stories

[rachel infected]

better then havin ppl drivin by throwing shit at u. Lets see.. bagels, coffee, candy, rocks, and a watermelon. yay. we've had ppl drive by and yell "get a job", "white trash", and "punk is dead!". our fave though is "you're not punk rock!" and we yell back "what is!!?" and they tend to quiet up.

the funniest was this middle aged woman asked me and my friends "now honestly, ladies, tell me - do your mothers know and approve of the way you girls dress or do you change at each others houses or here at the mall? i'm a conservative and cant IMAGINE my kids looking like that." how nice of her to mention..

ooh another story. my friend was sitting back smoking a cig on one of those 25 cent rides infront of Vons and this lil kid told their mom they wanted to go on and so his mom looked at my friend all evil-like and said "well honey why dont you politely ask IT to get off.." bitch!

[travistina]

A friend of my mother's is always bothering me and asking me questions. She gave me a lecture on how college is bad because there are too many liberal ideas. then she asked me what I was going to do with the rest of my life becasue I cant dress like this forever. She said I cant live my life by lyrics(which I dont) so I asked her if she lived by Sinatra lyrics.

My sister goes to a private school. I picked her up one day and this woman looked at me and started 'whispering' loud enough for me to hear. She thought I was a devil worshipper and some other stupid shit. The next week I got a phone call from her because she found out that I tutor children and suddenly she wanted me to help her children out. She had nothing but good things to say to me.

[rockNrollSab]

Ok, so far, I think I have managed to not make any enemies on this board, but what I will say next might make some of you not like me.

I like almost all types of music, punk, ska, indie rock, rock en espanol, punk pop, swing, rockabilly, 80's new wave, and, yes, even some pop. I dress just like any other schmoe on the street. But, I never really identify myself with one genre, because HOW CAN YOU BE A TYPE OF MUSIC?!

So, I don't understand how you could want to dress 'punk rock' if being trully 'punk rock' is all about non-conformity? By adhering to a certain standard of dress, you are conforming to the 'punk rock' mentality of dress and the standards by which are put out by those who believe that they are 'punk rock'. Yes, by having a 3 foot mohawk and a black leather jacket with studs and pins and patches on it might not be the norm basically anywhere in society, it is still a common thing to see at a punk show. So, isn't that conforming to the typical 'punk rock image'?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[dick]

Originally posted by rockNrollSab
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

punk is a subculture. just like every other subculture i can think of, there are "fashion codes" for punks too. look at hippies, skinheads, punks, ravers, surfers, rivetheads, everything.
this "fashion sense" for punk was set 25 years ago, and back then it was shocking and completely different from the mainstream or other subcultures. now, its not so shocking, but the fashion sense remained...

punk is not a fashion, but a big part of punk is the fashion...i don't want to be associated with hot topic-esque "punks" or crusties (for the most part). now while punks do dress different from the mainstream, we do tend to look like eachother, just like every other subculture is pretty much recognizable by the way they look. the point isn't to look different from one another, but to look different from mainstream or other subcultures. we're not trying to be non-conformists from eachother, just from the mainstream. if someone wanted to be truly "non-conformist" they'd probably end up looking like a retard. it may sound dumb, but you can pretty much tell by looking at a punk who knows their shit and whos just getting into the scene and whos a retard or poser or whatever.

the way i explained that wasn't nearly as smooth as i planned it in my head, but you should catch my drift. if not...i'm down for arguing more about this anyways...

[JackBlackFlag]

Sabrina, I agree with you up to a point but also I can understand where Rachel is coming from. I'm gonna guess she's either about 13 or she's just getting into punk because she sounds a lot like me when I was a freshman in high school. I think it's tough for people to understand that punk rock is definitely not just a type of music, it is a culture. But what a lot of people like Rachel don't understand (at least not yet) is that you don't have to wear a uniform to be part of that culture.
Now when I was 13 years old I was fucking punk rock and I wanted everyone to know it. I had spiky hair and a leather jacket and a chain around my neck and spikes around my wrists. Most people gravitate towards being punk (as opposed to just listening to punk) because they feel that they don't fit in anywhere else and the punk scene is (supposed to be) a place that anyone is invited and encouraged to be themselves. But since that need for belonging is still there people who are just getting into punk think that they have to dress the part to belong.
But the longer I've been into punk rock the more I have realized that I don't have to have a mohawk and a leather jacket and I don't have to do stupid shit like smoke cigarrettes on the merry-go-round to be punk.
Someday, if this isn't just a passing fad for her, Rachel will realize that too.

Punk Rock.
Patrik.
http://www.angelfire.com/super/confits

[travistina]

I dont play dress up. I dress how I feel. Most people look at me and assume I'm gothic. I definitely do not look like I fell out of a gap ad. Alot of judgements I have to deal with are based on the way I think and the people use the excuse that's its the way I dress. I've always had the freedom to dress how I want but as I have gotten older it seems that more people are concerned by the 'image' I portray. I dont think I dress weird, punk,etc. But I sure as hell know I do look different without ever trying to be anything.

[rockNrollSab]

Thanx for clearing that up for me, dick and jackblackflag. by calling it a subculture, it makes a lot more sense for me now to see people dress a certain way, (not that I ever made fun of anyone for dressing a certain way). Actually, I, too, have story:

One day my mom and I were waiting at a corner to cross the street. We see two guys totally 'punk rock' they had the 3 foot green mohawk and everything. My mom whispered something to me about them looking so weird and that they probably used drugs. I chewed her out for stereotyping people and I said that they are probably really smart and just choose to dress that way to have an effect on people, but that my mom should not judge them on their dress. No sooner had I made my mom feel guilty than some guys in a car pass by and yell (at the punks) "what a bunch of fags! You think you're so punk rock, you freaks!" so, I guess you can't help everyone.

[Misfit Mike]

Ack.

OK, lets see. . .as most of you know, I don't post much. It's not that I haven't got anything to say, its just that by the time I get around to checking this someone has already said what needed to be said.

Well, back to the topic on hand: punk fashion in relation to attitude and music.

At the school I attend there has been an, excuse the crude term, "Pop punk" revolution, or some shit. You see, there is countless little girls wearing shirts that say "Punk Princess" and the like who hail Blink 182 and GreenDay as their punk rock saviors. The way I see it, I have three choices. I could A) Point and laugh, which I'm sure we have all done at one point or another B) try to ignore them, or the one I would most likely choose C) talk to them, and try to get them into the "real" punk seen.

I say "real" because who are we to say what is "punk rock" of course there is the tried and true "old school" punk bands that a lot of us like to name drop on these misinformed people, but as the Crass song goes "Punk became a movement b/c we all felt lost" you see, maybe those people who are wearing the blasphemous shirts see the change of music and dress as a way of escaping their old lives.

As an example: their is a "punker" as we are called by the masses at my school, who would fit the description of a punk with the green mohawk, leather jacket, and chains, studs, ect. What is ironic about this is he as a little sister who goes to our school, and she is one of the "punk princess" type. This is where it gets ironic and all of the things Op. Ivy stood for are tossed out the door. When I was a freshman, He used to talk shit on me and call me a poseur. This is where I think it gets funny. Not only is his sister a "punk princess" but her boyfriend used to hang around where we hang out, and one day he came up, told us he liked stained and he was from that point on going to be punk rock. Does he talk crap or try to teach them? No. . .and I'm sure he is content to just go right on talking crap and doing nothing to help the situation. He is one of the "punker than you" type who give us all a bad name.


Personally, I don't exactly dress punk and that's fine with me. Most people tell me I look more like "rock and roller" with the long hair, that I don't usually take the time to spike anymore. In fact the only really discernible punk attire I wear is my jacket, and no, its not leather, it denim, and its got the patches and crap, but what its got on it isn't as important as the faith and respect I put in the things depicted by those patches, pins and stuff. OK.

Well, I guess I'm done. If anyone read all the way down here I commend you. You have just earned yourself one cookie.

[Ear Pollution]

amen to that MisfitMike.

[rockNrollSab]

I want my cookie!

[Misfit Mike]

You both get cookies, as soon as I get some, providing I ever meet you, that is.

[FallApartGirl]

Oooh. Mikey's getting all philosophical-like. Watch out. Heehee.

I like to call you a punk and roller cos of the music you (we) listen to... All the classic rock and stuff, yanno? And we both know you're a rock guitarist. Well. Blues. Rock. Bluesrock. (I just had a "whorenun" flashback)

If I really wanted to piss you off, I would call you emo-core again. Haha.


Please, refrain from making emo geek jokes. You're going to make me cry.

[Unregistered]

Oooh. Mikey's getting all philosophical-like. Watch out. Heehee.

I like to call you a punk and roller cos of the music you (we) listen to... All the classic rock and stuff, yanno? And we both know you're a rock guitarist. Well. Blues. Rock. Bluesrock. (I just had a "whorenun" flashback)

If I really wanted to piss you off, I would call you emo-core again. Haha.


Please, refrain from making emo geek jokes. You're going to make me cry.>>>


Yeah, it has become painfully obvious in the fast few months that I am a blues-rock guitarist, especially with the band I'm in with Steven.

Call me emo-core and I'm going to call you a wannabe emo-geek
.

[FallApartGirl]

Originally posted by Unregistered

Yeah, it has become painfully obvious in the fast few months that I am a blues-rock guitarist, especially with the band I'm in with Steven.

Call me emo-core and I'm going to call you a wannabe emo-geek
.

I didn't call you emo-core.

That doesn't mean that I won't later, though.

[Misfit Mike]

I didn't call you emo-core.

That doesn't mean that I won't later, though.>>>

I didn't say you did. . . .meeh. OK.

[conflict84]

ok so heres the story you (yes you!) are sitting at home bored to death on a sunday night when instead you could be haveing a good time seeing Erratic Existence the new local punk band (at hogue barmicheals 3950 campus drive, newport beach $7 for tickets call 714-775-0712 or email me at erratic_existence@hotmail.com )so dont miss out and anyways it would be a good place to go drunk as fuck youll fit right in and now back to our pragraming

[Dave]

its all just fashion in the end..

[ihavepride2]

haha i have like one of these stories like everyday...just like yesterday....me and my friends were hanging out at the movies and the police were like harrassing us and giving us bad stares and kept saying "u guys watch a movie or leave!!" "u cant just hang around here!" and we were like ugh fine....when there were like 2934857345 other people just hanging out......all the "normals" and i have another one tjhat is also recent where these stupid dumb girls came up to me and my friends and said "do you guys enjoy to look like ridiculus fags wearing the ugliest trash around?" and they were like 4 blondes....and they look exactly the same! but we dont really like to make any trouble...so we just ignore them and dont make such a big deal....but mostly everyday i get strange looks from everyone! but i like the kids mostly...becuz they just come up to you and smile and stuff so u will like make friends....one time we were at this restaurant......with me and my friends and so like we saw these like 7 year old boys looking at us and laughing and stuff...bcause my friend had a mohawk and stuff.. so i went over and started making friends , when their mom came over...and quickly took them away yelling at them never to talk to strangers and especially not to talk to people that "look like that"....well i thought that wasnt very nice..its not like i was offering the boys drugs or anything...i wouldnt do that...we were just socializing.. :( these things always happen..but eh u get used to it :)

[conflict84]

HA HA HA !!!!! you guys are funny as fuck thinking you are punk rock gods and shit