Chavs, Hoodies, and other British subcultures/stereotypes

[UberCharlie]

Howdy! I am an ignorant American. I've been poking around these forums, and I've seen a bit about chavs, hoodies, and other things out of the UK. I've done some research, if you can call the internet a reliable source. I'd like to hear about what you Brits know or think about these groups. Are the only stereotypes? Are they really prevalent? Are they styles set in stone?

Also, I found the hoodie thing pretty interesting. I wear them here in the States, and there's no cultural predisposition. I'm hardly a thug. Would I be treated unfairly if I were to wear a hoodie over there? Would folks get that I'm an American, and things are different where I come from?

Discuss.

 

[nightfish]

I think the problem is not the hoodies, but their attitude to other social groups.

 

[Rockerallan]

Hi ignorant American, Chavs, Neds, Hoodies whatever are the scourge of the UK they often start fights for no reason and hurl abuse at any so brave as to look in their general direction. I've been on the recieving end of this abuse and involved in the fights all too many times as have my my friends.

The reason that the hoodie is seen as an item of clothing for trouble makers is because Chavs often wear sports clothing and the hoodie has become less an item of clothing for them and more of a tool used to obscure the face whilst they carry out their actions.

I hope this helps a bit.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I wear hoodies too, I'm not a thug.
It's not just about what you wear (For me, personally)
It's about your body language, the way you act and speak. If you wore a hoodie over here, you'd get kicked out of any shop!
It's usually easy to spot a chav anyway, even if they walked aroung butt naked. (I hope none of them will! *shudders*)

 

[Andalusa]

Shoot all chavs in the head, right now I can hear a whole flock of them screaming, shouting and generally being, well, chavs. They must all go wash their hair then thow themselves off a cliff. Actually, that would be a waste of water and shampoo. They should just do the cliff thing.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

To try and put it in a US perspective, 'chav' hating is a bit like assuming that because someone lives in a trailer park that they are an inbred meth smoking redneck. Not that theres anything wrong with smoking meth, and if you and your sister really want to get it on, I'm not going to stop you, but enough diversion...

Some people try to be clear that when they say 'chav' & link it with 'hate', 'scum' etc that in this case they are referring to generally aggressive, criminally minded people who happen to live on council estates and dress in a certain way, but a lot of people dont make that distinction and just go for 'council estate dwellers & Reebok classic wearers = scum'

EDIT: Just to clear up, chav is a fairly broad phrase, it is often applied simply to people from low income working class backgrounds, hence it can come off as seeming very elitist. i.e. saying 'chavs are scum' etc without qualifying that you dont actually mean everyone who might come under the label of 'chav'.

 

[UberCharlie]

I guess I'm leaving my hoodie and White Sox cap at home when I go abroad. These guys must be a real pain to incite such a reaction.

 

[LOOY]

It depends if you where the hood when its not raining, hoodies are basically troublemakers, they can be anything from simple yobs to drug dealers. They where the hood because:
A. It looks a bit scary.
B. It makes it harder to identify them.
Most hoodies grow out of it at the age of 16ish, those that don't generally get sent to jail at some point. Hoodies are cowardly and generally harmless unless they can gather in large groups, in which case, they become almost impossible to deal with, mainly because the British Police force are powerless to do anything.

Most people hate Hoodies, they are generally unpopular throughout school (although no one will dare say it to there face).

The best way to deal with hoodies is to split them up, when they find themselves alone in a world that hates them, they quickly revert back to normal people.

 

[GeeDave]

I can't quite explain it, but chavs actually look like chavs anyway. You can see it in their face, I mean the actual fucking structure of their face.

I'm not going crazy here, someone else has to of noticed it too right? You could line 20 people up, 10 chavs and 10 regular folk... put them all in the same items of clothing and I'd still be able to spot the 10 chavs, easy peasy.

I would actually like an explanation for this.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

I'm Australian but I think I have a good definition for Americans.

Chavs are like Emo's. But stupider.

Also Emo's go for passive, non-violent hate of everything. "Chavs" Aggressively hate everything.

An emo cries about how much pain they are in. A Chav goes out and tries to make people cry through pain.

An emo tries to sound smart, using words they don't understand like decimate. A Chav tries to sound human, using words they don't understand like tonight or spot.

An emo covers their face with their hair. A Chav covers their face with a hoodie.

An emo fails then blames it on how terrible they are. A Chav fails then starts a fight with the teacher.

All I can think of, hope I helped.

 

[Rockerallan]

I guess I'm leaving my hoodie and White Sox cap at home when I go abroad. These guys must be a real pain to incite such a reaction.

By no means leave your hoodie and cap at home, wear them but only wear the hood up if its raining and dont pull it so far up that it obscures your face and a friendly nod at passers by often helps to show that you in no way intend to threaten.

 

[jadias]

I'm in the UK right now. I have been since I was born. I'm wearing a hoodie right now too.

I'm not a thug by any stretch of the imagination, and I am wearing this article of clothing because it keeps me at the right temperature and because it is comfortable. Not to cover my face while I steal a CD from a shop.

Stop blaming innocuous things which don't cause problems (items of clothing, even knives don't cause damage unless the person carrying it has that intent) and start dealing with the problem - put these little shitheads in jail, for long enough that they realise not to do it. If they do it again, put them away for good.

Problem solved.

 

[Andalusa]

or there's the cliff thing, or the moon

 

[Rockerallan]

I can't quite explain it, but chavs actually look like chavs anyway. You can see it in their face, I mean the actual fucking structure of their face.

I'm not going crazy here, someone else has to of noticed it too right? You could line 20 people up, 10 chavs and 10 regular folk... put them all in the same items of clothing and I'd still be able to spot the 10 chavs, easy peasy.

I would actually like an explanation for this.

It's more than likely due to diet, chavs tend to be very mousey and have skinny faces their eyes are deeper set than usual and their hair aswell seems to grow in a particular way. I really have no logical explanation for this other than that it has to be something to do with what they eat.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I can't quite explain it, but chavs actually look like chavs anyway. You can see it in their face, I mean the actual fucking structure of their face.

I'm not going crazy here, someone else has to of noticed it too right? You could line 20 people up, 10 chavs and 10 regular folk... put them all in the same items of clothing and I'd still be able to spot the 10 chavs, easy peasy.

I would actually like an explanation for this.

Yep, I get what you mean. Chavs usually have a scrunched up, angry face like a constipated chimp sat on hot coals.
They also usually look really stoned. They usually are, actually.


Dont do drugs. ;D

 

[UberCharlie]

Sheesh. Now I just want to shoot a documentary. I could call it "An American in Chav's clothing" and document the reactions of people to a really nice, friendly social fellow. This is on my to-do-list.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Sheesh. Now I just want to shoot a documentary. I could call it "An American in Chav's clothing" and document the reactions of people to a really nice, friendly social fellow. This is on my to-do-list.

I really hate to say this, but as much as people judge you for what you wear, they also judge you for where youre from...not everyone does, but watch out for it.

 

[Andalusa]

but the great big camera following you around, people will think you're being not being chavvy because of it.

 

[UberCharlie]

Sheesh. Now I just want to shoot a documentary. I could call it "An American in Chav's clothing" and document the reactions of people to a really nice, friendly social fellow. This is on my to-do-list.

I really hate to say this, but as much as people judge you for what you wear, they also judge you for where youre from...not everyone does, but watch out for it.

Oh, I know. Americans are seen worldwide as jingoistic asses, I'm sure. It's something I have to deal with. If I'm a nice guy, then maybe I can change one person's opinion about my nation. Probably not, but a guy can dream.

 

[JakubK666]

There you go, a perfect example of 15-year-old-chavs WARNING NSFW!!! http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?PageNbr=1&MemberId=6637017373&PhotoAlbumId=8205912311&PhotoId=8263754770

Scary thing is, these people go to my school.In fact my school sucks so much that every single person falls into either on of the four cliques: Chavs,Emos,Nerds,Jocks and Preps.