Cut The Crap: A guide to punk clothing on a budget (4.2.21)
Hello! Going to take a bit of a detour in terms of content today as we tackle the world of punk clothing, apparently one of the most searched terms when it comes to the subculture. So, if you want to get a brand spanking new pair of Dr. Martens and some #Trendy look to make the guys think you have daddy issues, this ain't it. Today we're looking at Punk style on a budget, that thing your parents do when you waste their debit card on shit you didn't need. So, here's a quick guide to how I'd style punk clothes with change to spare.
Now, for the first item on my list, I always start with footwear, with a lot of punk looks the bog-standard Dr. Martens are usually the first pick for your average Joe, but we're broke, and want to save money without buying something off of eBay, so we're gonna take the idea of bulky, military boots and take a step into the world of military surplus shopping. Websites like Military1st and MilitaryKit do wonders for this, providing genuine military clothing for a far lower price than the average £150 for a 1460. For this outfit I've picked out a pair of Swiss Army Combat Boots, which while having a similar look to a pair of docs, are far more durable with a steel toe and vibram sole at a far lower price of £40. Now, this is probably as much as you'd pay for a second-hand pair of DMs, but for brand-new footwear that won't break at your next gig, I'd say these are a good bet.
Next, we're onto jeans, something I think are rather classic in a punk getup, due to their history as affordable and durable choices for someone on the prowl for a fight. For this I'm going to look through eBay. A pair of used GAP jeans in a slightly worn out light blue wash for £10 will do the trick. A quick tip on buying jeans, it doesn't matter where you get them from, the focus of this outfit is purely on shirts, boots and jackets, jeans tend to take a backseat for most looks, meaning that you can save money on them. Also, they're probably all made in the same sweatshop anyway, so don't worry about it. Always be sure to check the size of the jeans that you're wearing, it's the only thing that is relatively required to fit, though the style is up to you.
Next, T-shirts. Now, while it may be easy to spring £20 for a band shirt of someone you only know because they're considered famous in the punk community, we're not gonna go for that. The best thing I believe you could do would be to buy used, buy from military surplus sites, or buy local. The holy trinity of affordable T-shirts. I've included a few examples here of which may be appropriate to the average punker. One of an olive, surplus shirt, prime for having a rough night in, another is a Ramones tee for 10 bucks, easy cash. Now, we're almost sorted!
Lastly, the jacket, the symbol of symbols, the one you're gonna get covered in beer and destroyed with the upmost of catharsis. There are a few avenues you could go here, whether it be the Ramones signature leather, or something more denim, there is a lot to choose from, but personally I choose to opt for something hard-wearing, and militaristic in style. A military jacket from Topman, cheap as fine chips. Now, how does this all look? Let's see!
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| Carpet and wooden floor not included |
Not bad, right? This was the sort of look that I used to wear at gigs all the time, and I still think it's good for an entryway into something punk on a budget. And you know what? It was all under £80, just under over half the cost of a pair of Dr. Martens.
Now, what was the point of this exercise? It was to break the corporate stigma behind punk's style, and to build a more affordable outfit with a few good bits of knowledge. So, if you take anything away from this guide, take away this:
1: Always buy second-hand first, if you can't find something, look for alternatives, but only ever buy new if something is integral to a style or look.
2: Military surplus is your best friend for essentials, shirts as well as socks, and other parts of an outfit can be bought for far less and last way longer if you know where to get them.
3: There is no style specific to punk, wear whatever the hell you like. That is the most important rule, never think that you have to be smoking cheap fags, drinking shit beer and wearing expensive clothes to be a punk, just be you.
I'll include some websites at the bottom here to help those in need of resources, I highly suggest all of these. Until next time though, Punks, I'll see ya tomorrow!
[Helpful websites]
eBay: Ground zero for buying clothing
Depop: Another fantastic second-hand website for those looking for name brands
Etsy: Handmade and quality accessories, for cheaper than retail
[What do you mean I don't have style? I wear clothes!] - Em.
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