In the 1950s, the USSR was separated from almost the entire world by an iron curtain. Almost everything related to the West was banned in the country: clothing, magazines, music, and so on. It was at that time that a social phenomenon appeared - a youth subculture, called "dudes".
(Total 18 photos)
1. Stilyagi-anti-Soviet on agitation of the Soviet era.
The dudes were distinguished by deliberate apathy, cynicism in their judgments, indifference to the norms of Soviet morality, wore bright, sometimes ridiculous clothes and showed a special interest in Western music and dance. Among these young people there were quite a few children of party workers and officials of various ranks.
2. Twist on cardboard: save your shoes.
3. The tribune is not a hindrance to dancing.
The subculture got its name from the word "stylish", and they really had their own style. Boys usually wore tight trousers, broad-shouldered jackets, Hawaiian shirts, garish ties, and cane umbrellas. In footwear, boots with thick rubber soles were considered the most chic.
4. Stylish look is everything.
The girls wore heavily fitted American-style dresses, tight knee-length skirts, and trouser suits.
5. Almost American fashionistas.
The hairstyles of the dudes were also unusual: the guys did the “cook” hairstyle, fluffing their hair on their heads, and the girls wore high hairstyles or curled strands, laying them around their heads. A bright red lipstick was mandatory in the makeup of the girls, which caused a sharply negative reaction from conscious members of the public.
6. Conscious Soviet youth at the parade ...
Appearance, the values and behavior of dudes were in complete dissonance with the norms of Soviet morality, so dudes were sometimes subjected to ridicule and open negativity from ordinary people.
7. ... and the irresponsible - at the dance.
And although the dude subculture ran counter to communist ideology, the motives of these young people, as a rule, were far from politics. It was more of an escapist subculture than a group of cultural protesters: dudes essentially created their own colorful world under an egalitarian regime with many restrictions.
8. These young people had nothing to do with dudes.
The behavior of dudes was not so much a protest as a way of self-expression. The generation of post-war youth no longer wanted to fight for communist ideals, young people wanted freedom.
9. Pioneers in the ranks. They are not stylish yet.
At the same time, the system and society dictated their own rules: “be like everyone else”, “do like everyone else”. There were practically no opportunities for the manifestation of one's own individuality. Unless, of course, you were going (or could not) set labor records.
10. Covers of Western magazines - the object of desire for all dudes.
Since the dudes were, as a rule, representatives of the golden youth, they had free access to Western magazines, music and films. And this is understandable: high-ranking parents were ready to do everything for their beloved children, even to open the forbidden curtain.
11. The most stylish guys in Moscow.
The youth not only listened to Western music and danced "forbidden" dances, young people imitated Western musicians in everything. For example, a lot of dude guys got their hair done in the style of Johnny Weissmuller, who starred in the Tarzan movie series.
12. Such trousers were worn by conscious Soviet citizens, “style-style” trousers were sewn into narrow pipes.
Another feature of dudes is to defiantly chew chewing gum, as James Cagney did in his films. Since getting gum was very problematic, it was replaced with a piece of paraffin.
13. Baby records from x-rays.
Many of the dudes were creative personalities and made their own clothes and accessories. Some made their own musical instruments or converted acoustic guitars to electric ones for jazz. And they also recorded records with their favorite music themselves - on old x-rays.
14. That's what the dudes were striving for.
In addition to the style of clothing and hairstyles, music was very important in the dudes subculture. The dudes mostly listened to jazz and swing, but their favorite song was "Chattanooga Choo-choo" from the Sun Valley Serenade soundtrack.
15. Caricatures from Soviet magazines: an asocial element.
Despite the fact that the dude subculture was extremely provocative, this unusual youth did not participate in any events that were officially prohibited by law, and no one forbade dressing up and meeting with interest groups. To solve this problem, the authorities began to try to expose dudes as asocial, “alien to human society” elements.
16. Caricatures from Soviet magazines: dudes are Western agents.
Suffice it to recall the massively replicated slogan "Today you play jazz, and tomorrow you will sell your homeland." Various "revealing" articles and posters were also issued.
17. Revealing article in a Soviet newspaper.
In the sixties (during the thaw), when the Soviet Union began to be more tolerant of various subcultures, style gradually disappeared. Many former dudes even became successful directors, artists and musicians.
18. Dancing-manza won!
History of the subculture
The first dudes appeared in the late 1940s. Their movement became a protest against the stereotypes of Soviet society. The dandy was distinguished by cynicism of judgments, emphasized apoliticality, denial of some norms of public morality of that time. The winners who returned from Western Europe brought a lot of so-called "trophy" magazines, jewelry, clothes, shoes. These things, which have already gone out of fashion abroad, have become the basis of a protest wardrobe for dudes "from the people."
The first dudes appeared in the late 1940s
The emergence of the term "dude"
The term was first used in 1949 in a satirical essay by D. G. Belyaev "Stilyaga". The text was published in the magazine "Crocodile" under the heading "Types that are fading into the past." The essay described a school evening where an ignorant and vain young man appeared "dressed in a foreign manner," proud of his gaudy gaudy attire and skills in foreign dances.
The term was first used in 1949
He causes laughter and squeamish pity from other students. Also in the feuilleton is presented the girlfriend of the fashionista Mumochka, “seemingly fluttered from the cover of a fashion magazine”. The Stilyaga essay and an article about rootless cosmopolitans published in the same issue signaled the start of a campaign against the influence of the West. There is an opinion that the term "dude" itself came from the musical language: for jazz performers, the term "style" meant "copy someone else's playing style." There was an expression "to blow a dude" - that is, to play in an imitative manner.
The attitude of society to the subculture
Since the 50s, dudes have been constantly harassed
Since the 50s, dudes have been constantly persecuted. Representatives of the subculture were regularly ridiculed in the press and worked out at Komsomol meetings, squads of vigilantes pursued them on the streets. The dudes spoiled their clothes and cut off their hair. They were forcibly taken to the police station and photographed for accusatory articles. Brief "clearances" in relation to the subculture of dudes were an exhibition of works by Pablo Picasso in 1956, Christian Dior's arrival in Moscow with models in 1959 and, first of all, a festival of youth and students in 1957. At these moments, the persecution weakened, but later began again.
The fading movement of dudes
The dude movement had almost died out by the mid-1960s.
The dude movement had practically died out by the mid-1960s. Some researchers believe that representatives of the subculture of the early 60s can no longer be attributed to dudes. Despite the disappearance of the subculture, mods continued to be called mods for another ten years.
Representatives of the subculture had a specific appearance, special behaviors, their own slang and musical preferences. In many ways, the preferences of the dudes were shaped by "trophy" films - "The Fate of a Soldier in America", "Sun Valley Serenade", "Tarzan", "The Girl of My Dreams", "George from Dinky Jazz", as well as pictures with Deanna Durbin.
clothing
The first dudes wore baggy double-breasted jackets in variegated colors.
The first dudes wore baggy double-breasted jackets in variegated colors, wide-brimmed hats, bright socks peeking out from under trousers, colored silk or Hawaiian shirts, sweaters with deer, pointed high-soled boots, ties with dragons, monkeys, roosters.
Later, the outfit of the representatives of the subculture became more elegant: trousers-pipes 22 cm wide - as opposed to the Soviet 32-centimeter ones, jeans, cane umbrellas, narrow herring ties.
By the 60s, in honor of following the American fashion, dudes began to call themselves "stadniks." By that time, strict raincoats with a top button, ratin coats in English style, suits of pure wool, wide gray jackets with a handkerchief in the pocket, tailor-made Stetson hats, American soldier's boots and shoes with perforated toe.
The men's wardrobe became the quintessence of the protest movement - hipster girls did not have their own style. They copied styles from the Baltic or socialist fashion magazines: they wore puffy and tight skirts, trousers, bright floral print blouses, shoes with an elongated toe.
Wealthy dudes bought clothes from black marketers or visiting foreigners.
Wealthy dandies bought clothes from black marketers or visiting foreigners, and also ordered clothes made from Western fabrics bought in second-hand shops. Stilyagi from poor families often sewed raincoats and trousers from tarpaulin, pasted the so-called “semolina porridge” on their shoes - soles made of rubber or micropork, which were then corrugated on the side, etc.
Representatives of the subculture held in high esteem special "luxury items" - foreign fountain pens, cigarette cases and lighters, as well as American playing cards with Pin-up girls.
Hair and makeup
The dandies of the 50s wore combed and briated "koki" on their foreheads, as well as thin "bastard" mustaches.
Hipster girls used more makeup than ordinary Soviet women. Bright lipstick, thickly lined eyes were welcomed. The fashionable hairstyle was the "peace crown", for which the hair was curled and styled around the head, and by the 60s, thanks to the film "Babetta Goes to War" with Brigitte Bardot, the combed babette worn by the main character of the film became incredibly popular.
Manners
The dudes had special manners of movements
The dudes had special manners of movement, which were presented as "rarely cheeky." The plasticity of the representatives of the subculture was conscious and thoughtful: a high head and a free gait indicated their belonging to the movement, in addition, they were dictated by the costume and dances. Stilyagi from different cities in the evenings walked (“made a heel”) along “Broadway” - usually the main street of the city (Gorky Street in Moscow, Nevsky Prospekt in Leningrad). An important element of such walks was the demonstration of their costumes.
Slang
A special slang dude consisted of English loanwords
A special style of slang was formed from English borrowings, rewritten in a Russian way, in combination with elements of musical jargon. Also dudes changed their names to consonant foreign ones.
Jacket (English jacket) - a jacket.
Sovparshiv - Soviet-made clothes and shoes or home-made.
Socks (English socks) - bright socks, visible from under the leg.
Taek (English tie) - a tie.
Trouser, trauzer, trauzers (English trousers) - trousers.
Trench coat (eng. trenchcoat) - raincoat
Hatok (English hat) - a hat.
Shoes, shoes (English shoes) - boots with high soles.
Music
The main attribute of dudes was the saxophone, which personified the music of free people. The dudes were fond of foreign dances and music - primarily jazz.
The Soviet realities of the mid-20th century were such that standing out from the crowd (literally and figuratively) was considered unacceptable. A peculiar phenomenon of that time was dudes- youth subculture of the 50s. Bright clothes, sometimes ridiculous hairstyles and non-standard music have become their "calling card".
The subculture itself originated among the so-called "golden youth". The children of party workers, diplomats and other high officials had the opportunity to use foreign goods, sought to imitate foreign culture. The post-war devastation played an important role in the emergence of this subculture. Most theaters, museums, clubs were destroyed, access to entertainment is limited.
The dandy distinguished the appearance: skinny trousers, wide jackets, boots with thick soles, made by hand. The girls had high hairdos, bright dresses. In fairness, it is worth noting that dudes dressed then, who was in what much. The main thing is brighter, as opposed to the "gray" mass.
Of course, this open deification of American culture contrasted sharply with the communist regime. Due to the fact that the dudes dressed differently from everyone else and listened to Western music, they were persecuted by society. Propaganda posters directed against dudes were issued, "revealing" articles were written.
By the beginning of the 60s, during the "thaw", style gradually came to an end. Society was no longer provoked by bright outfits and non-standard music. It is worth noting that many of the "former" dudes became famous directors, writers, musicians.
It would seem that styling has long since sunk into the past, and only bright costumes flash at themed parties. However, in the African country of the Republic of the Congo, there are some Congolese dress in the French manner. But this fashion is not modern, but 50 years ago.
(pronunciation "stylyagi") - the clothing style of representatives of the Soviet subculture of the same name, characterized by extravagance, eclecticism and imitation of Western fashion of the 40-60s, style.
Currently, the direction includes products and wardrobe items made in the style of that time.
Stilyagi is a youth subculture in the USSR of the late 1940s - early 1960s, which is characterized by non-conformism, adherence to the Western lifestyle (style of clothing, music, dancing, etc.), as well as specific slang.
History of the subculture
- The first representatives and the essence of the movement
The first dudes appeared in the late 1940s. Their movement became a protest against the stereotypes of Soviet society. The dandy was distinguished by cynicism of judgments, emphasized apoliticality, denial of some norms of public morality of that time. The winners who returned from Western Europe brought a lot of so-called "trophy" magazines, jewelry, clothes, shoes. These things, which have already gone out of fashion abroad, have become the basis of a protest wardrobe for dudes "from the people."
- The emergence of the term "dude"
“... I have never seen such wide trousers of canary-pea color even in the years of the famous flare ...”
D. G. Belyaev, Stilyaga
The term was first used in 1949 in a satirical essay by D. G. Belyaev "Stilyaga". The text was published in the magazine "Crocodile" under the heading "Types that are fading into the past." The essay described a school evening where an ignorant and vain young man appeared "dressed in a foreign manner," proud of his gaudy gaudy attire and skills in foreign dances. He causes laughter and squeamish pity from other students. Also in the feuilleton is presented the girlfriend of the fashionista Mumochka, “seemingly fluttered from the cover of a fashion magazine”. The Stilyaga essay and an article about rootless cosmopolitans published in the same issue signaled the start of a campaign against the influence of the West. There is an opinion that the term "dude" itself came from the musical language: for jazz performers, the term "style" meant "copy someone else's playing style." There was an expression "to blow a dude" - that is, to play in an imitative manner.
- The attitude of society to the subculture
Since the 50s, dudes have been constantly persecuted. Representatives of the subculture were regularly ridiculed in the press and worked out at Komsomol meetings, squads of vigilantes pursued them on the streets. The dudes spoiled their clothes and cut off their hair. They were forcibly taken to the police station and photographed for accusatory articles. Brief "clearances" in relation to the subculture of dudes were an exhibition of works by Pablo Picasso in 1956, a visit to Moscow (Christian Dior) with models in 1959 and, first of all, a festival of youth and students in 1957. At these moments, the persecution weakened, but later began again.
- The fading movement of dudes
The dude movement had practically died out by the mid-1960s. Some researchers believe that representatives of the subculture of the early 60s can no longer be attributed to dudes. Despite the disappearance of the subculture, mods continued to be called mods for another ten years.
Style features
Representatives of the subculture had a specific appearance, special behaviors, their own slang and musical preferences. In many ways, the preferences of the dudes were shaped by "trophy" films - "The Fate of a Soldier in America", "Sun Valley Serenade", "Tarzan", "The Girl of My Dreams", "George from Dinky Jazz", as well as pictures with Deanna Durbin.
clothing
The first dudes wore baggy double-breasted variegated colors, wide-brimmed hats, bright, colored silk or Hawaiian, deer sweaters, pointed high-soled boots, ties with dragons, monkeys, roosters.
Later, the outfit of the representatives of the subculture became more elegant: trousers-pipes 22 cm wide - as opposed to the Soviet 32-centimeter ones, canes, narrow herring ties.
By the 60s, in honor of following the American fashion, dudes began to call themselves "stadniks." By that time, strict top-button raincoats, ratin in the English style, pure wool suits, wide gray jackets with a handkerchief in the pocket, tailor-made Stetson hats, American soldier's boots and with perforated toe were popular among the representatives of the movement.
The men's wardrobe became the quintessence of the protest movement - hipster girls did not have their own style. They copied styles from the Baltic or socialist fashion magazines: they wore puffy and tight trousers, bright floral blouses, shoes with an elongated toe.
Wealthy dandies bought clothes from black marketers or visiting foreigners, and also ordered clothes made from Western fabrics bought in second-hand shops. Stilyagi from poor families often sewed raincoats and trousers from tarpaulin, pasted the so-called “semolina porridge” on their shoes - soles made of rubber or micropork, which were then corrugated on the side, etc.
Representatives of the subculture were held in high esteem by special “luxuries” - foreign fountain pens, cigarette cases and lighters, as well as American playing cards with Pin-up girls.
Hair and makeup
The dandies of the 50s wore combed and briated "koki" on their foreheads, as well as thin "bastard" mustaches.
Hipster girls used more makeup than ordinary Soviet women. Bright lipstick, thickly lined eyes were welcomed. The fashionable hairstyle was the "peace crown", for which the hair was curled and styled around the head, and by the 60s, thanks to the film "Babetta Goes to War" with Brigitte Bardot, the combed babette worn by the main character of the film became incredibly popular.
Manners
"In the most fashionable jacket, with a look of indifference,
A dandy with a ring on his hand walks like a lion in the capital ... "
B. Timofeev
The dudes had special manners of movement, which were presented in Belyaev's feuilleton as "extremely cheeky." The plasticity of the representatives of the subculture was conscious and thoughtful: a high head and a free gait indicated their belonging to the movement, in addition, they were dictated by the costume and dances. Stilyagi from different cities in the evenings walked (“made a heel”) along “Broadway” - usually the main street of the city (Gorky Street in Moscow, Nevsky Prospekt in Leningrad). An important element of such walks was the demonstration of their costumes.
Slang
“He was Grisha, but now he is called Harry.
Every day at Harry's usual hour on the boulevard."
B. Timofeev
A special style of slang was formed from English borrowings, rewritten in a Russian way, in combination with elements of musical jargon. Also dudes changed their names to consonant foreign ones.
jacket
(English jacket) - jacket. 
Sovparshiv - clothing and footwear of Soviet production or home-made.
Sox (English socks) - bright socks, visible from under the leg.
Taek (English tie) - a tie.
Trusera , trauser , trauser (English trousers) - trousers.
trench coat (eng. trenchcoat) - raincoat
hatok (English hat) - a hat.
Shoes , joking (English shoes) - boots with high soles.
Music
The main attribute of dudes was the saxophone, which personified the music of free people. The dudes were fond of foreign dances and music - primarily jazz.
Modern style dudes
The style of dudes in its modern sense refers only to appearance and is distinguished by irony, brightness, contrast, a combination of different textures, and the presence of noticeable.
During the existence of the subculture, the most pronounced male image dudes. You can also focus on it when creating a modern image. Men are supposed to wear brightly colored socks under cropped pipe trousers, a colored tie tied with a small knot, a Hawaiian or just a bright shirt.
The female style did not have clear canons during the existence of the subculture and was already formed during the return of the fashion style.
Modern dudes can be narrow and short, or have a fitted top and a fluffy hem about knee-length. The color of the outfit should be plain bright, light or multi-colored. An important element of the image of a stylish girl is a belt in a contrasting shade with the dress.
Stylish girls' shoes can have heels or flat soles. They should match in color with a belt, handbag or headdress. Shoes are often made of patent leather.
Bright massive metal or plastic is used as accessories. Hair ornaments are welcome - hairpins, hoops, ribbons. A dandy girl can wear large curls or curls, as well as collect her hair in a high “shell”. Make-up should be bright: black arrows on the eyes, bright lipstick, etc.
In the 1950s, the USSR was separated from almost the entire world by an iron curtain. Everything related to the West was banned in the country. And it was at that time that a social “capitalist” phenomenon appeared - dudes.
Who are the stylists? The forerunners of modern hipsters? Soviet "golden youth"?
In our article, we will analyze this bright youth subculture in detail.
The dudes were distinguished by deliberate apathy, cynicism in their judgments, indifference to the norms of Soviet morality, wore bright, sometimes ridiculous clothes and showed a special interest in Western music and dance. Among these young people there were quite a few children of party workers and officials of various ranks.
The appearance of dudes in the USSR falls on the post-war period. The imitation of the Western style was traced among the dudes of the entire Soviet period, and this was expressed in the style of clothing, a kind of slang and interest in foreign music.
Stylish dancing
In every major city there was a relatively small group of young people who stood out from the gray mass. Typical monophonic, modest Soviet-style clothes did not suit the most “educated” students, of which, basically, the movement of dudes consisted.
The subculture got its name from the word "stylish", and they really had their own style. Boys usually wore tight trousers, broad-shouldered jackets, Hawaiian shirts, garish ties, and cane umbrellas. In footwear, boots with thick rubber soles were considered the most chic. The girls wore heavily fitted American-style dresses, tight knee-length skirts, and trouser suits.
Practically American mods
People from intelligent families had access to foreign goods brought by their parents from abroad. Metropolitan dudes were better off with materials to match the chosen image. Citizens working in foreign embassies, diplomatic missions and serving on a business trip abroad could bring clothes, shoes, musical works, tape recorders and other foreign-made products with them to their homeland. Behind the Iron Curtain, these goods were in short supply for a long time, and were objects of desire and envy.
Representatives of this alternative culture in other major settlements received all the things necessary for styling from the capital or port cities, which were visited by foreign ships. But in most cases, dudes dressed in hand-sewn clothes. They were reshaped from materials produced by Soviet factories.
The most fashionable guys in Moscow
If the necessary clothes could be obtained ready-made, then things were more complicated with shoes. Boots with thick rubber soles and pointed-toed shoes were not sold in Soviet shoe stores. Abroad, such shoes were expensive, and only the children of the nomenklatura could afford them. Soviet dudes themselves added several layers to the soles of footwear produced in the Union. So the desired height of the sole was achieved, and a "unique" style was given. Such "shoes" could often be seen on representatives of this motley stylish culture.
Many dudes themselves reshaped a few colorful Soviet-style items, giving them the desired style. Consumer goods and a flea market also helped to create a stylish image of a prominent youth. Individual tailoring of clothes and shoes allowed everyone to become representatives of this "stylish" culture.
Stylish couple
The hairstyles of young people emphasized belonging to a foreign style. Brillioned cook, combed thick forelock, long hair singled out the dude-guy from the crowd. Neatly glued or grown "bastard" mustaches were also in fashion, which complemented the non-normative external image. Stylish hairstyles for dudes' girlfriends were "Babette" (like Brigitte Bordeaux in the film of the same name) and short haircut"under the French". A bright red lipstick was mandatory in the makeup of the girls, which caused a sharply negative reaction from conscious members of the public.
It was more difficult for hipster girls to match the chosen semi-legal style. The norms of behavior and clothing for a Soviet girl were distinguished by modesty, and the established morality did not at all allow taking a step towards an alternative. Skirts just above the knee were seen as depravity, and were immediately condemned by the older generation.
Rock and roll, boogie-woogie, foxtrot and other foreign styles in music and dance prevailed among the dudes. Audio recordings were brought from abroad, and also cut by experts in a handicraft way, on x-ray film. But the most popular and accessible was listening to foreign radio programs in which the music needed by the dudes was broadcast.
Many of the dudes were creative personalities and made their own clothes and accessories. Some have made musical instruments with their own hands or converted acoustic guitars into electric ones for playing jazz. And they also recorded records with their favorite music themselves - on old x-rays. In addition to the style of clothing and hairstyles, music was very important in the dudes subculture. The dudes mostly listened to jazz and swing, but their favorite song was "Chattanooga Choo-choo" from the Sun Valley Serenade soundtrack.
Baby plates from x-rays
Dressed in bright colorful outfits, dudes made central squares and streets of large cities the places of their hangouts. Listening to stylish music and dancing took place on dance floors and in clubs. Soviet style has become a prototype for alternative youth trends in modern Russia.
Twist on cardboard: save your shoes
And although the dude subculture ran counter to communist ideology, the motives of these young people, as a rule, were far from politics. It was more of an escapist subculture than a group of cultural protesters: dudes essentially created their own colorful world under an egalitarian regime with many restrictions. The behavior of dudes was not so much a protest as a way of self-expression. The generation of post-war youth no longer wanted to fight for communist ideals, young people wanted freedom. At the same time, the system and society dictated their own rules: “be like everyone else”, “do like everyone else”. There were practically no opportunities for the manifestation of one's own individuality. Unless, of course, you were going (or could not) set labor records.
Covers of Western magazines - the object of desire of all dudes
Since the dudes were, as a rule, representatives of the golden youth, they had free access to Western magazines, music and films. And this is understandable: high-ranking parents were ready to do everything for their beloved children, even to open the forbidden curtain. The youth not only listened to Western music and danced "forbidden" dances, young people imitated Western musicians in everything. For example, a lot of dude guys got their hair done in the style of Johnny Weissmuller, who starred in the Tarzan movie series.
That's what the stylists were aiming for
The appearance, values and behavior of dudes were in complete dissonance with the norms of Soviet morality, so dudes were sometimes subjected to ridicule and open negativity from ordinary people.
Despite the fact that the dude subculture was extremely provocative, this unusual youth did not participate in any events that were officially prohibited by law, and no one forbade dressing up and meeting with interest groups. To solve this problem, the authorities began to try to expose dudes as asocial, “alien to human society” elements.
Suffice it to recall the massively replicated slogan "Today you play jazz, and tomorrow you will sell your homeland." Various "revealing" articles and posters were also issued.