Acts Of Rebellion Through DIY
Source - @Stowkelly
Whether it's the New York scene or the British punks, the styles and attitudes have been ingrained in our society ever since. The punk movement, DIY fashion as well as the activism is still alive and well today. 2020 left us facing huge uncertainties, soaring unemployment rates and costs of living growing exponentially. Regardless of when the punk movement started, it evolved through socio-economical uncertainty and frustration. Today, the relationship between the punk movement and DIY is just as, if not more important than ever before.
Rebel Punk - What Even Is It
Source - @stowkelly
The punk subculture is often documented through autobiographies, movies and books that attempt to conceptualize its true meaning. Frequently looking to create a clean, organized and easily digestible version of it's history. In doing so, it takes away the very essence of what punk actually is. In reality, the punk movement is messy, disorganized, aggressive and chaotic. Whether it's the bands or the politics, the idea is that you can make noise and cause a scene without technical skill, formal education and people will still listen. At it's core, the origins of punk began through passion. It was a response to the pragmatism of the politics and cultures of the day. Punk took society and shook it until it was forced to pay attention. The depression in Britain that left millions jobless and the economy in discomfort, punk which was comprised primarily of young adults, screamed "what the fuck". It was an outlet for the deprived and looked over. Nowadays, it's meaning varies depending on who you ask. However, the versatility of the movement means that it resonates in all sorts of places, all throughout the world.
A Punk History Lesson
In the late 1960s-70s, Britain's economy was on a downward spiral. Inflation was increasing, strikes were becoming more common but the rich were getting richer. In the US there was a circulation of questionable presidents. Nixon who lied to the American public about Americas involvement in Vietnam and the Watergate scandal. Then once Reagan came into presidency, he ignored the aids epidemic that claimed the lives of millions and almost tripled the national debt. The punk movement can be thought of as a call to action that lead people to be heard. Apart from the makeup, the hair and the self-expression, it was a representation of something raw and real.
Punk and politics walk hand-in-hand. From The Sex Pistols God Save The Queen or The Dead Kennedy's Kill The Poor. The genre positioned itself against political idealism from the very beginning. As the years rolled on and the genre split into subgenres like pop punk where new ideologies emerged. In one corner, the older, hardcore punks are fighting injustice while less aggressive punks look to reach larger audiences through less politically-charged branding. At the beginning it wasn't just music and sounds, it was a lifestyle. Originating through kids with little musical knowledge and funding. Due to the high unemployment rates at the time, it left plenty of people with a lot to say and a lot of free time. It gave birth to a new form of creativity and activism.
PUNK-DIY
Source- @Stowkelly
We've all seen movies and images of punk rockers. The leather jackets, combat boots, safety pins, wild hair, and absurd makeup. What stemmed from broke kids utilizing what they had then metamorphized into high street fashion. Every where it went, it left a stain.
Still to this day, there are those who view the punk movement as teenage angst. However, as far as subculture goes, punk was so much more than defiance and rebellion. It was the effort of seeking an alternative lifestyle contrasting from the standards of society. Punk ethos consists primarily of anti-authoritarianism, anti-establishment and non-conformity. It revolves around a do-it-yourself ethic and not selling out. One of the most important facets of the punk movement is the do-it-yourself fashion aspects. It planted its roots deep into society and it's impacts can be felt today. DIY fueled the punk culture, even beyond clothing. From DIY independent record labels, press and music venues. It's what keeps the punk culture alive today.
Punk epitomized a DIY outlook to fashion, consumerism and politics. It was a mosh-pot of different used clothing. Garments that were either bought destroyed or made to look defaced. The punk movement and DIY fashion is a statement against the affluent who prefer pristine goods and the gender ideals set in place by society. It pushes past aesthetic and is a stance that tests all boundaries of what is socially accepted. There is purity and a straightforward edge that DIY and punk have in common, that makes it transcend far passed a fashion statement.
Now-A-Days
Today, DIY fashion has become a booming industry. We see social media influencers showcasing craftsmanship and ingenuity by turning nothing into something. What began as a lifestyle for those with less, who wanted more, and needed to express, blossomed into something that probably surpassed the imaginations of those before us. The core values of the punk subculture are what has kept the DIY lifestyle moving forward. It isn't just about the bands, the music or the clothes, it's about what it all represents. We mustn't forget the punk's of the 60s, 70s and 80s who fought on the frontlines for serious social objectives and brought DIY to the spot light. We can speculate that punk and DIY was hijacked by the mainstream. There is no doubting punks influence on fashion, music, art and culture.
