The internet and style - The Migration of Subcultures

When I was fifteen, I fell madly and utterly in love with the Ramones and, quickly thereafter, The Clash, The Damned, The Sex Pistols and a whole host of other punk bands. The music lead me to the style and suddenly gave me something to focus on. Through my love for punk, I refined my own sense of personal style and found an "identity".

I've discussed this before, but a friend and I once had a conversation about this period of our lives, years later. We hadn't known each other then but both felt that, upon reflection, we had embraced subcultures as shields. When people weren't nice to us and we were lost and confused, stuck halfway between child and adult, these subcultures made us part of something bigger and we didn't have to feel so adrift. When people weren't nice to us, it was because of the music we liked and how we presented ourselves, not because of any flaw in our personalities, not because we were unlikeable. Subcultures fueled our bullies but hardened us against them at the same time.

Subcultures were a way of wearing "who you are" on the outside. They were a way of being able to identify potentially like-minded people at a glance.

But subcultures as we once knew them are dying.

The internet means that you don't have to wait until you go to a bigger town for a day, for a gig or merely dressed in your genre, in order to find like-minded people. It means that anyone, anywhere can find people with similar interests and outlooks - no matter how niche they might be.

And, so, it has been documented that subcultures are dying in the way that we used to know them. People don't need to clothe themselves in their identities anymore and they don't need to focus on one thing, they have access to a world of possibilities and references, even more than I did just a few years ago. When I first read about this vanishing of fashion subcultures as we knew them, I was sad, incredibly sad. Will teen movies no longer have goth kids and skaters and preps and nerds? Will the tribes that created a landscape of visual interest disappear? While they haven't been such a pronounced thing in Ireland for some time now, the idea of them being gone made a fashion nerd like me a little nostalgic and achey. The slow reduction into tropes to be recycled and taken from context on runways, turned me into a grumpy old man, hankering for times gone by (and, in many cases, long gone before I was even actually born, if I'm to be honest).

Yet, while this downturn has been documented by design historians and sociologists alike, even the layman can see that it is not necessarily the absolute end for fashion subcultures. The internet has long been a second home to subcultures, a place where new fashion tribes are bred and born. And, now, Instagram, Tumblr and Youtube mean that physically vocal proponents of subcultures and styles can be given a platform, hone their look, record it to perfection and, even, become a star because of it. Hell, their look might even become their career.

These new and reimagined subcultures may not be spotted lingering outside certain Dublin buildings, causing a nuisance, any more but they are out there, dotted across the globe, crafting a sophisticated image, quoting sources left and right and living on. Take Lolita, for example, a subculture that has divided into endless sub-genres and subcultures of its own and which has moved from the streets of Tokyo to a vast online community worldwide. In fact, in moving online, it has been given new life, perhaps sustained life, and spawned niches so specific that it can boggle the mind.

Subcultures aren't truly dead yet. They've been reborn as something more personal, more professional and more cultivated. They no longer seem to be born of unified ideas and movements belonging to specific and different generations but, rather, are at the beck and call of this generation, who have developed the skills to morph and manipulate according to their own desires. Perhaps the goths and skaters, as we once knew them, are largely invisible on the streets nowadays, but they have not died out. They have merely migrated.

And, maybe, if you're lucky, you'll get to see a rare mass-gathering IRL for a con or event.

Sarah, a friend and lover of Lolita styles

Josie, another friend and lover of Lolita

Gothic themes and inspired makeup being adopted at a fashion show

Paul Costelloe taking a cue from punk a couple of season back

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Mammy

Last year, on my father's 50th birthday, I wrote a post about how he has influenced my sense of style. As my mother is his junior by just eleven days, I had intended to write a matching post about her but somehow never got around to it. So, today (over a year later - yikes), on Mother's Day, I'm finally doing it.

Why now? I guess it's because Mother's Day kind of sneaked up on me this year and it wasn't as prominent in my mind before the fact. And then I had such a thoroughly lovely weekend at home. It wasn't that long since my last visit, only a week, but I needed it. Nowhere else am I so at peace or comfortable and I'm always intensely thankful for my parents and glad to have a chance to hang out with them. They're both so cool and loving, fun and kind - two of my favourite people in the world.

Mammy and I, in particular, have always had a very special bond. I was an only child for three years before my brother and sister were born and spent most of that time alone with her. As I grew up, there were also periods where we ended up having a lot of alone time; such as when I started secondary school and, for three years before the twins followed me, had almost an extra month of summer holidays where Mammy and I mooched around together and, again, when I started college, I had more holiday time alone with her. Because of all this quality time and because her love for me was so palpable, I've always had a particular adoration for Mammy.

She's also a very open person; warm, honest and funny and witty. As a result, you can tell her anything and my sister and I have always considered her a friend as well as a mother. We've always told her everything and she has always been supportive and understanding. She's always been deeply involved in our lives; in shopping and dressing and many other aspects. She encourages us to be proud of ourselves and love how we look and she is constantly trying to get me into shorter dresses as she thinks my legs one of my best features.

I've never had fights with Mam where she told me not to go out wearing something. When I was a punk as a teen and was dressing a little differently to many of my peers, she embraced it, bought me bright pink Docs and long swishy coats and told me not to listen to teachers that told me I couldn't wear my black Docs with my school uniform (male counterparts were allowed to, however). Basically, she nailed supporting the development of my personal sense of style.

Her own sense of style is no joke either. Mam has seriously good taste which can be attested to by the fact that my sister and I constantly "borrow" from her wardrobe. And, over the years, I have had many a person ask where I got a certain top or jumper, only for me to reply, "It was Mammy's in the nineties."

Mammy encouraged me to always do my own thing, embrace how I look and have fun with clothes and has had an immense impact on who I am and how I dress today...just another reason to love her so.











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Paul Costelloe AW16

It's the end of day one at LFW AW16, I am exhausted but invigorated as I make my way to Le Meridien for Paul Costelloe AW16. While most shows are impressive in one way or another, it's immediately obvious that Costelloe shows exude a level of class that is difficult to achieve.

The hotel is beautiful in a somewhat Old World way and the ballroom space for the show, with its pastel walls and swaggering plasterwork, sets the scene for elegance but there is also something a little slinky and sensual about it all. I take my seat with a glass of Champagne in hand (classy, remember?), the tarp is pulled back from the pristine runway...and seventies rock classics blast?

I am surprised and more than a little bit delighted. Paul Costelloe's AW16 woman is tough, sexy and a little bit punk. A trio in red tartan coats, thigh-high socks, slicked back hair that veers towards fauxhawk territory and smoky but minimal make-up struts out in one of the best choreographed shows I've ever personally been to.

Once again, the legs are out but its not nearly as so sweet as last season for the designer. Silhouettes still float but are weighted down by a touch of militaryesque detailing, leather, fingerless gloves or trims, intensely-starched high collars. The palette is largely dark and rich but there is a lot going on besides; ruffles, print, sheers, a variety of fabric choices, velvet, the odd pop of bright colour.

And, yet, this is clearly still the same girl. She's still rebellious, very rock and roll but proving that it can be synonymous with elegant. She's a little undone but in all the right ways. The traditionally prim and proper of tweeds and tartans are at odds with the punky details and twists. They fuse the elegant ladies we expect from Costelloe with the warriors of Mad Max that inspired him.

This girl is also quite the sensual creature. The textures of the various garments making the collection into something tactile and raw, the movement and bounce of the sweeping coats, flaring minidresses and sheer overlays making it all very alive and flirty.

This is not the Paul Costelloe I expected but, damn, do I like it.































































Expect more reports from Fashion Week over the next few days!
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No tears necessary - Boohoo AW14 is perfection.

Colour me impressed by the AW14 Boohoo Press Day! Within the wonderfully kooky-majestic setting of Lost Society (so weird to be in a nightclub during the day) in Powerscourt Shopping Centre, Dublin with beautiful evening light streaming through the big Georgian windows and bloggers and press floating about with fancy lemonades or prosecco...it was kind of exactly what the doctor ordered! Sadly, I had my research in tow, weighing me down and making me the weird girl with all the bags once more but a glass of lemonade to cool me down, some sweeties snagged and nails done by the lovely people at Tropical Popical, I was human again and ready to peruse what was on display.

It was kind of love at first sight overall. The impact of the room upon first approach had me a wee bit swoony and weak at the knees. I mean, so gorgeous and affordable! Hello. Yes.

As always with Boohoo, there are key trends within the overall collection with princessy pieces, party pieces, AW boho, Boutique and punky tartan all coming together beautifully. I have my eye on quite a few pieces and all from a mixture of the collections which is somewhat unusual for me; a tartan bralet and trousers co-ord that screams a grown-up version of what I was constantly dressed in as a wee one, another co-ord of a gauzy top and skirt, a drop waist paisley number, a beyond oversized sheer plaid shirtdress, a fringed LBD and a dusty pink duster that makes me die. Plus shoes I could never walk in and hats I'd be slapped by my friends for wearing.

I'm pretty excited for it all!

But I'm really, deeply excited by the menswear. Yep, I'm not leaving you guys out for once! But I may start stealing your clothes. The menswear is pretty fashion-forward for such a mainstream highstreet brand as Boohoo and that thrills me; let's all get to experimenting with our looks. Think sport-luxe for dudes, longer hems to tees, slogans that don't make you cringe and bombers to make you gasp. It's all there.

Anyway, I've babbled for a while now. Check out the photos below and Boohoo for the items once they come on sale!

Thanks to the lovely peeps at Boohoo for having me. I ate everything...as per.

For the dudes

What collection/pieces are exciting you?

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