Christmas, but make it Mod.

At Madcap England, the festive season isn’t about novelty jumpers or playing it safe. It’s about style, sound, and soul. It’s about sharp silhouettes, rich colour, and the music that defined a movement. This year, we’re celebrating Christmas the Modernist way, with a curated Mod Christmas playlist and a selection of Madcap pieces that capture the spirit of 60s cool, right through to Britpop rebellion and beyond.

Because if you’re going to deck the halls, you might as well do it in style, preferably with a Motown bassline, a jazz break, and a perfectly cut A-line mini.

The Ultimate Mod Christmas Playlist

Mod culture has always been about music first. The clothes followed the records — not the other way around. From Soho coffee bars to all-nighters and dance floors, Mods lived and breathed sound. Our Ultimate Mod Christmas Playlist blends festive soul, beat, jazz, and R&B,  the kind of tracks a sharp-eyed Modernist might have spun back in the day (or would absolutely approve of now).

Stevie Wonder’s What Christmas Means to Me brings high-energy Motown joy; pure dancefloor spirit with a sharp suit and polished shoes. Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) is Wall of Sound perfection, echoing the drama and glamour of mid-60s Mod girls with immaculate eyeliner and bold silhouettes.

Instrumentals like The Ventures’ Sleigh Ride and the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s Merry Christmas Baby nod to the cool jazz and surf-inflected sounds that underpinned Mod’s more sophisticated edge, music for late-night coffee bars and sharp minds. Meanwhile, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and James Brown remind us that Mod culture’s roots were firmly planted in Black American soul, rhythm and blues;  stylish, political, and always authentic.

It’s festive, yes but it’s festive with attitude.

The Mod Christmas Top 10

Stevie Wonder – "What Christmas Means to Me" (1967)
The quintessential high-energy Motown track that fits the upbeat, soulful vibe of a Mod dance floor.

Darlene Love – "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (1963)
From the legendary A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector—the ultimate "Wall of Sound" record that every 60s modernist would have owned.

The Ventures – "Sleigh Ride" (1965)
A surf-rock instrumental with sharp, driving guitar lines that capture the cool, instrumental-focused side of the Mod scene.

Otis Redding – "Merry Christmas Baby" (1968)
A gritty, soulful blues track from the Stax label, perfect for the late-night, sophisticated side of the Mod lifestyle.

The Beatles – "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" (1967)
Originally recorded for their fan club Christmas records, this repetitive, psychedelic-leaning beat track represents the late-60s "Peacock Mod" era.

The Supremes – "Silver Bells" (1965)
Polished and chic, this track mirrors the sharp A-line fashion and glamour of the mid-60s Mod girl.

Ramsey Lewis Trio – "Merry Christmas Baby" (1964)
A cool jazz instrumental that would have been heard in the basement coffee bars of Soho where Mod culture began.

The Ronettes – "Frosty the Snowman" (1963)
Another Phil Spector production, featuring the "Bad Girl" Mod aesthetic with its heavy eyeliner and big hair.

Marvin Gaye – "Purple Snowflakes" (1964)
A lesser-known, atmospheric Motown gem that provides a smoother, more intellectual vibe for the sophisticated modernist.

James Brown – "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" (1968)
Representing the shift toward funk, this track highlights the Mod movement’s deep roots in Black American R&B and social style. 

Dressing the Part: Mod Fashion at Christmas

Mod fashion has never been about excess. It’s about precision, colour, confidence, and knowing exactly who you are. That’s why it works so well at Christmas when you want something that stands out without shouting.

For the women, few pieces embody classic Mod energy like our Dollierocker Psych-Out! Circles Dress. This A-line mini is pure 60s magic; a trippy Op Art circle print in warm Emperador brown, accented with red, orange, yellow and cream tones. The Peter Pan collar and covered decorative buttons give it that unmistakable Mod polish, while the psychedelic pattern keeps it firmly on the dancefloor side of things.

It’s the kind of dress that feels right whether you’re dancing to The Supremes’ Silver Bells or heading out for Christmas drinks with serious retro intent. Flattering, comfortable, and endlessly iconic, Dollierocker is Mod Christmas wrapped up in one bold silhouette.

For a different kind of throwback, our Bell Bottom Blues Dungaree Bib Flares bring in a later wave of Mod evolution, where soul met denim and 70s swagger crept onto the scene. Stonewash flared dungarees with vintage detailing, stretch comfort, and a graded flare that hits just right, they’re perfect for a relaxed but unmistakably retro festive look.

Paired with a roll neck or graphic tee, they capture that effortless cool — ideal for Christmas days that drift into long nights, backed by Marvin Gaye’s Purple Snowflakes or James Brown’s Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto playing in the background.

Mod Menswear: Sharp, Soundtracked & Season-Ready

For the lads, Christmas is no excuse to lose your edge and Madcap England’s menswear makes sure of that.

The Hendrix Stripe Tunic Jacket is a riot of colour and confidence, channeling psychedelic swagger with Mod tailoring precision. Military-inspired epaulets, flap chest pockets, textured diagonal stripes, every detail feels like a Hendrix riff turned into fabric. This is the jacket you throw on when The Beatles’ Christmas Time (Is Here Again) starts spinning and you’re leaning into late-60s Peacock Mod flamboyance.

It’s bold, expressive, and unapologetically loud, perfect for those who see Christmas as another chance to dress with purpose.

For a more casual, Britpop-leaning take, the Mavers 96 Knitted Track Top brings Mod heritage forward into the 90s. Inspired by Don’t Look Back in Anger era Noel Gallagher, this zip-through knitted top features retro tri-tone stripes in orange, mustard and red against a Black Coffee ground. Finished with a polo collar and fine-gauge cotton knit, it’s pure terrace-ready nostalgia.

Throw it on while Stevie Wonder blasts from the speakers and you’ve got a Christmas look that’s relaxed, rebellious, and rooted firmly in British music culture.

Christmas, the Mod Way

What ties all of this together, the music, the clothes, the culture, is identity. Mod has always been about knowing what you love and wearing it proudly. It’s about details, dedication, and digging deeper than surface-level trends.

At Madcap England, that ethos drives everything we do. Whether it’s a psychedelic mini dress, a military tunic jacket, or a knitted track top with Britpop soul, each piece is designed with music, movement, and meaning in mind.

So this Christmas, we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s supported Madcap England — who’s worn the gear, shared the passion, and kept Mod culture alive in their own way. Stick the playlist on, dress sharp, raise a glass, and celebrate the season with style.

From all of us at Madcap England — have a Very Mod Christmas, and here’s to more music, more fashion, and more attitude in the year ahead.