A (short and rather incomplete) History of American Subcultures

Dick Hebdige’s ideas are very straightforward. Culture exists, and subcultures rebel against those cultures. Once the culture recognizes the existence of the subculture; the subculture can be “trivialized, naturalized, domesticated” (2486), or the subculture can be “transformed into a meaningless exotica” (2486). While reflecting about these two approaches to dealing with subculture, I thought about the various malls by house in Phoenix and Spokane, and all the different subcultures that have been domesticated or rendered exotic and lame. Malls are sort of subculture zoos of sorts. We (the mainstream) go there to look at all the different ways we can buy subcultures that have been neutered or lobotomized to be tame. The polar bear isn’t going to try to eat me at the zoo, just as the punks aren’t going to jump out of the cage at Hot Topic. We have safe exotic subcultures, like the Silver Safari, where the continent of Africa, cheap imported crap and (gasp)piercings! can be yours for $49.99 or less!

As I was thinking about this, I tried to trace the journeys of all of the famous American subcultures, from their status of AHH! DANGER! To their demise in the mall. Here’s what I came up with:

Zoot Suit folks. In the 1940’s, specifically in LA, many young men within Latino communities wore suits that were a:

high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed pegged trousers (Spanish: tramos), and a long coat (Spanish: carlango) with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. Often zoot suiters wear a felt hat with a long feather (Spanish: tapa or tanda) and pointy, French-style shoes (Spanish: calcos). A young Malcolm X described the zoot suit as: "a killer-diller coat with a drape shape, reet pleats and shoulders padded like a lunatic's cell".[4] Zoot suits usually featured a watch chain dangling from the belt to the knee or below, and then back to a side pocket.

The amount of material and tailoring required made them luxury items, so much so that the U.S. War Production Board said that they wasted materials that should be devoted to the World War II war effort.[5] This extravagance during wartime was a factor in the Zoot Suit Riots.[6]Wearing the oversized suit was a declaration of freedom and self-determination, even rebelliousness (Zoot Suits).

The Zoot suit riots were in some ways similar to the harassment and assault that many Americans faced after Sept. 11th, due to the way the dressed. However, from a Hebdige perspective, the zoot suit went on to be a mainstream fashion icon for big band dancers, and finally was even cited in pop music as something cool to wear. Total transformation from subculture to mainstream.

Current Store: The Web.

The Beats. In the 1950’s, along with rock, brought the Beats. The Beat generation was uncovered, labeled communist and/or demons, but then satirized to submission. It’s not that they themselves became domesticated, but the public became desensitized and comfortable with the image and reputation of the beats.

Current Store: Gap.

Hippies. The official title of this subculture is The Hippie Countercultural movement. We think of hippies now as the Halloween costume we see every October composed of neon colors and blonde permed wigs, when instead they actually looked like hipsters. Or were naked. Or whatever. Because they were countercultural. But in reality, hippie really is etymologically derived from the word hipster.

Hippies came. They offended. They were conquered. Hippies are now something some references by saying, “dude” and smoking a lot of pot, and reading countercultural anything? The 1960’s hipster has been so washed out into tie-dye and Mom and Pop touristy beachwear that they are no longer a threat to society. Some say this was the point of these hipsters, to force society to widen its gaze, but I think instead of making their views accepted by the mainstream, hippies instead themselves were made to be mainstreamed, negating their goal.

Current Store: Wallmart.

1970: Transitional decade that included hippies, punks, geeks, and freaks. Also drugs, androgyny, and disco. Do not have time for this mess.

Punk rock, Goths, and Heavy Metal. 1980s? Same story as the hippies. They came, they really offended, they were marketed. MTV was born out of this subculture. MTV is in many ways Hebdige’s ideas incarnate. It sort of lives to domesticate and market offensive things. Sex Pistols? Check. Rolling Stones? Check. Ozzy? Check. Madonna? Check. Brilliance though. Who else would have thought, “you know what we should do? Let’s charge bands and artists pay to make commercials, and then we’ll charge consumers to watch those commercials for the artists’ product, and we’ll tell everyone we’re the voice of the rebellious youth. And we will in no way be a cult.”

Current store: Hot Topic.

Cut to recent times:

Emo kids, Scenesters, and hipsters:

It’s the same! First emo kids only knew about emo kids. They listened to unsigned bands, and everyone made fun of them for their bangs and wristbands. Then it went mainstream and parents started joking about it, pop bands were labeled as emo, and everyone had the 2004 mullet (sadness in the front, spiky strength in the back). Hot Topic then ate the movement.

Our hipsters aren’t a novelty or a subculture. While this definition rocks, it still doesn't recognize that hipsters are almost part f the mainstream. They are known and easily referenced in most settings. 30 Rock last week had hipster cameos, and parodies exist left and right. And, the biggest sign of all that they are domesticated, the American Church knows about them. Seriously, they are two months away from being out of style. Mainstream fashion wants us to look like them, academia wants us to be as well read as them, and our parents are just now learning what they are. They are practically domesticated. Which leaves us in an upcoming transitional period of waiting for culture to devour another subculture. Who will it be next! Fingers crossed its programming nerdom.

Current Store(s): anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel