Grunge-Headed
Navigating the end of the world is impossible without being anti-stylish and provoking. Straight from the Seattle music scene back in the 90s into the unpolished looks, embracing the raw, unfiltered nature of grunge as a music. Living in the time of fashion verge, one can not help but wonder how exactly their unbiased connection to previous decades or culture can be seen in everyday choices. We are young, we are brave, we are rebellious, and what’s more to it - we are forever grunge-headed.
Grunge emerged as a style alongside some of the most symbolic groups of the late 20th century, the legends who brought grunge and alternative rock to the forefront of top charts: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. The list goes on and on, but everyone who will be mentioned is a legend alive, with their collective scenic names engraved into both of the worlds—music and mass culture. The music, filled with angst and rebellion, perfectly shaped the allure of the grunge movement.
SEOUL PUNK Photographed by @kimmoondog
The fashion side of the aesthetics emerged from the same experimental scenes of the Pacific Northwest, rooted in the working-class culture, it was an antidote to the polished and posh 1980's looks, embracing unpretentious and practical fits. Flannel shirts, ripped jeans, oversized sweaters, and combat boots - the classy items of the proper grunge-headed ammunition. The layering involved was as much about comfort and climate as about rejecting all social expectations and stylish norms. At its core, grunge fashion was anti-fashion, a rejection of the consumerist-driven, high-fashion trends of the time. The looks were effortless and almost accidental, reflecting the frustration with mainstream culture. Clothing was often oversized and worn with a sense of indifference - a perfect translation of a casual, laid-back attitude.
As Grunge entered the mass-streamed fashion scene, the designers of that time couldn’t just pass by and follow the anti-trend root in their collections. Marc Jacobs, for instance, integrated grunge elements into his 1993 collection for Perry Ellis, blending flannel with couture and further popularizing the look. Ironically, what began as a statement against consumerism and conformity became a fashion trend in itself, with grunge looks appearing in runways and magazines worldwide.
Indeed, the true grunge legends wouldn’t certify the easy flow of grunge on a mass-market shelf and fashion runways. Jacobs even decided to send the samples of the collection to Cobain and Courtney Love, the source of his inspiration. “Do you know what we did with it? We burned it. We were punkers – we didn’t like that kind of thing,” told Love in one of her interviews a couple of years ago.
Despite being harshly commercialized in the modern days, the grunge style still holds a rebellious position, being one of the most well-known alternative styles. You can easily spot fringe in the street-wear movement, all around the graphic tees and layered looks. The beloved thrift shops don’t fall behind is the essence of the true grunge experience. Vintage stores often stock 90s-era clothing like flannel shirts and distressed jeans - all here to serve an authentic grunge-headed look. And last but not least is its impact on alternative styles in general. Grunge is still a significant thing within alternative fashion subcultures, where it blends with punk, goth, and skater styles.
The verdict is clear - certified grunge-head detected. What makes grunge and alternative so charming is their wild nature, the fight for the rebellious spirit of nonconformity free from commercialization and mass-marketed nature. As time passes, one may feel bittersweet nostalgia, a long-lost feeling of “teenage spirit”. Still, the unbiased nature of alternatives is here to remain even in its transformed version.
I think that moment hasn’t passed. It’s morphed into different things, but it really hasn’t passed. Marc Jacobs, 2010
