ThinkPunk

CEBU, Philippines - Having written about fashion for almost a couple of years now, I already have a keen idea of what I am and am not a fan of. And I’m pretty sure that even before I started writing about fashion, I’m not a fan of punk. My personal style is more prim, proper, and put together. My officemates would kid me sometimes for being so church-girl chic. I don’t mind. I’m really into clean, classic lines, preferably in block colors—and preferably in black or gray. I’m slowly trying to move to more prints—though not the loud kind.

Punk strikes me as a bit untidy and wild. Too wild for my taste. But instead of burying it deep down in the style files, I believe it still deserves a few column inches particularly because punk, whether I like it or not, has posed a significant contribution in the world of fashion, touching on other trends and filling in the gaps between what they call ‘the done and dusted’ trends of military and grunge.

Punk is about being a rebel without a cause. It’s meant to go against the usual wave of fashion. It’s about rebellion. Throughout the years, punk has been a mishmash of various substyles and subcultures. Although punk is about stirring controversy, lately, punk has faced the challenge of doing just that exactly. 

With everyone else trying to stand out and be “punk”, punk’s element of shock has significantly weakened. Wear punk the same way as Sid Vicious for example, and you’ll run the risk of being a second great, trying hard kitty cat instead of a rebel. With punk being meant to be about individualism and a unique sense of style, it’s a challenge to stand out since many of the punk elements have already had extra exposure in seasons past and have therefore become very, very common.

This year, punk won’t be about capping the overall rebellious theme. Instead, we will be seeing more of punk elements being infused in other seasonal trends, hence punkifying them. Take an ultra feminine frock for example with a rocker chick edge.

You don’t need to dress like the Sex Pistols to channel a punk girl vibe. Here are the key punk elements you can play with to recreate that tough girl look without looking like you’re going way, way over the top.

Studs

Studs are dangerous not just because they have a very high chance of inflicting their piercing potential on other people but because they are prone to being used excessively. Indulge in everything else—just not studs because covering yourself thoughtlessly in this punk staple will let you cross the line between being fashion forward and simply crazy.

Heavy Boots

Combat boots or motorcycle boots will do and can instantly punk up any outfit especially when paired with a great pair of skinnies. 

Safety Pins

No, these are not just of diapers, mind you. Safety pins are iconic to punk s omake sure you don’t throw them away when your baby is done with diapies. You don’t need to wear this on your skin as some sort of freakish piercing, believe me. Safety pins are a cheap and versatile punk accessory because they can only mean makeshift jewelry haphazardly pinned wherever as brooches and what not. No hard and fast rules. Just tons of creativity needed.  (FREEMAN)