Punks.com

For some folks, punk clothing is more than just a torn blazer and studded belt. Punk is a lifestyle, a way to express what is going on inside a person’s heart and soul through music, clothing and hairstyle. To outsiders, punk clothing might conjure up visions of a disheveled Johnny Rotten or an angry Mick Jones, but to those who live the punk lifestyle, every song and every item is a step on the path towards personal expression.

In the beginning, punk clothing was handmade. This helps account for its individualistic style. No two jackets, scarves, boots or pants were alike. Punk bands might have influenced what their screaming fans wore, but in the end, it was the fans themselves going home and deciding what punk fashion would be. In this way, punk apparel and style can be seen as organic and animated, with its sudden cuts and drooping lines changing almost daily. Punk clothing, like the entire punk movement, is not something just to be looked it. It is meant to be experienced, held onto, and rhapsodized in song and spirit.

Punk hair serves almost a utilitarian purpose. Short and sometimes brutal, the hair is not given over to coddling or cared for by loving hands. It is meant to make a statement. Lots of punk hair demands to be bleached before it’s given the preferred color. Green, yellow and pink are popular colors, with blue, red and purple being used by individuals who want to match the darker colors of the leather pants and boots they might be wearing. No color is off limits when it comes to punk hair, though. The wearer can choose the color of hair purely dependent on the mood or outlook of the day.

A must-have for any true punk aficionado is the blazer. It is almost blasphemous not to have one, and punk bands everywhere consider the ripped blazer pose perfect for album covers. Of course, the blazer does not have to be torn to be punk. On the contrary, some of the most glorious and yet still refined overcoats are actually punk blazers in disguise. Many punk wardrobes are built around the blazer itself, and entire collections of punk clothing have been inspired by this staple accoutrement.