Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian (specifically Jamaican) rude boys and British mods, in terms of fashion, music and lifestyle. Originally, the skinhead subculture was primarily based on those elements, not politics or race. Since then, however, attitudes toward race and politics have become factors in which some skinheads align themselves. The political spectrum within the skinhead scene ranges from the far right to the far left, although many skinheads are apolitical. Fashion-wise, skinheads range from a clean-cut 1960s mod-influenced style to less-strict punk- and hardcore-influenced styles.
The skinhead subculture was originally associated with music genres such as soul, ska, rocksteady and early reggae. The link between skinheads and Jamaican music led to the development of the skinhead reggae genre; performed by artists such as Desmond Dekker, Derrick Morgan, Laurel Aitken, Symarip and The Pioneers. In the early 1970s, some Suedeheads also listened to British glam rock bands such as The Sweet, Slade and Mott the Hoople. During this time, some reggae lyrics featured themes of black liberation and awareness, something that white skinheads could not relate to. This shift in reggae's lyrical themes created some tension between black and white skinheads, who otherwise got along fairly well.
Style and clothing
In addition to short hair, skinheads are identified by their specific clothing styles. Skinhead fashions have evolved somewhat since the formation of the subculture in the 1960s, and certain clothing styles have been more prevalent in specific geographic locations and time periods. There are several different types of skinheads in terms of style. 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 skinhead styles. There are no reliable statistics documenting how many skinheads have belonged to each category.
Traditional skinheads, also known as trads or Trojan skinheads, identify with the original 1960s skinhead subculture in terms of music, style, culture, and working class pride. Oi! skinheads appeared after the development of punk rock in the 1970s. They often have shorter hair and more tattoos than 1960s skinheads, and wear items—such as higher boots, tighter jeans, T-shirts, and flight jackets—that differ from those of their traditionalist counterparts. Hardcore skinheads originated in the United States hardcore punk scene in the late 1970s (with bands such as Iron Cross, Agnostic Front, Cro-mags, Sheer Terror, Warzone, and Murphy's Law). They differ from traditional skinheads by their musical tastes and a style of dress that is less strict.
Some skinheads, particularly highly political ones, attach significance to the colour of boot laces to indicate beliefs or affiliations. In a few cases, the colour of braces, and (less commonly) flight jackets may also signify affiliations. The particular colours used have varied regionally, and have meant totally different things in different areas and time periods. In the early days of the skinhead subculture, some skinheads chose lace colours based on the football team they supported. Only skinheads from the same area and time period are likely to interpret the colour significations accurately. The "braces and laces game" has largely fallen into disuse, particularly among traditionalist skinheads, who are more likely to choose their colours for fashion purposes than for expressing views.
The following list includes many of the clothing articles that have been worn by skinheads.
Hair:
* Men: Originally, between a 2 and 3 grade clip-guard (short, but not bald); beginning in the late 1970s, typically shaved closer, with no greater than a number 2 guard. Now some skinheads clip their hair with no guard, and some even shave it with a razor. This started with the introduction of the Oi! scene. Some skinheads sport sideburns of various styles, usually neatly trimmed.
* Women: In the 1960s, many female skinheads had mod-style haircuts. During the 1980s skinhead revival, many female skinheads had feathercuts (known as a Chelsea in North America). A feathercut is short on the crown, with fringes at the front, back and sides. Some female skinheads have a shorter punk-style version of the hairstyle; almost entirely shaved, leaving only bangs and fringes at the front.
Shirts:
* Long-sleeve or short-sleeve button-up shirts or polo shirts by brands such as Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Brutus or Jaytex; Lonsdale or Everlast shirts or sweatshirts; collarless grandad shirts; V-neck sweaters; sleeveless sweaters; cardigan sweaters; T-shirts (plain or with text and/or images related to the skinhead subculture). Some Oi! and hardcore-oriented skinheads wear plain white tank top undershirts, especially in North America.
Coats, jackets and suits:
* Fitted blazers; MA-1 type flight jackets (popular brands: Alpha and Warrior), usually black or green; denim jackets (often blue); Harrington jackets; donkey jackets; monkey jackets; Crombie-style overcoats; short macs; sheepskin 3/4-length coats; parkas. Traditional skinheads sometimes wear suits, often made out of two-tone tonic fabric (shiny mohair-like material that changes colour in different light and angles), or in a Prince of Wales or houndstooth check pattern.
* Women: Same as men, with addition of dress suits—composed of a ¾-length jacket and matching short skirt.
Bottoms:
* Sta-Prest flat-fronted slacks and other dress trousers; Jeans (normally Levi's, Lee or Wrangler), parallel leg, hemmed or with rolled cuffs (turn-ups); combat trousers (plain or camouflage). Jeans and slacks are worn deliberately short to show off boots, or to show off socks when wearing loafers or brogues. Jeans are usually blue, sometimes splattered with bleach to resemble camouflage trousers (popular among Oi! skinheads).
* Women: Same jeans and trousers as men, or skirts and stockings. Some skingirls wear fishnet stockings and mini-skirts, a style introduced during the punk-influenced skinhead revival.
Skinhead style: Dr. Martens boots with Levi's jeans
Footwear:
* Boots, originally army surplus boots or generic workboots, then Dr. Martens boots and shoes; brogues; loafers. During the 1960s, steel-toe boots were called bovver boots. Suedeheads sometimes wore coloured socks, such as in red, orange or green. In recent years, other brands of boots, such as Solovair, have become popular among skinheads, partly because Dr. Martens and Grinders are no longer made in England. Football-style athletic shoes, by brands such as Adidas, have become popular with some skinheads.
* Women: Same as men, with the addition of monkey boots.
Hats:
* Trilby hats; pork pie hats; flat caps (Scally caps or driver caps),winter woolen hats (without a bobble). Less common have been bowler hats (mostly among suedeheads and those influenced by the film A Clockwork Orange).
Braces:
* Braces (known as suspenders in North America), various colours, usually no more than ¾ inch in width, clipped to trouser waistband. In some areas, braces much wider than that may identify a skinhead as either unfashionable or as a white power skinhead. Traditionally, braces are worn up in an X or Y shape at the back, but some Oi!-oriented skinheads wear their braces hanging down.
Handkerchiefs:
* Silk handkerchiefs in the breast pocket of the Crombie-style overcoat or tonic suit jacket, in some cases fastened with an ornate stud. Later, pocket flashes became popular. These were pieces of silk in contrasting colours, mounted on a piece of cardboard and designed to look like an elaborately folded handkerchief. It was common to choose the colours based on one's favourite football club.
Badges and scarves:
* Button badges or sewn-on fabric patches with text and/or images related to the skinhead subculture in general, bands, affiliations or beliefs. Woollen or printed rayon scarves in football club colours, worn knotted at the neck, wrist, or hanging from a belt loop at the waist.
Umbrellas
* Some suedeheads carried closed umbrellas with sharpened tips, or a handle with a pull-out blade. This led to the nickname brollie boys.
Tattoos
* Tattoos have been popular among many skinheads since at least the 1970s revival. In 1980s Britain, some skinheads had tattoos on their faces or foreheads, although the practice has since fallen out of favour. Some skinheads get tattoos with images or text related to the skinhead subculture in general, bands, affiliations or their beliefs.
