Coming soon to Atom Retro, Pretty Green's Beatles collection! Each season Pretty Green designs a limited edition theme collection and as 2017 is the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Summer of Love and All You Need Is Love, the timing for the Pretty Green Beatles collection is perfect.

Officially licenced by The Beatles and Apple Corps, the Pretty Green Beatles collection will include mens shirts, t-shirts, jackets, kaftan shirts and of course, a parka. Each piece in the range is inspired by or based on outfits and fashion worn by the Beatles, along with the music and artwork from the iconic Sgt Pepper's album.

Guaranteed to raise a smile, the Pretty Green x Beatles collection is also guaranteed to be in high demand - and very limited edition so don't miss out - sign up to our mailing list to be the first to know.

The collection will be available in Autumn 2017 at Atom Retro.

 View the whole Irregular Choice Mickey Mouse & Friends Collection here.

Shop for more Irregular Choice shoes here.

Somewhere In A Field In Hampshire (Alright?)

Spendin' Summer Poolside 

 

Maybe you're maxing an' relaxing poolside this summer? Whether on the beach or by a swanky swimming pool in a resort hotel, take these essentials to keep your cool.

1. Retro T-Shirts

- Can never have too many retro tees, and it's as if Ben Sherman knew we'd be hangin' out poolside this summer with this fab retro guitar shaped pool tee. Summer mod style.

2. Wayfarer Sunglasses

- The Wayfarer is a style that looks good on everyone. Since Ray-Ban developed it's first Wayfarer back in 1956, the style has had many updates, twists and details added to it, but you can't go wrong with a classic Wayfarer look. These Ray-Ban New Wayfarer Sunglasses are perfect for summer. (In case you were wondering, the New Wayfarer differs from the classic Wayfarer Sunglasses by being slightly smaller and less angled than it's classic style brother).

3. Beach shoes

- These Lyle & Scott mesh plimsoles are perfect beach to evening wear. Mesh upper keeps your feet cool and comfy.

4. Swim Shorts

- Naturally if we're hanging out by the pool, you might like to take a dip! These retro 70s pool print swim shorts from Afield Clothing are perfect. Quick dry fabric too!

5. Bluetooth Speaker (Battery powered!) 

- Take your music wherever you go this summer with the GPO Retro Mini Westwood, a battery operated, mini bluetooth speaker which will give up to 5 hours of playback time when fully charged.S Stream music from your phone or MP3 player. Also available in black.

Shop this outfit here!

 Summer In The City

- A backpack is an essential at any time of year. Eastpak bags are so confident in their rucksacks, they come with a 30 year guarantee. We've picked the Eastpak Out Of Office backpack which has a padded laptop or tablet sleeve and a fantastic 27 litre capacity.

Shop this outfit here!

If you have an invitation to a summer wedding or you’re planning your own nuptials, shopping for your outfit starts here at Atom Retro's Wedding Shop.

Wedding fashion is no longer the exclusive realm of the bride, these days grooms-to-be are just as keen to look and feel good on their big day. Forget hiring an ill-fitting suit, we no longer expect to see the male wedding party in standard back tuxes. Modern grooms and their groomsmen can find outfits that express their individuality, complement the bride, and fit the theme or colour scheme of the wedding.

We have a great range of vintage, retro and Mod womenswear and menswear from brands such as Gibson London, Ben Sherman and Collectif.

Shop Weddings

Part One: Let's Keep It Classic

What makes a mod suit mod?  One may argue that the mod suit is what defines the mod look, more so than parkas, gingham shirts and pique polos - after all, we're only wearing our parkas to keep the grease and oil from our scooters from staining our impeccable, smart and sharp mod suit.

The mod suit look emerged in the late 50s. The first mods - the modernists - defined as such for their love of modern jazz over traditional jazz (the mods vs. the trads) looked to their jazz heroes for style inspiration. Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, et al, were often pictured wearing sharply tailored suits. Couple this with the influence of Italian fashion and the mod suit was born.

So lets examine our classic mod suit;  the basics and the necessities. The elements which define a mod suit.

1. Slim fit & Waisted Cut: The mod suit is a slim fit. As slim as you can stand it. The look does not allow for boxy jackets or baggy trousers. Your suit must be cut slim with darts to accentuate the waist. 
2. Single Breasted: The classic mod suit is a single breast. This means one row of buttons, not two (which is double breasted). 
3. 3 Button Fasten: Tradition dictates the jacket is high fastening with a three button fasten. However, we will usually wear it with only the top two fastened. 
4. Narrow, notch lapels: Slim lapels are a must, typically with a notch (over a peak). This is the triangular cut out shape to the top of the lapel. Exact width is a matter of taste, but around a two inch width will see you through nicely. 
5. Short length: This blazer isn't called the bumfreezer for nothing. Mod suit jackets are slightly on the short side. Nothing worse than a suit jacket which is too long. 
6. Short-ish sleeve: The sleeve should also be on the slightly short side, although not so it is overly noticeable. This is so we can show off our shirt sleeve cuffs and our fancy cufflinks. 
7. Ticket pocket: Another defining aspect of the mod suit. The ticket pocket is the smaller, third pocket usually found above the main pocket on the right hip of the suit jacket. A British tailoring tradition, we could write a completely separate article on the history of the ticket pocket, but for our purposes here, it adds that dandy mod heritage look. 
8. Mohair and/or Tonic fabric:  Not all mohair fabrics are tonics and not all tonic look fabrics are mohair, but if we can have both, then why not? Mohair is the classic fabric used in a mod suit. Mods loved the lustrous, smooth look mohair wool gives a suit, making it immediately the mark of class and style. Tonik - the original and proper fabric - was developed by French fabric manufacturer Dormeuil, but the tonic look here refers to a two-tone, iridescent fabric which copied that look. (The original fabric was quite expensive, but the look can be achieved with other tonic fabrics). 
9. Side vents: On the back of our mod suit jacket we find two side vents. This has also been written into mod lore that our classic mod suit shall feature side vents (twin slits at either side of the back of the jacket) and never a centre vent (a single slit in the middle of the back of the jacket at the bottom). The length of the vent is a matter of personal taste. The Who song (or High Numbers, as they were then) Zoot Suit contains the lyric, "I wear zoot suit jacket with side vents five inches long," so a lot of mods opt for that length, but anything in that region is fine. The vents purpose is to aid movement while wearing the suit. For a frame of reference, the vents on the suit jacket in the illustration are 7.25". 
10. Tapered, slim leg Trousers: On to the trousers and as you might expect, the mod suit trousers are slim leg and usually tapered, meaning the are narrower at the bottom than the top, as opposed to straight. 
    
11. Short-ish leg length: As with our jacket sleeves, we wear the trousers very slightly on the short side (but no half-masts, please!) This is so we can show off our stylish loafers, brogues or chelsea boots and maybe the snazzy socks we're wearing with them. Mod is all about detail and we need to show off that detail. 
12. Narrow Ankle: The tapered mod suit trouser leg results in the narrow ankle. A traditional suit would have maybe 16" - 18" bottoms or wider, but the mod suit will have a narrow bottom. Again, it's personal preference as to how wide. 14" is a good ball park figure. 
13. Pockets: Trouser pockets are a must, but how many and how they look is again down to taste. The mod suit pictured here has two front slanted side pockets which keep the shape and silhouette of the trouser nicely. Not pictured is also a single straight pocket with a button fasten on the back, but more about pockets in part two. 
14. Narrow waistband: Also details down to preference and style, but the classic mod suit will feature a narrow waistband, equipped to hold a narrow width suit belt (but probably unsuitable for wider jeans belts). You shouldn't really have to wear a belt with your mod suit, but sometimes it's nice. 

This, I should stress, is only the basics of a mod suit - a starting point. Here are the rules of mod suit style, and now we have learned the rules, we can break them! Look out for part two coming soon...

The suit featured in this article is the Madcap England Mod Suit in Burgundy Mohair tonic. Find it here.

Sleeveless or sleeved, maxi or mini, strappy or strapless... whatever your preference, your number one holiday wardrobe essential is the summer dress - and not just one! Pack at least two or three to see you through days at the beach, sightseeing or out shopping and pick a couple of day-to-night dresses to save precious suitcase space. We've a large range of many different styles, but we've chosen to feature this fab twist on a traditional shirt dress from Emily and Fin, the Nancy Dress is light, comfy and flattering to wear.  Shop Summer Dresses.
Second on the agenda, summer tops and tees! Choose a selection of super summer t-shirts and more dressy tops to pair with skirts or jeans for nights out. This fab nautical themed Gwen tee from Mademoiselle Yéyé is perfect for holidays with a cute retro sailboat print in a stretchy jersey fabric. With flatteringly scooped and gathered neckline it looks fab worn with jeans or shorts. Shop Summer Tops & Tees.
We're loving this trend this summer - matching shorts and tops twin sets make great day-to-night holiday wear. Also pair the shorts with bikini tops or cropped tees for vintage inspired beachwear or pull on a pair of jeans for a fab casual summer outfit. This retro candy striped matching set from Traffic People is gorgeous! Shop Shorts
Don't forget to pack a cute summer jacket for when it gets cooler in the evenings, or just to cover up when you need to. A lightweight blazer or retro denim jacket is ideal and not to heavy to carry around with you. One of our fave summer jackets is this little button jacket from Nomads. With a half length sleeve and slightly cropped length, you can wear this with almost anything. Shop summer jackets.
Another hot summer trend this season with a nod back to 70s fashion is the retro jumpsuit. These fab all in one pieces are comfy and easy to wear and look amazing. We've picked this jumpsuit from Traffic People which features an all over retro 70s inspired print, but if you're looking for something more conservative, Traffic People also have a plain version in the same style. Shop Jumpsuits.
Sunglasses! As soon as you put on a pair of shades you feel like you're on holiday. There are simply tons of styles to choose from, with retro classics from Ray-Ban including as Clubmasters, Wayfarers and Aviators. Retro cats eye shaped sunglasses always carry that extra vintage glamour shine, so we've selected these fab white Ray-Ban Tech sunglasses which are featherlight and super flexible, making them ideal to take on hols with you. Shop sunglasses.
So many shoes, so hard to choose which ones to pack. We recommend you pick one dressier style for evenings out or special occasions and one or two more casual styles for sightseeing and shopping. These beautiful embroidered Shanghi Surprise heels from Poetic Licence tick all the right boxes with a not-too-high 8.5cm heel, peep-toe and cute floral decal. Shop Heels.
And for a flat style, how about these super summery Daisy Delight shoes from Poetic Licence as well. With a slight wedge sole and peep-toe these cute sandals are perfect summer holiday wear. Alternatively, pack a pair of trainers (or two) for walking and sightseeing. Shop summer shoes.
Our last summer holiday essential is a statement handbag or purse! This fab woven bamboo strawberry shoulder bag from Collectif is going to invite attention! Shop handbags.

Find all your Holiday Essentials here!

The Summer Shirt is a suitcase staple. Suitable for day or night wear and for a range of occasions or events, we've picked this fab Lyle & Scott mod button down shirt in an oversized gingham check but with our large range of prints, checks and plain shirts, you can't really go wrong. Shop Summer Shirts
If you're off to sunnier climes (or who knows, it maybe sunny this summer in the UK?!) then a hat is a necessity. We've selected a summer version of a classic mod pork pie hat in straw, but you can also substitute for a cool fedora trilby or a retro Bakerboy or Fishermans cap. Shop Hats
Pack a few pairs of shorts for your hols. We recommend one or two pairs of swim shorts (so you have one to wear while one is drying off), a pair of casual denim shorts like these Levi's 511 cut off shorts - ideal for wearing on the beach or for sight seeing - and a smarter, more tailored pair for evening meals out or drinks. Who loves short shorts? We love short shorts! Shop Shorts
Boating Blazers and Summer Blazers are must for summer evenings. Sling a linen Boating Blazer like this one around your shoulders on for drinks and you're instantly smart without being weighed down with a heavy coat or jacket. Shop Blazers
Sunglasses are a holiday essential, of course! If you haven't got yourself a pair of the new Madcap England McGuinn Square lens Sunglasses - then where have you been?! Instant mod 60s cool in contained in these slim lenses, or if you fancy something else check out our range of Ray-Ban Aviators, Wayfarers and Clubmasters. Your must-have retro style shades! Shop Retro Sunglasses
No matter how many t-shirts you have, there's always room for more! Pick from a large range of mens retro and mod tees from basic plains through to retro prints and this contemporary twist on a mod target t-shirt from Ben Sherman. Shop Retro T-Shirts
If you're going abroad this summer you'll want to chose the shoes you take carefully. Limited suitcase space means you'll need to pick a versatile pair of comfortable shoes you can wear for different things. We recommend something like this light pair of woven loafers from H by Hudson as your smarter option and maybe sling in a pair of trainers or plimsoles for taking it easy. Shop Summer Shoes
It's always a good idea to take at least one light jacket away with you on holiday - if only so that you have something to wear when you catch the plane home. Trucker Jackets are an instantly cool retro jacket with a rock and roll edge. This is a fab light summer denim jacket from Levi's but you can also find smarter versions from Ben Sherman in stock now. Shop Trucker Jackets
Lastly, don't forget a light weight retro backpack for all those holiday essentials. The padded pak'r from Easkpak is a classic rucksack available in a wide variety of colours and it's squashable enough to fit inside your suitcase. Shop Backpacks

Find all your Holiday Essentials here!

Attempting to reinvent your image is notoriously difficult in the music industry. Many notable artists have tried only to see their efforts fall short. This is not the case for Alex Turner and Miles Kane, who perfected the task with their most recent outing as The Last Shadow Puppets. The 2016 record Everything You've Come to Expect heralded in a new sound and style for the duo that managed to seem both a world away from the band's first effort, while at the same time, appearing to be the most natural progression.



The Shadow Puppets debut album The Age of the Understatement saw the lads in full early 1960's Beatle mode. The pair were the epitome of The Beatles trademark 1964 world tour look. Sharp suits and tailored overcoats paired with mop top haircuts created an uncanny resemblance to the fab four. Their smart suited fashion choice paired perfectly with the sound of the album, which was a more mature and considered record than anything either had recorded before.







The lessons learnt on how to successfully create and then reinvent an image seemingly adhere to two golden rules. First you must not be afraid to be influenced by what has gone before. There is no shame in identifying something that has previously worked brilliantly and borrowing from it. Golden rule number two is to ensure whatever style you choose is a reflection of you. Both looks chosen by The Last Shadow Puppets were a perfect representation in fashion of who they were at each point in their career.

Of course it also helps if you have really good songs.

The most famous club in the world, Liverpool's Cavern Club opened it's doors for the first time 60 years ago today.

The original club (now sadly demolished) opened in a basement of a fruit sellers warehouse on Mathew Street, a backstreet in Liverpool on the 16th January 1957. The club was originally a jazz club, inspired by the cellar nightclubs of Paris.

Later that same year, a local Skiffle and Rock and Roll band, The Quarrymen, were booked to play the club. On the 7th August, 1957 The Quarrymen - John Lennon's original band - played the Cavern for the first time. The band argued about their set list prior to the performance. Skiffle was tolerated at the jazz club, but Rock and Roll was a no-no. After the first song, Lennon called to his bandmates to start the Elvis Presley song, Don't Be Cruel. Banjo player, Rod Davis warned Lennon not to play it, but he started the song, forcing the others to join in. Halfway through the song a note was passed to the stage; 'Cut out the bloody rock and roll!'

Paul McCartney's Cavern Club debut was on the 24th January 1958, and George Harrison a bit later - on the 9th February 1961. Ringo Starr first played the Cavern as drummer for Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. When the club was sold in 1959 to Ray McFall, it was reopened as a beat and rock and roll club. The first beat night was 25th May, 1960, with Rory Storm and The Hurricanes on the bill.

The Beatles played the Cavern Club a total of 292 time - so the legend goes, and the club's name has become synonymous with Beatles and the start of Beatlemania. It was also at the Cavern Club that Brian Epstein first saw the band and decided he would become their manager.

Following the break up of the Beatles, nostalgia for the club waned and it was sadly closed in 1973 and the original club was filled in to make way for a new Mersey Rail line (which never happened).

But the story wasn't over for the Cavern. Liverpool FC player Tommy Smith took over the club in 1984 and it was rebuilt, using many of the original bricks. The club survived in its new guise until 1989 when financial reasons forced it to close again. It was taken over by present owners Bill Heckle and Dave Jones in 1991 and reopened.

In 1999 Paul McCartney returned to the Cavern to play his last gig of the 20th century in the place where it all began (well, nearly, just to the right of it a bit).

Today, to mark the anniversary a new statue of Cilla Black - who worked as a cloakroom girl at the club in the sixties before going on to be the only female singer managed by Beatles manager, Brian Epstein - was unveiled on Mathew Street, situated where the original Cavern Club entrance was. Artist, Tony Booth, who created many posters for the original Cavern Club and for Brian Epstein's artists, created the pictured poster to celebrate 60 years of the Cavern. Sadly, Tony Booth passed away last week, just days before the anniversary. His son Lee remarked how he began and ended his career with posters for the Cavern Club.

16th January 1957 - 16th January 2017. Here's to the next 60 years of The Most Famous Club In The World.

Martin Freeman first came to the nation's attention in 2001, playing the character of Tim, in the hugely successful sitcom The Office. Since then Freeman has starred in many other favourites such as Sherlock, The Hobbit and Love Actually securing his reputation as an audience favourite. Despite his ever growing reputation many people may not know about Freeman's serious mod credentials.

The actor's style became a talking point when he wore suits by Carnaby Street tailor Mark Powell. His use of top end tailors should come as no surprise as his best piece of fashion advice is based on the subject of tailoring. "I would say you can get away with wearing almost anything if it fits you properly. Get it tailored to you, and you could look a million dollars". When away from the red carpet his go to look is a "button-down gingham shirt with jacket and Levi's 501 jeans and loafers" explaining "you can wear that all your life".

Freeman's love of all things mod was first sparked through music and his "first contact with anything creative was through music". His tastes span a wide range, with Motown records of the late 1950's and the music of Paul Weller being stand out passions.

A diverse music taste reflects his beliefs that mod culture should be a broad church at which to worship. He finds the beauty of the movement is that you can "nick bits from here, there and everywhere" which enables the culture to stay fresh and vibrant explaining "the one thing I think it should never be is a uniform".

Freeman states that he uses the word 'mod' as shorthand for anything that is "creative, stylish and of quality". If this is the case then both himself and his career must surely be described as 'mod'.

Madcap England's latest design the retro Jackie and Robin PVC raincoats have arrived. These unique garments are inspired by the iconic Mary Quant Rainsmock design of the 1960's.










In 1963 the British designer Mary Quant wowed the fashion world when she previewed her Wet Collection in Paris. The collection of experimental designs using PVC, that had been two years in production, made history. Part of the collection was the original PVC Rainsmock which featured her new Christopher Robin collar design.
The appearance of the exciting new style could not have occurred at a better time. The use of bold block colours meant the garment fitted perfectly with the already established Pop-Art movement. Celebrities such as Cynthia Lennon, Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy were pictured wearing the Rainsmock cementing it's style into the public's consciousness, while Jackie Bowyer wore the item in her most famous photoshoot of the decade. The Rainsmock quickly became a much loved and iconic part of the Swinging Sixties.








Madcap England are giving you the opportunity to have your own piece of this incredible fashion and cultural heritage with the Jackie and Robin raincoats. The PVC garments stay true to the original by using bold block colours, a Christopher Robins collar and colour contrast button design.

Find the collection here.

Today would have been David Bowie's 70th birthday. To mark the occasion and celebrate, we've compiled a 70 facts about David Bowie that you might not know... (and some you will!)

1. He was born David Robert Jones on the 8th January, 1947 in Brixton, London.

2. During his lifetime, he was one of the world's best-selling music artist, with 9 platinum albums, 11 gold and 8 silver in the UK alone.

3. Contrary to popular, David's eyes were the same colour. One was just permanently dilated after a fight with schoolfriend, George Underwood over a girl left him with a serious eye injury for which he had to have a series of operations. It left him with faulty depth perception and a permanently dilated pupil, giving the impression of a change in the colour of the iris.

4. Despite the eye injury, David remained friends with George Underwood, and Underwood created some of the artwork for David's early albums.

5. He stood at a height of 5'10".

6. Guitarist and singer/songwriter, Peter Frampton was a school friend. They both attended Bromley Technical High School, where Peter Frampton's dad was an art teacher.

7. He never drank tea after a distressing incident when he was 5 years old. The legend goes that aboard a Thames boat trip with his parents, David drank tea which had been stewing for 7 years (!) It was so horrible that he never touched it again - although he did like Japanese Green Tea.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame in 1996.

8. Space Oddity was his first top five chart entry when it was released in July, 1969, coinciding with the moon landing.

9. He formed his first band, The Konrads, in 1962 at the age of 15.

10. He turned down a CBE in 2000 and later a knighthood in 2003. He said about the CBE, "I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that. I seriously don't know what it's for. It's not what I spent my life working for."

[More below!]