Punk Fashion
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Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry and body modifications of the punk subculture. Punk is a loud, fast-moving and aggressive form of rock music, popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and its fashion varies widely — from Vivienne Westwood designs to homemade garments that have been torn, stitched, stapled and possibly spray painted. Punk clothing, initially handmade, became mass-produced and sold in record stores and smaller specialty clothing stores by the 1980s, and established designers including Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier have used punk elements in their collections.
Are you acting like a punk or dressing like one?
The word punk has various meanings. Some of which are not so flattering.
We are not necessarily in agreement with any of these meanings, but these are ways in which the word has been used by others.
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a worthless person.
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a criminal or hoodlum.
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an inexperienced young person; a novice.
A better example of the terms is in regard to music and the fashion worn by bands and fans of the punk culture. Punk is a loud, fast-moving, and aggressive form of rock music, popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture.
Some punk fashion include the use of plaid shirts.
Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles to homemade garments that have been torn, stitched, stapled, and possibly spray painted.
Punk clothing, which was initially handmade, became mass-produced and sold in record stores and some smaller specialty clothing stores by the 1980s. Punk fashion had become commercialized at various times, by many well-established fashion designers, such as Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier. These internationally known designers have used punk elements in their designer collections.
The distinct social dress of other subcultures and art movements, including glam rock, skinheads, rude boys, greasers, and mods have influenced punk fashion. Punk fashion has likewise influenced the styles of these groups, as well as those of popular culture. Many punks use clothing as a way of making a statement.
Many fashion magazines, movies, and other glamour-oriented media have featured classic punk hairstyles and punk-influenced clothing.
Punk fashion has many subsets of style. Here are a few of the primary categories:
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Anarcho Punk Fashion: Anarcho-punk fashion usually features all-black militaristic clothing.
You may also want to read our Vivienne Westwood Anglomania term.
If you are interested in reading fashion blog posts, you may want to read our post-punk fashion style post.
You may also want to learn about grunge fashion which shared a few similarities such as plaid shirts.
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From Handmade to Mass-Produced
The commercial history of punk fashion runs in both directions at once. The first punk clothing was handmade because nothing like it was sold; by the 1980s the same torn, studded and printed garments were mass-produced and sold in record stores and specialty shops. At the same time, established fashion designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier used punk elements in designer collections, and fashion magazines, films and glamour media featured classic punk hairstyles and punk-influenced clothing. Punk treated that absorption as both betrayal and proof — the styles were strong enough for the mainstream to want them.
Reading the Categories
The category guides in this section are best read as a map of punk's arguments with itself. Some categories split by music (dance-punk, ska punk, psychobilly), some by politics and way of life (anarcho punk, crust punk, Oi!), some by practical demand (hardcore and skate punk dress plainly because the pit and the board require it), and some by borrowed costume (glam punk's theatre, droog's film uniform, dark cabaret's music hall dress). Related reading in the directory includes grunge fashion, which shared a few similarities with punk such as plaid shirts, the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania term, and the post-punk fashion style covered on the Apparel Search blog.
Common Questions
How do punks use clothing as a statement?
Many punks use clothing as a way of making a statement. Punk fashion ranges from designer work by Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier to homemade garments torn, stitched, stapled and spray painted — both ends of that range are deliberate self-presentation.
Which other subcultures influenced punk fashion?
The distinct social dress of glam rock, skinheads, rude boys, greasers and mods influenced punk fashion — and punk fashion has likewise influenced the styles of these groups, as well as those of popular culture.
What are the main punk fashion categories?
Anarcho punk, Celtic punk, cowpunk, crust punk, dance-punk, dark cabaret and Gypsy punk, droog, garage punk, glam punk, hardcore punk, horror punk and deathrock, pop punk, psychobilly, ska punk, skate punk, and street punk and Oi! — each with its own guide in this section.