The mod coat (M-51) is a classic military outerwear item along with the MA-1 and M-65, and is especially useful in autumn and winter due to its high thermal protection properties. I think it is a good idea for men in their 40s to understand the historical background and position of the mod coat as a fashion item. In this article, I would like to introduce the knowledge and specific examples of how to dress up in a mod coat.
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The roots of the mod coat style lie in the British delinquent culture of the 1960s!
The basic type of mod coat is the “PARKA SHELL M-1951 (commonly known as M-51),” a cold-weather outerwear for field use adopted by the U.S. Army from the 1950s to the late 1960s. Japanese fashion magazines also had a bit to do with it.
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The term “Mods” refers to the music- and fashion-based youth culture that was popular among working-class young people in and around London from the late 1950s to the 1960s, or those who were devoted to it. Young people who were into mods had a habit of enjoying dancing and music at late-night clubs, and the way they dressed for these clubs became established as a fashion style. Incidentally, it is widely believed that the word “mods” originated from the term “modern jazz” or from the fact that young people called themselves “modernists,” and they were also called “moderns.
The basic style of their outfits was a slim three-button suit with side vents, a button-down shirt, and a slim tie, or a Fred Perry polo shirt with a tailored jacket, jeans, boots, and an M-51 as an outerwear item. They were, above all, “suit and tie. They were more averse to “getting their suits and jackets dirty” than anything else, so they preferred scooters to bare-bones motorcycles for getting to and from the club. It is interesting to see a glimpse of their awareness of the importance of taking good care of their suits and jackets, even though they were delinquents, which is very much like British men. The functional and inexpensive M-51, which was disposed of by the U.S. military, was a perfect fit for their needs.
With the above background, the “PARKA SHELL M-1951” came to be known as the “Mod Parka” in the UK. Japanese fashion magazine editors who took notice of the mod fashion style used the phrase “mod coat” when introducing it in their papers, and the name “mod coat” became common in Japan.
The year is 2023. The mainstream of mod coat dressing lies in the strange combination with beautiful wear!
When we think about how to wear M-51 coats in the context of mods, whose standard style was to combine M-51 coats with dress wear such as suits and jackets, and beautiful wear such as polo shirts, we may say that the mainstream is to combine them with beautiful items that are at odds with the image of military outerwear. On the other hand, the M-51’s roots are in the M-51. On the other hand, if the M-51 is positioned as American clothing, it is of course possible to wear it with denim in the American casual style vector. In the following, I will introduce the author’s particular recommended coordinates and the mod coats recommended for that style through the filter of personal taste and interpretation.
Suggestions for wearing a mod coat in one’s 40s: 1) “Match a classically designed mod coat with the standard adult clean style jacket.
The most beautiful styling among adult fall and winter outfits is the jacket style. Personally, I think mod coats go very well with the jacket style. In the case of the man I photographed in the snapshot below, I was impressed by the black turtleneck sweater and pants worn inside, which accentuated his style. Also, black is the most royal of all colors to match the M-51’s standard color, olive green, so if you are unsure about color matching, remember that. On his feet, he is wearing a pair of Paraboots Mikhail, which keeps his outfit from being too dressy and blends in with the mod coat in a good balance.
For the sophisticated, yet respectful vintage item, we recommend the ” HOUSTON M-51 Parka Mod Coat .
HOUSTON is a standard Japanese military wear brand developed by Union Trading, and there are probably no men who like this kind of items who do not know the brand. We picked up a mod coat with authentic specifications and design unique to this brand. A comfortable acrylic boa liner that reproduces the specifications of the 50’s era is included as standard, and this liner can be removed! If you want even more warmth for mid-winter wear, consider purchasing a Thinsulate liner, which is sold separately.
Look for the HOUSTON mod coat.
Mod Coat 40s Wearing Suggestion #2: “A shrug with a casual suit or jacket and a slim & simple design mod coat is perfect for both on and off duty, from holidays to work!
Matching a dress shirt tied up with a crisp suit is not bad, but considering that mods coats are not appropriate for formal business scenes or ceremonial occasions, I personally recommend matching it with a so-called “business casual” style, as shown in the men’s attire in the snapshot below. Considering that it will be used for commuting, I think black, gray, or navy would be safer than olive green in terms of color. The man in the snapshot below looks very handsome, so I recommend using him as a reference.
If you are a good-looking guy looking for a modern, sporty, and versatile outerwear for both on and off duty, I recommend the ” HERNO Laminar GORE-TEX M-51 Military Mod Coat “.
HERNO is a leading Italian outerwear brand along with Mulay. Its slim, simple design and functionality are appealing. From the Laminar series, which boasts the brand’s greatest popularity, we picked up a coat that has the essence of M-51 design everywhere, with its body-integrated hood, large flap pockets, and fishtail. You can enjoy Herno’s unique slim fitting in just the right size, or go up one size and choose a slightly looser fit for a Herno coat. The design can be used in business situations as well, unless the occasion is very formal, so it can be recommended for men who want to use it both on and off the job.
Mod Coat 40s Wear Suggestion #3: “Match it with an Itacagi style for a Euro, grown-up look.”
Conversing with European men attending Pitti Womo, some of them tend to shy away from the U.S. in terms of politics and mentality, but the story is different when it comes to fashion items. There are always a certain percentage of men who have adopted so-called “American” items and have successfully incorporated them into a European style. Their common denominator is the combination of dress wear and beautiful items, color combinations, and fittings. The man in the snapshot below wears slim white pants that are cargo-specific but tapered quite strongly with a just-fit black cut-and-sew, giving him a beautiful look. In the case of this man, the stiffly authentic M-51 jacket introduced in (1) is worn with a gap in the style of an expert, but if you are going to go straight for this kind of style, you should choose a size that fits your body a little better to make the outfit more successful.
FRED PERRY Fur Lined Fishtail Parka” for those who seek modern sophistication while tracing the context of mods
FRED PERRY” is a long-established brand representing the United Kingdom that started as a brand named after Frederick John Perry, a famous tennis player, when he developed a wristband for tennis in 1952 after his retirement. Incidentally, the founder was not only known for his tennis skills, but also for his neat looks and sophisticated dressing style. Next to polo shirts that have received overwhelming support from mods and punk rockers as mentioned above, mod coats are actually a staple item representing the brand and are released every season. It is characterized by the fact that it is a classy coat without giving the impression of being martial, for better or for worse, which is unique to military outerwear. The cotton liner using PrimaLoft is removable. Why not make this coat your main candidate for outerwear this fall/winter, as it has both a British brand with a solid background and story and a sophisticated design?
Looking for a Fred Perry mod coat?
Mod Coat 40s Wearing Suggestion #4: “If you want to match it with an American style, use your hair to make it look masculine and clean at the same time.”
Mod coats go well with the so-called American casual style, which combines jeans and work boots like the man in the snapshot below, but for better or worse, the style has an earthy, masculine feel to it. This is also a good style if you want to project a rugged image with a barber’s haircut and a beard. This kind of style tends to give the impression of being hard-core on the positive side and quite scary on the negative side. That said, I don’t think a pick-up, youthful haircut, etc. would suit this kind of dress, so I personally recommend a short, barber-style hairstyle like the man below, with a comb neatly slicked back, a short beard trimmed with a trimmer, and preferably some BB cream on the face to give a clean look.
Mod coats are, after all, an American military wear brand, right? For those of you who are hard-core types, I recommend the ” ROTHCO M-51 FISHTAIL PARKA.
Military product manufacturer “ROTHCO (Rothko)” from Manhattan on the East Coast of the United States in 1953 has been supplying military products to the U.S. Army and Navy from the beginning. Not only military-related products, but also police uniforms and security products, etc. Considering that young mods in the 1960s mainly wore M-51s, which were surplus products of the U.S. military, I think there are not a few people who think that mod coats are American-made after all. I would like to recommend this item to those who are looking for an authentic product made by a U.S. manufacturer.
Please check out the following gallery and other articles about mod coats for more tips and tricks.
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