Youth sub culture: New Romantics

The New Romantics were a fashion movement that peaked in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s. It was often linked with new wave music scene that had become popular at that time. Spandau Ballet, for instance, was New Romantic both fashion-wise and music-wise. Adam and the Ants, however, while certainly New Romantic in the fashion sense, were post punk musically.

                  

The origins of the look took place largely through the nightclub Billy’s in Dean Street, London, which ran Bowie and Roxy Music nights in the late 1970s. Teens & twentysomethings at the time were becoming disillusioned with punk rock, thinking it had lost it’s original appeal and they had nothing to identify with. Bowie and Roxy Music quickly became these ‘New Romantic’ idols. In 1979, the growing popularity of the club forced organizers Steve Strange (Visage) and DJ Rusty Egan to relocate to a larger venue in Great Queen Street called the Blitz, which was also a wine bar.

The goal of the patrons was self expression and to be unique, cool and noticed.

The Blitz club quickly became known for the colourful and flamboyant fashions of its patrons (who became known as the Blitz Kids), which greatly contrasted with the ripped/offensive t-shirts and jeans associated with the punk movement of the time. Both sexes often dressed in counter-sexual or androgynous clothing and the guys thought nothing of wearing eyeliner, eyeshadow and lipstick. Many wore frilly fops shirts in the style of the English Romantic period, or exaggerated versions of upscale fashion and grooming which drew influence from sources such as glam fashions of the 1970s, science fiction films as well as the golden age of Hollywood.

 

Clubgoers frequently made it a point to dress as uniquely as they possibly could in attempt to draw the most attention to themselves. Midge Ure credits David Bowie for spreading the New Romantic look. Bowie cast Steve Strange and a few other Blitz Kids in his video Ashes to Ashes and, according to Ure, within two weeks New Romantics were popping up in clubs all over the UK, Ireland and the rest of the world.

Musically, New Romantics spawned many bands. Blitz owners Steve Strange and Rusty Egan joined Billy Currie and Midge Ure of Ulltravox to form Visage. Boy George and Marilyn worked in the cloakroom of The Blitz; George obviously formed Culture Club while Marilyn became a well known and loved solo artist. As with most things, the movement moved out from London to other regions and soon New Romantics popped up in other places. *Bands such as Adam and the Ants, Ultravox, Japan, Visage, Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran were labeled New Romantics whether they were or not. The actual term New Romantic is disputably reported to have been coined by Richard James Burgess (studio drummer, producer & author) in an interview with reference to Spandau Ballet.