Explore Expression of Gender and Sexuality within Youth Subcultural Style: an overview and reflection

The exhibition starts by exploring why style matters in youth subculture. Clothing is a powerful form of identity expression and can elevate one's ability to resist societal norms. Across all three subcultures, to varying degrees, it is clear that style became a way to challenge traditional ideas about masculinity, femininity, and queer identity.

The mod's of the 1960's set the stage for the exploration of diverse identities. Their gender play and ambiguity, vibrant, colourful suit designs inspired by queer backgrounds, made space for experimentation with gender expression. Women embraced shorter hemlines and greater freedom, with inspirations such as the designer Mary Quant, the model Twiggy with her boyish femininity, and the designer Biba, whose female trousers and suits were celebrated. Despite queer identities being stigmatised by society more so during the 1960's, underground gay mod spaces developed for the exploration of identities without scrutiny, for example Le Duce in Soho, London.

Punks emerging in the mid to late 1970’s marked a turning point in the wider acceptance of self-expression, in a more confrontational, anti-establishment manner. Regardless of the gender norms, the DIY ethos allowed punks to dress however they wanted. Women embraced the movement's refusal to conform, finally dressing for themselves rather than the male gaze. Through safety pins, ripped clothing, heavy makeup, and second-hand clothing, forms of style rebellion were adopted. The designer Vivienne Westwood challenged taboos surrounding sexuality, and in many cases, punk was welcomed into queer spaces after being rejected by society. Despite this, women still faced misogyny and unequal representations within the scene.

The new romantics of the early 1980's pushed expression of gender and sexuality further, embracing fluid identities and creating inclusive environments for all. Boundaries of masculinity and femininity were blurred, inspired by figures such as David Bowie, Boy George, and Steve Strange, with many of their followers becoming regulars at the famous Blitz Club in London. Through heavy makeup, mixed fabrics, and exaggerated silhouettes, anyone could identify however they wanted, just as long as it was glamorous!

I enjoyed this project thoroughly, with inspirations coming from my interest in public history and my passion for making history accessible to all audiences. I particularly loved the fact that doing a major project allows you to have creativity freedom, which is why I incorporated my own images of my take on each youth subculture. This not only was really fun to carry out, but also helped the audience visualise the subcultures, and view how I personally see them.

As well as history, I also have a passion for sociology, finding the development and rebellion of youth subcultures fascinating. Therefore, this social history, comparative-style major project made sense for me. Moreover, visiting physical museum exhibitions helped this project come alive. During a visit to the exhibition 'Blitz: the club that shaped the 80's' in December 2025, key visual inspiration and ideas for interactive elements were collected. I wanted each panel to reflect the visual culture of its period; therefore, the punk panels drew inspiration from 1970s punk fanzines, while the new romantic panels echoed new romantic magazines and the aesthetics of the early 1980s. This enhanced the exhibition's immersive nature, allowing audiences to connect more closely with the periods and the subcultures.

If I could give key advice to anyone considering the major project exhibition route, I would say that:

• Start planning early. Considering your information and creatively planning your panels takes longer than you think, so begin your research early so you have plenty of time to review each panel's content individually.

• Visit physical exhibitions as a form of research and to gather inspiration for your design. I was lucky enough to visit an exhibition very close to my topic, which helped with designing my new romantic panels.

• Use a vast amount of primary and secondary sources, from journal articles, books, newspaper articles from the time, interviews, documentaries, songs, and photographs. Primary sources are crucial for an exhibition piece.

• Do not be afraid to change your title focus. As you curate the exhibition and research, you may want to delve deeper into a particular aspect of your topic.

• For research and organisation, make sure you have separate folders for each topic you are researching. Sometimes you may get confused.

• Use Canva to design your panels. The platform is easy to use (though I definitely had a few annoying moments), and if you took the module 'Everybody Hurts' in second year, you will already have experience!

• If you have a learning difference, such as dyslexia, embrace the visual methods; historical research should be accessible to all, and public history is a great way to do this!

• On the panels, choose images and artifacts that best convey your argument or point. This makes the visuals link well with the writing.

• Having a good balance of writing and visuals is key. Even though you may feel it's impossible to fit everything in, it's crucial to keep panels balanced so the audience does not feel overwhelmed by too much text.

• Throughout producing the panels, constantly remind yourself who your audience will be. This helped me think about how I wanted the visuals to look and how they would link to the time period.

• Get your advisor and other people around you to read your work. This helps you pick up on mistakes and helps you depict how engaging your writing is.