Sharpies, or Sharps, were members of suburban youth gangs in Australia, most significantly from the 1960s and 1970s.
Sharpies were known for being violent, although a strict moral code[citation needed] was also evident, and many ex-Sharpies argue that claims of wrongdoing were exaggerated [2] The name comes from their focus on looking and dressing "sharp".
[1] Sharpies would often congregate in large numbers, regularly attending live bands at town hall and high school dances.
[1] Common clothing items included Lee or Levi jeans, cardigans, jumpers, and T-shirts—often individually designed by group members.
[1] Mods were an enemy of sharpies, and their gang brawls were reported in the newspapers during 1966.