Heavy metal fashion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heavy metal fashion is the style of dress, body modification, make-up, hairstyle, and so on, taken on by many fans of heavy metal, or, as they are often called, metalheads. To those with a trained eye, normally others within the metal subculture, relatively subtle differences in clothing can speak volumes about a person's tastes and, more critically, show whether or not they are a poseur, a judgement that is almost universally dreaded by metalheads.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The clothing associated with heavy metal has its roots the Biker, S&M and rocker subcultures. Heavy metal fashion includes elements such as leather jackets; hi-top basketball shoes (more common with old school thrash metallers); motorcycle boots, work boots or combat boots; blue or black jeans, and denim jackets or kutte vests, often adorned with badges, pins and patches. As with the bikers, there is a peculiar fascination with Germanic imagery, such as the Iron Cross. Although Nazi imagery is generally frowned upon, some choose more closely fascist-associated symbols such as the swastika.
[edit] Other influences
The style and clothing of metal has absorbed elements from influences as diverse as the musical influences from which the genre has borrowed: modern metal fashion is a hotch-potch of punk, goth (particularly for female metalheads), military fashion and even various historical fashions. It is from this linking of different sub-styles of clothing and music influences that one can sometimes determine a person's specific taste in music simply from overall appearance. However, such signs are not, in the majority of cases (we will discuss the peculiar and extreme fashions associated with black metal below) hard and fast rulings. This uncertainty is what makes the first key aspect of the metalheads' identity below so important.
The influence of modern military fashion on heavy metal fashion is significant with metalheads been known to wear modern military clothing like field jackets and articles of camouflage and olive drab green uniforms like shirts and/or trousers to wear alongside their black T-shirts and black combat boots. This influence could be due to the impact of the Vietnam War on popular culture in the United States during the 1970's and the 1980s with images of American Vietnam veterans wearing their old combat uniforms in civilian life during this period of time as well as the memories of the conflict were still fresh in the minds of many Americans during the 1970s and 1980s. Some of the influences of modern military fashion and the Vietnam War can be seen by the fans and bands of thrash metal with the members of thrash metal bands of the 1980s like Metallica and Megadeth wearing bullet belts around their waists on stage (It is likely that the thrash metal bands got the idea of wearing bullet belts from NWOBHM bands such as Motörhead, who have incorporated the bullet belt as part of their aesthetic since their inception, since the majority of thrash metal bands in the 1980s were influenced by Motörhead and the like).
[edit] Band display
A key and basic element of metal fashion is the outward display of one's musical taste. This can be accomplished in several ways.
[edit] Band shirts
Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the talk page for details.
The band shirt is widely regarded as something akin to the 'minimum uniform' for a metalhead. T-shirts for metal bands are almost universally black, with only those bands popular enough to have fans beyond the metal community normally bothering to print T-shirts in other colours, though some print white shirts, normally as a statement against conformity. They come in two varieties: the normal T-shirt, and the longsleeve T-shirt, which will often feature designs down the arms as well as on the back and front. These shirts display on their front the name of a band, often accompanied by the band's logo or an album cover, and the back some tour list, lyrics, slogan, or another image.
[edit] Other shirts
It is less common, but not at all unknown, for metalheads to wear T-shirts other than band shirts. Brands of alcohol (particularly Jack Daniel's whisky), makes of Motorcycles, and humorous or obscene epithets are the most common. Again, black is the normal colour.
It must of course also be noted that not all metalheads wear T-shirts: some may wear sleeveless shirts, wifebeaters, longsleeve shirts, work shirts, collared shirts or even no shirt, depending on taste and geographical location.
Also black T-shirts from various horror movies (usually old, cult or gore horror films) are acceptable. Examples are shirts from Evil Dead and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
[edit] Patches
Patches are small shaped pieces of fabric that carry a design: normally, at least in terms of metal fashion, a band logo or album cover. They are normally displayed on kutten. The traditional "patch jacket" is a black jacket, usually long sleeves, though denim jackets (More common in the UK) are also used, they are rated more on the punk style. Backpacks, shoulder-bags, messenger bags etc. are another popular place on which to display them. A more unusual location is on another article of clothing, particularly jeans.
[edit] Other
Band names are also sometimes displayed in the form of badges, which are displayed in much the same way as patches, although obviously the range of locations in which they can be placed is greater.
[edit] Jackets
The most commonly worn types of jackets that metalheads wear are black leather jackets, blue denim jackets, trenchcoats and army combat jackets like field jackets (e.g. the M-1965 field jacket used by the US Armed Forces), smocks, and parkas (usually in olive drab, black, or in camouflage patterns). In warmer weather, metalheads have been known to wear button-up flannelette shirts and button-up army shirts (usually in olive drab, black, or in camouflage patterns) unbuttoned so it acts a de-facto jacket when the weather is not too hot or not too cold. When the weather gets cooler, they would button up their flannelette shirts and army shirts.
When seen at concerts, metalheads are typically seen showing off their patch jackets and leather vests. It has become a tradition to some to do so at every concert, especially for those in the older styles of metal. Again, this particularly applies to fans of older metal, with groups like Judas Priest, Saxon, Motörhead, and Iron Maiden, who have encouraged this look.
[edit] Legwear
The most common form of leg-wear is tight or semi-loose fitting (not baggy) black or blue denim jeans (sometimes ripped), although leather trousers are also popular, as are camouflage-patterned combat trousers and kilts. Metalheads have also been known to wear cargo trousers and cargo shorts in warmer weather when jeans and leather pants are considered too hot and uncomfortable to wear. Although not baggy is stated as not being worn it has become more popular and a lot of metals are seen wearing baggy jeans.
[edit] Hairstyles
The most popular hairstyle associated with metal is long, natural hair, (although sometimes dyed black, especially amongst black metal fans). The long and messy hairstyle adds to the experience of headbanging. Other hairstyles sported by metalheads include dreadlocks (possibly inspired by Rob Zombie, Max Cavalera, and Anders Fridén) and military-style haircuts. Power metal fans and bands have adopted a variation on the long-haired style that involves hair even longer than the metal norm, often curled.
A completely shaven head is also a popular among some fans and musicians, such as David Draiman of Disturbed, singer Daniel Heiman (former) singer of the Power metal band Lost Horizon (band), singer Rob Halford of Judas Priest, and guitarists Scott Ian and Kerry King of thrash metal bands Anthrax and Slayer. Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down and Superjoint Ritual) had a shaved head (with tattoos on both sides) during Pantera's period of mainstream popularity in the early 1990s.
[edit] Accessories and jewelry
Jewelry is popular for both genders. Almost always silver, popular items include rings (often adorned with metal imagery such as skulls, flames, spikes, iron crosses etc.) Also Egyptian Jewelry such as the Ankh, Birds and the Scarab. Silver neck-chains (thin when compared, for example to bling Jewelry) or pendants, often of a religious or anti-religious nature: crucifixes (inspired by Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne), Satanic pentagrams and Thor's Hammers are popular. This taste in pendants offers a marked difference between the metal and goth subcultures: goths will often wear crosses even if they are not religious, and will wear the benign, un-inverted Wiccan pentagram.
Metal Chains are also common, normally two are worn, one longer than the other. This has recently been popularized by frontmen such as Alexi Laiho, Matt Heafy and Matt Tuck.
Spike bands, studded bracelets, gauntlets or armbands, wrist-bands and sweatbands are also very popular.
[edit] Body modification
Metalheads often engage in some form of body modification, the most popular being tattoos, which will often employ the imagery of metal, metal lyrics or even band logos or mascots. Piercings are also not uncommon, although facial piercings, especially amongst male metalheads, are not particularly common, especially when compared to other subcultures such as emo.
[edit] Female metal fashion
Clothing for the female metalhead shares much in common with elements of goth and punk fashion, combined with what is simply a feminised version of male metalhead fashion. The heavy monochrome makeup of goth is relatively popular among female metalheads, far more so than it is amongst the male metal fan, and jewelry and accessories can be similar as well, although female metalheads tend to borrow from the classic goth look, rather than Cybergoth, Victorian, Goth etc. One exception to this is female black metal fans, who sometimes dress in the somewhat elaborate Victorian or medieval dresses normally associated with some elements of the goth subculture. In recognition of the increasing number of female fans which metal increasingly attracts, many bands, especially larger ones, have started doing babydoll versions of their shirts, or even new designs specifically for the female market. Skirts are normally black of some sort (sometimes leather), or punk-style kilts.
It is also more common for female metal fans to sport facial piercings and more elaborate ear work such as scaffolding.
[edit] Imitators
Heavy metal fashion has seen a recent resurgence in the UK (and to some extent in the US). Mainstream pop fashion retailers have picked up what is accurately labelled as a cross between heavy metal fashion and skater fashion and are successfully marketing it under the labels 'goth' or 'rock' fashion. This typically consists of t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts with heavy metal, nu metal, or punk logos, paired with baggy 'skater' jeans, chains, and dark colours. This is largely the result of the increasing popularity of nu-metal and skateboarding in the UK and the USA. Styles utilizing these products are pejoratively known as "mall-goth", reflecting the mainstream consumer outlets through which these articles of clothing are made available.
The style of dress that is a cross between heavy metal attire and skate or punk attire is associated with the genre of music known as Hardcore and is popular in East Coast US cities such as New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.
[edit] Links
| Heavy metal |
|---|
| Black metal - Classic metal - Death metal - Doom metal - Folk metal - Glam metal - Gothic metal - Grindcore - Industrial metal - Neo-classical metal - Nu metal - Power metal - Progressive metal - Speed metal - Symphonic metal - Thrash metal |
| Regional scenes |
| Scandinavian death metal - New Wave of British Heavy Metal - Bay Area thrash metal |
| Other topics |
| Fashion - Bands - Umlaut |
