When you hear the words punk rock the first things that pop into your head are probably mohawks, plaid and patches - and although these descriptions aren’t wrong, they negate and invalidate the true heart of punk.
As someone who is heavily inspired by punk, I won’t deny that the look played a role in my interest but ultimately the biggest thing that drew me in was the 'I do what I want because I want to' mentality. I’m all for people being true to themselves, and I'm a firm believer that I’m happy because I don’t waste time worrying about what others think of me.
Those who know me well never question my punk influence but I often note when I tell strangers about my punk influence, it’s questioned because of my appearance. Specifically my clothing. I get it, I don’t have a mohawk, nor a studded leather jacket or plaid skinny jeans but the reality is, it’s not 1976 anymore. When punk first emerged as the counterculture powerhouse, the look was vital because punk was new. With the raw intensity of the music, the hardcore fashion came after. Every movement often starts with strides in music soon accompanied by an image. Unfortunately for a movement heavily based on resisting the societal norms and being true to oneself, the image is ultimately what became the movement’s Achilles heel.
Once punk became mainstream, the look was all that mattered. It was the look that determined how punk you were. It was look that determined if you could hang. It was look that gave you the right to put down anyone who didn’t look like you. It was look that made you feel you had to look this way to validate to others how punk you were. It was the look that made you care about what others thought of you (incredibly contradicting!).
The thing with fashion is it’s not stagnant. It changes, things are in then they're out. The way you dress should not be a substitute for who are are as a person. No one should aspire to be a label. In fact when you rely solely on your look, you contradict the notion that you don’t care what others think. Obviously you care to put some much effort into achieving the de facto designated “punk” look. As I’ve mentioned before punk is my influence, not my identity.
It used to hurt my feelings when people would tell me I’m not punk because I wasn’t dressed a certain way. Then I’d remember, well I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks. I don’t need to wear a punk rock costume to prove it's influence on me. I’m not saying the look isn’t important, because I do love punk fashion - but punk is more than that. The alluring message of always being true to who you are will never cease to thrive and inspire. For the most part most of punk fashion has been immersed by mainstream fashion or left in 76, but thankfully the spirit lives on.
And it always will.
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