Pair of Shoes thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Pair of Shoes

ca. 1965 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

These shoes were part of an outfit worn by a male mod in about 1965. the outfit also consisted of black mohair trousers, a beige Leisurlux top, and a beret. From the late 1950s, mods (nicknamed for their preference for all things modern) embraced a particular sartorial style. Mods favoured sharply-cut Italian suits and a streamlined, pared-down appearance, which was the driving force behind the new, young fashions of the early 1960s, a time when men began to express themselves more freely through the cut and colour of their clothing. From the mid-1960s many Mods began to wear more accessible and affordable casual clothing. Knitted shirts and berets were considered to give a continental appearance and shoes were often sand-coloured.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Shoe
  • Shoe
Materials and techniques
Cotton corduroy
Brief description
Shoes, loafers in sand-coloured cotton corduroy, Freeman, Hardy & Willis, Great Britain or Hong Kong, ca. 1965
Physical description
Pair of loafers in sand-coloured cotton corduroy.
Dimensions
  • Length: 280mm
  • Width: 102mm
  • Height: 76mm
Style
Object history
Registered File number 1993/711, Streetstyle exhibition 1994-1995, in the exhibition it was part of an outfit called 'Mod UK mid-1960s' (includes the jumper T.260-1993, the trousers T.611-1994 and the beret T.954-1994).
Historical context
By the mid-1960s many Mods had moved on from the earlier smart suited look into more accessible and affordable casual wear. Knitted shirts and berets were considered to give a continental and progressive look, and footwear was often sand-coloured.
Summary
These shoes were part of an outfit worn by a male mod in about 1965. the outfit also consisted of black mohair trousers, a beige Leisurlux top, and a beret. From the late 1950s, mods (nicknamed for their preference for all things modern) embraced a particular sartorial style. Mods favoured sharply-cut Italian suits and a streamlined, pared-down appearance, which was the driving force behind the new, young fashions of the early 1960s, a time when men began to express themselves more freely through the cut and colour of their clothing. From the mid-1960s many Mods began to wear more accessible and affordable casual clothing. Knitted shirts and berets were considered to give a continental appearance and shoes were often sand-coloured.
Bibliographic reference
Surfers, Soulies, Skinheads & Skaters : Subcultural Style from the Forties to the Nineties Described in the exhibition publication, part of an outfit called 'Mod UK mid-1960s'.
Collection
Accession number
T.256:1, 2-1993

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Record createdJune 4, 2009
Record URL
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