Subculture

In sociology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles.

Definitions

While exact definitions vary, the Oxford English Dictionary defines a subculture as "a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture." As early as 1950, David Riesman distinguished between a majority, "which passively accepted commercially provided styles and meanings, and a 'subculture' which actively sought a minority style ... and interpreted it in accordance with subversive values". In his 1979 book Subculture: The Meaning of Style, Dick Hebdige argued that a subculture is a subversion to normalcy. He wrote that subcultures can be perceived as negative due to their nature of criticism to the dominant societal standard. Hebdige argued that subcultures bring together like-minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity.

Beverly Hills, California

Beverly Hills is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, surrounded by the cities of Los Angeles and West Hollywood. Originally a Spanish ranch where lima beans were grown, Beverly Hills was incorporated in 1914 by a group of investors who had failed to find oil, but found water instead and eventually decided to develop it into a town. By 2013, its population had grown to 34,658. Sometimes referred to as "90210", one of its primary ZIP codes, it is home to many actors and celebrities. The city includes the Rodeo Drive shopping district and the Beverly Hills Oil Field.

History

Early history

Gaspar de Portolá arrived in the area that would become Beverly Hills on August 3, 1769, travelling along native trails which followed the present-day route of Wilshire Boulevard.

The area was settled by Maria Rita Quinteros de Valdez and her husband in 1828. They called their 4,500 acres (18 km²) of property the Rancho Rodeo de las Aguas. in 1854, she sold the ranch to Benjamin Davis Wilson (1811–1878) and Henry Hancock (1822–1883). By the 1880s, the ranch had been subdivided into parcels of 75 acres (0.30 km²) and was being rapidly bought up by anglos from Los Angeles and the East coast.

Jeffree Star

Jeffree Star (born Jeffrey Lynn Steininger on November 15, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, make-up artist, fashion designer and model from Orange County, California. He started his music career on MySpace with over 25 million plays on his self-released music. After releasing two extended plays, Star released his debut album, Beauty Killer (2009), under Popsicle Records. In 2014, he launched his own cosmetics brand called Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Star is also known for his fashion line, Beauty Forever, and transgressive, gender-bending appearance and persona.

Early life

Jeffree Star was born in Los Angeles County, California. His father died when Star was 6 years old; subsequently he was raised solely by his mother, a model who frequently went on assignments. As a child, Star regularly began experimenting with his mother's makeup and convinced her to let him wear it to school when he was in junior high. He moved to Los Angeles following his graduation from high school, supporting himself with various makeup, modeling, and music jobs. He later recalled spending his time on weekends "using a fake ID to attend Hollywood clubs dressed in mini dresses and nine inch high heels where celebrities would contract [Star] for makeup work at their homes", or "hiring [Star] as a model." Star reports that his weekend socializing at clubs and the makeup advice he offered eventually led to his modeling career.