In 1943, in the midst of World War II, citywide brawls known as the Zoot Suit Riots took place across Los Angeles and Southern California as white military servicemen began attacking pachucos, who were deemed unpatriotic due to the extra fabric needed to make their clothing, and deviant because of their racial difference. That year, the press called "cholitas" the "auxiliaries of the zoot suit gangs." As depicted in Luis Valdez's 1991 film Zoot Suit and Edward James Olmos's 1992 film American Me, pachucas were also victims of physical and sexual violence during these clashes. Instead of repressing the pachuco culture, these attacks only strengthened the pachucos' desire to resist assimilation into a jingoistic white America that treated brown minorities like second-class citizens. In addition to claiming a non-white womanhood, pachucas also defied gender norms by wearing slacks and sometimes even zoot suits."I thought pachucas were so cool. I saw these women with tight sweaters and pants hanging out. They took over the street and taught me that it wasn't only a male space," says Chicano studies scholar Dr. Rosa-Linda Fregoso, author of the 1995 article " Pachucas, Cholas, and Homegirls in Cinema," an analysis of how American Latina women are portrayed in film. To Fregoso, pachucas embody the rebellion against domesticity and challenge the idea of "appropriate female behavior." She says that being a pachuca back in the day was a type of "feminismo popular" or folk feminism that didn't come from an academic consciousness, but from a critique of patriarchal culture embedded within the Chicano community. Fregoso was also experiencing the culture in South Texas. By the 60s, pachuco style had spread all along the Southwestern United States."A chola is the epitome of beauty, style, and pride with a badass, take-no-shit, 'look at me but don't fuck with me' attitude. She is a strong and proud woman who holds it down for her family and hood." —Hellabreezy
The chola aesthetic is the result of impoverished women making a lot out of the little things their families could afford. Many of the early cholos and cholas were the sons and daughters of farmworkers, a group of people exploited at high rates because of their lack of education and their vulnerability as undocumented people. In 1965, the United Farm Workers organization was fighting for a mere $1.25 hourly wage, so expensive brands were not a part of this style. Instead the girls wore cheap stuff like wife-beaters over baggy pants by brands like Dickies, a workwear label sold for cheap at local supermarkets. The style also evolved from sharing clothes with brothers and feminizing the cholo gangster look. Cholas wore their eyebrows thin, their eyeliner thick and black, and their hair teased or feathered, sometimes with tall bangs made stiff with hairspray. They also accessorized with gold jewelry: door-knocker earrings and nameplates or chain necklaces.Being a chola is more than perfect eyeliner, gold accessories, or Dickies. It's an identity forged out of the struggle to assert our culture and history, a struggle that continues.
I don't want to fight over who gets to use gelled baby hairs because nothing will stop high fashion from harvesting trends from hood kids—everyone knows they are the true creative class. But that doesn't mean I won't stop rolling my eyes whenever I see white Forever 21 models wearing "Compton" sweatshirts and beanies."Back in the day, we were mocked for looking different. Now, so many young girls want to emulate the look and have no idea of the cultural background or street politics associated with it," says Hellabreezy. "It's easy for young privileged girls to want to have the look, but when they are done dressing up in their 'chola costume,' they don't have to go back home to the hood and deal with discrimination, violence, and poverty… We can't just brush the Aquanet off our hair, take our hoops off, and go back to normal suburban life like they can because this is our reality. We live this every day."Follow Barbara on Twitter."As cholas, we can't just brush the Aquanet off our hair, take our hoops off, and go back to normal suburban life. This is our reality. We live this everyday." —Hellabreezy