Mod Fashion Wouldn’t Exist Without These 16 TV and Movie Style Icons

Mod Fashion Wouldn’t Exist Without These 16 TV and Movie Style Icons

Before runways buzzed with retro revivals, Mod fashion was born on screen—crafted by a stylish rebellion of actors and musicians who rewrote the rules of cool. From razor-sharp suits and graphic minis to bold eyeliner and attitude, these 16 TV and movie icons didn’t just follow trends—they set them in motion. Their influence shaped a cultural moment where fashion met freedom, redefining how the world dressed and expressed itself. Whether flaunting fierce femininity or dapper defiance, each star became a blueprint for the Mod look. These legends didn’t just wear Mod—they made it unforgettable, one frame at a time.

1. Diana Rigg in The Avengers

Leather catsuits weren’t exactly everyday wear in the 1960s—until Diana Rigg’s Emma Peel made them iconic. Her character revolutionized what women could wear on television, blending femininity with undeniable strength.

The tailored jumpsuits, knee-high boots, and sleek silhouettes created a new template for the modern woman. Rigg’s Emma wasn’t just fashionable; she was formidable.

While other female characters dressed to please men, Emma Peel dressed to kick butt and take names. Her wardrobe choices weren’t just stylish statements but declarations of independence that inspired women to embrace both power and polish.

2. Michael Caine in The Italian Job

Blue eyes piercing through tortoiseshell glasses, Michael Caine’s Charlie Croker embodied the working-class lad made good. His impeccably tailored three-piece suits and crisp white shirts spoke of ambition and swagger that defined a generation of young British men.

Caine brought accessibility to high fashion. His character showed that style wasn’t just for the upper classes—it was for anyone bold enough to claim it.

Those distinctive thick-framed glasses became as much a part of mod male style as Chelsea boots and slim ties. When he stepped out of that prison and into those tailored threads, he wasn’t just changing clothes—he was changing identities.

3. Julie Christie in Darling

Fresh-faced with a hint of mischief, Julie Christie’s Oscar-winning role as Diana Scott captured the restless spirit of Swinging London. Her character’s fashion evolution mirrored her social climbing—from simple shift dresses to high-fashion ensembles.

Christie’s wide-eyed beauty became the blueprint for the mod look: exaggerated lashes, pale lips, and straight hair cut with precision. Her wardrobe of mini skirts and go-go boots celebrated youth and freedom.

What made her impact so lasting wasn’t just the clothes but how she wore them—with a carefree confidence that suggested she was always one step ahead of everyone else. Diana Scott wasn’t following trends; she was creating them.

4. Terence Stamp in Modesty Blaise

Slicked-back hair and a dangerously charming smile—Terence Stamp’s Willie Garvin brought a working-class edge to mod dandyism. His character mixed tough-guy attitude with unexpected sartorial flair.

Stamp wore suits with the confident nonchalance of someone who knew exactly who he was. The bold patterns and slim cuts emphasized his lean frame while his accessories—from statement rings to patterned scarves—added personality to every outfit.

Long before men’s fashion embraced individuality, Stamp showed how a man could be both masculine and fashion-forward. His look whispered of adventure and danger—the perfect visual complement to the film’s playful spy aesthetic.

5. Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road

There’s nothing shy about this kaleidoscopic moment from Audrey Hepburn—it’s Mod with a psychedelic twist. The long-sleeved A-line mini dress bursts with geometric prints in juicy pastels, swirling with squares, diamonds, and painterly brushstrokes that look lifted straight from a Carnaby Street window display.

The structured silhouette gives it that Mod crispness, while the fabric dances with wild, almost hypnotic energy. Bold neon earrings and dramatic winged eyeliner push the look into pure pop-art territory.

It’s playful, fearless, and miles away from Audrey’s dainty Breakfast at Tiffany’s image. Here, she’s not the ingénue—she’s the scene-stealing style siren of Swinging London.

6. Jean Shrimpton in Beat Girl

Before she conquered magazine covers, Jean Shrimpton was helping define the mod look on screen. Her appearance in Beat Girl showcased the style that would make her modeling career legendary—the sleek bangs, doe-eyed makeup, and effortlessly cool demeanor.

Shrimpton’s slender frame was the perfect canvas for the emerging mod aesthetic. Simple shift dresses hung perfectly on her tall silhouette, while her minimalist approach to accessories let the clean lines of the clothing speak for themselves.

What Twiggy would later perfect, Shrimpton pioneered—that distinctly British combination of aristocratic bone structure with working-class attitude. She made the transition from runway to screen seem inevitable, bringing high fashion down to earth.

7. Vanessa Redgrave in Blow-Up

Mysterious and ethereal, Vanessa Redgrave’s brief but unforgettable appearance in Antonioni’s Blow-Up embodied mod’s artistic soul. Her character moved through the film like a ghost—all angular limbs and haunted expressions.

Redgrave’s androgynous styling challenged conventional femininity. The boyish haircut and minimal makeup created a canvas for her intense gaze, while simple separates emphasized her willowy frame.

Unlike the playful side of mod fashion, Redgrave represented its intellectual, moody undercurrent. Her character existed in the shadows of Swinging London—a reminder that beneath the bright colors and optimism lay deeper questions about identity and reality that fashion was beginning to explore.

8. Patrick Macnee in The Avengers

Bowler hat tipped just so, umbrella twirling in hand—Patrick Macnee’s John Steed defined British gentlemanly mod. While his female co-stars got more fashion attention, Steed’s impeccable three-piece suits and accessories created an equally influential template for men.

Macnee brought old-world elegance into the mod era. His character’s Savile Row tailoring, paired with playful accessories, showed how tradition could be respected while still feeling fresh and relevant.

The bowler hat wasn’t just a fashion choice but a character statement—proper yet slightly eccentric. Steed’s wardrobe taught a generation of men that being well-dressed wasn’t stuffy; it was a form of self-expression that could be both dignified and fun.

9. Twiggy in The Boy Friend

Those enormous eyes rimmed with layers of false lashes—Twiggy wasn’t just wearing mod fashion; she was its living embodiment. Her film debut in The Boy Friend brought her magazine persona to life in vivid color.

Already famous for her pixie cut and painted-on lower lashes, Twiggy’s transition to film cemented her status as mod’s ultimate muse. The movie’s 1920s setting allowed her to blend flapper aesthetics with 1960s mod sensibilities—creating a delightful fashion hybrid.

Her childlike frame changed beauty standards overnight. Suddenly, the voluptuous ideals of the 1950s seemed outdated compared to Twiggy’s gamine silhouette. She wasn’t just modeling clothes—she was modeling an entirely new way of being.

10. Anna Karina in Pierrot le Fou

Heavy bangs framing soulful eyes, Anna Karina brought French New Wave cool to the mod aesthetic. The sleeveless cut, subtle A-line shape, and soft coral hue evoke innocence and rebellion in equal measure—a hallmark of Karina’s screen presence and French New Wave fashion.

Her bare legs and understated flats complement the scene’s natural ease, while the balloon she gently clutches adds a touch of surreal whimsy.

With every frame, Anna’s look whispers rather than shouts, proving that Mod didn’t need to be loud to leave a lasting impression. It just needed Karina’s grace.

11. David Hemmings in Blow-Up

Camera dangling around his neck, David Hemmings’ Thomas captured the essence of mod London’s creative scene. As a fashion photographer inspired by David Bailey, his character wasn’t just observing the mod world—he was actively creating it.

Hemmings’ disheveled blond hair and casual confidence made his simple wardrobe of white jeans, turtlenecks, and blazers seem like the coolest possible choices. His character moved through fashion studios and underground clubs with equal ease.

The film showed fashion photography as an art form for the first time. Hemmings’ character wielding his camera like a weapon, directing models with intensity—this was mod fashion being created in real-time, capturing the electric energy of a cultural moment that knew it was making history.

12. Julie Driscoll on Top of the Pops

Electric blue eyeshadow up to the brows, Julie Driscoll wasn’t just a singer—she was a walking art installation. Her television appearances on shows like Top of the Pops brought psychedelic mod fashion into living rooms across Britain.

Driscoll’s dramatic makeup choices pushed boundaries even by 1960s standards. Her graphic eyeliner, often extending in geometric patterns beyond her eyes, transformed her face into a mod canvas that complemented her soulful voice.

Statement earrings swinging as she performed, Driscoll showed how mod fashion could be theatrical without losing its cool factor. Her fearless mixing of patterns and textures—metallic fabrics with bold prints—created a visual vocabulary for the psychedelic branch of mod style that would influence fashion well into the 1970s.

13. Marianne Faithfull in Girl on a Motorcycle

Zipped into black leather from neck to ankle, Marianne Faithfull’s Rebecca brought a dangerous edge to mod fashion. The film’s provocative imagery of a woman finding freedom through motorcycles and leather created an instant fashion icon.

Faithfull’s transition from folk singer to leather-clad rebel mirrored mod’s own evolution from clean-cut beginnings to something darker and more complex. Her character’s uniform—the fitted leather bodysuit—became a symbol of female liberation and sexual freedom.

The contrast between her angelic face and the tough exterior of leather created a visual tension that perfectly captured the late 1960s’ contradictions. Faithfull wasn’t just wearing a costume; she was embodying the cultural shift happening as mod began to evolve into something edgier.

14. Jack Wild in H.R. Pufnstuf

Flamboyant collars and paisley prints might seem like costume pieces today, but Jack Wild’s wardrobe in H.R. Pufnstuf brought authentic mod youth fashion to children’s television. His character Jimmy’s outfits—with their high collars and bright colors—captured mod’s playful side perfectly.

Wild’s own background as a working-class London kid gave authenticity to his mod styling. The show’s psychedelic setting provided the perfect backdrop for fashion that was increasingly embracing fantasy elements.

While aimed at children, the show’s aesthetic influence reached beyond its target audience. Parents watching alongside their kids were treated to a surprisingly accurate representation of youth fashion that normalized mod style for mainstream America, helping spread British fashion influence across the Atlantic.

15. Jane Birkin in La Piscine

In this breezy gingham set, Jane Birkin captures the softer side of Mod with an air of undone chic. The sleeveless, boxy top and matching high-cut bottoms are pure ‘60s simplicity, yet impossibly stylish—mirroring Birkin’s signature ability to turn basics into icons.

The gingham print adds a girl-next-door sweetness, while the short hemline keeps things playfully rebellious. Her tousled hair and bare feet lean into that unmistakable French insouciance—the kind of beauty that doesn’t try too hard.

Whether feeding birds or fronting a fashion campaign, Jane proves that Mod isn’t just bold—it’s beautifully unforced when worn with this much grace.

16. Sharon Tate in The Wrecking Crew

Serving head-to-toe ’60s perfection, Sharon Tate’s powder-blue ensemble is Mod fashion in its purest form. With its belted tunic jacket and matching leggings, the outfit sculpts a sharp, streamlined silhouette that radiates youthful sophistication.

The oversized buttons and front patch pockets add playful structure, giving the look both polish and personality. What truly elevates it into style-icon territory is the striped turtleneck and matching beret—an irresistibly cheeky nod to Parisian cool.

Paired with a white quilted shoulder bag and cat-eye shades in hand, Tate channels polished rebellion. It’s bold, feminine, and forever etched into the Mod fashion canon.