A
skinhead is a member of a
subculture that originated among
working class youths in
London,
England in the 1960s and then soon spread to other parts of the
United Kingdom, and later to other countries around the world. Named for their close-cropped or
shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by
West Indian (specifically
Jamaican)
rude boys and British
mods, in terms of fashion, music and
lifestyle. Originally, the skinhead subculture was primarily based on those elements, not politics or
race. Since then, however, attitudes toward race and politics have become factors by which some skinheads align themselves. The political spectrum within the skinhead scene ranges from the far right to the far left, although many skinheads are
apolitical. Fashion-wise, skinheads range from a clean-cut 1960s mod-influenced style to less-strict
punk- and
hardcore-influenced styles.