Last spring was all about 70s glam, but for winter fashion (and the upcoming spring season) designers turned to the swinging 60s for fashion inspiration, flooding runways with Mod looks a la Twiggy, Mary Quant and Jean Shrimpton. From Burberry Prorsum’s bright structured coats and Prada’s colour-blocked frocks to Costume National’s sharp geometric patterns, its clear London Mod is the statement look of the season. But like any fashion trend that revisits a look from the past, there is a risk of wandering into costume territory. The goal is to take inspiration from the best of the 60s and incorporate it into your existing wardrobe—not look like you just stepped off the set of Mad Men. Here are your essential winter fashion tips for going Mod in a modern world.

Do play with geometric patterns.

It’s hip to be square this season thanks to Mod’s signature geometric prints. Fashion houses like Balenciaga, Celine and Prada all paid homage to the godfather of geometric fashion prints himself, Yves Saint Laurent, who made a splash in 1965 with his legendary grid-inspired Mondrian shift dress. Look for pieces sporting geometric shapes with clean angles and bold colour-blocking for a bit of extra punch.

Don’t shy away from bold colour.

Rich saturated hues are a staple of Mod style, not to mention a great way to add some flair to your (let’s be honest, mostly black) winter fashion wardrobe. Our favourite way to make an instant Mod statement is with a boldly hued pea coat, shell top or simple shift dress with a Peter Pan collar (another Mod classic).

Do embrace clean lines.
Mod is all about crisp, pared down, no-frills dressing so you’ll want to stay away from embellishments like ruffles, lace, sequins and float-y romantic fabrics. The more structured, streamlined and boxy the better. And although designers have played with stiffer materials like neoprene to achieve that iconic 60s shape, for those of us in the real world, neoprene is probably better off left to our laptop cases and far, far away from our closets.

Don’t try to do too much.

All of the above are classic 60s Mod along with Peter Pan collars, mini skirts and winged eyeliner, but put it all together in one outfit and what you have is a pretty fabulous Halloween costume. For every other day of the year, embrace a more modern approach by sticking to just two or three elements at a time.

Our new favourite fashion accessory? The envelope clutch! Check out our top picks here.