about giving him my most cherished pin. I eventually found another one on eBay and paid a pretty penny for it. The thing is Mr. Dave Wakeling, I never received that email. No need to worry, I have no ill will towards you. I would even go as far as thanking you. You were a huge inspiration in starting this blog. So here it is… The pin not only has a premiere spot on my parka but now also has a well-deserved place in the blog universe.