CONSTELLATION: Academic Research Into Subcultures – Session 6

Posted: February 28, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Constellation | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In this session, we looked at two academic research groups – The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies also known as The Birmingham School and Post CCCS also known as Post sub-cultural Theory.

What are the Characteristics of Subcultures according to the CCCS (The Birmingham School’s) Research?

The Birmingham School feel that Subculture is constructed in relation to a dominant culture and that it always defies society in some way. They state that Subculture is carried and associated with the youth of society and that it emerges when individuals in similar circumstances feel themselves to be isolated or neglected by mainstream society.  They say that subculture has a delicate relationship with the media and was a reaction against it. The school puts high emphasis  class and gender and makes the point that subcultures are derived by working class youths, predominantly masculine rebelling against society and the parent culture (the establishment). This is referred to as “symbolic resistance” (Osbergy, 2004 p.116) – a political or ideological act fighting the system through rituals. Rituals create a group identity mostly through appearance and style, they are how you can spot the punk in the room for example but they also suggest homology and Bricolage. Homology being a set of values and beliefs that are shared within a subculture and Bricolage meaning changing the meaning of objects to reflect these values. The Birmingham school are adamant that Bricolage is a part  of sub-cultural identity. However, there are criticisms of their research.

Criticisms of the Birmingham Schools Research

First of all, saying that working class people only did subculture isn’t accurate. Every sub-cultural gang is a variety of genders, backgrounds, classes etc. What about political statements against the system? Bricolage is evident in subculture but can you not just like a style and experiment with different fashions? They made general assumptions and stereotyped. They didn’t suggest that females were part of subculture whereas for example we know that there was a feminist attitude in punk, punk women defied the Barbie doll look and rebelled against the parent culture by doing so. O’Brien’s work suggests in fact that if women wanted to be equal they were attracted to the punk subculture. Gender Bias is a criticism of the Birmingham School. They oversimplified the complex social make up of many youth cultures but the Birmingham Schools work is important because it says that street style is a valid subject to study and that is their contribution.

What are the findings of Post-CCCS research into Subcultures? (Known as post sub-cultural theory or post modern subcultures)

Post sub-cultural theory refers to subcultures as Neo-tribes.  Neo- tribes allow members to wander through multiple group attachments. The post sub cultural view is that there is a style in subculture but there is not necessarily a political statement or ideology behind it. However, they do say that there is a political statement in attitude, rather than style.  They maintain that you can have punk views and sensibility for example without wearing safety pins and ripped clothes.  The Birmingham School suggested everyone in subcultures has a look and an attitude but post sub-cultural theory suggests that there is a more complex process of selecting style. They state that the boundaries between subcultures are blurred. One week you could have a goth look and the next week you could be dressed like a punk, in their opinion, this doesn’t mean your beliefs have changed. CCCS suggested the fact that you were part of one gang, you followed the rules of a subculture in the 1970s but in the 1990s, the post subcultures said that you could float between cultures. The Post modern approach is that there is a mash-up stylistically, and there can be a mixing of styles. The media is important in their approach. The CCCS said subculture was a reaction against the media but the post sub-cultural view is that the media have always played a part in sub-cultural style and have helped define it,  for examples inspiration from musicians in the media. They say they have a symbiotic relationship – subculture uses the media and the media uses them. Post modern research suggests that subculture is far more fluid with less clear boundaries and less clear identities. The picking and choosing of style is apparent and identities are not fixed by Gender and class. They maintain that you can wear a style without making a political statement.

What unites the Birmingham Schools research and the Post Sub-cultural theory?

Bricolage unites both teams, it is evident in both’s research. CCCS suggests that Bricolage always has a meaning relating to society. Post modernists maintain that people gather objects to create a style and say something about themselves.

SUMMARY: Academic Theories and Terms

(Muggleton, 2000) suggested that subculture is merely a “stylistic game to be played”  committing yourself to a sub-cultural scene is far less evident in the 21st century.

The act of adopting many styles  and creating a mash-up of them is known as a “supermarket of style” (Polhemus, 1995)

Neotribalism  – (Maffesoli,1996) The feeling of togetherness but its is informal and not necessarily because of style. You can have a community, but it doesn’t have to be manifested stylistically. You may be part of a certain community if you go and listen to music and another if you are watching football for example.

Postmodern Spaces – “The airport departure lounge” (Turner,1999) – The Idea that you are only part of a community for a certain amount of time and then you float into another community/identity.

Distinctions between Travelers and Tourists (Sweetman,2004) – suggests that subcultures are one of the other. The travelers follow the rules of one subculture/part of a goth gang for example. The people are still around today but tourists are the ones floating around, hanging around with the goth for a little while and then moving on. Both are in existence. It is not the death of the 1970s subcultures, but 1990s floating subcultures exist alongside them.

Objectified Sub-cultural Capital (Thornton 1995) – Sub-cultural capital is objectified by well made hair cuts and music. Objectified sub-cultural capital refers to the objects that say “I am a punk” for example. (external)

Embodied Sub-cultural Capital (Thornton, 2004) is the idea of being in the know. Using but not overusing slang. Words, Speech and Attitudes. Part of being cool is not making it look like you are trying too hard.

This session was highly interesting and it was definitely beneficial in looking at the research of both groups. In terms of analysing subculture it was valuable to look at the opinions of researchers in the 1970s and the 90s and contrasting them. I would say that the post modern view is a lot more valid today, but without the Birmingham School I may not have been studying subculture anyway as they put across the point that is was valid to study.

CONSTELLATION: Case Study: The Zoot Suit, The Teds: Cath Davies: Session 3

Posted: February 15, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Constellation | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE ZOOT SUIT

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The Zoot Suit was a cultural statement. Its characteristics included baggy trousers with tight ankles, shoulder pads which over emphasised the physique, a wide-brimmed hat and they were usually brightly coloured. The suits were very over proportioned and exaggerated. There was an excessive use of fabric accompanied with Dutch type shoes and conked hair straightened into a point. The straightening of the hair was considered no difference to whitening your skin. It portrayed the idea of claiming a common white person suit and changing it for the Black man.

 The Zoot Suit protested against racial tension, it broke rules. Particular the rule of Blacks not being as valued as the whites in 1940s wartime. The use of excessive fabric in a time of war-time rationing was a statement being made in itself. The Blacks wearing the Zoot suit were basically putting two fingers up to the governments rules. The Zoot Suit was highly related to the breaking of rules and became associated with criminal activity and therefore creating a sense of panic and anxiety about people’s looks to do with hip hop culture. A few years ago, the wearing of the Hoodie had a criminal meaning, it was no different to the wearing of the Zoot suit. The way the wearers of the suit walked and presented themselves enhanced the meanings behind the suit. This is showing us that style is not just about clothing, it is about mannerisms, us and them. The way people speak can sometimes come into subculture – not knowing the language or slang of a subculture could make you not part of it.

Everything the Zoot Suits stood for was then revisited in the Hip Hop movement in the 1980s. There were many statements and meanings relating to racial identity hidden within the wearing of the Zoot Suit.

The Mens Fashion Reader – THE TEDS

TEDDY3

The Subculture “The Teds” was characterised by reinvention of the suit. They took an Edwardian look of the past and replicated it. Characteristics of this street style included expensive waistcoats and Edwardian style suits a dress that would have been worn by the Edwardian upper class gentleman in its originally incarnation. Expensive fabrics in the Edwardian times spoke of your wealth, power and class. The Teds wore these Edwardian suits as best as they could get them, it wasn’t the fashion of the day and the suit was not offered in shops. It was a street style marked by a style from the past, a very vintage look. In terms of difference, they wanted to disassociate themselves from what people were wearing from the high street. It is interesting to think that an old-time fashion was resurrected in the 1950s within a subculture.

Teds is a slang name for Edwardian. The Teds were the wrong class wearing the wrong suit in the wrong period. It was a working class sub-culture wearing suits that once belonged to the upper classes. The Teds were making a statement saying they could claim the objects that the upper class thought were theirs. The wearing of this suit was a statement purely about class. They modified the suit, new meanings emerged in the Edwardian suit because of change, it was modified and a new group of people wore it.

The “Teddy Boys”, “Teds” were revived in the earlier 1970s. In comparison, both the 50s and 70s Teds wore velvet waistcoats and ties but there were more modifications to the Edwardian ensemble in the 70s. The drainpipe trousers were thinner and the jackets became longer, the shoes were crepe soled and blue suede shoes came about by Rock and Roll. The 1950s Teds influenced the Psychobillies wearing of the creeper shoes. Here, a different meaning and usage has been created from one pair of shoes. This is an example of an item having a cultural biography.

WHAT HAS LINKED THE OLD SKOOL B-BOYS, THE TEDS AND THE ZOOT SUIT?

The answer is simply Rebellion. Fighting the power and Fighting the rules of society and Fighting it through Style. The Symbolic marking, in other words style, is the place that you can challenge how societies think you should dress and behave. 

CONSTELLATION: Key Concepts: Sub-cultural Style: Cath Davies Session 2

Posted: February 15, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Constellation | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Style is all about making a statement. Embedded within style is a knowledge of historical usage. As an art student, I have to have an understanding of the past to produce a meaning in the future. Its the same style, in order to revive or modify or create a new style, you have to gain a knowledge of previous looks.

Subcultures are crowds of people deliberately changing the meaning of objects. Subculture is simply an academic name for street style and explores how we can express ourselves through dress. Street style becomes a sub culture when you have a group of people doing the same together. For example, acting the same, dressing the same and listening to a particular genre of music. Subcultures are predominantly defined by look. A sub-culture having a name like goth or punk suggests many people with similar attributes, features and characteristics.

In this session, we discussed the fact that when analysing subcultures we are analysing the characteristics of a street style. It is not enough just to describe the look within a street style. We must analyse the meanings within the look. Why were the items worn? What were the statements being made?

KEY CONCEPT 1

We were given documentation to read and make notes on relating to sub culture and the analysis of street style. Below are the notes made on the subjects and key ideas within the text given to me.

Woodward suggests that all identity statements, who we are, are often expressed visually. She maintains Identity is marked by difference. By choosing a look, you’re saying you’re not like everyone else. This got me thinking about how differences are shown between people. Visually we are always enacting according to social systems. There are social rules we adopt. For example, There were men in the room in this session, but none of them were wearing dresses, we don’t even think about adopting these rules. We just follow the rules of being a man and being a woman. Look goes somewhat to distinguishing sex. The dress is stereo typically tied to being a woman and a suit and facial hair, a man. We don’t questions this, it’s just adopted. We talked about noticing the fact that when someone breaks that rule, it becomes a cause for concern. Most of art and design is about questioning and exposing rules. Exposing the things that we just take for granted. What is considered normal and what happens if you challenge the norm, is something art and design practitioners question all the time. Rules are given to us, we either fit them or we don’t.

Symbolic Marking (woodward 2002) marks difference through visual language. Its a visual language ans set of meanings that differentiate or suggest difference, Who is included and who is excluded. You get a sense of us and them from symbolic marking. It is at the heart of racism, sexism, homophobia etc. If you are judging someone, you are making a statement that says you are not like me. It is also to do with lifestyle, music etc. Not only visual. There are examples of where bands for example have contributed to street style.

We talked about how this related to analysing street style. We will consider how difference is manifested visually. We will look at how identities are constructed. Identities are made, not natural. We will look at identities in relation to what they are not. Everyone makes decisions on their look, like how to wear your hair and dress. As an art and design student, we always expose construction, how was it made, how was it put together? why? Construction occurs in Binary Opposition – you make a decision and you discard  another. I am going to dress like a punk not a mod.

b boy

The Old Skool B-Boy is a hip hop look characterised by a music genre and lifestyle. Considering the notion that if you went out dressed as an old skool B-Boy in 1985 you are saying that you’re into hip hop.

The Characteristics of the look include a Run DMC t-shirt, adidas trainers with the laces taken out and a Goose down jacket. A visual statement is being made and therefore there is evidence of symbolic  marking. There are rules embedded in the street style Old skool B-Boy and every style. If you weren’t part of this Hip Hop look then you wouldn’t know the rules.

Sports wear – Particular Brand – ADIDAS. Subculture is all about “cool” what’s in and what isn’t in. Here, you have to wear adidas to be part of the hip hop crew. Old Skool B-Boys claimed this brand. Meanings are inherent in Branding. Brands have trends according to age groups and are often influenced by celebrity style and fashion.

Gold Jewellery – Thick chains and Bling. Hip Hop artists coined the name Bling. Detail is highly important in sub cultural style, how you do up laces is making a statement for example. Hip Hop old Skool B-Boys wore no laces in their adidas trainers. Here there is a conversation going on within the style. They have taken sportswear out of its sporting context. This is a huge statement, they are wearing the trainers to look cool. “i’m not going running in these trainers like everyone else” – marking difference. The laces are taken out because they are not being used for their original function.

Another thing Old Skool B-Boys did in 1985 was wear Volkswagen logos around their neck as necklaces. These would have been stolen off of cars. Again, a statement, the badge shows the brand of the car, wearing this brand as a necklace changes the function of it. Stealing the badges was a statement about what they couldn’t afford. Listing characteristics, looking at original meanings and variations of this style would help me analyse it. I would need more than one image to prove this look if I was writing a case study on it.

This encouraged me to think about how the function of items changes and how influences from old looks return. The Mid 80s Hip Hop look is coming back now, we are in an 80s rebirth currently and there are many examples of this. There is an idea of then and now in terms of sub cultures. Looks that started on the street end up on the high street.

KEY CONCEPT 2

Sub cultures must exhibit a distinctive enough shape and structure to make them distinctive enough. They must be different from the parent culture, different from mainstream fashion. My work at the end of these sessions should prove there are different values and uses of material artifacts within looks. Where the sub culture hang out and where the subculture was born is all valuable to analysis.  The hip hop subculture is inherently Black and grew up in the black communities of New York. Songs are about urban deprivation and race themes emerge within this genre. Disadvantaged black youth in an America that favours white people. You cannot analyse Hip Hop without analysing race. An example of this is the fact that Grunge is inherently white as a sub culture. When looking at sub culture, we are looking at what statements are being made about the people. The Hip  Hop B-Boys wanted to make a statement about the fact that they shouldn’t be singled out from the whites for being Black. Within this look, there are meanings relating to race and they consciously chose a brand (adidas) that was traditionally worn by white people.

KEY CONCEPT 3

Possession of  Objects. What makes a style is the activity of stylisation and the active organisation of objects. (Hau Clance Jefferson 1975). The active organisation of objects is the notion of construction that I mentioned previously. Through this construction, new meanings emerge. Things are being brought together in new and distinctive ways and ensemble. Within style, people are changing the meanings of things.

In conclusion, the three key concepts that I will have to look at when analysing and producing my case study are: symbolic marking,  the differences of a subculture from the mainstream and having a distinctive enough shape, and the stylisation within the street style and how they have actively organised objects within their look.