The government of the Soviet Union often suppressed public interest in American and European culture. Almost everything related to anti-Soviet propaganda was prohibited. This applied to music, films, magazines, books and even clothing. It was then that a youth movement unusual for those times appeared, which was called dudes. They opposed the system and wanted to stand out from the crowd.
Representatives of the subculture
Some envied such emancipation, but were afraid to become a member of the movement. Older people treated the dudes with contempt. This was due to a radically new way of life. The youth dressed brightly, listened to jazz and spoke an incomprehensible language.
Where did it all start?
In the 40s, the government allowed society to see how Europeans lived due to the fact that the USSR began to actively cooperate with other countries.
Did you belong to this subculture?
NOT REALLY
Popular magazines and records with foreign compositions were imported from other countries. Young people attended foreign film shows. People liked the behavior model that was shown in the films. These were free citizens with unlimited rights and opportunities. Everyone dressed based on their personal preferences, and not like everyone else. Young people imitated the actors and copied the behavior of their favorite heroes. In fact, Americans and Europeans did not live as described in the films. But at that time in the USSR they did not think about it.
Festive decoration of the hall for graduation
Decorating the hall for a “Hipsters” themed matinee may include the following:
- three-dimensional colored letters made of foam plastic;
- a veil on the walls on which sheets of music and records are attached;
- gramophone with vinyls;
- image of a saxophone;
- guitars;
- posters, pictures;
- colored notes on the floor;
- air balloons.
Origin of the word "hipsters"
There are several versions regarding the name of the youth movement. Many are still sure that this was the name given to people who wore clothes that were unusual for everyone. This word can be seen in the story “Hipster”, which was published in the magazine “Crocodile”. It was written by Dmitry Belyaev. The author described in a feuilleton the daily life of a separate youth movement, which was distinguished by its behavior and style. Belyaev said that a strange guy came to the disco at school. He was dressed vulgarly and at the same time showed off his outfit. The other guys laughed at him and joked about him.
Guys and girls dudes
Others argue that the term comes from the vocabulary of musicians. The word “style” among jazz performers meant to borrow someone else’s style, to engage in plagiarism. “Hipster Blows” is when a saxophonist repeated the style of another musician.
Participants in the movement called themselves “staff members” - fans of American clothing.
Appearance for the Hipsters dance
The outfit is always a shocking image to the public, which is particularly bold, bright and in line with the fashion trends of the 1950s.
Girls copied fashionable looks from popular magazines, so they mostly wore dresses with a tight-fitting top and full, hourglass-type skirts, when special attention was paid to the waist. A suit or tandem of a full skirt and a narrow light blouse, which favorably emphasizes the figure, is also allowed.
As for shoes, preference is given to shoes and sandals with low heels, about 4-5 cm. Quite often, white socks with lace inserts were worn under such shoes, which gave a special femininity.
The outfit should always reflect the elegance, lightness and carelessness of the image, which is characteristic of women. This applies to dancers of different ages, including very young representatives of this profession.
Men dress in suits, but not strict ones, but on the contrary, quite bright and not meeting the standards. This applies not only to individual dancers, but also to choreographic groups, which must dress in the same style. Separate trousers, a shirt and a jacket are also welcome, and they can be of different colors, the main thing is that the overall picture looks appropriate and complete.
Particular attention is paid to flowers, since a dude’s outfit is always a bright and extraordinary holiday, a sea of positivity and smiles. Costumes for dude dances can be either plain or multi-colored.
Staff fashion
The first time the subculture existed, the appearance of its representatives was very comical. Young men wore wide trousers in rich and bright colors. At first glance, it might seem that the jacket was several sizes too large. A wide-bordered hat completed the look. Many wore socks of different colors.
Belyaev in his work describes one of the representatives of the phenomenal movement. The guy came in wearing a jacket: the back was orange, the sleeves and bottom were green. The pants are a bright shade of yellow and the shoes are black and red. Then he leaned on the door frame and everyone saw the flashy tone of the socks.
Then wide trousers ceased to be popular and young people wore tight trousers instead. The bob hairstyle, which looks like a cockscomb, has become fashionable. It was done by both girls and boys. The young men did not wear wide ties. It was tied with a small knot. Real dudes were distinguished from others by a gentleman's accessory - an umbrella-cane. The guys wore sweaters with images of deer. Such sweaters were worn by the actors of the films “Sun Valley Serenade”, as well as “The Girl of My Dreams”.
Shot about dudes from the film of the same name
Girls usually wore bright makeup and wore vintage dresses or tight skirts. In the summer they wore shirts that were in the Hawaiian style. They usually depicted Polynesian designs.
Dancing and music
The work of the large orchestra, led by Glenn Miller, was popular. One of the compositions became the anthem of the dudes. It's called "Train to Chattanooga." This imaginary train, which was heading to an inaccessible land, was the personification of America, inaccessible to dudes.
Expert opinion
Larisa Antonovna Karelskaya
Head of department at Moscow GUM for more than 10 years. Salesperson at Children's World on Lubyanka.
American jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman and composer Duke Ellington were role models for the informal dudes movement.
Some knew how to play musical instruments and even maintained friendly relations with jazzmen.
Boogie-woogie is considered the most famous dance. It originated in Europe and was based on African-American dance. Europeans added rock and roll motifs and danced it in discos. The dudes modified the manner of performance and made their own adjustments.
Elvis Presley
The dudes also loved rock and roll. Young people liked the compositions of Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, and Buddy Holly. It was very difficult to get records of foreign songs in the Soviet Union. Then they recorded music on X-ray photographs. After tape recorders appeared, “rock on bones” faded into the background.
Scenery
Hipsters are the brainchild of the USSR. This is a unique subculture, developing more rapidly the more harshly society reacted to its manifestations. To steal - to steal, to borrow. The dudes “stole” little pieces of freedom, forbidden and inaccessible to the gray masses of the 50s. For worshiping the West they were expelled from the Komsomol, the vigilantes cut off the dudes' hair, cut their clothes, and could even beat them. Where did the rebellious youth gather?
1. Dilapidated, unfinished and abandoned buildings, far from residential buildings. Quite the right atmosphere for a themed party. The hipsters danced, listened to forbidden music and discussed rednecks who could at any moment discover the “underground” and ruin the holiday. Shabby walls, chandeliers and lamps without shades, rough furniture, modest treats.
2. Apartments of the Soviet elite. It was the children of those who traveled outside the USSR on duty who spread Western trends among young people. Good quality Soviet furniture, carpets on the walls, floor lamps, lace napkins, tube TV. For a party at the hut of a phaser who has gone on a business trip.
3. Cocktail lounge. A legendary place where forbidden jazz sounded, hundreds of types of cocktails, punches, mulled wine and much more were served. The interior is chic - columns, a twisted staircase, huge chandeliers, small round tables, thin white tablecloths, napkin huts, roses in miniature vases.
So, decorating a party in the style of a dude can be both pompous and expensive, and quite inexpensive, literally from what is at hand. Suitable for creating an atmosphere:
- balloons, butterflies, lush bright flowers (lilac, peonies or roses), satin ribbons, bright open umbrellas. Serpentine and garlands made of paper (old labels, newspapers, posters and slogans, everything can be downloaded from the Internet), electric garlands (preferably with large round bulbs, multi-colored);
- posters, magazine clippings, caricatures and cartoons, photographs of jazzmen can be arranged as a mini-exhibition or simply decorate the walls with them, freely or on stands;
- vinyl records as various decorative elements (cup holders, compositions, garlands, collections in rows and stacks). If you can find old X-rays, make a hole in the center and cut off the corners to create a circle or polygon. Bone music for a dudes party is the most iconic attribute!
The image of dudes in cinema and literature
In films that were shot in the USSR, dudes are not shown at their best. Most often they were hermits who were despised by the entire people. Some films portray them as criminals and villains.
One might get the impression that members of this movement are idle and unemployed. Allegedly, behind their bright image lies an ordinary rogue. In films, dudes are ridiculed and teased.
Modern representatives of the subculture
Writers often characterized them as lazy and alcoholics. Some said that dudes only contribute to the degradation of society.
In Soviet magazines one could see caricatures: dudes were portrayed as spies, saboteurs and rebels.
Slang dude
Many words and phrases were borrowed from the English language. But the dudes also added different suffixes and endings to them. For example, “shoes” are shoes with high soles, “look” meant to look. Broadway is the place where dudes have always met. Often meetings took place on the main street.
Expert opinion
Larisa Antonovna Karelskaya
Head of department at Moscow GUM for more than 10 years. Salesperson at Children's World on Lubyanka.
Some expressions came from nowhere. This jargon was later used by other subcultures. But there are words that young people still use today.
Where has the youth movement gone?
In the early 60s, the subculture almost ceased to exist after Nikita Khrushchev came to power. Then young people had many new privileges.
The dudes were against the gray masses and the system imposed by the government. They wanted to stand out from society and strived for freedom. However, there were no aggressive protests or uprisings. The younger generation was just having fun and leading a slightly different lifestyle. They didn't want to be like everyone else.
Hipster girls
After this, some members of the movement became musicians, someone wrote a book. But the dudes learned to stand out and, above all, to be independent.
This was a step into a new, free life. The result of the existence of dudes is a completely different cultural level.
Suits
In those years, the authorities promoted community. The Soviet people were positioned as a single organism - no individuality. Any attempt to stand out from the crowd was perceived as dissatisfaction with the established way of life. Flashy clothes in the style of dudes are a consequence of fatigue from post-war poverty and shortages, a rebellion against totalitarianism, a manifestation of free will. At least in the choice of outfits.
So, you have four images to choose from - a dude or a chick (by the way, ladies in men's suits look stylish and funny), a caricature and a loaf. Girls who did not quite match the style were called rosy loaves. This is a random element that came into the company through friends. Bright lips, clumsy black eyeliner, braids or a ponytail, a bell dress or a loose knee-length skirt made of calm fabrics typical of the USSR with flowers or polka dots.
A trendy dress for a dudes party - colorful, fluffy, knee-length or slightly lower. With a slightly high waist, which is emphasized by a ribbon tied in a bow or a wide belt. Stockings with arrows, with suspenders. Ankle strap pumps.
