Tuesday, April 28, 2009

New Punk On The Block

Once upon a time I wore only creepers, sewed all my patches on with waxy cinnamon dental floss, sported a nail in my septum piercing & shaved my head with a daisy razor, it's true. While I never left the music or ethics behind I did lose the nail & let my hair grow out (my mother couldn't be prouder).

Lately I have been overwhelmed with nostalgia for the grrrl I see in my high school year books. It may have a lot to do with some of the current fashion trends I'm seeing EVERYWHERE! From Etsy to Elle - Punk has been polished, embellished & revamped. Notice that I didn't say resurrected... Plaid, chains, zippers, studs & fishnets - all marching down the runway. Totally polished. Totally punk.

A few of these items have some very "unpunk" price tags. This white Thakoon shift is an updated nod to the bondage pants I once wore religiously, but for $1,500 I'd have to get married in it! Which isn't a bad idea come to think of it... It would also be fairly simple & loads of fun to recreate! On the flip side this Hexagon Necklace from Good Friday is about as punk as it gets. Handmade by a rebellious girl named Rebecca in West Hollywood AND it will only run you $34.


All of these designs could easily be turned DIY with just a few studs, spikes, sequins & a few rolls of ribbons that could be used as fancy patches. Turn a pair of fishnets into something unreal or change the hemline of that old tartan mini skirt & wait for the heads to turn. You may have a hard time finding cool studs at your local craft store but thats what the webernetz are for! Check out Studs & Spikes for some truly tough touches.

I don't even want to know what this Rodarte get up would cost, but a pair of scissors will lead you down the path of pure punk rock perfection. Thrift it, slice it, chop it up & if you lose control, taking it a little too far pick up some zippers and put it back together. Speaking of zippers, I have an all consuming crush on Kate Cusack's creations. Stunning bracelets, necklaces & more made entirely of zippers. They twist, turn, & coil making my heart growl. Finally fashion that shows it's teeth!

Recently I picked up a fair amount of colorful vintage Chanel chain. It's light & flashy & an answer to my prayers. While Chanel is very posh - it never struck me as punk. I've made it my goal to bring it to the other side. In the coming weeks I'll be posting lots of new chain link jewelry in the shop like these Posh Punk lavender & gold earrings you see here.

In short, I'm happy to report that punk is not dead. It was just a nasty rumor.
It is alive & well & prettier than ever!

3 comments:

Alice said...

I am in love with that tartan skirt. And that couture top? I'm thinking, a bit of ribbon and a lot of patience....hmmm...wonder if I could...


xx

J.L. Danger said...

Awesome! I too have been noticing it. There is always a part of me that wants to scream "faker!" but at my age, I guess I need to take what I can get it!

Model Citizen aka Bonnie Rue said...

Alice - you should go for it. It could be ribbon or you could speed up the process with a small roller & some fabric paint. Yeah!

Ms. Danger - I remember me & my anarcho-punk friends making fun of the fashion punks - the fakers. Of course in a way we were just as bad. I'm glad I can look back and laugh