MY understanding of subculture is of young people being expressive and linking their identities to their interest and hobbies.
Popular subcultures includes skate culture (something I heavily subscribe to), metal culture, surf culture, the gay community, punk culture, grunge culture and kwaito-inspired culture.
All these subcultures are also defined by their respective aesthetic and they have staple pieces or looks that can be linked to them. Metal and punk culture takes inspiration from the Gothic look – which mainly features dark make-up, tattoos, leather garments and Doc Martens shoes.
Skate culture mainly features five-panel caps, skate shoes (not the gross DC ones), baggy jeans and cotton T-shirts.
Dick Hebdige’s book, Subculture: The Meaning of Style, is viewed in academia as one of the most influential studies on youth subcultures. According to Hebdige, style is constructed through a combination of clothing, music, dance, make-up and drugs.
Style and taste play a huge role in why subcultures begin in the first place because at the end of the day, kids just want to hangout or liken themselves to people they can relate to. Hebdige’s study also mentions how there’s a rebellious theme to subcultures and how they’re formed through a common resistance.
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For me, that analysis is spot-on because even the most saturated subcultures like the ‘Hypebeasts’ or modern-day street-wear enthusiasts and the ‘hipster’ culture are all popularised by going against the mainstream.
Hipsters make basic spaces like coffee shops their stomping ground, similar to how a beach and a skate park would be for a surfer and skateboarder respectively.
Subcultures also have a lot to do with one’s socio-political/economic mindset and background. Rebellious or edgy suburban kids find themselves trying to break away from their “picture perfect” or pretentious environment and upbringing. These suburban youngsters seek to be as different as possible from the status-quo by engaging with other young people from outside their area or finding similar characters from different suburbs.
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For example, the edgy youth would rather roll a cigarette than buy a box of a commercial cigarettes.
Subcultures in the hood (Townships) are heavily inspired by music, sports and Italian name brands. Only recently I have seen a hip-hop inspired shift in the hood, with a lot of the youth being inspired by artists like Okmalumkoolkat and new-age hip-hop.
The most commercialised youth sub-culture in the world at the moment is skateboarding culture.
This sport thrives on being rebellious and anti-establishment. In its media coverage, skate culture is painted in a dare-devil light, with an almost punk-rock feel to it. From fashion and music to film and mainstream sports – skaters are portrayed as fearless and cool.
Skateboarding fashion is commercialised through American brands like Stussy and Supreme feature prominently in popular culture.
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