What makes Hebdige's work significant for composition studies is how he connects consumer culture with writing. Punk interest in recontextualizing the artifacts of consumer culture functioned as a way of writing the punks' discontent with the status quo. Subculture style, Hebdige tells us, communicates "through commodities even if the meanings attached to those commodities are purposely distorted or overthrown" (95). In this sense, style is a form of cultural critique. Yet it works from the position that we are excellent consumers. But are we critics as well? I mix Hebdige into my composition and cut to the notion of critique so dominant in his analysis. How do we work with consumer culture to teach students writing is a form of critique? How does style, the style of mass consumption that we are all good at, inform our critical attitudes and perspectives? How has this style been ignored in composition or been reduced to the distinction between Plain and Ornate rather than cut and mix? How can popular interest in commodities be transformed into critical writing practices?