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This article is about subcultures. For a bald head, see baldness. Skinheads, named after their shaven heads, are members of a working class subculture that originated in Britain in the 1960s, where they were heavily influenced by the rude boys of the West Indies and the mods of the UK. In subsequent decades, the skinhead subculture spread to other parts of Europe, North America and other continents. Politically, they range from far-right racist to far-left anti-fascist — and everything in between (including apolitical). Fashion-wise, they range from the more cleancut mod-influenced 1960s image to the less-strict punk- and hardcore-influenced styles. History Mod origins In the early 1960s, Great Britain's entrenched class system limited most working class people's educational, housing and economic opportunities. However, Britain's post-war economic boom led to an increase in disposable income among many young people. Some of those youths invested in new fashions popularized by American soul groups, British R&B bands, certain movie actors, and Carnaby Street clothing merchants. These youths became known as the mods, a youth subculture noted for its consumerism — and devotion to fashion, music and scooters. Mods of lesser means made do with practical styles that suited their lifestyle and employment circumstances: steel-toe boots, straight-leg jeans or Sta-Prest trousers, button-up shirts, and braces (called suspenders in the USA). When possible, these working-class mods spent their money on suits and other sharp outfits to wear at dancehalls, where they enjoyed soul, ska, bluebeat and rocksteady music. Split with the mods Around 1965, a schism developed between the peacock mods, who were less violent and always wore the latest expensive clothes, and the hard mods (also known as gang mods), who were identified by their shorter hair and more working-class image. Also known as lemonheads and peanuts, these hard mods became commonly known as skinheads by about 1968. Their shorter hair may have come about for practical reasons, since long hair can be a liability in industrial jobs and a disadvantage in streetfights. Skinheads may also have cut their hair short in defiance of the more bourgeois hippie culture popular at the time. In addition to retaining many mod influences, early skinheads were interested in Jamaican rude boy styles and culture, especially the music: ska, rocksteady and early reggae (before the tempo slowed down and lyrics became focused on topics like black nationalism and Rastafarianism). Skinhead culture became so popular by 1969 that even the rock band Slade temporarily adopted the look, as a marketing strategy.* The subculture gained wider notice because of a series of violent and sexually explicit novels by Richard Allen, notably Skinhead and Skinhead Escapes. Offshoots and revivals By the 1970s, the skinhead subculture started to fade from popular culture, and some of the original skins dropped into new categories, such as the suedeheads (defined by the ability to manipulate one's hair with a comb), smoothies (often with shoulder-length hairstyles), and bootboys (with mod-length hair; associated with gangs and hooliganism). Some fashion trends returned to mod roots, reintroducing brogues, loafers, suits, and the slacks-and-sweater look. In the mid-1970s, the skinhead subculture was revived to a notable extent after the introduction of punk rock. Skinheads with even shorter hair and less emphasis on traditional styles grew in numbers and grabbed media attention, mostly as a result of using Millwall bricks in hooliganism during football matches. These skinheads wore punk-influenced styles like higher boots than before (14-20 eyelets) and tighter jeans (sometimes splattered with bleach). However, there were still several skinheads who preferred the original mod-inspired styles. Eventually different interpretations of the skinhead subculture expanded beyond The UK and Europe. One major example is that in the United States, certain segments of the hardcore punk scene embraced skinhead style and developed its own version of the subculture. Racism and anti-racism In the late 1960s, some skinheads (including black skinheads) had engaged in Paki-bashing (random violence against Pakistanis and other South Asian immigrants).** However, there had also been anti-racist and leftist skinheads from the beginning, especially in areas such as Scotland and Northern England.* * In the 1970s, the racist violence became more politicized, with the involvement of far right organizations like the National Front and British Movement, which included some skinheads among their ranks. Those organizations' positions against blacks and Asians appealed to some working class skinheads who blamed immigrants for economic and social problems. This led to the public's misconception that all skinheads are neo-Nazis. In an attempt to counter this negative stereotype, some skinheads formed anti-racist organizations. Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP) started in the USA in 1987, and Anti-Racist Action (ARA) began in 1988. SHARP spread to the UK and beyond, and other less-political skinheads also spoke out against neo-Nazis and in support of traditional skinhead culture. Two examples are the Glasgow Spy Kids in Scotland (who coined the phrase Spirit of 69), and the publishers of the Hard As Nails zine in England.* Music
Style and clothing Hair: Tops: Coats: Bottoms: Footwear: Hats: Trilby hats; pork pie hats; flat caps (AKA Scally cap, Benny or driver cap). Less common have been bowler hats (AKA derby hats), mostly among suedeheads and those influenced by the film A Clockwork Orange. Braces: Various colours, usually no more than ¾ inch in width. In some areas, wider braces may identify a skinhead as either white power or a wanna-be. Tattoos Including (but not limited to): Laces and braces Some skinheads, particularly highly political ones, attach significance to the color of boot laces, braces, and (less commonly) flight jackets. Some use them to indicate beliefs or affiliations. The particular colors used have varied regionally, so only skinheads from the same area are likely to interpret them accurately. In many areas laces must be 'laddered' - arranged with the outside laces horizontal and parallel, resembling a ladder - to be considered of any significance. The "braces and laces game" has largely fallen into disuse, particularly among traditionalist skinheads, who are more likely to choose their colors for fashion purposes. Categories There are several different types of skinheads, in terms of style and political beliefs. Some skinheads don't fit into any of these categories, and many display characteristics of more than one category. The usefulness of these terms is to explain the dominant forces of skinhead social structure. There are no reliable statistics documenting how many skinheads have belonged to each category. Style categories Political categories Glossary of terms Leather shoes or boots, referring to the number of rows of lace eyelets. Other common numbers are 10, 12, 14, 18, and 20. Blue jeans treated with household bleach to create a military camouflage-like pattern. They were popular among punk-influenced Oi! skins of the late 1970s and the 1980s.
(primarily USA) Euphemism for a skinhead fight involving kicking, especially when one side outnumbers the other. (primarily UK) Another term for skinhead, specifically one who frequently seeks out enemies to fight. Opponents are usually members of rival subcultures or football firms. Bovver is Cockney dialect for bother (in this case, referring to violence). A fashion accessory for holding up trousers, consisting of a pair of elasticized bands which go over the shoulders and fasten to the trousers (usually with metal clips). In North America they are commonly called suspenders, although many skinheads use the British term. (Suspenders in UK English means a garter belt.)
An image depicting a skinhead suspended from a cross; often seen on T-shirts and patches, or as a tattoo. It symbolizes the hardships of the skinhead lifestyle (such as being vilified as racist even if one is not). A derisive term used by political skinheads for those who refuse to take sides, or who will associate with opposing groups. A skinhead (usually young) who is new to the subculture. There is no consensus about how long one must be part of the skinhead subculture before this label no longer applies. A slow, exaggerated dance style associated with ska music. Acts of extreme violence, often random, with no clear justification. It comes from the fictional Nadsat dialect featured in the Anthony Burgess novel A Clockwork Orange. | |||||||||
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