Anti-Fashion, in the purest sense of the word, is a term that is used to describe various types of dress that contrasts trendy clothing and the ‘fashion of the day’. Some may wear different styles to merely encourage new trends that break away from what is considered mainstream fashion, while some others may use different types of dress as a way to express a particular attitude from a political standpoint. (Barnard 2002)
An example of Anti-Fashion can be traced all the way back to the early 1900’s, where women would dress androgynously as a way to rebel against gender roles and free themselves from societal norms. Anti-Fashion comes in many different forms, whether it was the aforementioned androgynous styles of the 20’s and 60’s, or the Grunge scene that promoted a grittier, ‘lazier’ style that was prominent during the 90’s; but perhaps the style that most represents Anti-Fashion is the Punk sub-culture. (Holland 2004)
1920’s androgynous fashion.
The Punk culture originated in the UK, US and Australia during the mid-1970’s. The Punk sub-culture was heavily influenced by various musical, political and artistic movements. (Robb 2005)
UK punks in the 1980’s.
What separates Punk from other fashion styles/trends is how immersed it is in political ideologies; to hardcore punks, this sub-culture is more than just another trend, it’s a lifestyle. Punk in general is driven by anti-establishment and anti-authoritarianism views, non-conformity (kind of ironic since the majority of punks seem to sport large, colourful hair, leather jackets and body modifications) and a DIY (Do-it-yourself) ethic. The DIY ethic (which refers to the idea of self-sufficiency) is something that contributes enormously into Punk’s style, which includes sewing, modifying and repairing clothing rather than buying a new outfit, and was also popularised by English fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, who was responsible for bringing Punk into the mainstream. The DIY aesthetic was more than just a style choice, it was tied with the idea of anti-consumerism; the rejection of consumerist culture, and to provide for oneself without the aid of a paid professional or establishment, therefore creating sense of independence. (Young 1998)
Punk icon Sid Vicious in his element. He famously wore a swastika for shock value.
Art tends to be held in a higher regard than fashion. The idea of a connection between art and fashion has always been a problematic one, and it has for a while been unclear whether fashion and art really do mix. In some cases Anti-Fashion was used more than to just dress differently or to stand out of the crowd. Like art, it comes in many different forms and, like art, usually has a message or a purpose behind it, an idea that needs to be expressed and has been used in the past as a way to make the general public question society’s norms. When clothing is incorporated with an ideology or a political viewpoint, the lines between fashion and art become blurred.
REFERENCES:
Barnard, M 2002, Fashion as communication, Routledge, pp. 12–19
Holland, S 2004 “Anti-fashion and feminism”, Alternative femininities
Robb, J 2005. “The birth of punk”. The Independent (London) viewed 21st August 2015
Young, Tricia Henry (1998). Break All Rules! Punk Rock and the Making of a Style. UMI Research Press
Fashion & Art blog 2015 