A completely new, international subculture is being created by young people - inspired by iconic eras; reformulated into a fresh, bold movement.
(This was written 29/4/21 as part of the Vogue Young Writers' Competition. Although some aspects are a little outdated I thought this would still be interesting to share as TikTok-fuelled fashion trends are still prevalent a year on.)
When you first think of online influencers, especially TikTok creators, you are reminded of a distinct fashion that everyone seems to be following. There is an array of piercings, plaid and platformed looks that seem reminiscent of another time. Well, that’s because it is. Welcome to the world (yes, literally the world) of globalised alternative fashion - iconic cultural pieces amalgamated together to form a brand new, eclectic style.
Since the explosion in popularity of TikTok at the beginning of lockdown, this image has slowly seeped into the lives of young people all around the world. Lace camisole dresses - reminiscent of Courtney Love’s kid-core style - have crept back into people’s wardrobes and gothic chunky Demonias are gaining popularity once again. It’s almost as if our generation is reflecting all the best bits of the past.
Every single trend that pays homage to other subcultures, whether that is punk, goth, mod or Y2K, stands for an important message that young people want to put across. These movements were all defined by youth and social justice, so it makes sense in today’s world to poach these motifs thats really make a statement. Take Riot Grrrl for example - iconic elements such as the bleach blonde shag cuts and bright red lipstick have been nuanced to fit into the modern day - instead of being paired with a floral top and a short skirt, it’s now accented by striking silver jewellery and a pair of flares - once again, harking back to another time. Riot Grrrl was all about the liberation of women, and separating themselves from the male-dominated, violent and often sweaty music scene that they were previously excluded from. This grew into an entire style, form of protest and music genre which clearly still makes its mark on modern pop culture.
Amyl and the Sniffers are the perfect example of musicians who adopt punk culture and transform it into something up-to-date for young people today. They’re an Australian, female-led punk band full of members sporting mullets and heavy eye makeup. This blending with the old and the new creates a completely new message - we haven’t finished what we’ve started yet, and we are here to tell you what needs to be done.
The obvious link between young people and subcultures has been identified for decades, spanning back to the teddy boys of the 1950s which broke traditional stereotypes of masculinity, featuring tailored suits and overly coiffed hair. But this is the first time where a subculture is dominating the world globally, and reflecting on the past in order to patch together a whole new movement.
Young people have not been in these sort of circumstances for over 100 years - we are in the middle of a pandemic, which is bound to have an impact on the things we begin to be interested in. Where we are mostly staying at home, unable to attend live music venues or any large events, we are driven to look back at those who have spent their youth in more - well, usual - conditions.
This has clearly translated into every detail of the new wave of fashion and music. It shows how this generation has the capability to almost be cultural scavengers, kleptomaniacs searching for the meanings and styles they want and mixing them all together to form a new message packed with integrity and years of subcultural trends.
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