Chonga Style - Chola Style

[brian]

^ yeah, teen pregnancy is a big problem here...actually , i think my city is #1 in the usa.

 

[Ms. Diorella]

hahaha that chola does look a hella lot like amy winehouse, I agree donnie

 

[lucky star]

Orale', a thread on cholas, and 5 pages go by before I even notice.

I think the look, style, makeup, everything, it's all closely tied to culture. I think that's why it's not a trend that has burst onto the mainstream, and then disappeared. I can't speak for chongas, because I don't know much about them, but, where I spent a lot of my childhood, New Mexico, the chola style is definitely rooted in cultural archetypes. 40's pachucos, zoot suiters of course, Aztec and other Indian imagery, ties to Mexican and Spanish heritages.
The (stereo) typical look of a chola, dark makeup, big greased hair, with clothing that is somewhat masculine or aggressive, are all aesthetics that come from the 40's subculture. The zoot suite women back then wore dark makeup, and dark lipstick, and they wore their hair in exaggerated 40's coifs. They would wear clothing similar to the men, even wearing the big baggy pants, gold watch chains, and fedoras. I think there is a general acknowledgement, or homage even, at the very least an awareness of where the style comes from among the cholas wearing it today. For a lot of people, it is simply a style, but I think it does have connotations reaching into some kind of racial connection. At least with the people I know. Images from that era are popular, and seemingly part of the cultural distinctiveness. I wouldn't say the style directly connotes gang membership, I think they are simply both under the same cultural umbrella.

(homies.tv)

(txstate.edu)

(trashionista.net)

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

(my photobucket)

TIME TO REVIVE!!! LA ESA REPRESENTIN

Thats one thing I have a interest on is some of the rings cholas have...I have some of my step grandmas rings....i gotta take some pics of em...she was a panchuca all the way she had a dot tattoo on her cheek...it used to be a tear when she was younger but it faded away.

Anyways, some photos to get this rolling again...

Clubbing chola...

70's chola

Baggy Jersey Chola costume...I love this photo "AAHUH GURL.no you didnt just disrespecto bessshh""

Guadalupe candle

I've been seeing these around LA lately...I laab it..

(flickr.com)

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

Haha This is a great photo set too...other than thin eyebrows you will sometimes see some really thick stylistic brows kinda like these.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51625004@N00/sets/72157594425958931/

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/misswest/79503268/

This just made me laugh...a ***** gift basket...I want that effing jesus sweater

 

[brian]

^ OMAIGA

i want that gift basket so bad...

 

[brian]

entonces we love hot cheetos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51625004@N00/325538682/in/set-72157594425958931/

the caption on this makes me die... ..... if you know, you know...

 

[just_me]

thats not different from.. everywhere in the world..

so many kids feel 'forced' to follow the look of their buddies, its a global issue, happens all the time..

yes, but this is not a trend is about being in a gang and if you are different you can get beaten up every day.. it's not really funny.

 

[MulletProof]

sephora, you need to credit your images properly as flickr and photobucket are both photo-hosting sites.

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

the LA is from my own files uploaded to my photobucket.
flickrs are from photo-john, kid deuce, javazetti, meggie b
********************************************

Anyways...to the important thing I wanted to talk about....

It's a cultural gathering, but it's an important part of the la raza and the culture- QUINCENERA!!!

It's like sweet 16, but you do this at her 15th birthday. I just am fascinated with the barbie doll huge dresses that have so much shiat on it....beads, lace,bell sleeves, rosettes, glitter, corsetting, a train, frill trim, and whatnot all on one dress...its like Michaels craftstore just exploded. Usually white like they're getting married...or pink. It's still about the higher the hair or the higher the crown. And they have a court/entourage too.

Case and point...

( flickr-marcjulian)

(flickr- emmaline)

(flickr-villaphoto)

(flickr-pucca_choy)

HAHAH Love the random quince hair....

(flickr-pucca_choy)

(flickr-martco)

This dress kills me Michaels explosion

(flickr-dryice_7)

I wish I could find one of actual cholas quinces....

I guess I have to go through and upload some step relatives for this thread... pachuca grannie is a must at least

I'm heading to downtown...maybe I'll stop by this shop and others and take pics.

(flickr-vidalia)

 

[yourbestfriend]

You learn something new everyday

 

[mediocrityrules]

Orale', a thread on cholas, and 5 pages go by before I even notice.

I think the look, style, makeup, everything, it's all closely tied to culture. I think that's why it's not a trend that has burst onto the mainstream, and then disappeared. I can't speak for chongas, because I don't know much about them, but, where I spent a lot of my childhood, New Mexico, the chola style is definitely rooted in cultural archetypes. 40's pachucos, zoot suiters of course, Aztec and other Indian imagery, ties to Mexican and Spanish heritages.
The (stereo) typical look of a chola, dark makeup, big greased hair, with clothing that is somewhat masculine or aggressive, are all aesthetics that come from the 40's subculture. The zoot suite women back then wore dark makeup, and dark lipstick, and they wore their hair in exaggerated 40's coifs. They would wear clothing similar to the men, even wearing the big baggy pants, gold watch chains, and fedoras. I think there is a general acknowledgement, or homage even, at the very least an awareness of where the style comes from among the cholas wearing it today. For a lot of people, it is simply a style, but I think it does have connotations reaching into some kind of racial connection. At least with the people I know. Images from that era are popular, and seemingly part of the cultural distinctiveness. I wouldn't say the style directly connotes gang membership, I think they are simply both under the same cultural umbrella.
(homies.tv)
(txstate.edu)
(trashionista.net)

Wow I never knew that, thanks for the information ....that is actually rather fascinating, and changes my entire perspective on the "chonga movement." I never realized it had "legitimate" aesthetic roots (wow I guess that is kind of racist, at the very least ignorant...is it ok because I am a minority that is often mistaken for being Hispanic?? ha). What a cool interesting reinterpretation/ remnant of those cultures...it is so weird when certain so called preferences or styles become divorced from their histories. I would love to know more about it!!

 

[mediocrityrules]

This might be kind of ********...but all of this discussion really makes me think of David Lynch and his obsession with surrealism...I am just so fascinated with this stuff ever since my trip to Mexico...

I was giving it some more thought, and the influence of the American 1940`s is seen in other countries as well...such as Japan, where it is undeniable, especially for the general public...echoes of imperialism, perhaps, and that is a GROSS generalization, but kind of sad to think about.

Weird though, because other countries show this influence in such different ways...so I guess they are not exactly comparable.

 

[lucky star]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/misswest/79503268/

This just made me laugh...a ***** gift basket...I want that effing jesus sweater

Wicked...

(Sephora, I love your signature.)

 

[MUXU]

You learn something new everyday

you said it...

i didnt even know there was a name for these people. i always thought their look is a very 90s look because of the dark lined lipstick and arch eyebrows.

 

[jennifer~]

there's a sort of an x-factor to them isn't there. i don't know what it is...

Maybe it's the androgyny that some assert.

 

[photopsia]

wow. this thread was so .. educational. i always love to hear about the culture and whatever other influences that lie behind all these styles that seem like they're just all trendy and have no meaning. not that i'm saying chongas are a good thing... we have thousands of these girls at my school, but instead they're serbian. but it's the same thing just minus the hispanic and plus the eastern european. mind you, they aren't nearly as tough (with the razorblades and all).. i'm from cambridge, ontario. (hometown of alana zimmer! lol.)

 

[marcj]

eww nacas!!

 

[malina s]

does anyone watch littleloca on youtube?