Subcultures are two-a-penny these days, but Chola has to be one of the most interesting. An actual Chola girl would generally be a girlfriend or sister of a Mexican gangbanger – tough as nails but still feminine, with thin arched eyebrows (tattooed or pencilled on), dark brown lip liner, crunchy moussed or wet look hair in a high, tight ponytail and tonnes of gold jewellery. Pair all that with plain shirts and sneaks and you have something unique.
But Chola is no longer confined to this group of Mexican girls. It’s been making its way into the mainstream now for a few years – and you’ll have noticed people like Lily Allen instagramming their chola selves. Plus a lot of girls dressing chola on the street who aren’t actually chola.
‘This generation’s cool, tough, pretty girls at American high schools weren’t Riot Grrrls, they were Latina,’ says editor of LOVE magazine and Chola girl fan Jack Sunnucks. So why has it suddenly become a look for pasty white girls from England?
‘I think as Latinas become a majority in the USA, their culture and heritage is being examined and ultimately, plundered,’ continues Jack. ‘Also, the look is both girly and tough. And that’s hot and empowering to many women.’
Styled by Karen Clarkson for the cover of Dazed, esoteric pop newcomer FKA twigs is the latest to succumb to the Chola look. ‘Fashion is always looking for a clever, urban trend to rip off,’ says superstylist Victoria Young, who recently styled twigs for American Vogue. ‘I think everyone got hooked on chola a couple of years ago, when these YouTube make up clips started to emerge.’
And what about now? ‘twigs is prolific for this look, she has such tight control over her image. Chola is really about hair and make-up and attitude, as opposed to actual clothing,’ she adds.
According to UnitedGangs.com (don’t pretend you don’t check that website regularly), Chola girls carry razor blades in their mouths, knives in their hair and are able to conceal weapons and drugs in their bodies. They even occasionally carry out murder, luring rival gang members to a deadly kill zone before their victim is executed by a male Cholo.
As lovely as that doesn’t sound, it’s probably easier to get the look with these easy steps.
Follow Hanna on Twitter @hannahanra
Pictures: Courtesy of Dazed & Confused, @katyperry
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.