Punk; Thirty Years On (3/3) By Bekki Stephenson

(1/3), (2/3), (3/3).

In the seventies, charity shops, boutiques such as Westwood's SEX and markets were packed with youths looking for the latest statement to make themselves standout. It was all about getting that one-off piece that told the world who you were. Today though, by giving in to highstreet dictions, girls up and down the country are not just expressing who they are but who the thousands of other girls are.

Steve at Covent Garden boutique, Rokit admits that true vintage is becoming diluted. It is becoming increasingly popular but ultimately what is happening is that people are paying to look unique when really thousands of people are wearing exactly the same thing. Why pay £40 for a vintage looking t-shirt when you could get a real vintage one for £5. Becomingly increasingly commercialised, punk clothing has even started to appear on the catwalk, most notably in John Galliano who uses many punk elements in his work.

Punk was never meant to be about high fashion. In fact it was never meant to be about any high culture, where in the beginning punk represented a minority group it is rapidly becoming a majority choice.

The do-it-yourself days of customising sweatshirts, tees and skirts are over and instead are being replaced with do-it-for-me H&M rip-offs. If this continues to happen then, just as every other social fad; hippies, teddy boys, and power dressing, it will become extinct. Emma from Stock Exchange boutique in Camden agrees, If this happens then punk will just die out, it will become another mainstream trend that people will get bored off. It will basically lose everything it stands for. The highstreet is a lot more expensive and what you get is a lot poorer quality. If teenagers want high quality, truly alternative fashion then they can't allow the highstreet to move into our market.

In thirties years from now, in I wonder will somebody be writing an article about its significance and influence or will they be ridiculing it as just another commercialised craze?

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