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.

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.

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.

Marmalade Dresses new collection for Winter 2016 is due to arrive in a few weeks, so we thought you might enjoy a little preview of what's in store.

As always, Marmalade create premium quality dresses and coats in 60s Mod inspired designs. Op-Art, pop art, mod and 60s geometric design is the order of the day for this seasons collection, plus a couple of retro print fabric highlights.

Check below for pics to drool over or shop for Marmalade here.

Levi's® Jeans are now available from Atom Retro!


All of the Levi's® classics you know and love are either in stock now or will be arriving shortly, from classic Levi's® 501 jeans through to Levi's® denim jackets, sherpa jackets, denim shirts and of course, the Levi's® batwing t-shirt.


Everyone knows the Levi's® 501, but what about the Levi's® 527, or Levi's® 511? We thought this quick reference Levi's® fit guide might be helpful. See below!

The fabulous new collection from Irregular Choice has arrived! You've waited weeks to see this magical Alice in Wonderland collection and they are now available to buy here - Shop Now >>

You will not be disappointed; fall into the rabbit hole where you will find Alice, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and more! You will fall instantly in love with these perfectly poised heels and charming flats, with their amazing designs and pretty colours.

Check under the 'Read More' to see all the Alice in Wonderland collection or shop now!

Original Penguin are famous for their polos. Founded in 1955, this American brand quickly became known for their iconic Earl, Jack, Daddy and 55 Polos.

Added to the polo stable this season is the new Waffle front polo (available in white or navy).

This retro 70s inspired design features a waffle textured front in 100% cotton pique fabric. The collar gives a new twist to this polo with a contrast knit front panel, echoed at the sleeve with the raised rib tipping.

The design is finished with an embroidered Original Penguin logo to the left chest and triangle reinforced patch at the hem ensures this polo is comfy and easy to wear.

Shop Waffle Polo
Shop Original Penguin.

Traffic People's Autumn and Winter collection for 2016 will be arriving soon, with a few surprises in store!

Traffic People take classic vintage fashions and turn them on their head; updating and adding contemporary twists to create a women's clothing collection which is truly individual and unique - and this season's collection is one of the best yet!

Flattering A-line skirts and dresses are mixed with Sixties and Seventies boho style this season, utilising stunning vintage inspired fabrics, including faux fur, velvet, chiffon and more.

Check under the 'Read More' for a sneak preview of some of the styles arriving at Atom Retro this season.

Shop Traffic People

Lulu Dress

Mademoiselle Yéyé's collection for Autumn and Winter 2016 has just arrived at Atom Retro (with a little more to come later) and it doesn't disappoint!

As fans of Mademoiselle Yéyé have come to expect, this seasons collection comprises unique, high quality dresses, tops, knits and more, all with 60s Mod style and vintage va-va-voom!

The Lulu Dress (pictured left) is a new style to the collection this season. This supremely sixties inspired mod mini dress comes in red with fixed black bow detail to centre front. In a super stretchy, comfy to wear fabric, this is a must-have dress.

Check below for more of what's in store from Mademoiselle Yeye, or shop now!

A sneak preview of what's in store from Nomads Clothing for Autumn and Winter 2016.

Nomads design and make fair trade clothing, with a vintage Boho look and sixties style Eastern inspiration. Using traditional techniques, organic cotton and hand-made block printing and embroidery, Nomads believes strongly in fair trade and following ethical fashion guidelines.

The Autumn and Winter 2016 features all your favourite Nomads styles in new, exclusive fabrics and prints, including women's winter coats in velvet and woven cottons, 60s style tunic tops and dresses and 70s style cord pinafore dresses, plus new designs in shorter vintage look box jackets and long sleeve retro print tops.

Check below the cut for a preview of the collection or shop for Nomads Clothing here.

A sneak look at Gabicci Vintage's Autumn and Winter collection, arriving soon at Atom Retro. 

A quick preview of whats in store from Darling for Autumn and Winter 2016.

Subdued and dark colour pallets mixed with intricate and meticulously designed fabrics is the order of the day from Darling. Beautiful embroidered fabrics in dresses and coats, embellished tops and woven trousers, skirts, dresses and more in Retro and Vintage inspired designs. This is a grown up collection from Darling which still retains its vintage influence and supremely feminine edge. Beautiful clothing for all you darlings!

Check under the 'read more' for a few more snaps.