There are many trends in fashion circulating right now, and alternative fashion is one of them. Despite alternative fashion existing for several decades now, there has been an uptick in the alternative fashion community in a lot of the different subcultures. There are many different styles and subcultures that go under the ¨alternative¨ umbrella term, but let’s focus on some of the larger subcultures. Some of the most notable subcultures today are grunge, goth , and emo. There are some similarities, but many differences at the same time and can often get confused for each other or mixed up. 

In the goth subculture there is a variety of many different goths that present themselves differently. Trad Goth and Romantic Goth are the most notable. Trad goths were the very first subculture, hence the name traditional, and their look is unique. Iconic references to the trad goth fashion are The Cure, and Siouxsie Sioux. Trad goths usually have big, teased black hair, and exaggerated pale skin. Their makeup was usually very dark with black eyeshadow, and lipstick. They put white face powder on their face as well to complete the look. They wear a lot of leather, ripped fishnets and black tights, and boots that are usually platform. This specific goth subculture is greatly influenced by the punk genre as well, given the fact that the goth music genre stemmed from it. 

Emo subculture rose to its peak in the 2000s.  Despite having links to negative correlations like depression, it did not stop the the emo subculture from thriving. The emo subculture sprouted from punk rock in the 1980s and kept on spiraling from there until it became its own look. The emo subculture also got its start from the punk genre, but unlike goths, emos focused more on feelings and expressions rather than how goths focused on the darker look that they had.  

Grunge is noticeably more different from goth and emo has more color in it than strictly wearing black with hints and only splashes of other colors. Grunge fashion is characterized by durable and timeless clothes, a timeless look that would be stylish anywhere. Clothes are often loose and baggy, with an androgynous undertone. You can see this style really being popularized by bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. Even though part of the grunge subculture is fashion, it also heavily revolves around music as well. Grunge music usually centers around angst and the feeling of being misunderstood. These songs are universal and can apply to many people. The music is typically mixed with heavy metal and punk rock, signature instruments being electric guitar and grunge. These are staples in the genre, and have continued to be staples even today.