How to Dress 80s Punk: 10 Iconic Fashion Styles to Recreate
As a movement that emerged in the 1970s in the UK, Punk was a way for youthful rebels to express dissatisfaction with mainstream culture through music and fashion.
Inspired by bands with raw sound and lyrics addressing social and political issues, 80s Punk fashion became the choice of social disrupters worldwide.
Musicians like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Ramones, Billy Idol, and Madonna were icons to those who wanted to express their individuality through fashion.
Leather jackets, shredded denim, slogan tees, mohawk hairstyles, and edgy accessories were key stylistic elements defining the attitude of the Punk subculture.
Decades later, Punk fashion is more relevant than ever, and in this article, we’ll revisit ten iconic 80s Punk looks to fashion your inner rebel.
1. 80s Classic Punk
While the Classic Punk style is the culture’s original fashion statement, right back to the Punk’s movement early 1970s days, the initial look was nothing as you imagine.
The early Punk look was ‘crafted’ in the UK by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, whose London boutique SEX was the hub of Punk culture and fashion.
The look comprised sleeves printed tees, studded leather jackets, and plaid suits, matched with heavily permed and colored hairstyles.
Almost simultaneously, across the ocean, The Ramones, a Punk rock band from New York City, started the American Punk fashion scene.
Ramones early style showcased black leather jackets, patchy blue jeans, neon-colored tees, and Converse shoes.
Other bands like The Clash and Siouxsie and the Banshees colored the Punk movement with unique fashion choices blending 70s and 80s fashion styles.
Preppy and college jackets in dark colors, cargo pants, fishnets, student belts, leather jackets in various colors, band tees, and bandanas were blended to create representative looks.
However, it was Sid Vicious, the bass player from Sex Pistols, who took the Classic Punk style to the look we associate it with nowadays.
Sid’s all-black leather jackets and jeans, augmented with metallic accessories like studs, spikes, and chains, had a mysterious gothic vibe.
Joan Jett, Boy George, and a young Madonna quickly adopted Punk-inspired ensembles and accessories, making the Classic Punk style popular worldwide.
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2. Grunge Punk
Originating in the Pacific Northwest, the Grunge-Punk music genre became the soundtrack of a generation seeking to express their tormented emotions through clothing.
Powered by brooding lyrics and angsty attitude, the Grunge Punk style was, arguably, the subculture’s most popular 80s look.
The iconic flannel shirt, associated with the Grunge style, became mainstream for the ability to combine with everyday clothes and mix in layers.
With shaggy blonde hair, ripped jeans, clout goggles, and knotted flannels, Kurt Cobain was an icon of the Grunge Punk culture.
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3. Anarcho Punk
The Anarcho-Punk style was rooted in the ideals of anarchy and protest against the oppressiveness of authority.
The movement aimed to draw attention to social issues like racism, sexism, and animal rights.
The Anarcho-Punk fashion style was characterized by ripped jeans, tops with political messages, heavily patched biker jackets, and accessories like safety pins, chains, and studs.
Crass, an English Anarcho-Punk band, combined classic British worker clothes with Anarchy symbols and bold slogans designed to spark conversation.
During the 1980s, tees, sweatshirts, and jackets became the primary vehicles of protest.
As such, subversive slogans and Punk symbols, from svastikas to religious and peace signs, were boldly printed and painted on clothes, aiming to protest or disrupt the status quo.
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4. New Wave Punk
New Wave Punk emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a sub-genre of Punk, but with a blend of elements from pop, electronic, and disco music.
Like the musical genre, the clothing styles were a more colorful variation of the original Punk style.
The outfits associated with the New Wave Punk style were colorful and eclectic; skinny ripped jeans, graphic tees, plaid skirts, overcoats, denim jackets, see-through tops, and of course, the characteristic New Wave hairstyles.
Debbie Harry – Blondie’s lead singer – was a key rep of the 80s New Wave Punk style.
Debbie’s denim jackets, metallic sequins mini dresses, graphic t-shirts, and neon-colored leggings were at the pinnacle of the New Wave Punk dressing style.
Other notable New Wave Punk style icons from the 80s include David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, and Boy George of Culture Club, who introduced fancy shoes and brightly-colored kicks.
The clothes were always matched with dyed or colored hair, reflecting the New Wave Punk aesthetic.
As a leading band of the New Wave Punk style trend, Duran Duran’s choice of brightly colored suits in parallel with leather jackets and denim pants showcases the style’s flexibility from Pop to Punk and back.
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5. Goth Punk
By combining elements of Punk aesthetic and Goth fashion style, the Goth-Punk style was the most mysterious dressing style of all the Punk subcultures, at least to that date.
The style comprised all-black long coats, fishnet stockings, corsets, leather vests, chokers, and many accessories with religious influences.
The look was completed with spiky hairstyles, heavy dark makeup, black lipstick, and black eyeliner.
Inspired by Victorian romanticism, Goth Punk outfits of the 80s incorporated clothes with a dramatic feel, like velvet cloaks, lace gloves, and gothic-style jewelry.
An icon of the 80s Goth Punk culture and music, Siouxsie Sioux was also famous for her darkly romantic dressing style.
Another prominent figure of the 80s Gothic-Punk scene was Robert Smith – The Cure’s lead singer.
Like Siouxsie Sioux, Robert’s trademark look of dark eye makeup, red lipstick, and unkempt, teased hair complemented his unique Goth-Punk dressing style.
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6. Skater Punk
Skateboarding requires a good blend of durability and comfort; equally, the skater fashion style prioritizes practicality without sacrificing aesthetics.
Influenced by the growing skateboarding culture of the 80s, the Skate Punk style balanced Classic Punk fashion with Streetwear apparel in an effortless expression of coolness.
Skate Punk fashion blended patchy Punk jackets and slogan tees with flannel shirts, denim shorts, sweatpants, high socks, Van’s brogues, and trucker hats.
More a skated than a ‘punker’, Tony Hawk (professional skateboarder) is credited with instilling Skate apparel into the Punk style via his signature look of branded tees, shorts, Vans sneakers, and trucker hats.
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7. Crust Punk
Appearing in the late 1980s – as a sub-genre of Punk that combined elements of Anarcho-Punk, Hardcore Punk, and Thrash Metal – Crust Punk had the roughest and edgiest looks of all Punk styles.
Driven by an anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian philosophy, the Crust Punk culture resembled the Anarcho Punk style but had an overall grungy and unkempt look.
The clothing comprised heavily patched, tattered leather jackets, torn black jeans or army cargo pants, ripped t-shirts, leather pants, army boots, and studded accessories.
Despite the anti-establishment creed, Crust Punk fashion was adopted by high-profile musicians like Shane MacGowan – The Pogues’ vocalist, and Stig Miller – Amebix’s guitarist.
Also, bands like Antisect, Doom, and Discharge were avid supporters of the Crust-Punk movement and popularized the look among their fans.
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8. Hardcore Punk
The 80s Hardcore Punk embodied a fiery and defiant spirit showcasing an edgy, almost aggressive fashion style.
The look comprised leather jackets, flannel shirts, ripped t-shirts with political slogans, and army boots.
The Hardcore Punk style took the leather jackets from the Classic Punk look, flannel jackets from Grunge Punk, and slogan tees from Anarcho Punk.
The DIY aesthetic of Hardcore Punk style was often extreme as fans distressed clothing with scissors, razor blades, or even fire.
With skater shoes, distressed brown jeans, and worn-out tops, Henry Rollins – vocalist of the Black Flag group – was a key figure of the Hardcore Punk scene.
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9. Pop Punk
Pop Punk fashion emerged in the mid to late 1980s and was characterized by a blend of Classic Punk Rock elements with Pop music clothing in bright colors.
The subgenre’s dressing style reflected the upbeat, catchy melodies with lyrics that dealt with themes of teenage angst, relationships, and social alienation.
As such, the Pop Punk fashion style was diverse, colorful, and playful, blending streetwear, grunge, and skatewear.
Descendents, Bad Religion, and Green Day are notable Pop Punk bands from the 80s known for their signature looks.
With streetwear jackets, denim pants, and skateboarding sneakers, these bands influenced the sound and the face of the Pop Punk style.
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10. 80s Post-Punk
Post Punk emerged as a sub-genre of Punk but with a broader range of musical influences, including art rock, funk, and experimental music.
The dressing style reflected unconventional song structures, angular guitar riffs, and atmospheric soundscapes, showcasing a minimalist approach of monochromatic color palettes and avant-garde hairstyles.
The Post Punk fashion style drew inspiration from the New Wave and Goth dressing styles.
As such, it often included Anti-Punk style elements like suits, white dress shirts, and skinny ties.
Morrissey of The Smiths favored slim-fitting suits, and Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division, had a melancholic military fashion style.
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Key Takeaways
The Punk movement holds self-expression at its core; started as a homage to rebellion and anti-establishment, the subculture birthed some of the most amazing fashion styles of the 80s.
Moreover, in line with constant cultural currents driving fashion trends and styles, Punk fashion continues to evolve.
From the original Punk Rock of the 70s to today’s modern influences, Punk fashion remains a timeless symbol of rebellion and individualism that continues to inspire and influence contemporary fashion.
By rediscovering the most iconic Punk styles of the era, you can tap into your own inner rebel and create a look that stands out from the crowd.
From studded leather jackets to bold graphic tees and edgy accessories, there’s a Punk style for every taste and personality.
Don’t be afraid to showcase your wild spirit by embracing one of these amazing 80s Punk fashion styles.
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source https://thevou.com/fashion/80s-punk-fashion/
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