If you’re into the whole ‘mod’ thing, this iconic item of clothing is a must have, especially if you ride a scoot. After posting about the “Being” movie, I received a few queries asking ‘where can I get those coats?” Well as many of you know (just skip this post if you do!), it was the coat of choice for the original scooter-riding mods, mainly worn as a functional garment to keep their smart clothes clean. It’s been years since I’ve worn one myself, but they were a pretty decent overgarment, tough, reasonably waterproof while you were wearing them, your body heat somehow keeping you fairly dry in all but torrential downpours. Once you took it off though, it the whole coat became sodden!

If you’re going to wear a parka, how you ‘dress’ it is up to you, but IMHO, less is more. Just because you can get a bunch of target and union jacks patches on t’interet, doesn’t mean you should. Beware the whole ‘comedy mod’ tag! This, by the way, isn’t a modern phenomenon. We took a very high handed attitude to kids (the same age as us) in the early eighties wearing patches that said “Remember ’64” (you don’t!) and “We’ll fight them on the beaches”  (you won’t!).

The one pictured above, US hooded shell M51, is available on Amazon here