Subculture's Mod: Alysha Stirling

After Scarlett's interview being such a hit I thought I would interview another Mod girl who I think influences a lot of young girls with her style and grace. As I follow Alysha on social media sites I always see her dressed smart and looking good, wither she's going to work or college. So luckily for me she agreed to do a short interview for this blog, lets get started!

 

How did you get into the mod scene Alysha?

I first got into the mod scene around about a year ago. I've always loved the sixties. I looked at pictures and saw how mod girls would dress. I had a few style disasters at first but I got there in the end!

 

What's your favourite thing about being a Mod?
I love being a mod because I feel different, smart and confident. I don't feel as though I blend in. My boyfriend is also a mod, I'm lucky to have him! It's lovely to have a relationship with someone who loves exactly the same things as you.

Who are your biggest influences for your style?
I mainly get outfit ideas and inspirations from old photographs from the 60s. I think they're the biggest influences!

Are you a vintage shopper or a high street shopper?
I'm a bit of both, I like to rummage around vintage & charity shops to see what I can find. I love the idea of wearing something that no one else has. Most of my skirts are vintage but I love Fred Perry and H&M too.

What's your favourite type of music to listen to?
I love Britpop, Northern Soul, Rhythm and Blues and old 60s rock n roll such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Kinks and I love the small faces!

Who are your most adored bands/artists?
I would probably say Oasis are one of my favourite bands, I grew up listening to them. The Who, Small Faces and Northern Soul is high up on the list!

Where would you say the best place to find other mods to talk to?
I haven't had much experience at Northern soul dos, but when I've been I've always met lovely mods! Twitter and Instagram is full of both young and old mods too.

If you could take one item of clothing and one record with you to a party, what would it be? My one item of clothing would be my vintage fur coat and my record would be 'Whatcha Gonna Do About It?' by the Small Faces.

Alysha down the Quadrophenia alley

What are your favourite events to attend?
I love going to gigs and also Northern Soul nights, although I haven't had much experience of them but I've loved it whenever I've gone! I also love going shopping in Brighton, I'd love to go to the Mod Weekender one year

What are your top 5 wardrobe essentials?
A pencil skirt, a roll neck or polo, loafers, tights and my trusty Art Gallery Clothing bag

Your bee hive is pretty legendary!! how long does it take you to do & how did you learn to do it?
It only takes me about 10-15 minutes to do my beehive, my hair is quite long but thin so back combing alone doesn't hold. I back comb the top and grip a hair donut to the back of my head, then I smooth my hair over, grip and hairspray! I know it's cheating a bit, but it ends up wonky otherwise.

Thank you to Alysha Stirling for doing the interview and I hope you all enjoyed it!

Alysha & her close friend Stacie Stewart

 

Subculture's Mod: Interview with young Mod Scarlett

I did say that the next interview was going to be Northern Soul Dancer but I just got a reply for my Mod interview, so we shall start with this one first. This interview comes from 15 year old Mod Scarlett, she has recently featured in a documentary about Mods called 'Faces in the Crowd' directed by Emma-Rosa Dias due out in the new year so keep your eyes open for it!

Scarlett chilling on her dads scooter

How did you get into the Mod scene?
Through my Dad, he is a mod and I grew up with the music and gradually began to like it.

What is your favourite thing about being a Mod?
It's cool, you're always looking sharp, and you get noticed a LOT more when you don't blend in with the crowd.

Who are your biggest influences for your style?
Mainly old 60s- 80s photographs, they inspire me to pair certain items together. Seeing what they wore and how they wore it originally is how I interpret the scene best. Twiggy was my first hair influence and I eventually adapted it to my own.

Are you a vintage shopper or a high street shopper?
I'm Both! Love proper vintage but then items from the high street can look great depending on how you wear it.

What's your favourite type of music to listen to?
Sixties Rhythm and blues, soul, and at the moment I'm beginning to like the mod revivalist bands, such as Beggar and Small Hours

Who are your most adored bands/artists?
First band I got into were The Small Faces, some of their early unknown songs are absolute crackers! (favourite is 'Baby don't you do it' -the best ever!)

Do you own a scooter?
Unfortunately no, I'm too young, but my dad has a gorgeous 1961 Lambretta Li

Would you say everyone should try the Mod scene?
I think if everyone tried it, it wouldn't be as special, but if they want to then it's the best subculture to choose.

How would people go about looking into becoming a Mod? Are there websites/forums you can suggest?
I found forums such as The Mod Generation didn't really help me being a young mod, but books like A-Z of Mod, and Mods! really educated me properly into doing it the right way.

Scarlett and the Faces in the Crowd's film crew
 

If you could choose one item of clothing and one record to take to a party with you, what would it be?
My black mac and my 45 of 'Come on now' by the Kinks. the mac is essential and the record is such a tune!

How did you get to be in the documentary 'Faces in the Crowd'?
This producer, Emma- rosa Dias contacted me after Stacie Stewart told her about me, because I'm so young they did a feature on me and I got meet Eddie Piller.

Scarlett with Emma Rosa Dias and Eddie Piller

Thanks to Scarlett for agreeing to do this interview, hopefully she will inspire some younger people to join the Mod scene. I look forward to seeing her in the documentary as well as a lot of other people you may recognise from the scene, a big thanks to Emma Rosa Dias for doing a Mod documentary its long over due!

Competition Time

This is the first blog competition I've done, what you'll have to do is follow me on twitter jlbolt1 and retweet my post for this competition. If you retweet my post you can have the chance of winning a Paisley Scarf (see picture below).

I will announce the winner on twitter as well as on here, so keep you eyes open as I will need to get your contact details.

This Competition closes on Thursday 12th December, good luck!!

Subculture's Skinhead: Interview with female skinhead Ebony

I thought it would be a great idea to start interviewing influential females from different subcultures, Ebony was my choice for the Skinhead edition. A very pretty and confident Skinhead with a great eye for fashion, luckily for me she agreed to do the interview via facebook and sent me some great pictures to go along with it. So lets get started!

Ebony, what influenced you to become a Skinhead?
My parents were a big influence, I've always taken an interest in the type of music that's linked with the scene and the style of clothing that's worn.

Would you say you that being a Skinhead should be something everyone should consider trying?
Nope, the scene isn't for everyone.

What is your favourite Skinhead social events to attend?
scooter rallies.

What are your favourite bands/artists?
Desmond Dekker / The Maytals.

What's your main choice of music to listen to?
I'd say Ska, reggae and a bit of 2 tone are my favourites.

What do you love most about being a skinhead?
Style, attitude, and pride.

Ebony Djing

How did you get into Djing?
A good friend of my mum's is a well known dj based in London, and at one rally this year he told me he wanted to teach and train up a young skinhead girl to go double act with him.. I've always wanted to learn, and it was just coincidence that i fitted what he was looking for.

What would your advice be to girls who want to get into the scene and also cut their hair, as some girls get nervous about that part..?
You've got to have a "not a care in the world" attitude to want to shave your hair... If you have doubts about doing it, it's pointless :-)

If people were looking to become a Skinhead how would they go about it? Is there like a website or forum people can check out?
You'd basically have to know people... or have the balls to go out to gigs and meet people. Once you've earnt your respect, you'll then be added to pages on the internet to meet other skinheads etc.

I have been given permission for all photos used
 

Thank you very much for Ebony for agreeing to be interviewed as part as my subcultures Skinhead edition. Its been great to talk to people from other subcultures other than Mod, next interview will be with a Northern Soul dancer.

Northern Soul Dancing

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the wonders of Northern Soul dancing. Now I'm no where as good as I would like to be but I know many people that are, one of which has had 206,000 views on her most recent YouTube video where she dances Northern Soul to Pharrell Williams song 'Happy'. I've seen her on the dance floor and she glides around the floor like she's on roller skates, with a lot of rhythm and a hell a lot of soul !

I do understand that Northern Soul isn't everyones cup of tea but I think everyone should at least give it a try, even if you just purchase a Norhtern Soul collection on CD or give it a listen to on Spotify. After going to my first All Nighter I was completely hooked, everyone who goes to a Soul night are so friendly and welcoming. People who have been going for years love new comers to the scene, its a way to spread the word about Northern Soul nights and therefore keep the All Dayers and Nighters functioning.

If your not sure about going to a popular night as your first encounter then research to see if there's one locally to you which is always a good starting point. The best website for finding out what's on at the weekend and due in the week all over the Country, Europe and the World is; http://www.soul-source.co.uk/. This website has a great deal of information and also a forum where people talk about Soul and sell/buy records off of each other. Soul Source tell you about the main events such as Stoke, Blackpool and 100 Club but also about all the little events that happen too.

 

 

Levanna Mclean, ifthisislev youtube video and twitter account https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLLPaX4SS4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

you must watch this video her dancing is fabulous!

 

Give Northern Soul a go, you won't regret it!