About Men's Punk Fashion
Long before Kurt Cobain sang "Smells Like Team Spirit" while wearing his plaid flannel shirt, there were angry young punks wearing their outraged hearts on their sleeves. There was Joe Strummer of The Clash, sporting tight jeans and clunky, punky black leather shoes. There was Johnny Rotten of Public Image Limited, with his spiky hair and piercings, accented by a too-tight suit in loud plaid. There was Iggy Pop from The Stooges, who opted for super skinny jeans and, ultimately, in every show, no shirt. Men's punk fashion can have the flash and glam inspired by The New York Dolls or the dirt and grit of the ripped jeans, motorcycle jackets and Beatles-style haircuts of The Ramones Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Way back in the early 1970s, the nascent days of punk, the ideology behind men's punk fashion was to confront, provoke and shock. The preference for most punks was to look gritty and street as opposed to polished. That said, there were designers that cultivated a punk look into their high-end lines, most notably Malcolm Mclaren and Vivienne Westwood. Punk artists at the forefront of the scene, such as Richard Hell, The Ramones, The Clash, The Sex Pistols and The Bromley Contingent, helped define the look of rips, slashes, studs and lots of black.
Features
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Some of the key features notable in men's punk fashion in the 1970s and 1980s were offensive T-shirts bearing Nazi swastikas, clothes emblazoned with anarchist iconography and slogans, black leather jackets, tight-fitting blazers and tight jeans. Footwear was key, particularly high-tops by Chuck Taylor or Doc Martens. Hairstyles, at first, were spiky or messy while, later on, the Mohawk cut became popular.
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Considerations
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The bohemian and street look of men's punk fashion inspired some guys to use household items in their ensembles. Hence, safety pins became useful for piercings as well as chain necklaces and holding together the edges of ripped jeans and shirts. Black garbage bags and tape might accent holes in clothing. Razor blades, staples and chains were other options. Materials such as rubber, leather and vinyl alluded to fetishism, bondage and sadomasochistic sexual practices.
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Malcolm Mclaren had his hands in many projects during the early punk days. His shop in London, called SEX, was popular for punks seeking the latest T-shirt designs. He happily robbed design ideas from the streets, professing that "Stealing things is a glorious occupation, particularly in the art world."
Types
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Men's punk fashion falls into several categories. There is the standard punk, sporting combat boots denim and leather. There are hardcore punks who favor minimal accessories and bland colors, with athletic shoes by Adidas, Converse, Puma or Pony. Anarcho-punks like their fashion to make a political statement, so shirts, jackets and buttons have many slogans. Crust punks favor the fashion finds of dumpster dives and free clothing piles, and eschew leather in favor of hemp and cotton. Goths, death rockers and horror punks love black, bondage, silver jewelry, bleached-on designs and makeup. Skate punks have a grunge style, with plaid flannel, band T-shirt, hoodies and graffiti-inspired graphics. Pop punk and Emo fans elect a more tailored effect, accessorizing skinny trousers with studded belts and wearing ties, scarves and caps.
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