Skinheads - colloquial. skins (eng. skinheads, from skin - skin and head - head) is a collective name for representatives of one of the youth subcultures.

The emergence of the subculture (in its original form) occurred in England, in the late 60s of the XX century, and is closely connected with another English subculture of this period - fashions, as well as with the Jamaican emigrant youth and the music popular among them at that time - reggae ( and, to a lesser extent, ska). It is believed that 1969 was the peak of the popularity of this subculture.

Various sources provide conflicting data on how the skinhead subculture originated. We can only conclude for sure that:

• this subculture was widespread in England in the late 60s (as evidenced by scattered reggae recordings from this period, mentioning skinheads and some of their customs);
• the musical preferences of this subculture were given to reggae music.

You can also judge with a fair degree of confidence about the development of the movement, about the changes in its forms, by audio, video and printed materials of the 1960s-1980s.

One of the fundamental witnesses to the development of the movement (mainly in terms of appearance) in the 1980s was Gavin Watson with his photo album Skins, which captures the life of a small community of skinheads from Gavin's entourage, and himself.

A new boom in the skinhead movement can also be noted in the new century. Starting from the end of 1990, beginning of 2000, there was a “mini-explosion” on the European ska scene - a lot of releases appeared, most of which, although strikingly different in quality from the products of the late 60s, early 70s, were focused on skinheads like target audience... Germany was the center of the boom.

Beginning in the early 1990s, collections of the Ska ... Ska ... Skandal series began to be published in Berlin, with covers depicting skinheads and rudboys having fun or having fun. In addition, one cannot fail to mention the label Grover Records, which reissued, for example, one of the most popular singles Skinhead by Laurel Aitken.

Nowadays, we can rightfully speak about the reggae boom, which is distinguished by a rather high quality of material. The modern center of the reggae boom can rightfully be called Spain, where Liquidator Music is currently operating, releasing ska records by Roy Ellis, the leader of the Symarip group, which first performed such hits as “Skinhead Moonstomp”, “Skinhead Girl”, “Skinhead Jamboree”, reggae records of Derrick Morgan, also known as Mr. Skinhead Reggae. In addition, on this label, groups are published that are guided in their work by reggae, such as:

• Los Granadians;
• Red Soul Community;
• The Cabrians.

The appearance of skinheads

The appearance of skinheads largely repeats the appearance of mods (Fred Perry polo, Levi's jeans, and so on), but besides that it has its own characteristics.

Basically, the appearance of skinheads can be described as “boots and suspenders” - one of the main elements of everyday skinhead style. The garments are listed in the 1969 song "Skinhead Jamboree" by Symarip. A detailed description of the appearance can be found in the book by Nick Knight - Skinhead

A short haircut is another part of the look. This style was borrowed from the mods, who in turn borrowed the short hair from the West Indians.

Skinhead music

Skinheads' musical preferences fall into two main areas:

• Jamaican music;
• the English music scene of the early 1980s.

Jamaican music came to England with the first emigrants from Jamaica in the early 1960s.

Subsequently, some of them founded their own labels (Island Records, Pama Records, etc.), which printed music from their homeland, which contributed to the spread of Jamaican music in the early 1960s. New music from the former British colony gave their preference to fashion, which was later taken over by skinheads.

Following their own labels, Jamaican expatriates began recording, producing and publishing songs themselves in England. The most popular Jamaican performers and producers among skinheads were Laurel Aitken, Lloyd Terrell, Rico Rodriguez, Joe Manzano (a native of Trinidad), Robert Thompson, etc. In the late 1960s, their names were often found on records, as performers and / or producers.

The most famous natives of Jamaica were the Symarip group, which recorded reggae tracks that are popular among skinheads to this day. At the beginning of their career, Laurel Aitken supported the band, helping them to sign a contract with EMI.

Notably, for his major hit “Skinhead Moonstomp”, Montgomery Naismith, who played organ in the band, copied the intro from Sam and Dave’s hit “I Thank You,” replacing only a few words.

The most striking evidence of the close connection between Jamaican music and skinheads is Horace Ouv's film Reggae, which contains short interviews with skinheads and expatriate youths attending the 1970 Wembley Reggae Festival, as well as footage from clubs of skinheads dancing with their black peers and more. older generation.

Modern skinheads

Currently, there are several groups of young people who call themselves “skinheads”:

Traditional Skinheads

They arose as a reaction to the emergence of propolitic offshoots from the original subculture. Follow the image of the first skinheads - devotion to the subculture, memory of the roots (family, working class), anti-racism and apoliticality. The unofficial slogan is “Remember the Spirit of 69”, as it is believed that in 1969 the skinhead movement was at its peak. Closely related to ska music, reggae music and modern Oi! Music.

S.H.A.R.P. (English Skinheads Against Racial Prejudices)

Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice. They appeared in America in the 1980s as the opposite of NS-skinheads, preaching anti-fascism, but remained apolitical. "Detachments of revenge, justice and brotherhood." Among neo-Nazis, they are often equated with R.A.S.H., apparently due to the similarity of abbreviations.

R.A.S.H. (English)

“Reds” and anarcho-skinheads who inherited the ideas of socialism, communism, anarchism from the “native” working class. Prophetic movement.

NS-skinheads (English Nazi skinheads or English National Socialist skinheads)

They adhere to the National Socialist ideology, radical nationalists and racists, advocate the idea of ​​racial separatism and white supremacy (White Power), cultivate violence, idealize the Third Reich and collaborators. The activities of NS skinheads are often extremist, often terrorist.

Their actions are condemned by society around the world. They are feared and despised, called "killers 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 the emergence of skinheads

First of all, let's make one point. Skinheads are a subculture. Yes, yes, the same subculture as the punk movement, goths, emo and so on. But do not confuse "skins" with everyone else. The skinhead subculture is radically different from any other culture influenced by music. It all began, of course, in England, in good old London. This is not surprising - the calm and arrogant Englishmen are famous for their ability to found wild and violent youth movements. Maybe they are just tired of being prim and cold? Who knows. But it is not important. So, the skinheads movement started in the 1960s in poor working-class neighborhoods. And it came from the very popular movement of mods (modernist, or, as they were also called, dudes), the movement of teddy boys (and in Russian gopniks) and football hooligans. They wore heavy construction boots, heavy dockers' jackets - donks, army T-shirts and jeans with suspenders. Doesn't it look like anything? That's right, the modern skin's clothing style took shape at the dawn of the movement. It was the typical clothing of a London hard worker who earned his bread by hard physical labor. A shaved head - a classic skin identification - served as protection from excess dirt and dust accumulating on the docks, as well as harmful insects such as lice. In general, they often did not shave their heads, but only cut them like a hedgehog. The nickname "skinhead" in those days was offensive, humiliating, so called hard workers.

The first skins respected (!) Blacks and mulattoes. Not surprisingly, there were many immigrants among the workers of that time. The skins and visitors from Jamaica had the same views, listened to the same music, in particular reggae and ska. The current of football hooligans had a very big influence on the skin movement. In many respects, it was to him that the skins owe to bomber jackets, which made it easy to slip out of the opponent's hands during a street brawl, 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. Tellingly, both boys and girls took part in the movement. It would not be superfluous to note that, like all football fans, skinheads loved to spend time in a pub with a mug of foam.

But time is running, people grow up, and the first wave of skins began to wane by the early 70s. The skinheads began to start families and slowly forget about their former exuberant lifestyle. However, nothing goes 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 looking for harder music for their movement. Street punk appeared - an excellent solution for skins, to which the name "Oi!" Was instilled with the light hand of an English newspaper hack. The style was different from punk - it was classic guitar riffs laid on a distinctly audible line of bass and drums. The chorus sounded like the fans screaming in the stands (hello hooligans!). With the music came additions to clothing - the skins of the second wave began to wear army T-shirts more often. All of this was alien to the old skins who grumbled at the youth of the 70s for their music and clothes. At that time, among the skinheads of the first wave, the slogan "stay true to 69" was prevalent. It is believed that 1969 was the peak of the popularity of the skinhead movement. So, English youth began to get more and more interested in punk music, and the working class got its own movement. Since own musical style and the skins already had a style of clothing, their views turned to politics. Many skinheads began to support the struggle of the right-wing parties, merging with British neo-fascism, while others defended the ideas of the left, propagating the working class and the ideas of communism. Basically, the left were the first wave skins that 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. It was the first street punk band to publicly declare their neo-Nazi views. They opposed communism and sympathized with the National Front. Towards the end of the 70s, the right-wing movement intensified, and a racist skinhead appeared on the streets of London. You had to see it! All the media sounded the alarm, English society, not yet recovering 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 has been amplified by the National Front and the Skrewdriver group. Politicians skillfully watered skins with the terms fascism and racism. Such actions had a result - skinheads began to be treated in the highest degree negatively.

Finally, by the mid-90s, the third wave of skinheads was forming. 17-18 year old 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 countries of Europe and the West. Now it is basically a mixture of classic football hooligans and hardcore punk skins. In Russia, unfortunately, 99 percent of skinheads are supporters of neo-Nazi views. Contemporary Russian society has a firm belief that any skinhead is a racist.

The history of the emergence of skinheads

Skinhead clothing style

How to distinguish a representative of a particular subculture in a crowd? Of course, according to his (her) clothes. Skinheads are no exception. Their attributes and clothing are different from the general fashion, and, for the most part, are unified. Let's take a look at the general appearance of a modern skin. We will restrict ourselves to Russian skinheads as the most familiar to us trend - the appearance of the Russian skin is almost the same as in the West, the only difference is in the Nazi symbols used by our skins.

So the clothes. Skinhead "uniforms" are taken from the very origins of the movement, namely from the London port workers. These are heavy boots, camouflage pants and T-shirts. The classic look of the skin is a black "bomber" (wide heavy jacket), blue or black jeans with rolled-up trousers, suspenders and black "ankle boots". Naturally shaved head. The ideal shoe for a skin is the so-called "grinder" (Grinders boots). However, they are not cheap, so they are mainly limited to military shoes. Laces are a separate topic in the skin's outfit. By the color of the laces, you can determine its belonging to one or another movement group. For example, white laces are worn by those who killed or participated in the murder of a "non-Russian" person, red - antifa, brown - neo-Nazis. You can, of course, wear laces of any color, not belonging to this or that group, but in this case it is better not to come across skins that honor traditions. In general, a skinhead's clothes are very practical - they help to defend themselves in a fight and significantly weighs down the blows. Attributes serve the same purpose - metal chains, carbines and so on. Some skins like German cross patches, swastikas and the like. True, they are used very rarely, because in this case, the skin becomes an easy prey for the police, revealing its ultra-right views.

Many skinheads love tattoos. They are usually applied to closed parts of the body that are not visible under the jacket on the street, since it is easy to find a supporter of movement from them. The theme of the tattoo is mostly monotonous - these are political ultra-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. ... For such tattoos, skinheads are often harassed and raped by law enforcement agencies, as they directly shout about Nazi beliefs, so some prefer to apply less obvious images like pagan gods, weapons, animals and so on. Letter ciphers are often pierced, for example, "88", "14/88", "18". Here the number denotes 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 ideologues of the skinhead movement, David Lane, who is imprisoned for 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 zig (SS) lightning, the otal rune and other runic combinations.

This is the style of a modern skinhead. Of course, you should not assume that it is typical for everyone - many skins today dress like most. ordinary people since they are harder to calculate this way. Genuine skinny clothing is a tribute to the traditions of the movement.

Skinhead clothing style

Skinhead ideology

So we got to the main thing. The ideology of the skinhead movement. Since the propaganda of Nazi skinheads and the ideology of racial superiority have done their job, it is difficult to find the ideology of true, "classic" skins on the Internet today. Let's try to correct this shortcoming and open the reader's eyes to the true state of affairs. For convenience, let's divide the skin movement into three main streams - classic skinheads, Nazi skinheads and red skinheads.

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 of power over the poor and parental prohibitions. This is pride in simple hard workers and hatred of the rich. Classic skins are apolitical. They drink beer and love football - a tribute to football hooligans who have had a major impact on the current. Not a single classic skinhead is complete without a good fight - again, the influence of hooligans is noticeable. Actually, nothing more can be said about this current. Love music ska, reggae, Oi! etc.

Nazi skins. But here there is something to stop at: racist skinheads are the scourge of modern society. They constantly arrange fights, beatings of foreign citizens, and protest actions. They are arrested, convicted, imprisoned, but they remain true to their ideals. The idea is simple - the supremacy of the white race and the cleaning of the country from 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. Recently, it has come to 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 ideology of the Nazis seems cruel and inhuman. The actions of skins find a huge resonance in modern society - they are hated, despised, trying to catch and punish. Killing people is certainly not the best thing to do. On the other hand, one cannot fail to notice that the actions of skinheads have had an effect - foreigners do not feel as free in the country as before. Objectively, we can say that skinheads are a way to protect society from overly impudent immigrants. It is, however, a pity that the killings of blacks and other citizens are often unjustified and do not carry a character of retaliation that could be explained. Russian skin promotions are usually an attack on innocent black students, entrepreneurs, and so on.

Nazi skins are divided into two groups - these are ordinary skins and ideological leaders. The first, respectively, participate in fights and actions, play an executive role. The latter, on the other hand, 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 I don't want to wake up one fine day in a country that is no longer in my country. Many skinheads follow the straight edge (sXe), that is, they lead a healthy lifestyle. This behavior undoubtedly ennobles the skin, so profusely watered by the modern media and politicians. However, how to relate to nationalists is a controversial issue, in their movement there are both positive and negative sides... The decision must be made by everyone for himself.

And finally, antifa. Red skins, redskins, as they are also called. Every action has its own opposition, as Uncle Newton used to say. Supporters of the red movement oppose racial prejudice and promote left-wing views - communism, class struggle, "factories for 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 the "left" views, antifa have another peculiarity. They hate skins and carry out actions aimed at suppressing them. Fights between skinheads and antifa are not uncommon today. And again, controversial issue how to treat anti-fascists modern man... On the one hand, countering racial killings is, of course, good. On the other hand, fighting by the enemy's methods is meaningless. Antifa can be said to create as many problems as skinheads. Moreover, the struggle of the Redskins is similar to the opening of a "second front" during World War II - late and ineffective. Skinheads manage to repel antifa attacks and plan their own racist actions. The fight against illegal activities should be carried out by law enforcement agencies, and not by a group of young people who are as aggressive as the Nazis.

These are the directions of the skin movement. There are a huge number of nuances in them, and you can argue on each issue infinitely.

Skinhead ideology

Conclusion

A swastika on the sleeve, a shaved skull, imposing ankle boots, a black bomber jacket and a menacing look. Skinhead? As we now understand, a stereotype. The skinhead movement initially promoted concepts that were exactly the opposite of modern Nazis. However, Nazi skinheads emerged as an independent movement and acquired their own music and attitudes for each subculture. The issue of attitude towards them is, of course, controversial. But their actions are undoubtedly illegal and unethical. Perhaps, skins will change the methods of fighting against alien elements in the near future. As for Russia, modern society for the most part expresses a negative attitude towards Russian skinheads. That does not prevent them from practically carrying out their actions with impunity to destroy and humiliate the "non-white" races.

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

The author continues a series of publications designed to highlight some of the problems associated with the study of the phenomenon of mind control. In his last article "Psychological characteristics of members of destructive and terrorist (radical) groups", the author came to the conclusion that for a deeper scientific analysis of the phenomenon of mind control, it is worth referring to the activities of "destructive organizations" the activities of groups (mini-societies), such as antiglobalists, radical environmentalists, terrorists, criminals, some "game" communities, etc. Studying the activities of these subjects in aggregate will help to better understand the nature of radicalism and the growth of cases of applying thinking reform techniques (mind control) in society.

The activities of "destructive organizations" in Russian society and the world have not yet been sufficiently examined in the context of radical asocial groups. Radicalism in all its forms and manifestations, in its scale and intensity, in its cruelty has turned today into one of the most acute and pressing problems of states. One of the aspects of this problem, according to the author, is undoubtedly “misconceptions” about the role of youth groups in destabilizing modern society. The author will try to examine the activities of radical representatives of "youth subcultures" from different angles.

Contrary to the opinion of most ordinary people modern subcultures, especially youth, are not amorphous and monotonous phenomena, but are active "hotbeds of resistance" to modern society with its Christian morality. These "hotbeds" represent various options for moving away from the "imposed" culture and in themselves are neither bad nor good. The peculiarity of subcultures in Russia is expressed in the fact that most of the "youth subcultures", and in this article we mainly consider them, are borrowed from Western culture and are not historical, established "centers" of subculture in our country.

The paradox is that the more we try to resist globalization, the more we integrate into it. We do not want to become part of the global and lose our "national" advantages, but at the same time we are actively introducing in society an international (international) system of subcultures, whose true vocation ("in pure form») - serve as a counterweight or slower to globalization. "Skinheads", "neo-Nazis", "reds", "anarchists", "antiglobalists", "rappers" - they are all representatives of European and American culture.

Welcome to globalization.

Major misconceptions associated with the skinhead culture movement

1. Skinheads are a movement associated with fascism
2. Skinheads are a criminal gang and there is no culture there
3. The problem of skinhead "riot" is impossible to solve

In our article we will try to refute these misconceptions, for which we will consider the current state of the "hotbeds of radicalism."

Evidence that there is nothing in common between the classic skinhead movement and the “neo-fascist” organizations mimicking it, except for some elements of clothing we will consider below (“three waves of classic skinhead culture”).

History: Three Waves of Classic Skinhead Culture

First wave. The "skinheads" of the late 60s were the product of a "mod culture" that was cultivated under the influence of the Jamaican culture brought to England by immigrant rudeboys. "Mods" are not only a musical style, but a movement, lifestyle and style of dress generated by the teenage culture of Britain in the early 60s. The eternal confrontation between "fathers and children" flared up with renewed vigor with the advent of rock and roll (mid-50s): the young generation of Americans, who received their music, their idols and their fashion, began to realize themselves as an independent social class that did not want to obey the laws of adults and trying to self-determination. English teenagers also wanted to listen and play rhythm and blues and rock and roll. This is how the "mod" movement was born. Britain in the 60s was particularly affected by the economic problems caused by the post-war crisis: it was necessary to rebuild the industry and destroyed houses, workers and employees were required, but people were not enough. This forced teenagers even from good families to get a job, more often in offices and offices (clerks, typists, etc.). Earning their personal income, young British people could purchase outfits and spend money on entertainment. "Mods" dressed very neatly, usually wearing expensive suits. "Fred Perry", "Ben Sherman", "Lonsdale" - these companies producing clothes and shoes were very popular among "mods".

This is how the Teddy Boys fashion was born. The boys have corduroy jackets with large lapels, leather ties, trousers with cuffs, boots with grooved soles; hairstyles - elongated, with hair framing the face. Girls wore skirts above the knee and sweaters with blind necks, long and straight hair. Because of this infatuation (dress well), they were often accused of betraying the working class. "Fashions" were not much socially different from the youth of the working class, but they spent a lot of money on clothing. The "fashion" girls loved heavy makeup and dull lipstick. Scooters (motor scooters) became a favorite pastime. At the same time, the "Teddy Boys" were distinguished by a very hooligan disposition: they formed gangs driving motor scooters, fought with rockers (who drove motorcycles), smashed shop windows and frightened ordinary people.

By the way, unlike rockers, the then popular culture of young people, "fashion" had representatives of both sexes in their ranks. In addition to civilian clothes, "fashion" could be recognized by a motor scooter (Scooter). Many who rode them called themselves "Scooterist". Scooters can also be considered a kind of "mod culture" product. They used to decorate scooters with mirrors and other spectacular things. Football fans ("hooligans"), who also left the "mods", were also fond of scooters. To be a "mod" meant to have everything new and original that only existed at the moment, to stand out from the rest. Motor scooters flooded all of London.

Music was a less important part of the movement than fashion and demeanor. Basically, "mod groups" began by copying American rhythm and blues standards and creating their own music material in the same spirit. Mods played rhythm and blues and rock and roll faster, heavier and dirtier than their predecessors. By 1968, the "mod" movement had practically died out, degenerating into other movements.

Already in the early 60s, the so-called Rudies appeared - young immigrants from Jamaica who worked in low-paid jobs (shops, bars, docks, factories). They had their own fashion. And most importantly, its own music - "ska", which the British also liked. At the same time, the "mods" movement also started.

At the same time, the first "hard-mods" or "skinheads" appeared. Every Saturday these new progressive youths went to the stadiums to support their favorite teams. The lethal support of football teams often led to brawls between opposing fans, leading to legendary British "football violence". Since the representatives of "hard-mod" (hard-mod) often participated in fights, they began to shave their heads so that in a fight the enemy could not use the grab by the hair. It is worth noting that the "skinheads" did not immediately separate from the "mods": everything happened gradually.

Not everyone called themselves "skinheads". There were names like "herberts" (from Herbert Street in Glasgow (UK)), "street kids" (that is, "street children"), "spy kids" (rough translation - "hunters"), "peanuts" (that there are “nut crushers” (the name they got for the rumble of their scooters) and others.

Contrary to popular belief, most "skinheads" around the world have never been "shaved" or "skinheads." Those who worked in the river docks left a short "hedgehog" on their heads and cut their hair so only to protect themselves from dust, dirt and lice. For this reason, "skinhead" in the mid-sixties is a derogatory nickname, something like "horned". They didn't call themselves that. They were so scolded.

When night fell, the "skinheads" wore the very best they could afford (usually cheap men's suit) and went to the dance halls. Here they danced to the sounds of new music brought to England by Jamaican immigrants. Many names have been attributed to this music, including ska (later called the first wave ska), Jamaican blues, blue beat, rockstady, and reggae.

By the way, about “Ryudiz-skins”. Once upon a time, not yet joining the reggae, a very young Bob Marley was a skinhead. Bob Marley wore high combat boots, camouflage, and had a zero-cut haircut.

The first "skinheads" later began to give preference to American clothing "Levi Jeans" and "Alpha Flight Jackets" and tight braces with Doc Marten boots. With the rise of football hooliganism, the dark green Alpha Flight Jackets (also called MA1, Flight Jacket, or Bomber Jacket) came into use, allowing them to slip easily out of the hands of opponents. This is how they dressed in the days of football, and to concerts and on the street they wore ordinary jackets, often jeans, black suspenders and black laces. This tightening of dress code markedly influenced the working class's interest in skinheads.

Skinheads loved beer, unlike mods who drank amphetamines and rudeboys who smoked marijuana. The Skinhead Girls dressed like boys, cut their hair short and also had a lot of troubles and problems with the police and other youth groups. Rudigers, Skinhead Girls and Mod Girls wore miniskirts, which were very popular at the time and were seen as outrageous to conservative parents.

In the early 70s, "skinheads" were gaining strength compared to other youth subcultural movements. “Skinheads” of the first wave grew up: they appeared less and less on the street, got families, settled down, raised children, but still remained faithful to their roots.

Second wave of skin movement marked the growth of "punk rock" in the UK. "Punk rock" blew up prim and cold England. "Punk rock" looked wild, rough, aggressive. He frightened housewives, respectable citizens and other gentlemen. But the working youth sought and wanted a tougher and faster sound for their culture. Plus, "punk rock" has become just student rebellious music, college music. And the resulting synthesis of a bright, fast and rough sound became "streetpunk" (street punk), later named by the journalist of the "Sun" Gary Bushell, as "Oi!". It was punk, but it was working-class oriented punk. Due to the fact that the roots of "Oi!" music was in the working class, the media reacted negatively to this musical offshoot, walking "punk rock" itself, as music of the middle class, they welcomed. Sounding "Oi!" differs from punk: simple guitar melodies are superimposed on a clearly audible line of bass guitar and drums and accompanied by choruses, similar to the screams of football stands. Along with street punk, the skinhead movement was reviving. Traits such as toughness and pride in the working class began to be grafted into "punk". Basically, the second wave of "skinheads" knew nothing about the heritage and their roots, "mods", "ska", "rudeboys".

The old "skinheads" constantly criticized and scolded the new growth for innovation. For example, the 69 skins still wore Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, and the new 79 skins mostly wore blue Levi jeans, work boots, suspenders and American pilots' jackets. They called themselves "Bald Punks". During the 70s, many changes took place among the classic "skinheads". Fashion moved from a blurry style to better clothes than workers could afford - blue collars. In the 70s, a "military" style of clothing appeared among skinheads. Other "skins" were heavily influenced by the "disco" of the seventies: they "put on their hair", wore fancy pants and boots in the style of the 70s.

With the formation of their own musical groups among the "skinheads", their political ideas began to lean towards the struggle between right-wing and left-wing parties, and even apoliticality. Politically right-wing groups leaned towards a relationship with the "National Front" (neo-fascists in England) and had similar ideas. Left-wing groups focused on the struggle of the working class and used communist policies. Apolitical groups often avoided both sides because they wanted to choose their own subcultural politics.

A group of representatives of the punk movement formed the collective "Skrewdriver" ("Screwdriver"), which greatly influenced the "street punk" and after a while transformed into a "skinhead group". Skrewdriver became the first group to announce their neo-Nazi views in skinhead culture with a Rock Against Communism concert. Sympathizing with the National Front, they adopted a racist stance and began to create a right wing of the skinhead subculture.

"Skinheads" sample 69, on the contrary, remained anti-racist, like most "skins" of those years, were fond of "reggae" and "ska". They attended "colored discos", but still called "blacks" - "darkies". They supported the ideals of the working class and leftist politicians. England still remembered the Second World War, and therefore it was considered an honor for every patriotic citizen to remain anti-racist.

By the late 1970s, the National Front and the British National Socialist Party had infiltrated the skinhead movement. By that time, "skinheads" were already a strong generation. The National Front decided that skinheads would serve as an excellent source of new members and enhance its reputation and image. Young people were recruited as street soldiers of the National Front. A “racist skinhead” appeared on the Donahuue show (a popular show in England) It was a shock and blow to the entire “skinhead movement.” Together with the media, the myth of “racist skinheads” was fanned by the National Front and Skrewdriver "(" Screwdriver "). Due to erroneous propaganda, society saw in every" skinhead "a racist. In our country, these consequences are especially manifested. The majority of journalists, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and ordinary people reinforce the misconception that" skinheads "are neo-Nazis and racists.

The bad reputation only played into the hands of the right-wing parties. Many young neo-Nazis, who were always far from the working class and "skinhead culture", began to call themselves "skinheads." This is how “Nazism” began to penetrate the culture of “skinheads”.

In the US, "skins" were even more distant from their roots and gravitated towards the incipient wave of "hard-core" that originated in New York. Street punk in England was akin to hardcore in the United States. For example, the "skins" of the early 80s knew practically nothing and did not hear about "ska" or "Oops!" But like their counterparts in England, they wore work boots, jeans, borrowing this style of clothing from the punks. The Hardcore Skins were more powerful and brutal than their Punk Skins contemporaries in England. They appeared in crime reports more often than in 69th. Parties, like the National Front, have shaped skinheads into footsoldiers (stormtroopers).

In the 80s, no one liked "skinheads" for their aggressiveness, society considered them radicals and hooligans. But no one called them racist before that ill-fated interview on the popular show.

The subculture of "skinheads" has spread to all countries of the world. Each of them maintains an independent history of the skinheads' goals, their values, and the history of their emergence. The definition of "skinhead" differs from country to country.

In the mid-1980s, Europe was shaken by a severe crisis, which can be considered a consequence of the "crisis of the 70s" that had previously erupted in America. Governments played " cold war"; enterprises were closed; there was no money, and the standard of living was falling more and more. This was reflected in the music as well: groups of 84 years old began to write more evil songs than those that sounded before. The musical subculture reflected the mood in society - tension and distrust of governments and their policies.

Politicians from various states have carried out a successful campaign "to advertise" the "atrocities of skinheads" among the population of Europe, about their fascist "essence", and so on. As a result, the attitude of society towards the "skinhead" movement changed to a very negative one, and the movement began to decline. In the eyes of ordinary people, "neo-Nazi" organizations are increasingly associated with the "skinhead" movement. This continued until the late 1980s.

In the late 80s and up to the present day, a new great manifestation of the "traditional" values ​​of the skinheads of the 60s began. This happened in England, America and most of Europe. It entailed a new confrontation between classic (traditional) and non-traditional (neo-fascist, anarchist and communist) skins.

The third wave was the skinheads of the mid-90s. There is a sign of "Civil War" in the "skinhead movement". Many of those who became "skinheads" more than 15 years ago began to appear on the streets, to participate in the development of "skinhead culture". 17-18 year olds "punks" began to shave their heads, getting rid of "Iroquois" and "garbage dumps".

Modern "skinheads" of Europe and the West are a mixture of "hard-mod / rudeboys" (hard-mods / rudeboys) of the late 60s, and "punk / hard-core" (punk / hard-core) skins of the early 80s ... Their musical passions range from reggae to modern hardcore as well as ska, rockstadie, rockabilly, punk, oops! Some listen only to "reggae", some only "Ouch!" or punk. Of course, they are interested in their roots, the culture of "mods", "scooters", etc., but still, for most skinheads of the late 90s, this is an example from history.

In our country, the situation at the moment is as follows: we have few "red skins" (communist), SHARP skins, classic (traditional) skins. In Russia, the word "bonhead" is almost never used. "Bonehead" is a term used by classic and other skins to refer to any "werewolf skinhead" with racist or neo-fascist views. The concept of "skinhead" in 99 cases out of 100 in Russia is associated with neo-Nazism and racism
.
For reference:

1. SHARP-skins are "SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice", they appeared in New York (USA) in the late 80s. Movements that share the ideology of "skinheads against racial prejudice" are SCAR, SPAR, RASH, HARP and others. There are Chinese, Hawaiian, Japanese movements from other countries, whose ideology is similar to SHARP-skins. They wore S.H.A.R.P. patches with a Trojan helmet - the same orange badge that Trojan Records put on their records thirty years ago. The Sharps were proud of the fact that the fire lit by the skinheads back in 1969 burns in their hearts too.

2. "Redskins" or "RASH" - "Skinheads against Nazism and the power of capital" or "Red and Anarchist Skinheads". They appeared independently of the Sharps a few years after them. RASH have leftist convictions, they have no nationality, they are against the purity of the race and support everyone who needs their support. Their very name suggests that they are anarchists - they want freedom of action for everyone and seek to eliminate any pressure on people.

If we consider schematically the history of the "skinhead movement", then we can come to the conclusion that neo-fascist organizations using elements of the culture of the "skinhead movement" are not, by definition, they are.

Developing through the three stages we discussed above, the modern skinhead culture movement was forced to remain outside of politics (apolitical) and non-racist movement. However, this position led to the emergence of two "twin movements", which use elements of the classical (traditional) "skinhead culture", but are not.

The Red Skinhead movement is a group of organizations representing different political and social groups with different goals, but having one common and important goal - the destruction of the Bonhead movement. Even 15 years ago, the “red skinhead” movement could be described as a radical wing of the classic “skinhead movement”. But during this time, the “red movement” has gone too far from being apolitical and every year it increasingly merges with youth organizations of the communist and anarchist persuasion. Representatives of the “reds” criticize the representatives of the classical (traditional) “skinhead movement” for their apoliticality.

The Bonhead movement is an artificially created neo-fascist organization of the late 1960s. Per recent decades this movement with elements of the fashion of the "skinhead movement" was transformed into an active radical wing of neo-Nazi and racist organizations. At the moment, apart from the common fashion elements of "bonheads" and "skinheads", practically nothing unites.

It is worth noting that the movement of classical (traditional) skinheads promotes apoliticality, is not a racist organization and is more transformed into its initial stage - into an informal musical movement with its own attributes, culture of behavior and consumption. However, "classic skinheads" continue to adhere to certain values:

You must be a patriot of your country;
- You have to work;
- you must study;
- you cannot be racist;

Misconception # 1 "Skinheads are a movement associated with fascism"

As we have established, having considered the history of the emergence and development of the "skinhead" subculture, the "skinhead movement" has nothing to do with neo-Nazi movements and neo-fascist organizations.

It is safe to say that "skinheads" fell victim to political intrigue in the late 70s, where neo-fascist parties successfully used the popularity of the movement among young people to increase the number of their adherents. The “traditionalists” fell victim to their absolute apoliticality and were unable to promptly react to political provocation at the necessary time. This situation was repeated in the late 80s, when government policies European countries started a campaign against the "skinhead movement" as the culprit of all the problems. It is worth noting that these are standard political tools that are very often used in politics in order to distract voters from the question "Where are our taxes going?" the question "Who is to blame for all the problems?"

Continuing to be an apolitical and youth subculture, the "skinhead movement" will constantly be viewed by the media and the common people as part of neo-fascism.

In order to refute the misconception that "skinheads are a criminal gang and there is no culture there", consider music, fashion and tattooing in all the movements about which in question in this article.

Music

We will not consider this direction in depth, since talked about it in the previous part of our article. Here are the differences in the musical preferences of the "bonheads" and "skinheads".

The table shows that there are no common preferences in music for these two movements. It makes no sense to specifically consider the musical culture of the "skinhead movement", since our work has other goals.

Fashion

Suspenders are an integral part of skinhead clothing. Suspenders were already worn by "hard mods" in the mid-60s, along with high boots and cropped jeans, even before the nickname "skinhead" was born. Such clothes were called "working class style". Having braces has always meant being part of the working class.

Workers and laborers at the river docks wore this way back in the early 20th century. The suspenders were needed to prevent the shirt from snagging on anything. The word "braces" is translated from English as "fasteners", and in relation to clothing it can be translated as "construction fasteners".

Most of the first wave of skinheads were involved in hard manual labor. The further they went, the more they drifted away from the "always new and sophisticated clothing" worn by their predecessors - "fashion". Those who worked with hand winches on the docks needed durable and comfortable clothing that could, above all, ensure their safety. Boots with a strong steel toe could protect the legs from falling boxes or other heavy objects, suspenders pressed clothes to the body and did not give it the opportunity to catch on something or get into the screw nodes of the winches. Jeans or plain canvas pants made of sturdy fabric had strong double seams, and finally the shirt and jacket had shoulder pads to keep the workers from rain and damp sea wind.

The names for the clothing are notable, for example the coat or jacket with overlays on the shoulders was called "donkey Jacket". The word "donkey" is translated as "winch" and the combination of these words means "winch's jacket". Thin suspenders were not called "suspenders", as usual, but "braces" - this word had additional meanings of "braces" and "construction fasteners". The boots were named "boots", not "shoes", and so on. Skinheads wear one-color braces, without patterns, usually black or dark red, braces in bright colors are less common. They are always thin, no more than two fingers of the hand folded together. It's good if they have shiny locks and crocodiles.

By the way the suspenders are fixed on the back, there are two types - X and Y. Suspenders of the 60s looked like "X", today "Y" is more common. But this does not matter: someone wears X, and someone wears Y. Sometimes they make it so that X turns into Y, fastening the ribbons on the back next to it.

For the first time, a detailed description of the clothing of traditional skinheads was given by the magazines "Hard as Nails" and "Zoot" in Scotland. They drew the attention of readers to the fact that skinheads at all times dressed differently. They had different clothes for the street and on weekends. Meeting each other, they sometimes could not understand with whom they were dealing, so strong were the differences. But there was nothing strange - no two people are alike. And no two skinheads are alike.

Other skinhead clothing that dates back to the mod era is meant to go to a concert or make a good impression. This is an English suit, with which you can wear all the same boots and suspenders, and with which a long coat is relied on in cold weather. Sometimes a hat similar to the one worn by the Rudie Boys is worn over the head.

At various times, skinheads laughed at themselves, drawing monkeys in Ben Sherman shirts and Doctor Martens boots, blue work jeans and docker suspenders. Thus, they tried to show that it is not only about clothes that matter. There must be something else in the head.

Skinheads love tattoos, but there are a limited number of images on this topic. Here are the most common ones.

The flying swallow tattoo means freedom. Laurel wreaths of glory and glowing "Oi!" - such designs mean a lot to those who wear them. Sometimes pictures well known to other skinheads or album covers are reproduced.

Here is another example: this is the legend of the crucifixion of Christ, portrayed in this way. It means suffering, its original meaning is “crucified by capitalism”. This drawing reflects the beliefs of the first wave of skinheads.

Its continuation is a "skin" rising from the grave, on the stone above which the inscription "Oi!" or a laurel wreath of glory. This drawing means that there is no death, and that the tradition will never be suppressed.

The birthplace of these two drawings is Scotland, the city of Edinburgh. In the Middle Ages, there were widespread Catholic "myths" about ghosts and spirits, as now about skinheads. The inhabitants were so sure of their existence that they even covered the graves with stone slabs. In the twentieth century, when hypocrisy became apparent, these drawings appeared.

Quote: "Killed by modernity, he will return" is a protest against Catholic morality, where everything is controlled by external forces: the good god, the carrot and the money. Against a world in which no one owes you anything from the very beginning. And where nobody cares about you. This only applies to traditional skinheads and only matters to a few of us. As a rule, we do not like to talk about it. And we will not discuss it now " .

Most "skinheads" have a negative attitude towards stripes. It is considered indecent to demonstrate their affiliation with the movement with stripes. Quote: “Most of us don't need patches - if you know you belong to us and you know how to dress, your appearance will be more than enough. Glittering boots, rolled-up jeans, a checked shirt and suspenders - what could be better than such clothes? Why also have stripes? "

The bonhead movement adopted some of the fashion elements of the skinhead movement, such as shoes, jeans, suspenders, hairstyles, and jackets (usually leather). In addition, the "Bonhead" movement welcomes various stripes with Nazi swastikas, etc. (rice.)

Bonheads have a very intrusive attitude to tattoos, as a rule, they try to do them a lot and of an aggressive fascist character. The neo-Nazis have a definition of "enemy" in fashion (clothing and style), which must be destroyed. According to this scheme, it is necessary to search and destroy the "enemy of the race". The traditional “skinhead” movement has never had such a “portrait” and most likely never will. Among the "red skinheads" such an "enemy" is the "bonhead".

The traditional drink of "skinhead culture" is considered "beer" ("ale"), the use of spirits is not encouraged.

В движении «бонхэд» не существует какой-либо культуры употребления напитков, кроме запрета употребления «ниггерских» напитков. The Russian "bonhead" prefers to drink a true Slavic drink - vodka.

Misconception # 2 "Skinheads are a criminal gang and there is no culture there."

Consider the concepts of culture and subculture. Subculture- a system of values, models of behavior, life style of any social group, which is an independent holistic education within the framework of the dominant culture.

The culture- a set of material and spiritual values, ideas of life, patterns of behavior, norms, methods and techniques of human activity:

Reflecting a certain level of historical development of society and man;
embodied in subject, tangible media and passed on to subsequent generations

Note that the skinhead movement has all the necessary subcultural elements. You cannot call a subculture a criminal group, just as you cannot call the activities of a criminal group a manifestation of a subculture. The Bonhead movement is also a youth subculture, but it has nothing to do with the skinhead movement except suspenders, boots and haircuts.

The situation is frightening when hundreds of crimes are committed by “bonheads”, and for them there are all the necessary articles in the administrative and criminal codes of the Russian Federation, and law enforcement agencies shrug their shoulders and say: “So these are skinheads - what can we do ?!”.

It is possible to argue about the responsibility of the state before its citizens for a very long time, but only the state has a monopoly on the use of force (violence) to protect citizens. When officials refuse to fulfill their duties and offer citizens to cope with their problems on their own (without breaking the law), this spurs a wave of myths and fears about the impossibility of solving the problem of the "riot of skins". After all, if the state cannot do what a citizen can? Everyone has the right to fear…. And it's scary. Over time, common myths and fears increase the problem and complicate it.

Let's try to consider misconception # 3 "The problem of skinheads' riot is impossible to solve."

Misconception # 3 "Skinhead Rampage Problem Is Impossible to Solve"

We agree that the problem of growing radicalism and illegal behavior cannot be solved. Moreover, it is impossible to decide: if you do nothing and do not understand what you are faced with. Let's try to analyze what we have encountered and what can be done.

Let's try to consider the problem with different points vision. Let us quote officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (//News.ru, February 4, 2003). “The tactics and methods of their [bonheads] actions have changed. Skinheads switched to what we call "pinpoint strikes" tactics. According to a representative of the GUUR, skinheads do not have a single organization... “There are many varieties in the movement itself - Nazi-skins, privateer-skins and others. The only thing that unites them is inciting ethnic hatred by calling for violence. "

“There are from 15 to 20 thousand skinheads in Russia. The movement includes disparate groups, the numbers of which fluctuate. So, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the capital region there are about 5 thousand active participants in this movement and about 100 leaders at various levels... In St. Petersburg, about 3 thousand skinheads and 17 neo-fascist organizations are registered as preventive measures. ... According to him, various media provide them with considerable support in this. Moreover, as a rule, agitation affects 13-17-year-olds. That is why, according to Komarov, the Ministry of Internal Affairs concentrates its work “not on bringing the maximum number of extremists to criminal responsibility,” but on operational and preventive activities. In particular, in November last year, an attempt by neo-fascists to hold a congress was suppressed, dedicated to the day the birth of the organizer of the skinhead movement - Ian Stewart, in which about 400 people wanted to take part.

According to RIA Novosti, in total in 2002 under Art. 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (incitement of ethnic, racial or religious hatred) 71 criminal cases were initiated, 31 of them were sent to court, 16 people have already been punished. "

Let's take a look at some of the facts. Here are the titles of books and manuals "Hooligan style of hand-to-hand fighting", "Use what is at hand", "Fight as it is", etc. These are all detailed guides on how to carry out street fights, how to use the means at hand, how to inflict maximum injury and much more. These reference books are studied and intensively studied. These guides are openly sold. Here are some examples: "You should wear a razor so as not to injure yourself ... ... it is better if the blade is secured by tightly fitting pieces of clothing ... ... removing the weapon should not take much time ...".

“... The blows delivered by the razor along their trajectory resemble glancing blows with a fist .... ... eyes, forehead skin (bleeds heavily - blinds), neck, large arteries of arms and legs, abdomen ... ... the muscles of the peritoneum, often covered with a thick layer of fat, break through with a powerful circular blow ... ... there are no invulnerable places for the razor ... ... but heals slowly, unlike wounds inflicted with blunt weapons ... ".

“A head blow to the face is much more dangerous than previous blows - delivered quickly and at close range, it is almost irresistible. ... make a throw with a foot in the stomach ... ... do not let the opponent at a distance convenient for such an attack ... ".

Neo-fascist groups study and constantly practice these tips. If we generalize the experience of creating radical groups, for example, black shirts in Germany, brown shirts in Italy in the 1930s, and modern youth groups, we can find a lot of the same characteristics. In the process of turning ordinary people into “stormtroopers” in the 30s and at the present time, the transformation of young people into members of organized criminal gangs has a lot in common.

According to Lifton's concept of "doubling", the best reinforcement of the new role model of behavior is its practical application and the recruitment of new members. Based on this, it can be assumed with great confidence that every year the neo-fascist movement is becoming more united and coordinated, as well as the number of attacks and crimes against "racial enemies" is growing. The statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and human rights organizations prove this.

It should be noted that the "bonheads" and "red skinheads" are actively fighting for an important resource to recruit their ranks. Football fans, predominantly youngsters, are the best source of recruiting for their group. Almost all major football matches well-planned and prepared actions take place - beating and attacking the fans of the other team. Perhaps someone will say that the author exaggerates the problem of football fights, but then how to explain that the number of law enforcement forces at football matches is increasing every year (including riot police) ?! How to explain the fact that the fans of the other team are taken out on special buses, accompanied by increased police protection ?! By "security measures" - you say, and you will be right.

I can argue that only by protecting and allowing the activities of criminal youth groups under the guise of certain subcultures, the state deepens the problem of the growth of radicalism in youth subcultures.

Football massacres are a phenomenon of recent years, and this problem did not exist before. What are officials doing wrong? What allows the problem to take on an ever-larger scale? Misunderstanding and struggle not with the source of the problem, but with the consequences. At the moment, methods of misleading the society are being applied. We are offered a new brand of evil - "skinheads", equating it with an incurable disease, such as "AIDS".

In this article, the author set a goal to explain the brand of "skinheads" not from the position from which officials and many media outlets offer it to us, but from the position of a youth subculture that has no direct relation to the lawlessness. Skinheads are a youth subculture that emerged as a protest against public morality and focused on their values. I will note - on civic values, among which there will never be a place for racial intolerance.

There is a problem of the lack of control over the existence of illegal radical, often criminal groups, which call themselves "Aryan skinheads", and, in fact, are neo-Nazi groups. Perhaps the officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation should turn their attention to the principle of "justice and irreversibility of punishment", and, perhaps, in the near future, our country will stop beating people of another, dissimilar culture.

Hope for the best

Vershinin Mikhail Valerievich
Psychologist, "exit counselor"
[email protected]
09.01.2004

By publishing this article, the Author does not pursue commercial purposes, but acts exclusively within the framework of scientific research, expressing a subjective opinion without the purpose of discrediting the mentioned legal entities (individuals), and reporting deliberately false results. The author does not pursue the goal of popularizing his ideas in the light of the consequences of terrorist acts that took place in Russia and the world.

Approx. Author: J. Lifton is an American psychologist who developed the concept of duplication of personality in his book Nazi Doctors: Medical Murder and the Psychology of Genocide. This research has led to a more accurate understanding of how people who are mentally and physically healthy, educated and idealistic, can quickly become fanatics of movements, whose entire ideology and activities directly contradict their original views of the world. Such a sharp and deep resocialization of the personality is the result of a specific adaptive response under conditions of extreme group pressure and the manipulation of basic human needs. Lifton called it "doubling." Doubling consists in dividing the system of one's own “I” into two independently functioning wholes. The separation occurs because at some point a group member is confronted with the fact that his new behavior is incompatible with the pre-group self. The behavior demanded and rewarded by the totalitarian group is so different from the "old self" that the usual psychological defense (rationalization, repression, etc.) is not enough for vital functioning. All thoughts, beliefs, actions, feelings and roles associated with being in a destructive cult are organized into an independent system, a partial “I”, which is fully consistent with the requirements of this group, but this happens not by the free choice of the individual, but as an instinctive reaction of self-preservation in almost unbearable - psychologically - conditions. The new partial “I” acts as an integral “I”, eliminating internal psychological conflicts.

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

Guys in military uniform

Why are you wearing Levi "s? Levi" s are your 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 ultra-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 Pamyat Society withdrew from the Society for the Protection of Monuments. The movement rethought historical processes, its participants were engaged in reenactment and wore a "White Guard" uniform, for the most part consisting of a modified form of the Soviet army.

Later, their own military uniform appeared, consisting of black tunics with shoulder straps, black trousers tucked into black cowhide boots, black tunics with a standing collar and shoulder straps. In winter, greatcoats, garrison caps and caps with oval badges of the "royal" pattern were used. The buttons were not Soviet stars with a hammer and sickle, and the king's two-headed eagles. The reconstruction of the Cossack uniform was also popular. It is now people in Cossack uniforms have become the standard landscape of 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, a beret, military boots and a bandage on the sleeve. Many participants in the movement, especially in the regions, wore the usual military uniform, which they brought from the army or bought at the nearest military trade center.

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

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

Eventually military uniform has been and remains an important element of right-wing skinhead fashion around the world. The right in the United States tends to be closely associated with militarized radical structures like the civilian militia. The fashion for these people is formed in the military stores next door.

Not surprisingly, in January 2017, an arms store ran an ad that featured prospective customers confronting an anti-fascist crowd. The poster featured the inscription: "Anti-fascists, today is not your day." Many modern brands targeting the ultra-right public have military-style items in their collections. What's more, you can now see the rebirth of the beloved skinhead brand of the 1990s, Alpha Industries, which originally made clothing for the US Armed Forces.

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

Life-giving bomber

School bell...
First lesson...
Bomber and knife.
Kill the devils, destroy everyone!

Tsunar was the first to accept this knife
The bomber saved you - your best friend.
Blood dripping from his bomber
This was done by a bribed cop.
Metal corrosion, "Hit the devils"

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

Frame: the film "Russia 88"

Demand soon spurred 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 moderate. These jackets were worn almost all year round: in winter they put on 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 belts. In the environment of skinheads, there was a tale 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 the jacket out so that it could be easier to find from the air. Fans turned their jackets inside out to make it easier to understand who was their own and who was a stranger in a fight. According to one version, the inventors of this were Spartak hooligans from the "firm" Flint "s Crew.

In especially severe frosts, 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 presence of fashionable colors there, as opposed to the dull baggy green products from the Voentorg. Especially advanced users wore jeans that were invariably blue, but again, due to their high cost, they were not widely used, especially in the regions. The finishing touch is army boots. In the provinces, many marched there until the 2000s.

Also, you cannot ignore the use of an accessory such as suspenders. The most relevant were braces in the colors of the Russian or German tricolor. Then came the fashion for tight suspenders, which were a real shortage. Suspenders were not just a wardrobe item - lowered suspenders meant that "the 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, Obuv 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. Martens, Grinders and Shelly "s. The most popular were the Grinders boots with a high shaft and a permanent metal glass. the main character the film "American History X" in the famous scene of the murder of an African American, which entered folklore as "bite the curb."

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

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

When, by the mid-2000s, the ultra-right movement became radicalized, and serious sentences began to be given for crimes motivated by ethnic hatred, this fashion came to naught. At the end of the decade, antifa skinheads were already dressing in this way, who tried to revive the spirit of 1969 in this way. Young people who remain true to the traditions of this fashion can be found even now, but this can only be regarded as a cosplay of those times.

The fashion for heavy boots has come to naught. American right-wing brand Aryan wear has closed. Shelly "s specializes in women's shoes with the famous Rangers model, 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 opened its second wind : The classic 1460 boots began to appear in the wardrobes of people far from skinhead fashion.Alice Erskine and other top stars were noticed in Dr. Martens.

However, in Great Britain the traditional style of skinheads has been preserved. There are families where skinhead traditions are passed from father to son. Of course, instead of Chinese knockoffs, traditional European skinheads wear the original Dr. Martens, Levi's jeans, Fred Perry polo or plaid shirts and Ben Sherman original jackets. political views human

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

It was around this time that hooligans and right-wing skinheads began to move away from the fashion for heavy boots and bombers. There are several reasons for this.

Perhaps you have met groups of young people with shaved heads, in identical black jeans and collarless camouflage jackets, in high army boots, with the flag of the slave-owning Confederation sewn on the sleeve? These are skinheads, or, in other words, skinheads. They call themselves with a short word "skins". Now they hardly write about them, but among teenagers in big cities they are already a legend.

The first skinheads appeared in England in 1968. Current followers would be surprised to learn that their predecessors got along well with mulattoes and blacks. The fact is that skins appeared as a working, not a racial subculture, directed against both the official culture and in opposition to many alternative currents. For example, they considered rockers "fake" because they were a thunderstorm on the roads only on weekends, and on weekdays they worked hard in the office. Whom the skinheads didn’t like was “paki” (Pakistanis). And not as foreigners, but as hucksters. And the Negroes and Arabs, who worked with skinheads in the same factories, were their own guys for them.

First wave skinheads got along well with mulattoes and blacks

The first skinheads were not skinheads in the literal sense of the word, just their short haircuts with tanks contrasted with the then fashionable long hair. The style of clothing was not "militaristic", but proletarian: coarse-wooled jackets or short coats with a leather yoke, coarse trousers with an "eternal arrow", a long, knee-length zoot jacket and heavy durable high boots of construction workers and dock workers. The first skinheads had no followers, and by 1973, when the guys had matured and had families, the movement had come to naught.

Skinheads of the "first wave", 60s of the XX century

Skinheads revived in the late 1970s, when the Margaret Thatcher government liquidated entire sectors of the economy, leading to unprecedented increases in unemployment and unrest in the so-called depressed regions. The new skins were no longer the working aristocracy, but a declassified environment, brought up not on relaxed reggae, but on aggressive punk rock. These guys beat all the immigrants indiscriminately, because they "took their jobs." Neo-Nazi ideologists worked with the new skinheads. Skin clubs emerged, the slogan "Let's keep Britain white!"

"Let's keep Britain white!" - the slogan of the "second wave" skinheads

Then the skinheads of the "first wave" got out of their apartments, furious that their movement was being associated with the Nazis. Fights between "old" and "new" skinheads took the form of street riots (especially in Glasgow). The result of these clashes was the emergence of two skin movements - on the one hand, Nazi skins ("new"), on the other - "red skin", "red skins" ("old"). Outwardly, the red skins differed only in stripes with portraits of Lenin, Mandela, Che Guevara and sometimes red laces in boots. They became widespread in England, France, Poland, Spain. Nazi skins took root in Germany, Holland, Scandinavia, Canada, USA, later in France, Denmark, Belgium.

Hoxton Tom McCurt, bassist for The 4-Skins, 1977

Germany became an outpost of the Nazi-skin movement in Europe

In America, there were groups of white skinheads, black skinheads, Puerto Rican skinheads, Jewish skinheads, Latin American skinheads. In Germany, the Nazis became famous not only for beating up guest workers (foreign workers, mainly Turks and Kurds), but also for their murders. At the same time, judges, who were more afraid of the "red terror", showed rare favor to skinheads (in the 80s in Germany, skins were only once convicted for the murder of the Turk Ramazan Avsi in the summer of 1986).

Skinheads, meanwhile, turned into a political force: they smashed the anti-fascists, dealt with the trade unions. The authorities realized who they were dealing with when in 1987 in Lindau the skins attacked Christian believers during church holiday in St. Stephen's Cathedral (the city authorities refused to provide the municipal hall for the skinhead congress). The Vatican intervened, the skinheads were pressed by the police.

Skinheads appeared in Russia in the early 90s

But the Berlin Wall soon came down, and the ranks of skinheads swelled at the expense of Germans from East Germany, where unemployment and despair reigned among the youth. German neo-fascists began to be considered worldwide "specialists" in working with youth, and Germany in the 90s was notorious for setting fires to immigrant hostels.

After the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, skinheads appeared in Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Bulgaria and Russia.