Heavy Metal Fashion

Though heavy metal fashion is considered anti-fashion, many who developed what is known as heavy metal fashion today were trendsetters without realizing it. Rob Halford from the heavy metal band Judas Priest started sporting leather and biker gear in promotion of their album Hell Bent for Leather. Members of the band Motorhead started to wear bullet belts onstage and Saxon sported spandex which would come popular in early heavy metal fashion. Other accessories such as combat boots and studded bracelets became the standard uniform of meatheads around the world.

Heavy metal fashion places a strong influence on masculine and warrior culture. Metal subgenres such as Viking metal, black metal and power metal all have strong themes of a warrior ethics. This is often manifested in long hair or beards and in the case of black metal wearing corpse paint which was typical of warriors in ancient days who regularly painted their faces before going to battle.

Heavy metal fashion emphasized male masculinity and rejected the hair metal scene. Viking metal draws on Europe’s pagan past and the culture of Viking warriors before the spread of Christianity. Though heavy metal fashion has rejected androgynous themes, there are certain bands within the Goth and doom metal subgenres who wear makeup in the traditional Goth style.

All of these themes can be seen in heavy metal culture today and all one has to do is go to a concert to see lots of piercings, makeup, spiked collars and bracelets.