Looking the Part
Get the clothes. It isn't too hard to look the part. Just make sure you have T-shirts from punk bands, jeans, and a beat-up leather jacket. Don't spend a lot of money on anything. Leather jackets can be pricy, buy a used one. Have some s**t kicking boots. It is good to look tough. They should be black and not low rise. Get a chain for your wallet.
Consider a tattoo. Most classic punk is the 4 bar black flag's symbol (look their music up) on the forearm. If you have one, it is tough to say you are a poser. But start slow before you go all the way here.
Punk haircuts are simple. It doesn't need to be a mohawk. Starting with a mohawk is probably a bad idea anyway, since it is harder to pull off. You can do skinhead. You can also do a fauxhawk or a devilock, like the Misfits. You can get more ideas from this article.
Female punks can look really cool in white T-shirts and a very short haircut.
Don't smile a lot. Remember, you are supposed to be angry and tough.
Watching YouTube videos of '80s punk concerts are a great way to get more ideas. Buttons with band names or punk slogans are good.
Acting the Part
Have the attitude. Remember at all times, that you are angry. You don't like authority, cops, parents, bosses, whatever. Do what the hell you want. Punk shows in the 80s were famous for anger. Remember, a 80s punk show is one where you can throw a beer bottle in the air and not care where it comes down. Hang out with others like you. Nothing says punk like hanging out drinking a brew on a street corner with your fellow punks.
Fight the stereotype. In the 80s punks had the reputation of being a bit dumb or uneducated, mostly because they were young. You, however, are more street smart and wiser about the ways of the world. The 2000s are a less innocent time. So fight the stereotype of a dumb punk by reading up on your anarchist literature and quote Alan Watts at them until their heads spin. Haters gonna hate, but that doesn't mean you have to embrace the stereotype of the dumb punk.
Don't shun your pre punk friends. There is some chance you decide not to be a punk anymore, so you want to be able to go back.
Living the Lifestyle
Listen to the music. Listen to 80s punk especially the big four of hardcore punk: Dead Kennedys, Charged GBH, Bad Brains and Black Flag. There are plenty of others. Go with what you like. A lot of the music is good. Don't be afraid to mix in some more recent punk too.
Ambition. You probably don't want it. It is best to get money from family or friends. A career in music is a good one. If you are an intellectual, you might want to be a philosopher or economist or similar. But you need to extreme/anti authority views to fit the image. You can also work in a creative kind of job, like design.
Consider living in an area with lots of punks. SF, LA and New York are all good. Of course they are hard to pay for, but if you live in a warehouse it is cheaper. You can also live in Oakland, Brooklyn and so on.
Go to concerts. It is a great way to get more into the lifestyle and make more punk friends.
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