The Kinks said it best in their 1966 tune. "Eagerly pursuing all the latest fads and trends" Every musical genre has a look and if you don't have it you may as well take a hike…right? Well not so much these days.
This isn't new, this goes back further than anyone can recall. From the swing days to 'bobby socksers' you look like what your ear enjoy. From poodle skirts to spike collars there is a look for every genre.
Mods, Rockers, Metal Heads, Disco Diva's, Hippies we all wore a uniform of allegiance to a trend. This is America. Hell even country has its boots. I look around now and the lines are more blurred. When a 40 something has pink hair or a 15 year old has an afro the size of a globe well its a good thing, in a way.
We should all be allowed to wear what we like. Gone are the days when if you entered a punk club in anything other than Levi's and Doc Martens you were an instant 'poser'.
But luckily there are still those who follow the trends. I adore the two tone look of Ska followers and the loyalty they show, I always have. The club scene? Not my scene, spandex and booty shorts look silly unless you're really fit and as for guys with dropped trousers- lets move on from that shall we? Hardcore boys in tank tops look ridiculous to me but in practice it makes sense-those kids sweat their asses off in the pit and its better than no shirt at all.
Girls well things are different for them now. Pretty much anything goes no matter what unless.. you're a scene girl. Then its frills and cartoon heroes, little girl get ups for big girls on the prowl. I know a boy who thinks there is nothing sluttier than a scene girl in a tutu, hes a bit odd but that baby doll look must be good for something. Our own Mary Magpie sported the scene girl look for a couple years multi colored hair and neon but shes moved on to a more natural and relaxed look. But the scene girls are still out there. For the most part girls are dressing in typical street wear unless extremists. Hipsters in their silly frump dressses and berets..subtle but allied.
Guys, well theres the baseball hat wearing b-boys, the rockers in aforementioned basketball tank tops, the scene kids in skinny jeans and the burn out skater look. For the first time in a long time boys are more identifiable by their get up than the chicks. Right down to their hair. Gone is the 'one eye missing' look now with a push forward and longer than before.
Where can we take it? The Goths stole all the make up with their ghoulish death masks, the punks owned the hair, the hippies the shoes (or lack there of) the clubber stole the glitter and the rastas got the hats. Freakin love those hats by the way. I'd tuck my cellphone,car keys, change of clothes, hell everything fits in there.
What will be the new extreme? Where is the next shock value coming from and where is it? Piercings got our attention for awhile 'body modifications' were rock and roll but now only the circus kids have that…what could be next? What sound will inspire you to alter your appearance so there is no doubt youre 'part of it'? Cant wait to see whats up next.