How to Dress Like a Crusty

A Crusty is punk's most extreme offshoot. This article will show you how to dress like one!

Steps

1. Buy yourself some appropriate footwear. Salvaged or second hand converse trainers or plimsolls are good, but combat boots are better, so long as they aren't made from leather.
2. Get some black stretch jeans or black work pants from a second-hand store. Alternatively you could get camouflage trousers (or shorts for the summer) from an army surplus store. If you want to be really crusty, you could just sew your own trousers from scratch using cheaply bought or found fabric.
   • Customize. Screen print some political or crust band patches using white fabric paint. Then sew these onto your trousers with white dental floss. You can also sew plain black patches onto your trousers. Try to totally cover your trousers in patches. Don't worry if they overlap, this looks very crusty. You can also sew purposeless zippers onto your trousers. Plain patches made out of camouflage, leopard print or vegan friendly false leather are also cool. Attaching studs or flattened lighter heads onto the tops of your pockets is a nice touch.
   • Butt flaps are a very cool crusty accessory. This is a roughly square patches of fabric that you can attach to the front of your pants (in which case you can sew it so it functions like a pocket) or the back of them (in which case it stops your but getting cold when you sit down and it stops the butt of your pants wearing through). Either way, painting or patching DIY silk screened band names or political slogans or symbols on your butt flap is very crusty.
3. Choose or make your belts. When it comes to belts you've got two options: Either a length of rope or a bullet belt. Don't be afraid to use both!
4. Buy black t-shirts from a charity store or army surplus store. Then paint political designs or crust band names/logos (which are often going to be politically charged anyway) on them with white fabric paint (use a home made stencil for extra precision). If you don't want to risk messing up your t-shirt you could just screen print a large patch and then sew this onto your t-shirt. Cutting the sleeves and collar off your t-shirt is very crust. You can then re-cycle this fabric to make patches.
5. Buy a black hooded sweatshirt from a second hand store. Customize it like your pants. Attach studs and flattened lighter heads onto the hood rim. Sew home made patches all over it and sew a big back patch onto the back. Remember to use white dental floss. If its a pullover hooded sweatshirt, you could try painting a crust band or political statement onto the front of yours.
6. Try finding a black denim jacket. Customize it in the same way as your trousers except this time you can cover it in metal studs or spikes. Putting these on over the plain patches looks very good. Try sewing on a home made back patch with your handy dental floss. You could try splattering your jacket with bleach before you start customizing it for a very crusty effect. Attaching political/band buttons onto the front of your jacket is cool. Even better if you buy a badge making machine and make them yourself
   • Alternatively, you could buy an army jacket from a charity store or an army surplus store. Customize it by adding patches and lengths of chain.
7. Buy a black baseball or trucker hat from a charity store, or a black army cap from an army surplus store. Sew home made patches onto it or paint stuff directly onto it! You can also try embedding spikes onto the bill.
8. Own some basic accessories. Jewelery made out of hemp or found materials is very crusty. Lengths of chain attached with a carabiner or padlock are also cool. A black bandanna would top off your look, so long as you get it from a charity store.
9. Try to avoid using hair dye or hair products. Just let it grow long and become naturally matted and unkempt. It may dreadlock on its own or you may opt to dreadlock it yourself. You could also shave sections of your hair to get a dreadhawk or a dreadlet.
10. Body modifications. DIY tattoos and piercings are a good idea. But remember to take care of them and avoid infection.

Tips

• Make sure you're actually a member of the political organization whose button you're wearing, or that you like the band whose patch you're wearing.
• The DIY look is an expression of anti-capitalism. If you can't make something or buy it from a charity/army surplus store, do without it.
• 3 essentials of being a crusty: Politics, DIY and cheapness. If you can construct something yourself instead of buying it, make it. If You can come up with a clever political slogan, put it on your clothes.
• Avoid leather at all costs. Only use vegan friendly products in constructing your look.

Warnings

• A lot of people don't like crusties, including punks, so be prepare to take the heat.
• If you're going to be a crusty, you're going to have to be vegetarian at least, if not vegan. Avoid leather, wool and other animal derived clothing materials.