SUBCULTURE
CONTENTS 1. SUBCULTURE 2. CLOTHING 3. HAIR 4. BRAND 5. AUTHORS NOTE
FEATURING ARTWORK FROM LEON KARSSEN AND MARK GONZALES.
SUBCULTURE Seeing as we have already delved into the world of the greaser, it would be nice to have a more modern day subculture to compare them to. After analysis of clothing, hair and taste in music we picked up on key style traits and what exactly these greasers were trying to convey through the way they presented themselves. So if we are looking at conveyance in terms of subculture and style, how exactly has the use of conveyance changed through the decades as the subcultures today have developed? Well, to start off it is obvious that as equality has risen the amount of prominent subcultures has lessened and the youth of today has largely blended into one generation of unspecified kids. However this is one subculture that is growing rapidly to this day, a modern day subculture that began to blow up just as that of the greaser began to die down. The skaters. Through style and preference, what are these people trying to convey, what is their aim through this conveyance, and how does this compare to the greasers?
Skating was initially derived from the sport of surfing. In the 1960s and 1950s the popularity of surfing had a big boom, and of course, due to the unpredictable nature of the ‘surf’, people needed a way to replicate that same thrill but on land. The first skateboards were simply wooden boxes or boards with roller skate wheels attached to the bottom. Back then this was very suitably known as ‘sidewalk surfing’, a way to surf but on the street rather than the sea. These early skateboards were however dangerous and inefficient. It was a fundamental idea but was nonetheless lacking key elements. A way to stop, wheels that roll smoothly, the basic necessities. This was when, in 1959, a company called ‘Roller Derby’ released the first mass produced skateboard. With its metal wheels and shaped wooden deck, it was a huge step forward.
People began experimenting with tricks they could do with the skateboard, Rodney Mullen is often considered one of the primary founders of this step forward in skateboard culture. He is commonly regarded as the first person to have founded the flatland ‘ollie’. From then on skating became its own cultural beast, ever growing as it consumed the lifestyles of countless teens and young adults. Along with other legends such as Mark Gonzales, skateboarding quickly became a way to be creative rather than just a mode of transport and ‘sidewalk surfing’. People began experimenting with what exactly they could skate. Using empty swimming pools as ramps and grinding their boards along street rails. Skateboarding became something for the daring, those wishing to push their bodies to the limits of danger and physical exertion in order to pull of the craziest tricks.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
From then on the skate culture experienced rapid growth. Although originating with surfing, it began to individualize itself as its own sport, accumulating a widely recognizable subculture along with it. Better boards were produced, and more people picked up on the new trend and joined the early giant of a future subculture.
These creators became defined as the cool kids of society. Their nonchalant expression of carelessness in the face of danger and their willingness to try anything regardless of the impossible nature of the task. The culture became associated with marijuana and baggy clothes and further exuberated this carefree, laid back nature that just oozed ‘cool’ in all areas. Not only were they cool for the amazing feats against physics they would perform on these simple wooden boards, but also due to their whole nature. They DID NOT CARE. And if you didn’t care, you were cool.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH SKATEBOARDING BECAUSE IT WAS INDIVIDUAL; THERE WERE NO TEAMS, THERE WERE NO CAPTAINS, THERE WAS NOTHING TO PERFECT. NO STYLE THAT HAD TO BE MEASURED. IT WAS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE OF WHAT I SAW IN SO MANY SPORTS. IT WAS CREATIVE. AND TO THIS DAY, THAT IS WHAT I LOVE, THAT’S ALWAYS KEPT ME BACK TO IT BECAUSE IT’S ENDLESS CREATION.
RODNEY MULLEN
CLOTHING
THE HAT
AN INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE Fundamental. The hat. Every skater will likely have a multitude of hats in their ensemble of a wardrobe. There are no specificities when it comes to hats for this subculture. It could be a beanie, a bucket hat like demonstrated here, a cap or any other variation of headwear. The unstrict, boundary free view to styles of hat just further emphasizes the care free nature of these people. They don’t care what hat you wear. Just make it cool and that’s that. Hats aren’t only worn for their style however. In terms of skaters, it is likely that they will be outside grinding rails and riding halfpipes for long hours under the sun. Therefore the hat has become a common efficiency amongst the youth of this subculture. It provides a service by protecting them from the sun out on the baking streets. However, even in less warm climates you will likely find most skaters sporting some form of hat. It has become so integrated that the hat is a c ommonly produced item by giant skate brands such as Supreme and Thrasher. As stated, the nature of this style element is fluid, there are no boundaries, just wear what looks cool, simple as that. A perfect microcosmic representation of the laid back but eternally cool nature of these youths.
THE UPPER
TEE
Much like the hat, the style of tee is very fluid. There are no boundaries to design; graphic or plain goes just as well as each other. However, the tees worn by skaters are primarily simple in appearance, usually with minimal graphic design or just no graphics at all. This is very efficient in achieving that clean, minimalist look that emphasizes an unbothered attitude towards life. Who needs fancy designs anyway? One thing that can be said however, is that these tees are usually baggy, bought primarily in a size or two up to maximize comfort and maneuverability whilst skating whilst at the same emphasizing a chilled out, laid back ‘I don’t care’ attitude. This example here shows our model wearing his tee tucked in, which only further demonstrates how non-specific the style of a skater can be. To put it plainly, they do what they want.
SHIRT
Jumpers usually follow along the same concepts as the tees. Here is a perfect example showing a slightly oversized fit for that maximum maneuverability coupled with its nonchalant essence. Also notice the lack of any graphic design. Less is more with these people. Clean and cool looking, what more do you need?
THE LOWER THE LOWER THE LOWER THE LOWER THE LOWER THE LOWER THE LOWER
T H E J E A N S Jeans are subjective to the skater. The early pioneers of skating tended to wear baggy jeans for much the same reason as the shirt. However, as time has progressed so has style, and we now see a tighter fit of jeans to be more common among skaters around the globe. However these jeans are usually not too tight, as maneuverability is still essential. The fact that skaters have started wearing slimmer jeans as they have come into fashion demonstrates that even though this is its own subculture, these kids are still very in touch with the world and doing well with keeping up with the trends. Experts at being cool.
SHOE
EOHS
SHOE AN INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE
The shoes are another necessity when it comes to a skaters wardrobe. It is unnegotiable that to skate you need to have a decent pair of shoes that will be able to put up with the harsh grip tape of a board and the hours of unrelenting abuse. Companies like Vans and Nike sb (shown in this picture) are probably the most famous for their shoes, and although made for a purpose, their shoes closely follow along the other key design aspects of skater clothing. That being a clean, minimal approach without excessive unneeded design work. You will often see a skater walking around in torn up shoes from hours of skating, and they will wear this like a badge of honour. The more torn up your shoes, the harder you grind, the cooler you look and the less you give a crap.
SUPREME PARIS OPENED ON MARCH 10TH OF THIS YEAR
THE HAIR
AN INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE Compared to the greasers of volume 1 the skaters take a completely different approach towards hairstyles. The greaser hairstyle was very clean cut and often quite neat. For a skater it is the opposite. Hair is not a thing of concern for those in the skate world, just how life isn’t a concern to them either. You will often see those sporting messy, unkempt hairstyles, long in length and ruffled from the wind. You have to have a certain aura to pull this look off, but this aura is something skaters ooze. One of confidence yet carelessness, the apparent recurring theme throughout this subculture. The laid back nature of this style corresponds perfectly with the other style elements, and yet gives off a slight taste of rebelliousness, similar to the greasers.
BRA
AND
Whereas with greasers we looked at music to get a more in depth look into their lifestyle and taste, with skaters music is less of a specificity and varies between person, therefore it would not be the most accurate use of insight. However, what we can look at with skaters is the brands they choose to associate themselves with and the enhancement of the aura in relation to skate culture that these brands give off.
One of these brands is ’Golf Wang’, featured here. Golf Wang is a brand founded by famous rap artist ‘Tyler, the creator’. Tyler is commonly regarded as a rebel and someone who does not care. This is demonstrated in his music, often featuring vulgar lyrics with a large quantity of swearing and very controversial subjects. His whole lifestyle is so controversial that he has even been banned from certain countries. His lack of care about serious and controversial subjects as well as the way he conducts himself perfectly represents the skate culture. A chilled out, carefree attitude that is a common theme throughout.
‘Supreme’, founded by James Jebbia, is another brand that is highly associated with skate culture. In fact, it is probably the most highly sort after skate brand of all time. Similar to ‘Golf Wang’, Supreme uses very controversial designs for their clothing and demonstrates that ever-prevalent carefree attitude that is so prominent in skate subculture. The two brands are in fact so cohesive that Tyler, the creator is sponsored by Supreme and often sports their gear. Both brands are very accurate representations of a skater mind set and the fact that so many skaters dress in their clothing reflects a very purposeful conveyance.
AUTHORS NOTE
After an analysis of the style traits of the skate subculture we come across some obvious contrasts in conveyance between them and the greasers. Whereas the greasers were trying to convey an aura of rebelliousness and toughness through leather jackets and biker boots, the skaters are conveying a carefree laid back attitude to life with strong undertones of cool. There are similarities however with the fact that there are hints of rebelliousness within the conveyance of the skate culture. The whole idea of grinding on public property, running from cops for trespassing, even things as simple as not brushing your hair. These were all acts of rebelliousness; however they were a different type of rebel to that of the greaser. Where the greasers gave off a hard, tough exterior, the skaters are like the troubled teens of society. They are more like a nuisance than something to be scared of. Why though, are these skaters so intent on giving off this cool, laid back nature? Well unlike the greasers, these kids portrayed themselves in a way that they were the cool kids that every other kid aspired to be. They were role models to their own young generation. The fact that they portrayed themselves as so laid back and carefree compared to the greasers evidently reflects the political situation of the times these subcultures are thriving. The greasers gave off a tough aura perhaps due to the tougher living conditions of that era. They had to fight harder to make it, have a place in society and make a life for themselves. In comparison the skaters on the other hand, they live in a time of acceptance, a time where you can free coast through life and still turn out okay, and that is greatly reflected in their lifestyle. Having said all this, there is a key similarity that not only links these two subcultures, but all youth subcultures in general. The ultimate reason for whatever they may be trying to convey. We live in a world where the youth are placed underneath the older ones. They are the children and they are treated like the children. As if they are less intelligent and less entitled. Therefore, in order to feel as though you have a place in society, a youth must have something to be recognized for, that something ultimately being what they are conveying through their chosen subculture. For greasers it was their tough, rebellious nature. For skaters it is their cool, laid back aura. Although different, the resulting factor of these portrayals is the same. That resulting factor being recognition. The simple fact is that everybody wants to be recognized for something, and seeing as youth have always had so much entitlement removed from them, they have to work to rebuild something that they can be recognized for. A subculture. And that is the purpose of conveyance. A purpose transcendent of time and cultural difference. Recognition.
SUBCULTURE VOLUME 2