Stilyagi
1940s-1960s Soviet youth counterculture movement
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stilyagi (стиляги, Russian pronunciation: [sʲtʲɪˈlʲæɡʲɪ], lit. "stylish, style hunters") were members of a Soviet youth counterculture movement from the late 1940s until the early 1960s. A stilyaga (стиляга) was primarily distinguished by snappy clothing—preferably foreign-label clothing acquired from fartsovshchiks (black market sellers)—that contrasted with the communist realities of the time, and a fascination with zagranitsa, modern Western music and fashions corresponding to those of the Beat Generation. English writings on Soviet culture variously translated the term as "dandies", "fashionistas", "beatniks", "hipsters", or "zoot suiters".
 Shooting a scene for the 2008 Russian film Stilyagi | |
| Years active | 1940s–1960s |
|---|---|
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Influences | Zagranitsa, Beat movement |
The stilyagi phenomenon is regarded as an early version of other Russian countercultural trends that developed during the Era of Stagnation, such as the hippie, punk, and rap subcultures.[citation needed]
Characteristics
Apolitical views, neutral or negative attitudes toward Soviet morality, and open admiration of modern (especially American) lifestyles were key characteristics of the stilyagi subculture that slowly developed during the 1950s.
The early stilyagi look was heavily inspired by recent foreign films. It resembled the zoot suit but combined different bright colors. By the late 1950s, the look had evolved into something more elegant and stylish. Typical stilyagi wear included narrow pants, long jackets, narrow ties, bright-colored shirts, and thick soled shoes.
Stilyagi enjoyed popular American music of the 1940s, especially swing and boogie-woogie and the music of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. The soundtrack from the film Sun Valley Serenade was also popular, and the song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" was the unofficial anthem of the subculture. Later they adopted rock and roll. Stilyagi developed their own styles of dance originating from boogie-woogie.[citation needed]
See also
- 1950s youth fashion
- Bikini boys, a similar subculture in Poland
- Hep cat, another Western counterpart to the Stilyagi
- Jampec
- La Sape, a similar movement that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 1980s
- 1980s in African fashion
- Swenka, a South African variant in the 2010s
- 2010s in African fashion
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, a 1966 novel by Robert A. Heinlein describing a similar fictional subculture on the Moon
- Potápky, Czech urban youth subculture
- Swingjugend, youth culture in Nazi Germany