JOY DIVISION: AUSTERE SOUND AND STYLE

“In [Joy Division’s] songs, ordinary life achieves an epic grandeur. There’s no bombast or emotional theatrics; instead there’s a modernist starkness as pared down as a Samuel Beckett play.” – Simon Reynolds, The New York Times

Joy Division (originally titled Warsaw) formed in Salford, Greater Manchester, in 1976. After a slight re-shuffle on drums, it was Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Ian Curtis who conceived a uniquely stark and static sound – leading to a rise in melancholic post-punk across Northern England.

Defined by machinic pulses, low-key synthesizers, existential lyrics and a restless energy, Joy Division’s music was like the mindscape of Manchester – a crumbling industrial city with a dystopian environment. Style was born from this. Framed by stripped back silhouettes, bleak colour palettes and regimental postures, Joy Division used utilitarian uniforms as protection from their violent sounds.

A breakdown of their united style:

For the underlayer: white crew neck t-shirts. Simple, practical and ever so slightly exposed.

For the shirt: short sleeved ones sealed with ultra-skinny ties; long sleeved ones semi unbuttoned and finished with military-style pockets; patterned ones featuring monochrome stripes.

For the overlayer: V-neck lambswool sweaters and chunky sleeveless pullovers. Colour palette: black, white, grey.

For the overcoat: by day, three options: British pea coat, single-breasted herringbone blazer, double-breasted trench. By night, zero in sight.

For the trouser: two options: dark jeans or dark twill trousers. Straight cut, flat front. Shirts tucked into waistbands, silhouettes sealed with slim leather belts. A strapped-up stance for all.

For the footwear: battered zip-up boots, battered lace-up boots, well-worn brogues. Leather designs for intoxicating nights.

And the overall result: Militaristic silhouettes used for radical radio transmission. Eternal power, eternal energy, eternal effect.