Psychobilly, rockabilly, punk, goth and all things retro generally fall under my department at Fash Ed towers. So you can imagine how my ears pricked up at the first mention of Topshop's AW11 'Psychobilly' collection - I had serious urges for some of the leather trimmed, skinny trousered, fluffy mohaired outfits at the Arcadia press day, but to see them styled up in the newly released lookbook was just too much excitement to bear. Both the Fash Ed and myself drooled over the be-quiffed models with black pouts and serious attitude; this is not a look for the fainthearted.
I very much enjoy a magenta/mustard combo. A houndstooth skinny trouser is a tricky style to pull off, but worth the effort, right?
There is just something about the tomboy punkiness mixed with full on sex appeal that makes Psychobilly so perfect.
A buttoned up shirt, a leather lapel, a basketball jacket, and the creeper shoe - all essential elements.
Perhaps it's a reaction to the softly softly, floaty floaty Seventies styles that have been everywhere for the past year, but fashion is definitely starting to toughen up. Topshop, style setters for the nation, are simply leading the way where others will follow, by taking inspiration from subcultures and rock n'roll attitude.
The psychobilly lifestyle has been around long before many Topshopettes were even born, rising from the ashes of the late Seventies as a mixture of punk and rockabilly, with an appreciation of all things horror, sci-fi and sex. New York band The Cramps are generally considered to be the people who kicked off all things psychobilly, after their posters covered with voodoo references for gig nights at CBGBs went up around the city in the 1970s.
The Cramps circa 1979 - Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, Bryan Gregory and Pam Ballam.
One of the band's founding members, Poison Ivy, describes the music as "crazed, sped-up hillbilly boogie version of country, played super loud." The fashion is equally extreme, with skewed versions of Teddy Boy styling, neon colours, leopard print and chunky, clunky brothel creepers all playing an integral role. Tattoos - serious tattoos - are also pretty much a prerequisite for entry into the scene. Someone who knows a lot about that is my friend Lady Frankenstein, psychobilly pin up for the masses.
Jasmine Danks a.k.a. Lady Frankenstein, pin up girl, tattoo model, and psychobilly roller derby demon, shot by Stuart Mitchell. Note the t-shirt...
So watch out London - the days of 'nice' fashion are over and the punks are coming back to claim this town...
All lookbook images: Topshop AW11
,Lady Frankenstein shot: Stuart Mitchell (Walnut Wax)
Absolutely loving it all, dying for it all to hit the shelves!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great collection and I can't wait to see it instore. I am a massive fan of the whole leather and leopard print thing in particular, but that blue polka dot maxi skirt is also very covetable - will start saving now!
ReplyDeletehttp://soulisrainingclothes.blogspot.com
This is not psychobilly at all....think you need to do more research look at bands like mad sin, guana batz, the meteors, coffin nails...still think psychobilly is fashionable... Try coming to a psycho gig and see how you fit in!
ReplyDeletei must agree, this really is not psychobilly... its hipsterbilly, but as always, it wont last long. and yeah i'd like to see hipsters come wreck at bedlam breakout or pineda. leave 'punk fashion' to the punks
ReplyDeleteThis is almost as laughable as ASOS's version of psycho -____-
ReplyDeleteAh can't wait to see all you fashionbillies/hipsterbillies at bedlam! It will give us a laugh at the very least.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymi,
ReplyDeleteI think you are slightly missing the point - I was attempting to point out that Psychobilly has history rather than just being a fashion trend, and that Topshop have just taken inspiration from that history for this collection. The clothes are are not intended to be 100% authentic, this is the Topshopified version. And I very, very much doubt you will find any readers of this blog at Bedlam! Although you stumbled across it...anyway. The fashionable types will, like most trends, appropriate this look for their own for a few months before moving on to the next thing, leaving genuine psychobilly folks to carry on enjoying their own lifestyle. Either way, it's still a nice pink cardigan.
George - Fashion Junior
Oh well, if it introduces new people to the scene thats good especially if they get into the music as well even better. Yours Dr. Sick Puppy at http://www.anarchy-1.com radio that doesnt suck
ReplyDeleteTop Shop jumps on the band wagon! If it aint Psychobilly then dont call it Psychobilly. Come up with your own name Top Shop. You dont have to do much (real) research to get a better collection on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteif you want to look 'Psychobilly' do not follow the TopShops version. Bleach your jeans, pop on a Batmobile t-shirt, spill some booze down you and shave your head into a psychohawk.... then we can all look the same and be boring ..waheeeeeey
ReplyDeletewikipedia did not inform you correctly
ReplyDeleteSome valid points, some pointless trolls - such is life for bloggers. As someone who enjoys all things alternative I never can understand why those who are part of scenes that supposedly celebrate everything 'different' turn out to be the most prejudiced and exclusive of them all.
ReplyDeleteGeorge
I'm all for spreading the word as it goes - the more people who know what Psychobilly is, the better. I'd rather see a Topshop Psychobilly girl than another Cheryl Cole-alike tottering down the street My only real concern is that one of the models looks a bit too much like she might easily be related to Jedward.
ReplyDelete@Georgina
ReplyDeletePeople part of any scene or subculture have usually invested a lot of their time and effort & are emotionally attached to their scene. To see its name taken, iconography bastardised and regurgitated in order to market "the next cool fashion look" is obviously going to hit a nerve.
Most of the fash pack that will wear this look won't even know what a Psychobilly is. But if I see a leather and print be-stilletoed girl walking the line I'll give em the thumbs up for trying a far better look than a Towie ;-)
ReplyDeleteNot psychobilly atall.... can hardly even see any inspiration to be honest. shockin stuff!
ReplyDeleteI think all you scenesters are missing the point here. Yeah, you want to keep the style for yourselves... but at the same time I know you secretly yern for it to cross over into the mainstream... I know- I have played in these bands for years. I would like the whole thing to get a little more recognition than it does because its worth it. People who claim they are different and follow a scene can turn out to be some of the most narrow minded people around. This gets my thumbs up!!!
ReplyDeleteAnother great post from George. She always knows what she's talking about. I think some people need to chill out a bit. Life doesn't need to be taken so seriously.
ReplyDeleteInteresting debate here...For what it's worth, here is our 5 cents...A subculture is NOT defined by the clothing a person wears! We are Rockabilly of course, but we will still be Rockabilly regardless of the clothing we wear.
ReplyDeleteWe love Psychobilly too, most Rockabillies do, in fact the terms are interchangable, and today all fall under the general definition of Kustom Kulture: Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Punk, Country, Vintage, Retro, Pin Up, Burlesque, Hot Rodders, Tattoos, Rock n Roll Dance Clubs etc.
Modern-day Psychobilly Music is basically the new punk, Rockabilly on steroids, and kool as!
As for a particular fashion style that is popular within a particular subculture, this clothing line as nothing to do with Psychobilly or Kustom Kulture, it's mainstream, and wouldn't be associated with any subculture.
Throwing on a Cramps T-shirt isn't going to make you Psychobilly either, just as wearing a Lucky 13 T-Shirt isn't going to make you Rockabilly...
But as we said, only our opinion, and we are not here to attack the author, that's not kool, just offering some constructive criticism, and an opinion.
As far as points for writing a 'controversial' post that creates a response, well done, that's the whole point of a blog, write something, and not expect that every person who comments will agree, it creates a discussion, and how boring if every blog post just had a bunch of people who agree with what is said...
Many bloggers don't allow comments because they don't want any alternative viewpoints shared or their blogposts criticised, right or wrong, fortunately, that is not the case on this blog...
We have answered the question 'What is Rockabilly'? on our website, but we're sure (similar to this post) that not everyone will agree with our definition of what Rockabilly is...
Just so you know, in the Cramps pic above that's Kid Congo Powers, not Pam Ballam.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just noticed that you have Bryan Gregory listed in the pic too. From left to right, it's Nick Knox, Poison Ivy, Lux Interior, and Kid Congo Powers.
ReplyDeleteonce and for all!!! as a 48 year old psycho who was there at the start and still there i really dont care if top shop call their range of clothes psychobilly. all i care about is psychobilly music and its culture has never been as massive as it should due to lack of mainstream press. if this helps a few thousand people listen to our music go to gigs and buy our records the scene will survive but we are in danger of it dying in the uk. great music, high energy,humour,tattoos,hot rods,beer and fantastic people in the scene. come and join us in the pit!!
ReplyDeleteAs a psychobilly since 1982 i can state that Psychobilly is ALL about the music and the people and never about the fashion..The cramps were not the first, you should be referring to The Meteors who were and still are pure psychobilly, but if you want to look the real deal, a flat top haircut, bleached jeans, DM's and a band t shirt mixed up with full sleeve tattoosis psychobilly, not hte collection that you feature above
ReplyDeleteUs original psychobillies have a saying- Fuck fashionablilly- next time you see someone dressed like this and looking more like Jedward than anything else, ask them if they know what the KLUBFOOT is?
ReplyDelete~WHAT ON EARTH HAS A PINK BUNNY JUMPER GOT TO DO WITH PSYCHOBILLY??
ReplyDeleteYet again the mainsteam rapes a subculture to get some fast cash. Apart from the fact half of this shit is just 80's fasion with a pair of creepers the thing that biols my piss is now in a bar someone is giong to start talking to me about the music I love and play as if im the newbie because they've read wikipedia and know who the coffin nails are. Fuckers.
ReplyDelete