Skinheads are members of a subculture that originated in Jamaica in the 1960s. Skinheads were closely tied to the Rude boy of the West Indies and the Mods of the UK, and have their origins in these groups.

Table of contents
1 History
2 Sects
3 Style
4 Music
5 Glossary of Terms
6 External links

History

With a large migration of immigrant workers from Jamaica to Great Britain in the 1960's, the white working class youth began adopting the style of their Jamaican counterparts - short, cropped hair, straight-leg denim jeans with the cuffs rolled up, black military style boots, braces (suspenders) - and embraced the musical genre of ska. Skinheads are a product of Mod's, a subculture of youth noted for their consumerism and affection for style, music and scooters. Around 1965 a group of "hard" or "gang" mods, who could be identified by their shorter hair and working-class image, emerged from the larger mod scene. This resulted in a schism that produced "peacock mods" (The Who, The Kinks) and skinheads, commonly known by that name by around 1968 (other early nicknames include "lemons" and "suits" among others). Early followers were mainly interested in and influenced by Jamaican Reggae and Ska music (aka, The Spirit of 69), Jamaican Rude Boy culture and a dislike of those perceived as the 'ruling classes'. They had an extreme dislike for the government and many larger businesses as both appeared to misrepresent the working class and their wishes.

Skinhead culture exploded in the year 1969, after which the original skinheads slowly dropped into new categories, including the self-explanatory "Suede-head" (defined by the ability to manipulate one's hair with a comb) and the next-stage group, the "Smoothies" (often up to shoulder-length hairstyles). Both groups existed as lapse versions of skinheads, whose fashions regressed to their mod roots, introducing the more common wearing of brogues (originally an identifier once boots became too conspicuous) as well and the slacks-with-a-sweater look. Here was a far cry from the singly blue-jeaned and typically boot-toed skins of the past.

During the mid-1970's in the UK, the skinhead movement was reborn in an unexpected way. With the introduction of Punk Rock to the public, kids were looking for the next great shock-rockers. Skinheads with shorter hair, less emphasis on style and cleanliness, and a new sound grew and grabbed the attention of the media as a result of repeated incidents of hooliganism during football (soccer), often to the point of rioting, between skinheads and members of the so-called ruling class. So-called "Punk skins" also gained a great deal of media attention after they were recruited by the anti-immigration political group, the National Front who used the skinheads' reputation for violence to intimidate opposition. Most skinheads deny that their group was recruited to engage in racist and criminal activity by this organization, claiming that the National Front recruited street youth, shaved their heads to give them the appearance of skinheads, and paid them to bully, threaten and even enact violence upon immigrant workers.

The negative press generated concerning skinheads caused a demise in their numbers. American skinheads received the same spin as their British counterparts. Fueled by sensationalist television, skinheads were inaccurately stereotyped a mindless, violent, and racist. As a response to this negative stereotype, the 1980's saw the birth of the SHARP movement in New York. The group claims to be opposed all forms of bigotry.

The Third Wave of ska brought a resurgence in skinhead subculture in the early 1990's, and the popularity of the group continues to grow. Today, skinheads can be found in all of North America and Europe as well as in places such as Japan and Mexico.

Sects

There are a number of different "types" of skinhead, who divide themselves and their allegiances across political and racial lines.

Traditional (or Trads) or Originals - This group closely identifies itself with the original skinhead movement ("Spirit of 69"), maintaining working class pride and a dislike for the "ruling class". Non-racist and largely apolitical. This group is the largest sect of the subculture.

SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) - Political, and aggressively anti-racist. Considered to be the response to mass media's racial stereotyping of skinheads.

Neo-Nazi Skins (sometimes called White Power and derogatorily referred to as "Boneheads" by Trads and SHARPs) - The most vocal and well recognized sect of the subculture. Racist and highly political.

There are a number of other sects of skin worth mentioning, the Reds (communists), Anarchists, Mods, white pride, and gay skins among them.

In-fighting and Hostilities Each sect of skinhead may be considered to be hostile to a number of other groups, though violence is the exception to a rule of name-calling, harrassment and defamation behind closed doors. Some traditional enmities include:

Traditionalists - Punk-Skins (sometimes including SHARPs and racist/racialist groups), Punks, Bikers, Greasers, Red Skins, Metalheads, Hippies

Punk-Skins (old school) - Mods, Trads, Bikers, Greasers, Teddy Boys, Red Skins, Hippies

SHARPs - Red Skins, Hippies, Fence-Walkers (non-racist skins who will associate with racist skinheads), and of course, anything resembling a racist

Racist/Racialist/White Pride/White Power/Neo-Nazi - Everyone else, particularly SHARPs and punks

Red Skins - Racists (mainly racist skins) and sometimes also fencewalkers. You may be both red and SHARP.

Style

Skinheads are highly visible in public to both allies and enemies, due to their style. In terms of clothing:

Tops:

  • Men: Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Brutus, Jaytex or Arnold Palmer; Flight Jacket (popular brands include Warrior and Alpha) , "wife beater" shirts, cardigan sweaters and t-shirts; button-ups are worn with top unbuttoned, hopefully with no tie and blazer is narrow and with as many ticket pockets as possible)
  • Women: Same as men with addition of dress suits comprising a matching short skirt and ¾ length jacket with button-up and hose

Bottoms:
  • Men: Levis or Wrangler, straight leg and rolled (to show off the boots) and "properly" fitted (the oft heard skinhead cry, "Get some jeans that fit, wanker!") and combat trousers
  • Women: Same as men, but also mini-skirts and fishnet stockings as well

Footwear:
  • Men: Boots, originally Dr Martens (Docs) preferably "steelies" (steel-toed) with 3 to 14 holes, later brogues and loafers and recently Grinders brand boots
  • Women: Docs or black penny loafers

Hats: Bowlers, pork pie, and scullies

Braces: No more than ¾ inch in width

Hair:

  • Men: originally between a "2" and "4" grade clipguard (short, but not bald!); beginning in 70's, typically shaved close with no greater than a "Number 2" guard
  • Women: although hair can be worn in the same fashion as men, skinhead girls commonly wear a "Chelsea" shaved on top with fringes grown out in the back and front. (Female skins are also referred to as Chelsea's although it is unclear whether the hairstyle was named after the girl or the girl after the hair style).

Laces & Braces

While the majority of skinheads ignore markings by lace, brace and less commonly flight jacket colors, some do consider them useful labels. These identifiers were largely regional and often have different and even opposite meanings in different areas. The list below should be considered "generic". While there was significance placed upon this once upon a time, the "braces and laces game" has fallen largely into disuse ("laces and braces don't make you racist").

White - White power, white pride, neo-Nazi

Red - White power, white pride, neo-Nazi, National Front, communist; sometimes a badge for completed racist violence

Yellow/black/blue - SHARP; sometimes a badge for completed violence against a racist

Blue - cop killer

Yellow - Asian basher

Pink - gay skin or gay basher

Green - gay skin or Vegan skin

Black - you just bought new boots or traditionalist

Black and White - Racial unity, traditionalist or ska fan

Music

Music plays an important role in any youth subculture and skinheads are no exception. Originally, the group was closely associated with the ska and reggae music of Desmond Dekker and Laurel Aiken before forming their own flavors of the style with bands like Simaryp, Joe the Boss, and Judge Dread.

In the 70's and early 80's, a variant on streetpunk, Oi became accepted enthusiastically by skinheads and punks, and Oi! continues to be one of the most popular genres among skinheads.

Aside from the main two, other types of music are popular among skinheads, namely Northern Soul, Rocksteady, streetpunk, mod rock and, in America expecially, Hardcore.

Glossary of Terms

External links