What I'm saying is - it works both ways.  For the likes of Miles or Steve McQueen or Paul Newman in the 50s, all with considerable appeal to the opposite sex, the ivy look emphasised their masculinity.  At the same time, for someone older wishing to age with a subtle style, the look lends itself to that equally well.  That subtle maturity would not work for a pop star hoping to appeal to teenage girls (although one of The Stones got away with it for a few years).

Indeed, what is the meaning of mod?

Referring to my original query, a mod is someone who classed him/herself as a mod in the early to mid 60s, and was accepted as such by their peers i.e. other mods.  My query was - did any of these people ever wear kosher ivy kit beyond loafers, harringtons and Arrow or Brooks shirts?

The issue of mod bands is something else - if a band are popular with mods in some respects they are a mod band, however The High Numbers introduced the concept of a band who were all dressed as mods.  Before that a band might have a member who was a mod e.g. The Yardbirds with Eric Clapped-Out, but I'm pretty sure The HNs were the first to all have the look (they were definitely the first to refer to mod in their lyrics and publicity, not that it helped them much - overegging the pudding).

Didn't even John Simons say he got his first koscher Ivy suit in 1960?

On the other hand, guys like Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes and Johnny Dankworth got into Ivy in the mid-50s already, no?

CH and I have discussed this point. In the Mid 60 most MTM suits were 3 button and most people that I went around with only did the middle button done up, occasionally the top two. There was a trend to do up the top button. Not for me.
In those days the roll wasnt done deliberatley, a reasonably well made suit should roll. Also nearly all suits were darted and picked in at the waist.

Your average mid teen could not afford to shop at Austins, Krantz, Cecil Gee, Sportique, for the real deal and the terminology, Ivy League for kids, was not in common usage in the early 60s, even though you were wearing some of it. The regular customers at these shops were salaried entertainers, their Managers and other trendsetters, not 15 year olds.
Mods. Bands like the Who, Small Faces, Stones, Yardbirds, Animals, Georgie Fame etc wore Real deal Ivy, because their London Managers, Stamp,Meaden, Arden, ALO, Glomensky, Jeffries, Gunnell etc probably wore it and had arrangements with these shop who had access to USA merchandise. Once a trend was spotted, then UK copies of IL appeared in mid 60s and earlier.

There is a great deal of romancing on this subject, but you have to ask, where is a 15 year schoolboy old going to find the equivalent of 400 pound plus for a jacket. Of course it probably did happen, but very rare. Even for UK copies at half the price that is almost the equivalent of a months money.

I would guess the Austin's customers were 20 plus, mostly mid 20 and above, well heeled.
Just some Sunday morning thoughts.

I did have a pair of boxing boots in 65, as a change. Not comfortable and wore out in one Summer, but thats about as long as you wanted a thing to last.

Thanks for the recollections gentlemen, good stuff.

Christian plastic mod on Songs of Praise now. It's very funny.

No, but he looked like he'd wear one at the drop of hat. He had a scooter with "The Jam" written on it.