Welcome to the 137th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we slip on our leather jackets and belt our spiked chokers, shaking a can of hairspray as we revisit the many haircuts of a traditional punk.
When imagining a punk rocker, it’s hard to forget the obscure hairstyles that complimented each skin-fitting biker jacket. From mohawks to liberty spikes, buzz cuts and mullets, punk retained a variety of unusual hairdues, in an array of unusual colours. Throughout the 80s and late 1970s, much of the UK’s suburban youth opted to ditch any sense of conformity, embracing their alternative selves in shape and maximalism.
As the general populous exited the 60’s ‘free love’ Hippie motion, bands like the Sex Pistols diverted attention to those in power. Flower children shaved their heads in light of political discourse before teens began spiking their hair in colourful mohawks. The less concise one’s hair was, the better, prompting shock-driven trends like Liberty Spikes and shaggy mullets. As mohawks got taller and jackets skinner, the movement would only grow, using a thrashed appearance to command mass attention.
Sparking a worldwide movement that would eventually birth grunge, punk’s denial of compliance was seen not only in hair but appearance as well. The core ethos of punk stand as an unapologetic rebellion against societal and political norms, demanding segregation from the mainstream in abrasive, defining attire. Empathized with platform boots, everything leather, and metallic spikes, choppy, loud, burn-out haircuts only fit the desired aesthetic.
Counterculture’s brass makeover would incite an array of prevailing stylistic choices that carry from era to era, seen even today. As we witness a cultural shift towards non-conformity and demur, these hairstyles resurge both on and off the runway, in like likes of influencers like @burberry.erry and even in Vetements’ recent Spring 2023 collection.
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