The Teddy Boy Attitude

The Teddy Boy subculture started in London in the 1950s and rapidly spread across the UK, becoming strongly associated with the American rock ‘n’ roll music of the day. It was an adventurous time as the Teds were the first youth group in England to differentiate themselves as teenagers, creating an entirely new vibrant youth market. Being smartly turned-out was essential to the Teddy boy style, it was a gang led philosophy and some groups were involved in violent clashes with rival subcultures such as the Mods. There was an overtly aggressive overtone to the Teddy boy look and many carried a flick knife as a fashion accessory. The most violent episode the Teddy boys were involved in was the Notting Hill Riot of 1958 in which Teddy boys were conspicuous in racial attacks.

During the 1960s the look evolved and many Teddy boys turned in to rockers or more insultingly, "greasers". As the effect of post-World War II rationing lessened there was increased affluence; young people could buy motorbikes and were heavily influenced by the influx of music and film from America.

By the 1970s the look had been revived again by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren in their Kings Road boutique, Let It Rock. However, this time the look brought in more glam rock elements influenced by the music of the day such as David Bowie, Marc Bolan, T. Rex and Lou Reed.