Punk Fashion

One of the first things you think about when you hear the word 'punk' is the fashion. The stereotype of punk fashion is dyed hair, ripped trousers and t-shirts and Doctor Marten boots.

 Punk fashion of the 70s suited the life style of many youths at that time because with limited cash due to unemployment and the general low income, school leavers and students could still be apart of the punk scene without spending a lot of money. Alot of the clothing was homemade or bought from secondhand shops and then customised in the hope of attracting attention and shocking people.


                                                            Punk Fashion                     'Vivien' from 'The Young Ones' TV series 

Body piercing and self-mutilation were another big part of the fashion. This is probably what shocked people the most because it simply was not 'the norm' to seeing people walking around with studs and safety pins hanging out of their faces.

Facial Piercing

The whole 'punk' fashion scene was said to have been started by Malcolm McClaren and Vivien Westwood with their shop 'Sex' which sold bondage wear and slogan T-shirts, in fact the band, The Sex Pistols, were originally put together by Malcolm McClaren, as an advert for the clothing that the shop sold.

Vivian Westwood                             Malcolm McClaren 

"Malcolm McClaren shaped the face of British Music. Without him, we would never have had Primal Scream or Oasis or so many iconic British bands that followed in the tracks of the Sex Pistols". - Alan McGee, music industry boss and musician