Punk: A Style & Attitude

Subcultures rarely, if ever, remain subcultures. Despite starting out as the anti-norm, they invariably fracture into ever diminishing cliques and eventually disappear in a kind of cultural homoeopathy, slowly reabsorbed into mainstream society.

The punk movement, which drew upon the Beatniks of the 1960s while rejecting the hippie ideologies of the same decade, was no different in many respects. It splintered into new wave, pop punk, hardcore punk, no wave, street punk and various others. However, one defining element of the movement did not disappear quietly: non-conformity.

What has an anti-authoritarian, anti-establishment and pro-freedom movement defined by aggressive garage rock and youthful rebellion got to do with fashion, you ask? Well, quite a lot as it happens. The spirit of punk lives on in our wardrobes because the desire to be viewed differently, challenge perceptions and be free to experiment is fashion at its very core, although this is easy to forget in today’s mega-corporate world.

Some designers have built their entire brands around the tenets of punk culture and style, most notably Dame Vivienne Westwood and the late Alexander McQueen, while others continue to riff on punk aesthetics – this year we have seen plenty of references on the runways.

We can say with some certainty, and no little relief, that the mohican hairstyle stiffened with egg whites won’t be making a return any time soon, but there are many other elements of the punk look that filtered into AW14 and SS15 collections.

We’ve picked out what we think are some of the most interesting and relevant aspects of the aesthetic, which would add a discordant and rebellious touch to any guy’s wardrobe…

The Biker Jacket

The biker jacket has been ‘owned’ by virtually every subculture that has ever existed, which is tantamount to its great design. It’s hard not to look good in a leather biker – it’s flattering, cropped cut screams masculinity and effortless cool.