Punk: It’s the old Cinderella story of a subculture turned glamorous. And although we see it on the high fashion runways of Anthony Vaccarello, Versace and Alexander McQueen, it’s not the everyday individual who can create such a unique look. Fortunately, this Fashionisto shows us how it’s done with a punk ensemble that seems as if it has come straight off the runway and onto the streets.
Punk fashion is particularly difficult to perfect because it utilizes many different patterns, styles and textures to create an overall cohesive look. When done right, especially since it has gained popularity in fashion, it should look effortless yet glamorous but with a grunge twist.
This Fashionisto knew exactly how to create a look with grunge and glam. His use of an array of elements including metal, beading, patterns, leather and spikes in a cohesive look highlighted his knowledge of punk fashion and keen eye for detail and styling as well. I love that he took a mostly monochromatic black look and gave it dimension with the use of black and white patterns and various textures. This Fashionisto first paired an Yves Saint Laurent black button-up with metal beading with a gorgeous leather Yves Saint Laurent jacket. The jacket is truly a work of art. The sleeves have a black and white pattern that resemble graffiti while the rest of the jacket is black leather with metal detailing and zippers. The sides of the jacket also feature leather lace-up detailing. The graffiti-like sleeves give a cool contrast and extra punk element to the outfit and the metal detailing is the perfect complement to the metal on his shirt. This Fashionisto also added a pair of black Yves Saint Laurent pants with leather panels and zipper detailing that further enhanced the punk essence of his look. The use of leather and metal is essential in a punk look and to make it as high fashion as this Fashionisto, it must be done very astutely with the right amount and placement of each element.
This Fashionisto finished off his rock star look with s(punk) and spike! He added the Christian Louboutin men’s sneakers for an extra touch of grunge. Adding spikes to a look can give it an edgy effect and these sneakers gave this Fashionisto that extra kick of punk! The black color interacted well with the rest of the look and the spikes provided the last touch of punk fashion to his outfit.
Punk may not be everyone’s fairytale fashion style. It is one of the hardest high fashion looks to translate into real life and is a unique style. However, when done with the right styling and rocking pieces, it has the ability to transform from ‘70s subculture to present day glamor.
How To: Want to feel like a rock star in punk style? Easy! Add leather pants and a detailed jacket to your ensemble and you’re ready to rock on and style on!
