Freak Show

Style of dress and appearance symbolize the need to be different and stand out amongst the masses. Subversive fashion doesn't follow commercial fashion trends or the elite of the fashion world but creates its own trends. Dant explains: .
             What the account of second hand and 'alternative' or 'subcultural' styles tells us is that the material culture of clothes is not simply determined by a single hegemonic cultural process, although commodity capitalism and the ideological fashion system is never far behind. In other words, subcultures aren't controlled by the all-powerful, high class; however, corporate control is questionable. Freak culture exemplifies the fact that people don't have to follow one single fashion source. However as it will be explained further, corporate leaders don't make this easy and it is a fine line between the authentic and the mainstream.
             One purpose of freak fashion is to gain attention and mock society's conformist lifestyle. To say the least, freak culture is misunderstood, yet this is what it thrives on. Subcultures expect the public's shallow prejudice. For example the label alone, freak, exemplifies the personage of a strange otherness and abnormality. Freaks are usually judged as devil worshipping, scary delinquents. However this is the image they want to portray. Dick Hebdige analyzes aspects of rebellious subcultures. He supports the idea that a subculture's authenticity is distorted and manipulated by society and profiting industries. Hebdige examines punk culture, but his theory also illuminates freak culture, since punk is a realm of freak culture. Hebdige argues how a subculture's style is purposefully portrayed in a certain way to catch the public's attention, however, its meaning isn't literal, "it may say what it means but it does not necessarily 'mean' what it 'says'. In other words it is opaque: its categories are part of its publicity" (138).