Dressed to Kill: How Skulls Became Streetwear's Signature Icon

Skulls: We all have them, we definitely need them, but why do we wear them? 

In fashion, it’s pretty popular for brands to have a piece of clothing with a human or animal skull on it. Some brands even have logos with skulls. Skull iconography is popular among urban streetwear, hip-hop, and indie/grunge aesthetics. We’ve even seen jewelry decorated with skulls or bones. Where did this come from? Why is it so popular? 

In this post, we’re going to dive into the skull to find out the historical and cultural context of the icon. We’ll also look at how skull apparel has evolved into modern day fashion. 

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Cultural Meaning of Skulls

Skull iconography goes back hundreds of years, being displayed prominently in ancient art, literature, and religious symbolism. Skulls tend to evoke thoughts of death or danger and are often used to symbolize danger or threats. 

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the prince famously considers the skull of the dead court jester Yorick and reflects on how such an object could once have held a human life. Therefore, skulls are often also associated with mortality and the end of a life cycle. Not necessarily a negative, the skull in this context is an acknowledgement of all of our eventual deaths. 

The Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is one such event that associates the skull with celebration of passed ancestors. During this time, families give gifts to the dead in the form of altars. These altars for the dead are often adorned with artistic renditions of skulls, or Calaveras, with bright colors and jewelry. Holiday celebrants also wear skull masks or paint their faces white and black to mimic a skull-ish visage. Spiritually, the skull symbol represents eternal life. 

Of course, the skull can also be a threatening symbol of danger and death. Pirates, famously, used skull symbolism to strike fear in the hearts of sailors. Other groups, such as armed forces or bikers, will sometimes incorporate skulls into their iconography to frighten their enemies and associate themselves with death.  

So, the skull is an enigmatic symbol that can mean a lot of different things. For some, the skulls represent toughness or fearlessness toward death. For others it may be a symbol of fear and intimidation. It may also be an acknowledgement of human mortality and the commitment to celebrating the lives we have. 

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Evolution of Skull Apparel

Wearing skulls or skeletons goes back thousands of years to when humans fashioned armor or weapons out of the bones of the dead. This has evolved into wearing clothing with skull or skeleton icons and art. In modern times, wearing skulls became popular with the emergence of punk and biker culture in the 1960s and 1970s. Another popular home for skull symbolism is the goth subculture that emerged in the 1980s that often associates stark contrasting blacks and whites with skulls.

Some sources attribute mainstream usage of skulls in fashion to fashion designers Alexander McQueen or Ed Hardy, whose fashion lines featured prominent skulls. In the modern day, many jackets, hats, shoes, bandanas, scarves, and more feature skulls in one way or another. 

Answers to FAQs About Skull Fashion

Are skulls bad luck?

No, skulls aren’t attributed to being symbols of bad luck or misfortune. In fact, skulls are sometimes considered signs of good luck that ward off spirits and disease.  

Are skulls evil?

Skulls aren’t necessarily associated with evil or ill intent toward others. They can be symbols of danger or death, but this depends on the context. 

What does a skull ring mean? 

A skull ring is sometimes meant to symbolize danger, while other times symbolizing toughness or bravery in the face of death. Either way, a skull ring is definitely an eye-catching accessory. 

What do skulls symbolize? What do wearing skulls represent? 

Death and danger, mortality and life, loved ones we've lost, toughness and fearlessness, fear and intimidation, poison and caution, and even intellect (it is, after all, our brain cage!). 

What does a jawbone symbolize (if anything)?

Skulls are often depicted without the jawbone as it makes the skull look more impassive and neutral. The inclusion of a jawbone gives a skull a laughing, ghoulish visage that isn’t desired in some fashion. Sometimes, the inclusion of a jawbone with a skull can be a symbol of laughing, especially in the face of death. 

What does a skull with crossbones mean? Is it different from a skull alone?

When thinking of the skull and crossbones, you may immediately think of the pirate Jolly Roger flag. While this is definitely one association, the skull and crossbones is also used to denote danger or hazards. For example, in the U.S., poisonous substances are required to have a skull and crossbones. This is so anyone, regardless of their reading ability, will immediately recognize a substance as not safe to consume.

Looking for Skull Outfits?

Head over to the Rockstar Original online shop and look for the latest in urban skull fashions for Women and Mens skull clothing and jeans.