Breaking Edge

On few occasions, Edgies will cease to be Straight Edge for whatever reason. This is called "breaking Edge." It's the same concept as a Vegetarian eating meat in a moment of weakness, or just quitting the diet altogether. Either of these lifestyles could be dropped as if it were just a "fad" or a "phase" in someone's life, which they very well could have been. I now pose the question: are there any drawbacks to this choice of no longer living this lifestyle?

In my opinion, no, aside from the health risks you would have from adopting an abusive intake of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol. Otherwise, it's your own life and you should live it any way you see fit.

There are, however, consequences outside of my personal opinion. Due to the ethnocentric values that can sometimes be found in the Straight Edge culture, anyone who "breaks edge" can become a candidate for isolation. It is a slim possibility, but nonetheless the threat is present, and if the Straight Edge culture is all they knew, they could have a hard time readjusting.

Another problem that could arise is determined by whether or not the individual decided to mark themselves with a Straight Edge tattoo. If they had marked themselves with the traditional one or three Xs, then they will have a false proclamation on their skin. Of course they could have it covered or removed, but both of those are lengthy, painful processes.

"Breaking edge" is simply just a change of lifestyle, but it goes to show that people will always have different levels of commitment, and the way one finally decides to lead their life does not make flaws upon their character for having explored other lifestyles.

Johnny Cupcakes

Within any culture or subculture, there are celebrity-like figures to be found. Typically, the Straight Edge celebrities consist of people who are in bands. However, there are a few exceptions. One notable exception is entrepreneur, Johnny Earle.

Johnny Earle owns a very unique clothing company that shares his nickname, Johnny Cupcakes. Growing up, he explains, it was very easy for people to tack on words to his name and create new nicknames for him, such as "Johnny Appleseed". One day he was dubbed "Johnny Cupcakes" and he really liked the sound of it. He then created a T-shirt with the brand's now famous cupcake and crossbones logo on it. People would always ask him if they could buy one, so following supply and demand rules, he complied. These simple back-of-a-van transactions have now blossomed into an admirable chain of stores, with one opening overseas soon. Being called Johnny Cupcakes can obviously create some confusion, and many people often enter the store expecting a bakery. Earle responded to this misconception the only way he knew how: by building his stores in the image of a bakery. Shirts are kept in miniature ovens, fridges, and bakery-style display cases. New T-shirt designs are referred to as "freshly baked". There are even "Nutrition Facts" posted on the walls. The response to his creativity has been very positive, and he attracts a customer base of not only Edgies, but also Hippsters and various other creative-types.

A more detailed story, pictures, and clothing can all be found on the Johnny Cupcakes website.

But alas, when one finds themselves wrapped up in the food-themed clothing industry, they are bound for trouble. This trouble has a name, and it's Pyknic Wear.

Pyknic Wear was founded by Stephen Thompson and Andrew Marshall, who also go by "The Butcher" and "The Chef". Their T-shirt designs cover the full spectrum of food, whereas Johnny Cupcakes keeps a firm grasp on baked goods. Pyknic Wear is not spawned from the Straight Edge lifestyle, but at the same time, it exists within the same "scene" as Johnny Cupcakes (the "scene" refers to a subculture that exists under the combined music genres of Pop-rock, Emo, Post-Hardcore, and countless others). Thompson and Marshall apparently saw Earle as competition and have recently been uncovered as the culprits behind a recent controversy. Basically, they were "hating" on Johnny Cupcakes. They created a fake identity on Emptees.com (a popular T-shirt-centered social networking website) and began to bash Earle's brand on various message boards. The smack talking was very personal, and could without a doubt have Thompson and Marshall labeled as "creepers". Eventually, Earle and friends uncovered the true identity of their haters through a little "creeping" of their own. To get the juicy details on this T-shirt brand drama, click here.

Johnny Earle found many of Thompson and Marshall's attacks personal because they challenged him on the fact that he is an Edgie. The following is one of the many posts made by user, gonehoggin84, or, Thompson and Marshall, followed by Earle's response:

My apologies on the quality. It can also be found on the link provided above.

This argument is centered around the subject of Ethnocentrism, which I have already discussed in a previous Blog Post. I believe Earle handled his portion of the argument very well, stating that he is not among those who look down upon people who are not Edgies. He clarifies that he is in no way trying to impose his lifestyle on others. Someone's lifestyle is very personal, and the choices they make should in no way, shape, or form affect anyone other than themselves.

Tattoos and Piercings

Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember

Many times when I see Edgies, a good majority of them are fairly tattooed and pierced. The tattoos typically cover the full length of one or both arms ("full sleeve") and the piercings are usually gauges (those piercings that make large holes in the earlobes). What has always puzzled me is the fact that these forms of expression can be equivalent to body mutilation. This may seem like an extreme comparison, however, when we think of Edgies' desire for the "pure body", it seems like anything of this nature could stand in the way of that. Then again the tattoos and piercings would not affect an edgie's sobriety or "clear mind", so in those regards it would be perfectly fine.

The scale of how many Edgies partake in getting tattooed or pierced is also intriguing. When considering the fact that the Straight Edge lifestyle is derived from Punk Rock it almost becomes surprising that not all of the Edgies are covered in "body art". This obvious explanation did not satisfy my curiosity, so upon research I found that it creates Straight Edge identity. Usually tattoos and piercings are a way to show off one's individuality, but in regards to the Straight Edge subculture, it is a way of showing you belong.

It is in my own opinion that Edgies' lifestyle choices are really personal, and subscribing to any group that would have you alter yourself in such an extreme way outwardly seems like you are changing for the wrong reasons. It is great that there is a defined culture for this lifestyle, because then its members have each other to look to for support. It just seems like they are conforming too much. Tattoos and piercings have individuality within themselves, but with Straight Edge they become more uniform-like. Essentially I believe it's okay to be Straight Edge and have tattoos/piercings, but you sacrifice your individuality when you get tattooed/pierced because you are Straight Edge.