Skinheads

Skinhead style: Dr. Martens boots with Levi's jeans

A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world.

Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian (specificallyJamaican) rude boys and British mods, in terms of fashion, music and lifestyle. Originally, the skinhead subculture was primarily based on those elements, not politics or race. Since then, however, attitudes toward race and politics have become factors by which some skinheads align themselves.

The political spectrum within the skinhead scene ranges from the far right to the far left, although many skinheads areapolitical. Fashion-wise, skinheads range from a clean-cut 1960s mod-influenced style to less-strict punk- and hardcore-influenced styles.