Skinheads are members of a subculture that emerged in working-class London in the 1960s and has spread throughout the world. Unfortunately, many people equate the word "skinhead" with "racism", but the movement was associated with working class values, the flamboyant style of the rough Jamaican boys and the British worldview; in fact, many of the first skinheads were black. Over time, skinhead style and politics have split into several subgroups based around different ideals, which can be overwhelming to a newcomer when speaking. If you want to understand the differences between the types of skinheads and start living their lifestyle, then see Step 1.

Steps

Accept the beliefs

Know the differences between the different political sectors. Skinhead politics comes in several forms, from neo-Nazism to political apathy. Many skinhead groups focus on music or labor rights and have nothing to do with racism. Before you decide to become a skinhead, you must understand the differences in the political sectors of this group of people:

• Anti-racist (skinheads who are against racial prejudice or SHARPS) skinheads are aggressively opposed to neo-Nazism and racism, although they do not always take this position on other political issues. The SHARP label is sometimes used to describe all anti-racist skinheads, even if they are not members of the SHARP organization.
• Apolitical, centrist or anti-political skinheads keep their political views outside the skinhead subculture. They have a sense of workers' pride, but not in a political sense. Most traditional skinheads or "Trojans" fit into this category.
• Left-wing skinheads are anti-racist and anti-fascist groups, adopting a militant pro-worker and socialist stance. The most well-known organization in this category is the Red and Anarchist Skinheads (RASH).
• Right-wing skinheads are, as a rule, conservative and patriotic, but not always extreme and fascist. This type of skinhead is very common in the United States.
• White power or neo-Nazi skinheads are racist, extremely nationalistic and highly political. Despite the common name, many neo-Nazi skinheads have nothing in common with traditional skinheads in terms of style or interests. SHARPs and traditional skinheads often refer to them as boneheads or Hammerskins (which is a specific organization as well as a general term). Racist skinheads are found primarily in prisons, as part of the Aryan Brotherhood or other white supremacist gangs.

1. Understand various styles skinheads. Before calling yourself a skinhead, it is important to have an understanding of various types skinheads who relate to the working class, music and culture, not just politics. Once you decide on your skinhead style and political affiliation, you can start looking for a sect that suits you. You can read more detailed information about skinheads in the second section of the article. Here are several types of skinheads based on their style and interests:

   • Traditional skinheads. These skinheads are also known as Trojans or "Trojans". They do not believe in political and racial prejudices, which are not central to the subculture and focus on the music or culture rather than them. They also consider themselves to be the first skinheads to focus on pro-labor rights and ideas about music in the 1960s. They wear a silk scarf in their breast pocket, pocket lighters, patches that symbolize their beliefs, or badge buttons.
   • Oi! skins and punk skinheads. These skinheads scream Oi! And they listen to punk music. They are known for their tattoos, short hair and high boots, tight clothing and flight jackets. Real Oi! The groups are largely based on pro-labor beliefs, although today the political beliefs of such skinheads run the gamut.
   • Hardcore skins. This skinhead group originates in the United States. They are part of the hardcore punk music scene, which includes bands such as Sheer Terror, Murphy's Law and Warzone. appearance more casual: buggy pants, windbreakers and sweatshirts.

2. Be clear about your beliefs. You can become a skinhead due to some political beliefs or avoid it altogether. Whatever you choose, look at what is closest to your beliefs and faith. Find a skinhead group in your area and make sure your beliefs align with theirs. Don't be influenced to believe something that is not meaningful or authentic to you.

   • Once you have decided what type of skinhead you want to be, you should do your research. If your skinhead type centers around a belief in music, be it ska, reggae or hardcore punk, then you should go to concerts, listen to albums and do everything possible to be in the know without being called a poser.
   • As a rule, skinheads abstain from hard drugs, so if you choose to be that kind of skinhead, you should also abstain from them completely.
   • Skinheads, as you know, live off honest and conscientious labor. See if you can do this.

3. Be prepared to defend your beliefs. When people see you dressing like a skinhead, some may automatically assume that you are a neo-Nazi or a white supremacist. Whether this is true or not, be prepared to talk to them calmly and rationally about your beliefs. When people see that you are a skinhead, they can make many wrong assumptions about you.

   • Be prepared for the consequences of your appearance, have a precise plan to explain who you are, what you believe and why. If you are not racist, it may take some effort to explain to people who have some misconceptions about skinheads that your movement was not racist in the first place.

We accept the image

1. Trim or shave your hair. Traditionally, since the 1960s, skinheads have been identified by having short hair or a shaved head. However, not all skinheads did this. Mohawks and high shaved haircuts are common among some groups. If you decide to shave your hair, then use a machine with level 2 or 3. Nowadays, many skinheads do not shave their heads with a clipper; some of them even do it with a blade. In addition, most skinheads do not wear beards, mustaches or other facial hair.

   • Some skinheads were known for their neatly trimmed sideburns.
   • Skinhead girls wore short haircuts in the 1960s and then in the 1980s, they began sporting the feathered cut, where the hair is shorter in the middle of the head and has long locks hanging down the front, back and sides, giving it a feathered appearance. Some skinhead girls even shaved their hair completely and left only bangs or front strands.
   • Some believe that originally, when skinheads shaved their heads in the 1960s, it was a rebellion against hippie culture, among which long hair were common at that time.

2. Wear the right skirts and pants. Straight-leg dark washed out jeans with the cuffs rolled up (to show off the boots) are common among many men's groups skinheads. Lee or Wrangler jeans were common among such groups. Flat trousers and bleach (bleach was sprayed onto the trousers to create a camouflage-like pattern) and BDU combat trousers or cut-off shorts were popular among punks and Oi! skinheads. Skinhead girls wore the same trousers with the addition of camouflage or plaid miniskirts, regular skirts and fishnet stockings.

   Wear knitted shirts. Working class longshoremen in Britain were the first skinheads, and their warm knit sweaters became the basis of skinhead fashion. Long-sleeve V-neck sweaters or vests were typically worn over button-down shirts or a contrasting T-shirt. Button-down cardigans were preferred among skinhead girls. When the skinhead movement first started, they couldn’t afford expensive things and spent all their money on good jackets and elegant clothes to wear to the club.

   Try adding suspenders or shaped buckles. Some skinheads wear suspenders or shaped buckles over their shirts. They can come in a variety of colors and patterns, but are typically between a half and an inch wide. If your braces are wider, you'll look like White Power skinheads, or you just don't know what you're doing.

   Wear a coat or sweatshirt. Harrington jackets, with red checkered lining, and Bomber flight jackets, black or olive green, are the most popular clothing among skinheads. A sheepskin coat, dark or checkered coat is also suitable. Donkey jackets, with or without PVC shoulders, date back to British dockers and are also fashionable among skinheads. Additionally, dark pullovers or zip-up sweatshirts are usually worn by several different groups....

   Wear skinhead shoes. Again, since the first skinheads were dockers, army boots or combat boots remain the favorite footwear of skinheads. Dr. Martens (aka Docs, Doc Martens or DMS) boots are a favorite choice for men and women. Several skinheads also wear Adidas sambas. Moccasins, monkey boots and old bowling shoes are also popular. For the most part, male and female skinheads wear the same types of shoes.

3. Add laces. Boots and other footwear, as a rule, are all tied, with loose laces. In other words, black the best choice for laces, since white laces on black shoes often mean you're a Hammerskin (white power skinhead). Color designations depend on the region, but, as a rule, white laces mean belonging to the white power, but old-school skinheads believe that drawing conclusions about the beliefs of a skinhead by the color of his laces (they call it “lace making”) is the lot of “carlans” (that’s what newcomers are called in move).

   • Look for local skinheads. You can find them at ska, hardcore or punk concerts.
   • If you shave your head or cut your hair as short as possible, make sure you capture the hair at the back of your head.
   • Some skinheads have a lot of tattoos, sleeves are especially popular. Wait at least 6 months after becoming a skinhead and think carefully before putting ink on your body.
   • If you don't want to get caught in the middle of the slam that usually occurs at punk or hardcore concerts, stick to the edge of the room. Otherwise, remember that they are wearing heavy boots with metal toes, and do not get under their feet.

Very often on the streets you can meet young people calling themselves skinheads. The word “skinhead” can be divided into two English “skin head” and is translated as “shaved head”. Compared to other informal movements, representatives of this subculture have the most complex and developed ideology.

Unfortunately, modern young people have lost the true purpose that the founders of this culture had. And nowadays, most skinheads adhere to rigid racist views, often fixated on fascism and nationalism. Although, there are also groups that adhere to a more peaceful, anti-fascist ideology.

Here is a list of existing directions of this movement:

• traditional skinheads - appeared in response to deviations from the original skin culture; they take the founders of this movement as an example. Traditional skinheads listen to music in the style of ska, reggae, rocksteady (all other styles prefer rock and patriotic music);
• S.H.A.R.P. - Skinhead Against Racial Prejudices - this direction is against racial prejudice;
• R.A.S.H. - Red & Anarchist Skinheads – these representatives support the ideas of socialism, communism and anarchism;
• NS-skinheads - Nazi-skinheads / Boneheads - Boneheads (also called right-wing skinheads) - preach National Socialist ideas, right-wing and far-right views on politics and other values;
• Straight edge skinheads - sXe Skinheads - people who believe that bad habits such as alcoholism, smoking and drug addiction are bad. This group is for a healthy lifestyle.

What do skinheads look like?

1. Distinctive signs of skinheads:

• “Celtic cross” (an image of a cross placed in a circle);
• classical German swastika;
• skull and Bones.

2. Skinhead clothing. Preference is given to the military style - everything to make it comfortable to move. Boots are also usually military boots with thick soles. Since we started talking about shoes, I’ll note that the color of the laces is of no small importance. By the laces you can determine whether you belong to one direction or another.

3. Skinhead hairstyles. As you probably already guessed, this is a clean-shaven head, but simply a very short haircut is also allowed.

4. Skinhead tattoos. The themes of tattoos are very diverse. These can be inscriptions and abbreviations, as well as ordinary patterns. Some people put tattoos on their body in the form fascist swastika or any other drawings with a racist-Nazi theme.

Skinhead ideology

Most skinheads are racists and nationalists, and everything that follows from this is their main ideology: love for representatives of their nation, their culture and hatred for others.

Well, in the end I will answer the question “how to become a skinhead?” If you are close in spirit to the ideology of skins, then feel free to change your image and look for similar friends. Just never forget that all your actions must be legal.

She talked about the history of the style of the skinhead subculture in her homeland in Great Britain in the 1960s and 70s. This time we will talk about the fashion of Russian skinheads, who, unlike the British, mainly shared nationalist views from the late 1980s to the present day.

Guys in military uniform

Why do you wear Levi's? Your Levi's are Jewish jeans.

- Because when I returned from Iraq, my brother gave me these jeans. Does he understand what we are fighting for? No. But I definitely won't let the Zionist conglomerate decide what I wear.

Film "Absolute Power" 2016


Right-wing and far-right movements in Russia began to emerge in the mid-1980s, and clothing, of course, was one of the important elements with which nationalists formed their image. Nationalist movements of the 1980s like the Memory Society emerged from the Society for the Protection of Monuments. The movement rethought historical processes, its participants were engaged in reenactment and wore “White Guard” uniforms, mostly consisting of modified uniforms of the Soviet army.

Later, their own military uniform appeared, consisting of black tunics with shoulder straps, black trousers tucked into black cow boots, black tunics with a stand-up collar and shoulder straps. In winter, overcoats, caps and caps with oval cockades of the “royal” type were used. On the buttons there were not Soviet stars with a hammer and sickle, but royal double-headed eagles. The reconstruction of the Cossack uniform was also popular. Now people in Cossack uniforms have become a standard landscape in the urban environment, but in the late 1980s they looked extremely shocking.

The “monuments” were replaced by more militarized Barkashovites. The dress code of this formation consisted of a black military uniform, beret, military boots and armband. Many participants in the movement, especially in the regions, wore ordinary military uniforms, which they brought from the army or bought at the nearest military store.

In Russia, the fashion for retro military uniforms quickly became a thing of the past, but in the United States it still exists - these days, participants in the National Socialist Movement (NSM) hold their rallies in a uniform that clearly copies the uniform of the NSDAP of the last century. The Ku Klux Klan remains faithful to the same white robes as 150 years ago.

Military style in general is distinctive sign right-wing in the United States. And this is not so much a tribute to fashion as a lifestyle - the very way of life that skinheads spoke about in the 1960s and 70s in Great Britain. Many right-wing skinheads, especially in the States, served in the army. In Germany, neo-Nazi cells in the ranks of the Bundeswehr are being systematically uncovered.

Eventually military uniform was and remains an important element of right-wing skinhead fashion throughout the world. The right in the United States tends to be closely associated with militarized radical structures such as citizen militias. The fashion for these people is formed in the military stores in their neighborhood.

Not surprisingly, in January 2017, a gun store posted an ad that showed supposed customers confronting a crowd of anti-fascists. The poster read: “Anti-fascists, today is not your day.” Many modern brands aimed at the far-right public have military-style items in their collections. Moreover, now we can see the rebirth of the favorite skinhead brand of the 1990s, Alpha Industries, which originally sewed clothing for the US Armed Forces.

Modern designers have revived the fashion for bomber jackets by including them in their new 2013 collections. Alexander McQueen, Dior, Victor&Rolf offer leather bomber jackets with contrasting cuffs and buttons. Stella McCartney has designed a bomber jacket made from lace, silk and cashmere. Pinko designers also did not refuse a lightweight version of the jacket, sewing it from mint-colored nylon and decorating it with lace inserts and embroidery on the back.

Bomber life-giving

School bell...

First lesson...

Bomber and knife.
Beat the devils, destroy them all!



Tsunar was the first to accept this knife
Bomber saved you - your best friend.
Blood is dripping from his bomber jacket
This was done by a bribed cop.
Metal corrosion, “Beat the devils”

In the early 1990s, people came to the right ranks mainly from the fan movement. At that time in Russia, these subcultures were for the most part inextricably linked. Most of the far-right fashionistas refused to take part in large movements like RNE (Russian National Unity) and were very skeptical about their baggy uniforms. The main attribute of a skinhead in the 1990s was a bomber jacket or M65 field jacket. Few could buy the original jacket due to the high price - bombers are much more expensive than leather jackets from Turkey, which were worn by gopniks and bros of all stripes.

Frame: the film “Russia 88”

Soon, demand gave rise to supply, and inexpensive Chinese black bombers with the famous orange lining appeared in markets in many cities across the country. Their prices were more than reasonable. These jackets were worn almost all year round: in winter, they wore a warm sweater knitted by their grandmother under them. The original M-65 jacket did not have a collar to make it easier for the pilot to place the parachute straps. Among skinheads, there was a story that this was done specifically so that in a fight the enemy could not grab you by the collar.

The orange lining also had its own functionality. The pilot needed it in case of an emergency landing: he had to turn his jacket inside out so that he could be easier to find from the air. Fans turned their jackets inside out to make it easier to understand who was theirs and who was a stranger in the fight. According to one version, the inventors of this were Spartak hooligans from the “firm” Flint’s Crew.

In particular very coldy many wrapped a “rose” (scarf) of their favorite team around their necks.

Camouflage pants were in use, which were also purchased on the market due to the availability there fashionable colors in contrast to the dull, baggy green items from the military store. Especially advanced users wore jeans invariably blue, but again, due to their high cost, they were not widely used, especially in the regions. The finishing touch is combat boots. In the provinces, many marched in them until the 2000s.

You also cannot ignore the use of such an accessory as suspenders. The most popular were suspenders in the colors of the Russian or German tricolor. Then came the fashion for narrow suspenders, which were in short supply. Suspenders were not just a wardrobe element - lowered suspenders meant that “a fighter is ready for a fight,” so many wore suspenders exclusively in this form, emphasizing their brutality.

Shoe cult

The first store of the "Doctor and Alex" company - "Footwear of the XXI Century" began operating on October 1, 1998 in the Voikovskaya metro area. This truly epoch-making event finally gave the Moscow public access to the famous Dr. boots. Martens, Grinders and Shelly's. The most popular boots were Grinders with a high top and the same metal glass. Similar boots were worn by the main character of the film "American History X" in famous stage murder of an African American who entered the folklore as in “bite the curb.”

This scene became a direct guide to action for many skinheads of that time. Grindar was literally flying off the shelves. True, unlike Chinese bombers, not everyone could afford them. The response to the popularity of “grinders” was the emergence of the Russian company Camelot. She positioned herself as a Polish brand and made shoes that resembled the samples English stamps, but at much more reasonable prices.

As a rule, boots were worn with black laces, but the most desperate ones wore white ones, which said that their owner had cleared the land of foreigners. The famous Panzer boots with swastikas and zig runes on the soles, released by the American brand Aryan wear, became a pipe dream for many skins. This dress code was classic in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The standard skinhead look of the time included high-top boots, camouflage pants or rolled-up jeans, suspenders, a T-shirt with a radical image and a bomber jacket.

When the far-right movement radicalized by the mid-2000s, and serious sentences began to be given for crimes motivated by national hatred, this fashion faded away. At the end of the decade, antifa skinheads dressed in a similar way, trying to revive the spirit of 1969 in this way. Young people who remain faithful to the traditions of this fashion can still be found today, but this can only be regarded as cosplay of those times.

The fashion for heavy boots has faded. The American right-wing brand Aryan wear has closed. Shelly's, with its famous Rangers model, specializes in women's shoes, and Grinders began producing cowboy boots. The only brand that remained true to its roots and managed to survive the competition was Dr. Martens. Moreover, in 2010, the brand got a second wind : classic shoes of the 1460 model began to appear in the wardrobes of people who were very far from skinhead fashion. Alice Erskine and other top stars were seen wearing Dr. Martens.

However, in Great Britain the traditional style of skinheads has been preserved. There are families where skinhead traditions are passed on from father to son. Of course, instead of Chinese fakes, European skinheads who adhere to traditions wear original Dr. Martens, Levi's jeans, Fred Perry polo or plaid shirts and original Ben Sherman jackets. This style has long since said nothing specific about political views person

Fashionable guys

Remember I'm cool now

 I have my own Lonsdale.

I bought it at Children's World

 Clock work times - Lonsdale

“Five minutes later, another mob passed by, clearly trying to merge with the first. And another one in ten. Mostly they were young guys, about 20 years old, dressed in the fashion of their hardcore: gingham shirts, blue jeans, sneakers. Almost no one had our favorite weapon, titanium guns, but most of the fighters were carrying packages in their hands, and everyone had glass bottles in their hands. Well, strategists, the scribe is on your shaved heads! - these are lines from the book “Die, Old Lady” by Sergei Spiker Sakin, which he wrote in 2003.

Around this time period, hooligans and right-wing skinheads began to move away from the fashion of heavy boots and bomber jackets. There are several reasons for this.

Their actions are condemned by society all over the world. They are feared and despised, called “murderers of democracy” and “Nazi bastards.” They are tried and imprisoned for murder. Many programs have been filmed about them and countless books have been written. Skinheads – who are they? Let's try to figure it out in detail.

The history of skinheads

The first skins respected (!) blacks and mulattoes. Not surprisingly, there were many immigrants among the workers of that time. Skins and visitors from Jamaica had common views and listened to the same music, in particular reggae and ska. The skin movement was greatly influenced by the movement of football hooligans. In many respects, the skins owe it to him to have bomber jackets, which made it easy to slip out of the hands of an opponent during a street brawl, and a shaved head, thanks to which it was impossible to grab the bully by the hair. Of course, the skin youth had a lot of trouble with the police. Typically, both boys and girls took part in the movement. It would not be amiss to note that, like all football fans, skinheads loved to spend time in the pub with a glass of foam.

But time passes, people grow up, and the first wave of skins began to decline by the early 70s. The skinheads began to start families and slowly forget about their former violent lifestyle. However, nothing passes without a trace, and now England is already exploding with a wave of wild and aggressive music - punk rock. This style was ideal for working-class youth who were looking for harder music for their movement. Street punk has appeared - an excellent solution for skins that light hand One English newspaper scribbler was given the name “Oi!” The style was different from punk - it was classic guitar riffs superimposed on a clearly audible line of bass guitar and drums. The choruses were similar to the screams of fans in the stands (hello hooligans!). With the music came additions to clothing - second wave skins began to wear army T-shirts more often. All this was alien to the old skins, who grumbled at the youth of the 70s for their music and clothes. At that time, the slogan “stay true to ’69” was common among the first wave of skinheads. It is believed that the peak of popularity of the skinhead movement occurred in 1969. So, the English youth are all more start became interested in punk music, and the working class got its own movement. Since the skins already had their own musical style and clothing style, their views turned to politics. Many skinheads began to support the struggle of right-wing parties, joining British neo-fascism, while others defended the ideas of the left, promoting the working class and the ideas of communism. Basically, the leftists were the first wave of skinnies who opposed racism. There were also apolitical groups that preferred their own subcultural politics.

The impetus for the development of the Nazi skinhead movement, that is, skins as they look now, was the transition of the punk group Skrewdriver from street punk directly to skinhead music. This was the first street punk band to publicly declare their neo-Nazi views. They opposed communism and sympathized with the National Front. By the end of the 70s, the right-wing movement intensified, and a racist skinhead appeared on the streets of London. This was a must see! All the media sounded the alarm, English society, not yet coming to its senses from the Second World War, looked with horror at any skinhead, seeing him as a fascist. The misconception about the “racist” nature of each skin was reinforced by the National Front and the Skrewdriver group. Politicians skillfully hurled the terms fascism and racism at the skins. Such actions had a result - skinheads began to be viewed extremely negatively.

Finally, by the mid-90s, the third wave of skinheads was forming. 17-18 – summer punks shave off their mohawks and join the ranks of skins. Old skin ideas are being revived and classic skinhead groups are being formed in most European and Western countries. Now it's basically a mixture of classic football hooligans and hardcore punk skins. In Russia, unfortunately, 99 percent of skinheads are supporters of neo-Nazi views. Modern Russian society firmly believes that any skinhead is a racist.

The history of skinheads

Skinhead clothing style

So, clothes. The “uniform” of skinheads is taken from the very origins of the movement, namely the London dock workers. These are heavy boots, camouflage pants and T-shirts. Classic look skin is a black “bomber” (a wide, heavy jacket), blue or black jeans with rolled-up legs, suspenders and black ankle boots. Naturally, his head is shaved to a shine. The ideal shoe for skinning is the so-called “Grinders” boots. However, they are not cheap, so they are mainly limited to military shoes. Laces are a separate issue in the skin’s equipment. By the color of the laces you can determine whether it belongs to a particular movement group. For example, white laces are worn by those who killed or participated in the murder of a “non-Russian” person, red ones by antifa, brown ones by neo-Nazis. You can, of course, wear laces of any color without belonging to one group or another, but in this case it is better not to catch the attention of skinnies who respect traditions. In general, skinhead clothing is very practical - it helps to protect oneself in a fight and significantly makes blows harder. Attributes such as metal chains, carabiners, and so on also serve the same purpose. Some skins like stripes in the form of German crosses, swastikas and the like. True, they are used very rarely, because in this case the skin becomes easy prey for the police, revealing its ultra-right views.

Many skinheads love tattoos. They are usually applied to covered parts of the body that are not visible under a jacket on the street, since they can easily be used to identify a supporter of the movement. The theme of the tattoo is mostly monotonous - these are political far-right slogans, swastika symbols, German and Celtic crosses, images of the skins themselves in various poses, various inscriptions such as “Skinhead”, “White Power”, “Working class”, “National Front” and so on . Skinheads are often subject to persecution and violence from law enforcement agencies for such tattoos, as they directly shout about Nazi beliefs, so some prefer to apply less obvious images like pagan gods, weapons, animals and so on. Letter codes are often pinned, for example, “88”, “14/88”, “18”. Here the number indicates the serial number of the letter in the Latin alphabet, that is, 88 - Heil Hitler, 18 - Adolf Hitler. 14 is not an alphabetic code, it is 14 words of the White Struggle motto, formulated by one of the ideologists of the skinhead movement, David Lane, who is serving life in a closed American prison: “we must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children” (“we must protect the present of our people and the future of our white children." Often there are double runes in the zig (SS) lightning bolt, the otal rune and other runic combinations.

That's the style modern skinhead. Of course, one should not assume that he is typical of everyone - many skins today dress like most ordinary people, since it is more difficult to identify them that way. Authentic skin clothing is a tribute to the traditions of the movement.

Skinhead clothing style

Skinhead ideology

Go. Classic skinheads. They stood at the origins of the entire movement, therefore they are honored veterans. Their ideology is the opposition of the simple working class to the bourgeoisie, the opposition of young people to their parents. This is a rebuff to power over the poor and parental prohibitions. This is pride in ordinary workers and hatred of the rich. Classic skins are apolitical. They drink beer and love football - a tribute to the football hooligans who had a serious influence on the movement. No classic skinhead can do without a good fight - again, the influence of hooligans is noticeable. Actually, nothing special can be said about this trend. They love ska, reggae, Oi music! and so on.

Nazi skins. But here there is something to dwell on: racist skinheads are the scourge of modern society. They constantly organize fights, beat up foreign citizens, and protests. They are arrested, convicted, imprisoned, but they remain true to their ideals. The idea is simple - white supremacy and cleansing the country of alien elements. Taking advantage of popular hostility towards foreigners, skinheads often recruit an impressive number of young people into their ranks. In Russia, the Nazi skinhead movement is outrageously popular. IN Lately it has reached the point that foreigners are simply afraid to be in the country and prefer to live where the problem of Nazism is not so acute. On the one hand, the Nazi ideology seems cruel and inhumane. The actions of skins find a huge resonance in modern society - they are hated, despised, and attempts are made to catch and punish them. Killing people is certainly not a good thing. On the other hand, one cannot help but notice that the actions of the skinheads had an effect - foreigners do not feel as free in the country as before. Objectively, we can say that skinheads are a way of protecting society from overly insolent immigrants. It is true that it is a pity that the killings of blacks and other citizens are often unjustified and do not have a retaliatory nature that could be explained. Protests by Russian skins are usually an attack on innocent black students, entrepreneurs, and so on.

Nazi skins are divided into two groups - ordinary skins and ideological leaders. The former, accordingly, participate in fights and actions and play an executive role. The latter deal with the political side of the issue, promote the ideas of Nazism in society, plan actions, and so on. Their sphere is the struggle for power in the country. In theory, the victory of such leaders in the political arena should mean a peaceful, political settlement of the issue of the growing number of immigrants. Agree, patriotism is not alien to any of us, and one day we don’t want to wake up in a country that is no longer ours. Many skinheads follow the straight edge trend ( straight edge from English - “clear line”, abbreviated as sXe), that is, they lead a healthy lifestyle. This behavior undoubtedly ennobles the skin, so abundantly slandered by modern media and politicians. However, how to treat nationalists is a controversial issue; their movement contains both positive and negative sides. Everyone must make a decision for themselves.

And finally, antifa. Red skins, redskins, as they are also called. For every action there is a reaction, as Uncle Newton used to say. Supporters of the Red movement oppose racial prejudice and promote left-wing views - communism, class struggle, "factories to workers" and so on. There are two antifa movements: S.H.A.R.P. (SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice) and R.A.S.H. (Red and Anarchist SkinHeads). In addition to “leftist” views, antifa have one more feature. They hate skins and carry out actions aimed at suppressing them. Fights between skinheads and antifa are not uncommon today. And again, the controversial question is how to treat anti-fascists to modern man. On the one hand, opposing racial murders is, of course, good. On the other hand, fighting using the enemy’s methods is pointless. You could say that antifa create as many problems as skinheads create. Moreover, the struggle of the Redskins is similar to the opening of a “second front” during the Second World War - late and with little results. Skinheads manage to repel antifa attacks and plan their own racist actions. Fight with illegal activities should be carried out by law enforcement, and not by a group of young people who are as aggressive as the Nazis.

These are the directions of skin movement. There are a huge number of nuances in them, and there is an endless amount of debate on each issue.

Skinhead ideology

Conclusion

And now that you have read this article, I will ask you to answer one question. So, what do you think now, who are skinheads: neo-Nazis, or an ordinary teenage subculture?

Skinhead (from English skinhead - shaved head) - a special trend in fashion that arose thanks to the emergence of a subculture of the same name among working-class London youth in the 60s of the twentieth century and then spread throughout the world. Closely related to musical styles, such as ska, reggae and street punk (aka Oi!). Some of the representatives of this subculture grew up from the environment, others experienced the significant influence of the West Indian ore-boys.

Initially, this movement was famous for its apolitical nature and was focused only on fashion, music and a certain lifestyle. However, over time, some of the skinheads became involved in politics and joined various extreme movements, both left and right, as a result of which neo-Nazi and anarchist movements separated from the traditional skinheads who remained true to their ideals.

Story

At the end of the 50s of the twentieth century, Great Britain was gripped by a real economic boom, which, despite all the existing restrictions, significantly increased the level of income of young people from the working class. Some of the young people preferred to spend all their money on new clothes, for which they received the nickname - fashion. Their subculture was characterized by a special affinity for fashion, music and scooters. It was the mods, or rather their offshoot, the so-called hard mods, who were the first to wear work or army boots, straight or sta-prest, with buttons and suspenders. Unlike their more “refined” counterparts, these mods took particular pride in emphasizing their working-class affiliation, cutting their hair much shorter and not averse to fighting. Hard fashion finally developed into a separate movement around 1968 and around the same time they received a new nickname - skinheads.

Skinheads still retained some of the features of the previous mods, but they were greatly influenced by the style of the Rude Boys, immigrants from Jamaica who settled in England. Along with their behavior and some style features, skinheads borrowed from them a love for ska, rocksteady and early reggae. The latter was so popular in this environment that sellers even began to add the prefix “skinhead” to the word reggae in order to increase record sales.

The skinhead subculture was finally formed by 1969. By this time, skinheads had become so popular that the band Slade even used their appearance as an example for their stage image. Skinheads were given even greater popularity by Richard Allen's novels "Skinhead" and "Skinhead Escapes", which contained a sufficient amount sex scenes and fights.

However, by the beginning of the 70s, the former popularity of skinheads began to decline. Many of the representatives of this trend moved to other groups and began to call themselves in a new way: suedeheads, smoothies or bootboys. Previous trends that were once characteristic of mods, such as brogues, suits, slacks and sweaters, have returned to fashion.

At the end of the 70s, the skinhead subculture was resurrected again, thanks to the emerging punk movement. Around the same time, for the first time in the history of the existence of this subculture, some groups of skinheads became involved in politics, and began to adhere to extreme right-wing movements like National Front(National Front) and the British Movement.

Since 1979, the number of skinheads has increased significantly. One of the most favorite pastimes of these young people was fighting at football matches. However, despite this, among them there were still those who were guided by the previous style. One way or another, such behavior attracted widespread attention from the press. Skinheads, like fashion once upon a time, have become a new threat to society.

Ultimately, the skinhead subculture went far beyond Britain and continental Europe, appearing in Australia and the USA, but with its own local specifics.

Style

Traditional skinheads take as a basis the style of the original subculture that arose in the 60s of the twentieth century.

The Oi! skinhead movement was heavily influenced by 70s punk culture, so their appearance is somewhat different.

• They usually have shorter hair, taller shoes and tighter jeans. Tattoos have become popular among skinheads at least since the “revival” of the movement in the 70s. In the 1980s in the UK you might even find skinheads with tattoos on their foreheads or faces, although this practice is no longer as common. American skinheads preferred to adhere to the hardcore style, and this is one of their territorial features.

Most skinheads cut their hair with a razor with a No. 2 (sometimes No. 3) attachment. Thus, the hairstyle was short and neat, but the head did not appear completely bald. However, over time, hair length became shorter and shorter, and by the 80s, some representatives shaved their hair “clean up”. Among skinheads, it is usually not customary to wear a mustache and beard, but sideburns are extremely popular, and they are always carefully maintained.

As for girls, in the 60s most of them continued to adhere to the mod style, however, starting from the 80s, the Chelsea haircut became especially popular, when the hair on the top of the head was shaved very short, leaving the back, temples and bangs long. Some girls preferred a more punk version, leaving only their bangs and temples long.

• Clothes and accessories

First of all, skinheads have always been famous for their button-down shirts, short or long sleeves, and polo shirts. Favorite brands include Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Brutus, Warrior or Jaytex. Also popular are shirts or Everlast, shirts with button-down collars, V-neck sweaters or similar sleeveless vests, as well as cardigans and T-shirts. Some skinheads targeting Oi! or the hardcore scene wore plain white shirts. This style was especially widespread in North America. The most popular jackets were harringtons, bombers, denim jackets (usually blue, sometimes decorated with light spots using bleach), dunk jackets, crombie coats, parkas and much more. Traditional skinheads sometimes wore costumes made from a special fabric (a shiny material resembling shag, the color of which shimmered depending on the angle and light).

Many of the skinheads preferred Sta-Prest trousers or jeans, mostly brands , or . Typically, the trouser legs were rolled up to emphasize the beauty of high boots or open if the legs were wearing moccasins or brogues at the time. Sometimes the jeans were also decorated with bleach stains. This style was especially popular among Oi! skinheads.

The girls wore almost everything the same, and in addition mini-, fishnet stockings or short skirt suits with ¾-length sleeves.

Most skinheads wore suspenders that were no more than one inch wide. Wider suspenders may be associated with the far-right neo-fascist wing of White Power skinheads. Traditionally, suspenders are crossed at the back, however some Oi! oriented skinheads don't do this. Traditional skinheads wear black or white suspenders, sometimes decorated with vertical stripes. Often, due to the color of this accessory, skinheads determine the group to which its owner belongs.

The most common headdresses among skinheads were: pork-pie hat, felt hats, caps, woolen winter hats (without a tassel). A less common option were bowler hats. They were mainly preferred by iceheads and fans cult film"A Clockwork Orange"

Traditional skinheads also often wore silk in the breast pocket of their crombie coat or in the pocket of a suit made of their favorite iridescent material. Often a given piece of fabric was chosen in a contrasting color. Sometimes it was wrapped around a small piece of cardboard so that it looked like a neatly folded handkerchief from the outside. Among skinheads, it was customary to choose colors that corresponded to their favorite football club. Sometimes wool or silk scarves with the symbols of their favorite team were wrapped around the neck, wrist or belt loop.

Some iceheads carried canes, which is why they received another nickname: brolly boys (from the English brolly - umbrella).

• Shoes

Initially, skinheads wore simple military boots from army supplies. Later, Dr. brand work boots became popular in this environment. Martens, especially cherry colored ones. Them skinheads they polished them to a shine and always made sure that their favorite shoes looked neat. In addition, skinheads wore brogues, moccasins and low Dr. boots. Martens. During the 60s of the twentieth century, Dr. high boots became especially popular. Martens with steel toes hidden under the leather, which turned out to be quite appropriate in street fights. IN last years

skinheads switched to other brands of shoes such as Solovair or Tredair because Dr. Martens are no longer produced in England. Gradually, sports shoes of the brands or Gola became fashionable among skinheads, in which they were comfortable to attend football matches.

For a time, skinheads preferred to wear boots painted in the colors of their favorite club, but over time, the color of the shoes, like the suspenders, began to carry symbolic meaning.