The Kids Are Bored of Basic: a Guide to Alternative Fashion

From an outside perspective, donning a complex, thought-provoking outfit different from the societal norm seems far too much work for someone to do every day. Some consider it a call for attention. Just walking across the Popp Martin Student Union, you will see crowds packed so tight they form blobs of colors, textures and patterns. And somewhere in that mix, every now and again, you might make out one individual amongst the rest. Maybe they are wearing all black in 90-degree weather or a pink schoolgirl outfit with Harajuku flare. Either way, we all have predetermined labels for these individuals, and assumptions that come with those labels. With all these social narratives at play, only a few people stop and consider: what even constitutes someone being alternative? 

The term has no definition, not really. If alternative fashion is anything different from the norm, the only way we can understand it is by defining the norm.  Conventional fashion is often denoted by athleisure, loungewear and preppy fashion. Think polo shirts, jeans and Brandy Melville. But with all things considered, alternative people wear all these clothes from time to time. With that in mind, we can define what alternative is based on our definition of the norm: alternative fashion is not defined by the clothes someone wears, but how someone wears them. Alternative is a label for the freedom of expression.

You may want to dress alternatively yourself, but all this seems overwhelming. Fear not. I wanted to make alternative subculture seem less intimidating and complex, so I went around UNC Charlotte’s campus, finding people whose style stood out to me. I had the pleasure of chatting with them over in-person interviews and online forms. In the process, I gained a bunch of store recommendations, style inspiration and friends around campus.  Below, you will find everyone’s Instagram account so you can learn more about them too. 


Pictured: Jessica (@lolitaphantom)

Outfit: Jacket (Online); Pants (Hot Topic); Shoes (Demonia)

Where do you like to shop for clothes?

Jessica: “I like to shop at Hot Topic, Killstar, Amazon, and Demonia. I would recommend Hot Topic and Killstar.”

When did you start dressing in your style/caring about what you wear? What began this change?

Jessica: “Middle school. I listened to a lot of music my brother listened to and I wanted to dress like Avril Lavigne.”

How has your style changed since middle school?

Jessica: “My style went from ‘what my mom bought me’ to ‘emo’ to ‘goth’ to ‘lolita.’ Now, I do a combo of styles.”

Having switched styles so much, do you consider yourself part of an alternative subculture, and why is that?

Jessica: “I am part of a subculture. I think they are a great way to express oneself through a tangible experience – people can get a sense of who you are based on your style.”

 What is some advice you have for anyone looking to start dressing more alternatively?

Jessica: “Don’t be scared. If people look at you weird, let them. It doesn’t matter what people think, be confident.”

While Jessica’s style fits a more traditional image of alternative culture, dressing differently from the norm can involve smaller changes in appearance – it could be about the way you present yourself to the world rather than wearing eye-catching corpse paint makeup. Take Sam, Alyazya and Mira, for example. They dress in grungier, heavily ’90s-inspired styles, but what makes them uniquely alternative is less the way they dress and more so their attitude towards fashion and social culture. 


Pictured: Sam (@samkleberr)

Outfit: Jacket, top, pants and belt (Thrifted); Shoes (Converse)

How would you describe your personal style? Feel free to use niche terms such as coquette, etc.

Sam: “I would say...true ‘90s alternative grunge, like Drew Barrymore. I don’t know – stuff like that, like a dark lip, dark outfit, haha.”

Do you have any advice for people who want to get into fashion but are too scared?

Sam: “People don’t remember what you wear. If you wear something and you think it's controversial, you think people are going to look at you, laugh at you...they won’t remember it when they go to bed at night. Do whatever makes you happy. Of course, it's hard to get to a point where you can say that you don’t care about other people’s opinions, but you’ll get there.”


Pictured: Alyazya (@yazi.als) and Mira (@m__irzz)

Alyazya’s Outfit: Scarf (Family heirloom from Palestine); Top (Zara, before boycotting); Cardigan (Urban Outfitters); Skirt (Thrifted); Jewelry (Thrifted)

Mira’s Outfit: Lace Top (Anthropologie); Leather jacket (Goodwill); Chinese dragon-printed pants (Urban Outfitters)

How would you describe your personal style?

Alyazya: “Fun and funky.”

Where do you guys like to shop? Where do you recommend fashion beginners shop?
Alyazya: “I love thrifting my pieces because they seem way more unique. And I recommend beginners go window shopping at any fast fashion store just to figure out what style looks good on them, what styles they enjoy, maybe to find patterns they think look cute. And just keep note of that. Maybe purchase some basics, then a staple piece. Eventually, I think beginners should reach a point where they can move on to purchasing from thrift stores or second-hand clothing stores. We all need to start somewhere and I think basics are a great start.”

When did you start dressing in your style/caring about what you wear? What began this change?

Alyazya: “First year at uni. My brother bullied the crap out of me and I literally just wanted to prove him wrong.”

Do you have any tips for people who might want to try out your style?

Alyazya: “Don’t. My style is unique to myself. Just like how everyone is unique to themselves. You should be dressing based on how you feel. Everything I wore today resonated with my mood today. You can’t copy people. you don’t see people recreating the Mona Lisa – not that I’m saying I’m her! What I mean is…you have your own canvas. Take advantage of your potential and paint it however you’d like, don't waste time trying to copy something that already exists. Make your own art.”


When we take inspiration from people we look up to, it is important not to copy their unique qualities, but instead, take the elements we like about their mindsets, style habits and fashion choices, and apply them to our aesthetic vision. That way, everyone can be confident in their skin. It is important to remember how diverse the alternative label is. For example, Sarah’s pink harajuku-inspired style is just as alternative as previous outfits, despite the contrasting design inspirations behind it. 


Pictured: Sarah (@fableddarling)

Outfit: Sunglasses (H&M); Top (H&M); Skirt (Hot Topic); Socks (Hot Topic); Shoes (Windsor); Necklace (Claire’s); Bows (Purchased in Harajuku, Japan)

How would you describe your personal style?

Sarah: “I would say I take inspiration from the fairy core aesthetic, J-fashion, and K-pop.”

What is your opinion on outfit repeating? In the fashion community, there is a big stigma on that. Are you an outfit repeater?

Sarah: “I’m definitely an outfit repeater. I love repeating outfits because I find some that I really like and want to just keep wearing them. I think because of social media, a lot of people feel the need to not repeat outfits a lot, but I feel that for sustainability reasons, we should repeat outfits and use the clothes that we have instead of buying a ton of extras.”

How has your fashion evolved, and what has caused these evolutions to take place?

Sarah: “I started caring about fashion in middle school. I found anime, and that blossomed my fashion sense, I guess? As I went through high school, I started learning about layering, and that’s what blossomed my personal style which depends heavily on layering.”

Any tips for people who want to try out your style in particular? 

Sarah: “Try Hot Topic. A lot of people don’t like that store anymore, but I think you can find some gems there in addition to frequent sales. I also think thrifting has value because you can find rare vintage clothes at thrift stores.”


It seems like we have covered all grounds, right? We have seen alternative fashion represented by the darkest black and the sharpest goth eyeliner wing and by pastel bubblegum-pink stockings and hair bows. Maybe we can find a good middle ground. Alternative subcultures do not always have to be extreme. Alex and Ethan’s toned-down, Ethel Cain-adjacent urban couture styles are earthy, with the alternative lying in clothes sourcing, accessorizing and the presentation of the outfit as a whole. 


Pictured: Alex (@t0xicbat)

Outfit: Top (Thrifted); Jacket (Family heirloom); Sunglasses (Florida gas station)

Describe your personal style.

Alex: “It changes weekly. I just scrounge up whatever I can find in my closet.”

Who inspires you? It can be an abstract concept, by the way.

Alex: “Maybe the ‘90s era? Yeah. Any kind of ‘90s whimsigoth movie.”

Where do you like to thrift?

Alex: “For me, any kind of Goodwill works. There’s this one that I went to that was really small but cool. I don’t remember the name of it though. Uptown Cheapskate is pretty cool as well.”

Besides thrifting, where do you shop? 

Alex: “If I do any shopping outside of thrift stores, it’ll be from Etsy. Sometimes I get socks [and basics] from Amazon, but for the most part, all of my clothes are second-hand.”

When did you start caring about how you dressed?

Alex: “I actually always did. When I was little, I’d change my outfit ten times a day, I still do that. But when I transferred to Charlotte, it felt like a fresh start to express myself. When I turned 19, I started exploring style more.”

Do you think UNC Charlotte’s environment makes expressing yourself easier? Are you more open about your style?

Alex: “It definitely has. I’ve met a lot of people with interesting styles, and have gotten a chance to show off my own style. I feel like a new person.”


Pictured: Ethan (@ethanjavellana)

Outfit: Shirt (Thrifted); Shorts (Thrifted); Shoes (Adidas Sambas personalized with pink ribbon shoelaces); Necklace (Handmade); Socks (American Eagle)

(Photographed at Midas’ Fall 2023 launch party and fashion show, “Coquette Couture.”)

Tell me what inspired you to wear this outfit to the event. 

Ethan: “I have a lot of inspirations for my personal style, but I wanted something fun for the Coquette Couture fashion show so I leaned into a more coquette look with the ribbons mixed with “bloke core” (blokette) style with the number jersey for the outfit because it’s a style that I think looks cool. I like the idea of mixing two different vibes, I like patterns like tartan/plaid and I also love red accents.”

When did you begin caring about your style, and how has it evolved since then?

Ethan: “I started in middle school. I don’t remember exactly what began this change, but I really wanted to express myself more to other people to show off more sides of my personality that they maybe couldn’t have seen at first. I’ve evolved a lot. I’ve gone through so many styles from middle school to now and I’ve tried and failed a lot. Looking back I cringe at my outfits from back then, but it’s all about finding what makes you feel cool and what you think authentically expresses you.”


From the looks photographed, we have seen a representation of modern goth, Y2K grunginess and hippie funk. Different as they may be, the wearers of all these styles fit comfortably under the label of alternative. Many people often view subcultures as dark, black and punk-inspired. However, dressing alternatively can mean just the opposite. And that is the beauty of it. Alternative fashion allows you to express yourself outside of the norm and be authentically you. There will surely be something worth exploring style-wise for everyone who wants to be alternative. Here is some food for thought as you venture forth into the world as a future fashionista – what is the norm, and how do you want to break it?


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