Portraits Of…
70’s & 80’s CHOLAS Culture

Vatos get the glory, but we all know it’s the Cholas that hold everything down. I have always had a fasination with gang culture and the people who lived it! Living in Southern California in the 70’s & 80’s, it was all around me, even though I was never a part of one. I had family members that found their self worth in either the Bloods or the Crips, so set claiming was not forgein to me. Latino gangs played by their own set of rules, meaning they had different rules and a sense of fashion than their African American counter parts. In my book, Cholas were Deathrock before there was even the term Deathrock. Their steez has always looked rad to me, from the pancake make up to the chola braclets to the hairspray-drenched hair to their heavily starched jeans. These urban female warriors of gangsterism would not take any shit! I remember seeing Latino girls hand out beatdowns to anyone they thought dissed them or their V-13 Familia. Every hood had its flavor of dressing, but certain things remained the same. You can see the of Chola culture impact on mainstream culture even to this day. More than just beating fools up, these young women shared a bond of loyality that could not be broken. Put on some oldies, scroll down and celebrate underground inner city culture!
Makyla Sanchez
All of the pics with the raiders gear and bulky flannel was early 90s, back when I was in high school.
Sorta sucks because a lot of the ladies just basically wore the same shit as the dudes; where the 70’s and 80’s chola look was tough and sexy.
Nice, I’m a heavy metal man myself soo,nice.
Kyle Oels
in the late 80s & 90s when i was in junior high a lot of girls were copying their older sister’s style. i learned the power of hair spray, arched brows and black liner. oldies forever!
Angel Coma
Darrian DeHerrera
Cholita Nicolás Cuestas
Nola and Monica, this made me think of both of you for some reason…
Jacqueline Diaz
Regina Sanchez
The way of clothing really changed in the late 80s, I remember growing up in the car club vulture of the 70s and early 80s. By the time colors and the gangster hip hop explosion happened the style changed drastically and cholo culture really turned and died in most respects of its original culture. it tends to Change dramatically every 15-20 years.
Bad Ass! Crazy days and good times!!
Michael Yanes
Kaththea Brown
Janee Adrianson
Sylvia Ruckus
Ana Ortega Juanita Peralta
DOPE!
Hell yeah!
I thought of you both right away.
Miss you Stephan!
Bree Flores, checkout this.
😍
I thought dethrock was a Beavis and Butthead thing
Erica
Wal Doe
nice!
Growing up in southern Cali, and seeing this first hand, as myself was a proclaimed “Chola” 76 -79 . These photos are bomb, especially seeing the cholas of Ogden UT ?! My little world back then , only saw as far as South /East /west of Los Angeles .. thanks for sharing -peace.
Ana Paula sua chola
Quem dera eu
Alexis Perez, aren’t you a cholla at heart?
Yesssss!! I have seen this!!
I’d venture to say that many of these photos are from the 90’s.
Frank Cervantez
Sinistre Ivan, atenta nena!
Genialllll el vull com tots els demes. En surten massa XDDD No puc arribar
Juanito Kfk
ja tinha visto…ha fotos melhores, mas chola é chola…. Cyco Chrissie José Pereira Pedro Valverde Alexandre Duarte Raul Vicente Marta Machado
Gunnar, noone said anything about a goddamn cholo!
Pubert Naomi
Dave Parley
Nathalia
Rafael Reyes
Bpp Rzl