What is Emo ?
Picture it: the Washington DC music scene of the mid-1980s. Hardcore music is the prevalent genre of any real import: Bad Brains, Teen Idles, Minor Threat et all are tearing up venues with hedonistic abandon, and a small minority is getting sick of it. Sick of the drugs, the drink, the vapidity of hardcore music in its increasing popularity. Things had to change. With this realization on the part of the likes of Rites of Spring and Embrace, the genre which would later be mockingly referred to as 'emocore' was born in DC in the late '80s. The music was softer, slower and more technical, with lyrics on the personal rather than political scale. Distorted guitars strumming octave chords and strained vocals were the order in this new genre soon to evolve into the genre of 'emo'.
The sound of classic emo was more brutal than its predecessor emocore: there was a lot of play on quiet-loud, soft-harsh dynamic shifts in the music; songs became movements rather than mere songs. Once again, octave chords were used to drive the music along with a certain sense of desperation and urgency. Vocals ranged from a whisper to a howl to mere talking, all in keeping with the mood of songs and emotion of the vocalist. Performances were often honest and earnest, with vocalists often breaking down into tears from this emotional outpouring that was their music. The lyrics tended to be abstract, difficult to decipher and, invariably, difficult to hear; all of which added to the mystique of the genre's music.
The mid-1990s brought with them a new generation of bands influenced by the work of Fugazi, such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral and Texas is the Reason. In the fledgling era of the World Wide Web, internet discussion on these bands and other bands belonging to their scene led to their being tagged 'emo', even if Fugazi had had nothing to do with the First Wave of emo. The '90s period saw the first 'emo' mainstream record release in the form of Jimmy Eat World's Static Prevails. This genre of what is called 'post-emo indie' continued to rise in success up until the early 2000's, where it then met its end of mainstream popularity.
However, all of this is very much in the past: the modern definition of the term 'emo' has very little to do with the original '80s hardcore definition, or even the '90s indie definition. Jimmy Eat World 's shift from post-emo indie influences to a more poppy feel to their music led to the term still being applied to them, inexorably changing its meaning. 2003 saw the success of singer-songwriters such as Chris Carrabba (of Dashboard Confessional), who himself was seen to be at the forefront of a new movement of artists with (supposedly) overtly emotional music. MTV had to come up with a tag to market this movement at adolescents in a catchy manner, so the tag 'emo ' was chosen. This misnomer was expanded to many other bands with very little, if anything at all, in common: it is, therefore, pretty much impossible to define emo in the current musical climate, other than the assumption that it 's anything being marketed to teenagers. The term 'screamo' (which will be discussed later) was used to describe bands with a heavier sound, producing a similar cathartic-esque music. Current examples of 'emo'/'screamo' include:
My Chemical Romance
Fall Out Boy
Dashboard Confessional
Cursive
Avenged Sevenfold
Bring me The Horizon
Panic(!) at the Disco
From First to Last
Senses Fail
Taking Back Sunday
Bright Eyes
Coheed and Cambria
Thursday
and more?
The MTV generation of the term turned into more than just a genre of music: a subculture of sorts was born from it. Fashion and behavioural trends have been born from this: tight jeans, tight t-shirts, hair with bangs over eyes, studded belts, skate shoes and horn-rimmed glasses are all the order of the day to this subgenre of people. There 's a certain observed predilection to pseudo-depressive and histrionic behaviour with the 'emos': probably no more than a side effect of puberty in the eyes of a cynic.
Emo purists see the MTV generation to be a scourge upon the genre, making the definition between new and old emo clear: they use the term 'screamo' (or 'skramz' as a humorous way to differentiate between screamo and MTV screamo) to describe the (mostly European) bands sticking to the original emo formula. Internet terrorism has even been undertaken by these groups to make well-known faux screamo bands change any details which make them out to be screamo: they've made a lexical error into a political cause. Bands considered to be true screamo include Stella Dawes, Daitro, I Would Set Myself On Fire for You, Circle Takes the Square, Hot Cross, Saetia, Envy and Neil Perry.
Emo Kid
A users guide to recognising emos
Emo kids are sad creatures of the dark. They are characterized by their dress sense and also how in touch they are with certain emotions (i.e. the negative ones). Typically emos wear lots of black and will most likely have dyed hair (mainly black or sometimes colourful streaks) and write music, lyrics, or poems about the trials and tribulations of their torturous lives. Basically emos are sort of like goths...but with a lot less darkness and a lot more Harry Potter. Spotting an emo kid online is very easy as most have their username surrounded by Xs like so: xXxTinySadBrokenKittyxXx. Usually this would indicate that the user is Straight Edge (abstains from drug and alcohol). However in the emo community, things have different meanings. Their definition of straight edge is rather vertically displaceable. Emos can also be recognized online by their typing style. There are many variations of emo typing
1) The.kind.that.hasn't.found.the.space.key.yet.
2) Theonethathasn'tfoundthespacekeyorthefullstop
3) the ones that have found the space key but unfortunately have misplaced all other punctuation keys including capital letters this kind isnt so bad at first but it can get very very very very very very very annoying over long blocks of text as your never quite sure when the sentence has ending or where the pauses go and it all sort of jams together and makes very little sense to you as a reader
4) da 1s dat tlk in txt tlk dispit da fct dare r nt actuly txtin ne1
5) (The absolute worst) tHe oNeS wHo gO tO sTuPiD aMoUnTs oF eFFoRt To mAkE tHeIr pOsT aS UnReAdEraBlE aS PoSsIbLe. iTs aNnOyInG tO tHoSe wHo ReAD iT. iTs aNnOyInG tO tHoSe wHow wRiTe iT. aNd iTs eVen aNnOyInG tO tHoSe wHo dOn'T rEaD It...iTs cRaCkInG sTuFf!
Now that you know how to recognise them, it's time to learn how to tell them apart. As emos come in many different shapes and sizes. Here are some of the most common types of emos to look out for:
Poser Emo Kid
Poser emos are usually in their pre teens. They are not actually emos but rather pretend to be sad just to fit in with the other emos. They're are looked down upon by other emos because they have no real problems or anything to angst over, and are therefore not true emos.
Plastic Emo Kid
Also known as a prefect scene emos. The plastic emos are really just hot, prefect girls in their late teens with an emo haircut. They are not usually involved in the scene, as the plastic scene is all about looks. These are slightly more acceptable than posers as they have their hair and make up to angst over, which is a trademark of the emo community.
How to look emo
Many teens want to 'look emo' and have emo hair and all that. We decided to help you so we made a quick guide and also put some pictures with emo boys and emo girls. Make sure you check it, it's on 'emo fashion' page!
Why emo doesn't mean emotional
Now more of the truth. I'm going to make this as easy to understand as possible.
Now I'm all for evolution, I believe in evolution after all! Even in terms of words; gay use to mean "happy" now it can either mean, "stupid", "lame" or it's current proper use "homosexual."
However, the term emo is very different. If you claim "emo" were to mean "emotional" it then becomes an all encompassing word, it becomes extremely vague and it has no limit as to what it can and will describe. This is an issue because the term is suppose to (and believed to by the people who use it) to describe one specific thing, when it fact it does the complete opposite. Emo when wrongfully used as "emotional" describes every living thing, every song, every word, every breath, every statement. Why you ask? Because what as no emotion is dead.
Emo was created as a shortened term to describe a specific thing, in this case "emotive hardcore" an off shoot of hardcore punk from the mid 80's. This genre is still alive today, although very obscure and unknown to most. Those who like to shout they're 'emo' usually never heard of any other band than fall out boy.
What many of you are now doing are displaying a vast amount of laziness and gullibility. Why are you wrongfully using the term emo to describe "scene", "fashion core" and sappy mainstream rock? Think before you speak, stop taking short cuts, and stop being the media's bitch.
What is emo music ?
Emocore has been subject of much debate since it first appeared. So...emo is a genre of rock music. At first, the term was used to describe a subgenre of hardcore punk in the '80s. Later, 'emocore' was used to describe the DC scene and regional scenes related.
The biggest names of the period are Fire Party, Rites of Spring, One Last Wish, Embrace, Beefeater, Gray Matter, and Moss Icon.
The first wave of emo began to fade after the breakups of most of the involved bands in the early 1990s. In the mid '90s, 'emo' began to reflect the indie scene that followed the influences of Fugazi. Bands like 'Texas is the reason' and 'Sunny Day Real Estate' introduced a more indie rock style of emo, less violent than it's predecessor. "Indie emo" survived until the late '90s. As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker emo within popular culture.
Whereas, even in the past, the term emo was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's
emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music.
Bands
Here are some bands that members from our forum recommend, you can also tell your opinion about them if you register there. Also, if your favourite band isn't listed here, we would be grateful if you would post it in our forum.
Before listing the bands we would like to mention we strongly DON'T recommend you bands like My Chemical Romance or Fall Out Boy.
Emo Bands
Matchbook Romance
Moss Icon
City of Caterpillar
Rites of Spring
Poison the Well
The Rocket Summer
Tomorrow's Last Hero
Senses Fail
Screamo Bands
The Used
Love Like Electrocution
Clip the Apex
Neil Perry
Ape Shit
The Khayembii Communique
I Would Set Myself on Fire For You
Herbrightskies
Post-Emo Bands
Mineral
Sense Field
Texas Is The Reason
Jimmy Eat World
Indie Bands
Dashboard Confessional
Death Cab for Cutie
Straylight Run
Cursive
Patrick Wolf
Beep Beep
North Of America
The Driveway
Cansei de Ser Sexy
Elliott Smith
The Summer Obsession
The Scene Aesthetic
Hardcore Bands
Bring me the horizon
Circle Takes the Square
Post-Hardcore Bands
From first to last
Saosin
A day to remember
Thursday
Funeral for a friend
Enter Shikari
Emanuel
LoveHateHero
Punk Bands
Blink 182
Jawbreaker
NOFX
Billy Talent
Dirty Little Monkey
Sum 41
Rise Against
Metal Bands
Within Temptation
Bullet for my Valentine
Staind
NightWish
Anathema
Avenged sevenfold
Otep
Cradle of Filth
Slipknot
Hatebreed
Chimaira
System Of A Down
HIM
Rhapsody of Fire
EMO Fashion
Emo fashion has changed with time; early trends included haircuts similar to those worn by the Romulans and Vulcans in Star Trek, tightly fitting sweaters, button-down shirts, and work jackets (often called gas station jackets).
Emo Clothing
By almost all current definitions, emo clothing is characterized by tight jeans on males and females alike, long fringe (bangs) often brushed to one side of the face, dyed black, straightened hair, tight t-shirts which often bear the names of rock bands, studded belts, belt buckles, Chuck Taylor All-Stars, skate shoes, or other black shoes (often old and beaten up) and thick, black horn-rimmed glasses.
Emo Hairstyles & Haircuts
emo hair
This goes for girls and also for boys!
Let your hair grow in the front and side parts so they cover your face. In the back you can let it short and spike it up with gel! Some do that, some don't! If you have short hair, the first months are going to be a pain, because you won't be able to make your hair look "emo". As it grows, comb it towards an eye in the direction that you want. After 3 or 4 months, when the fringe reaches 3/4 of the way down your forehead, go to a hair dresser that looks professional, and get it thinned out and have it trimmed so that it will grow in the right shape.
Either if you're a boy or girl, you'll need to straighten your hair, with either an iron or gel. If your hair is wavy, just use hairspray/gel to weigh it down. I suggest buying an hair straightening iron and use a a good moisturizing shampoo to prevent your hair from getting damaged. Tip: If you wash your hair too much, this can dry it out; that doesn't mean you don't have to wash it at all, bleah.
If you consider dyeing your hair, dye it black. The other colors are not so cool and you'll look like a clown, in my opinion.
After 3 or 4 months, your hair should look like you want. From that point, you should go to the hair stylist monthly for your hair to be thinned and stuff.
Final step is to register and post a picture with you in the "emo haircuts" thread members have opened on our board.
N.B. There is no such thing as emo hair, emo hairstyle, emo love, emo fashion or anything else like this, but most of the peoples are looking for that on the internet and that's why it's used here! The term emo comes from emotive hardcore, and your hair can't be emotive hardcore. What you call "emo style" is actually scene.
How to get Emo Hair & Emo Hair Ideas
Emo means a lot of different things to different people, but basically it describes a sub-genre of punk, that incorporates a particular style of fashion and music. Emo hair styles can be varied, but they all incorporated three basic elements:
♥ Black - true Emo hair styles start from a basic deep black colouring. Very few people have truly black hair, so this is usually a dyed in colour, which can also be combined with streaks and sections of other colours, from natural lowlights/highlights to vivid punk type colours like neon pinks and electric blues.
♥ Asymmetrical - Emo haircuts are typically asymmetrical, with choppy, sharply cut layers. This allows people to be imaginative and original with their hair styling, and creates looks that are at once well groomed, trendy and wild
♥ Straight - Emo hair styles begin with dead straight, sleek hair, which can only really be achieved with modern straightening irons and hair serums. Spiky hair is popular in Emo styles as well, but these are typically trendy, sleek spikes rather than random messy spikes of punk styles.
Emo hair styles encourage people to experiment with the shape of their hair from the cut right through to the accessories, and can be a fun way to individualise your personal look. Clips, grips and hair bands can be used to accentuate and create various shapes, and colour can be added in blocks or streaks to create volume and texture. Emo hairstyles can be any length, and can easily be created at home, although it might be a good idea to get the basic cut done by a professional to get those really sharp, razored-in layers. There are no particular rules when it comes to cutting the hair for Emo styles, just get inventive with choppy layers and fringes, but whatever length you have these styles are normally longer at the front to cover and frame the face.
Short Emo Hair Shorter Emo hair styles are all about shape and a good guideline to a basic cut is short and snappy at the back, and longer and sharply razored-in at the front. A simple style to create is to rub a little styling wax into your hair with your fingers and then mist over with hairspray. Then use straightening irons all over to finish off with a smooth, glossy look. The fringe and front sections of the hair are normally left to fall sleekly across the face, or you might want to clip them back with some funky hair grips. Short emo hair is also excellent for recreating spiky styles, and to get those really well groomed, sleek spikes straighten the hair first, and then use a little hair wax to sculpt the spikes upwards.
Mid-length emo hair Mid length emo hair is great for showing off those really choppy sharp styles, so get your layers razor cut and use straightening irons and hair serum to make the finish really modern and sleek. You can also have fun with colours, such as streaks or even clip-in extensions, which come in a range of funky bright dyes. Experiment with accessorises as well, but remember that Emo styles are rarely 'up dos', and the shape of the hair comes from the cut and textures, rather than styling the hair into standard pony tails, plaits, French twists etc.
Long emo hair Long hair needs to be really well cut, with lots of sharp, funky layers to create definition and stop the hair from looking out of condition and lank. It can be too damaging for long hair to keep dying it different colours, so it might be a good idea just to dye it the basic black, and then use temporary clip-in hair extensions for splashes of colour. Also if you have very thick hair then layers can help smooth out the overall shape and stop it from looking too bushy. If you want to create more volume in a longer style, you can spray the top back layers of your cut with a good holding hairspray, and then gently backcomb with a brush. Keep the longer bottom layers and the fringe straight to maintain that look of well groomed sleekness.
Emo Haircuts
The emo haircuts work best with the proper look and wardrobe, for some emo hair makes them look like gods, for some like fags.
Here are the best emo hair cuts for boys, pictures included:
Short Emo Hair Cut - short emo haircuts are not so cool, if you ask me, actually they are hideous. Better grow your hair and have one of the medium emo hair cuts, which I love.
Medium Emo Hair Cuts
Messy Emo Haircuts - Messy hair cuts are the thing (also my style), they totally rock the house
Short Emo Girl Hair Cuts - If you opt for a short haircut, then choose one of these emo hair cuts, please, hehe. I just love them.
Long Emo Girl Hair Cuts
Curly Emo Girl Hair Cuts - more and more curly girls are looking for an emo girl hair cut, so these was brought in. Unfortunately, I have not found pictures with curly emo girls, if you have one send it over.
Ponytails Emo Girl Hair Cuts - no, don't go with ponytails emo hair cuts unless you lost a bet and you can't bribe the person you lost it to. Ponytails emo hair cuts will make you look horrible and childish (not childish cute, but rather silly and stupid).
Colored Emo Hair Cuts - Red is quite hot, and also blue, pink and violet.
Emo Makeup
The ten easy steps to achieve a perfect 'emo makeup' that will give boost your self confidence and you will start dating all the emo chicks from your city...at once, guaranteed...Well, not really, but this is a good tutorial nevertheless.
Starts with laying out all the tools.
1.Moistureizer on a clean face, the moisturizer being MAC's Strobe Cream in this instance (the pot is just a sample, that I got. I think its time for a larger tube now).
2. Primer over the moisturizer (thick), many primers come in a small pot or something mine happens to come in a little tube that has a wand not that much unlike lip-gloss. This Urban Decay primer is the only non MAC product I use.
3.Base shadow, I used Nocturnelle with a 242 applicator brush. The shadow should go over the entire lid up to the crease.
Dark areas on the inner and outer areas of the lid. I used my 242 again with Signed and Sealed eye shadow.
4. Now the defining color in this case being Swish. Applied once more with the 242. The defining color should be applied in a sort of T shape going from the middle of the lid where there is just base up into the crease.
5. Now blend these two with a 217, so as to meld or smooth out the lines.
6. Now add the blending color with the 242 which in this case is Vapour. A very light, very sparkly pink. Each color starting with the defining color is begging to move up the eyes towards the brow. This blending color should be right below the brow.
7. Mascara. I like to do mine now so that I can work the liner into it later on. I like to apply mascara first from the bottom of the upper lashes at the base and then work on the top to plump the up. As for the bottom lashes just stick some on them, they 're a bugger to define. You 'll probably get a little here and there around your eyes, I like to use a Q-Tip with a bit of moistureizer on the tip to remove it after its dried.
8. Liner I like to use a liquid liner by MAC called Fluidline (Blacktrack) and a 266 brush to apply it. I like to apply it on my upper and and lower water lines or inner lid.
9. Any foundations or blushes. I used a blush that sslightly darker than my skin tone to define my jaw.
10. Done!
Emo Style
The emo scene has a certain style associated with it, that is much more subtle in some cases than punk or goth, and incorporates a much broader fashion base. Emo styles do vary, some like to dress it up all the time and plan outfits, whereas others are happy being more casual and going with the flow. Here are some tips on how you can create a great emo style.
* Basically emos wear a lot of black, but unlike goths this is usually paired up with some bright and funky colours, for example if you were wearing dark jeans and a black shirt, you might wear a bright crimson red tie and white jacket, with matching or contrasting accessories. Band t-shirts are also popular, but make sure you buy a band you actually like and know a bit about, and not just some popular band like 'My Chemical Romance' just because you think they might be cool. For emos being clued up to music is a must, and you will look totally shallow and fake if you wear a band name that you don't know anything about. Hoodies are also a must, especially as jackets are not really in the emo fashion picture, so think about motifs such as skulls, stars and crosses. If you are very confident with your style you might also get away with some printed ironic catchphrases and logos, but you should stay away from anything that actually says 'emo' as you will look like a major wannabe. Layers are also a good emo look, such as a t-shirt over a long sleeve shirt, or a long sleeve stretch top under a vest top. Scarves are great for creating a layered look as well, and also brightening up dark outfits. You can get thin silk and linen scarves to wear in the summer, just loosely draped around the neck purely as an accessory. Those big long stripy winter scarves are very cool and you can also get cute matching mittens or even better fingerless gloves which are very much part of the emo look.
* Emos never wear sports logos such as Adidas or Nike - way too mainstream, but the odd article of designer clothing is acceptable, such as a really nice pair of tight jeans or a super stylish black shirt, as long as it doesn't have the label in a really obvious place. Jeans of course as mentioned should be tight for an emo look, and also well cut. The emo style usually stays well away from scruffy, so make sure all your trousers are the right length so they are not dragging on the ground and getting tatty, and also the right fit for your legs.
* Shoes should be flat, think funky pumps for girls and Converse or Vans trainers for girls and boys. Stay away from big chunky boots as this will look at little too punk, especially when teemed with skirts and tights for the girls. High heels are acceptable in some cases, especially if matched with an appropriate emo outfit, such as killer glossy red high heels matched with a black skirt and fitted sexy shirt, fishnet tights, and red accessories.
* Accessories are not vital, but they can help to jazz up a dark outfit. Layering accessories is a popular emo look, such as having lots of bangles on your wrists, or lots of necklaces. Cute tote bags and little backpacks are good too, but stay away from designer or leather handbags, as they look way to formal and showy for this emo style. Piercing and tattoos are also popular, but in moderation otherwise you are straying into punk/goth/metalhead territory.
* Makeup is a key part of the emo fashion. The emphasis is on the eyes, maybe because these are said to be the windows to the soul, and emos love to delve into the human psyche and express their emotions. Highlight the eyes with plenty of black eyeliner and smoky eye shadows. The odd bright colour is okay, but keep it simple and striking to avoid looking like a goth or eighties pop reject! Boys can wear a little eyeliner too, but they should keep it rough and ready and stay way from eye shadow, foundation or lip gloss to avoid looking too high maintenance. Nail polish should be dark and nails kept short, for boys and girls.
Emo Punk, Punk Emo Music
There are many subcultures across society, which are often identified most easily by the related music and fashion, and these include punks, goths and emos. Because these subcultures often evolved from similar beginnings there are bound to be some crossovers, and that's why you can get smaller groups within each one, such as emo punks. To put the word punk to anything means literally to be louder, brasher and more aggressive about everything, so emo punk represents the more rebellious, hardcore side to the emo culture.
The emo culture originally sprang from punk roots, and in the beginning the term was used to describe a more emotionally charged subgenre of hardcore punk in 1980s, usually referred to as 'emocore' with bands like Rites of Spring, Embrace and Moss Icon. In the mid 1990s the term emo become more associated with Indie rock, with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, which was more melodic and less frenzied than punk rock and emocore. As emo moved into the late 1990's it become more and more accessible to the mainstream, with bands like Weezer producing globally successful albums, and also Deep Elm Records releasing the first instalment in what was to be the defining emo compilation series in the world, the Emo Diaries. In the new millennium emo began to become more and more popular, and artists like Chris Carrabba led the new move towards emo punk pop, a mix of melodic, thought provoking pop and catchy, jangling modern rock tunes. Many people who supported the more independent and less mainstream emo music of the 1980's and 90's resented this new move towards popularity, resulting in a serious rift in the genre and it is generally thought by these purveyors of authentic emo that the new emo punk pop sounds are a commercial sell out, with copy cat bands generated purely to make money. Fall Out Boy and Blink 182 hover on the edge of this debate, with their roots firmly in their emocore, underground backgrounds, but with new worldwide commercial success no doubt putting pressure on their creative direction. Fall Out Boy's recent releases have followed the emo punk pop vibe firmly with thoughtful and catchy rock/pop tunes, but the wider variety of influences in their most recent work (such as collaborations with R&B stars like Kanye West) has led some to question the direction the band are heading in, which wasn't helped but a recent cover of the king of commercial music Michael Jackson's 'Beat It', that had many serious emo types frowning deeply under their stylish fringes.
So emo punk is in part a revival of the emocore vibe of the 1980s, and in general describes the more energetic and rebellious section of the youthful emo scene. Basically those emo punks are those who are not content just to sit and home and listen to records and talk about music, but who want to get out there and be an active part of culture and society.
Emo Girls, Hot Emo Girls
The emo style is a really modern and individual way to dress, and you can have a lot of fun planning your emo wardrobe, makeup and hairstyles. You don't have to be fully immersed in the emo scene to enjoy listening to some of the bands and wearing related styles, but remember that anytime you adapt a different and rebellious style you may get comments from people, and some of these will likely be negative. You should always choose a style that you feel comfortable in and one that compliments your personality, and then even if people are rude to you, you can just brush it off as you are being true to yourself. The same goes for you as well, other styles are just as acceptable as emo, so don't be rude to people you think of as being unimaginative, preppy or shallow.
There are some common themes in the style of emo, and this can be a good place to start planning your own emo look from. Emo hair is a big part of the style, and for girls this is a chance to get really inventive. Emo hair is always in good condition, with razor sharp choppy layers, so make sure you get a good professional cut before you start styling at home. The fringe is normally long, so it frames and drapes over the face, but you can do anything you like with the layers, and create interesting textures having a mixture of long and short layers. Emo hair is normally very straight and glossy, but if you have a longer style you can jazz this up a bit with curly, crimped or combed back sections, and tie up pieces with funky clips and hair grips. Straight braids and ponytails are not normally a feature of emo styles, but they can be combined as small parts of an overall style. Spiky hair is also common in emo hair, but these should be smooth and sleek, rather that the messy spikes of the punk style. In terms of colour the basic tone of emo style is jet black, but this is normally brightened up with lots of highlights or lowlights in a variety of funky colours including electric blue or green, neon pink and white blond.
Emo clothes are split into two main styles, street style and glam. Street style is the short of thing you might wear to college or just round a friends house, tight dark jeans with funky belt, band t-shirt, black or stripy jumper/hoody, and canvas sneakers or skate shoes. Skirts are normally teamed up with stripy long socks or leg warmers, and pumps or sneakers. Glam style is what you would probably wear to a gig or night out, or if you are out to lunch with friends. Smart shirts with an edgy cut in black or a very bright colour, ties for that sexy/smart St Trinians look in contrasting colours and funky patterns, designer tight jeans and some killer black or red high heels or wedge shoes. Glam styles are always accessorized to the max, so go crazy with belts, bangles, necklaces, hairgrips, and badges - basically the works!
Emo Boys, Hot Emo Boys
Is it just me, or are emo boys really hot at the moment? That combination of funky clothes, super stylish hair and 'I don't give a damn' attitude is so cool, and I never knew how good a little kohl could look on a guy - intense! Also I love that whole aloof yet vulnerable attitude as well that is so attractive, and those boys are smart too and not just interested in the latest lads mag, you can actually have a meaningful conversation with them!
So how do you spot an emo boy then? Well firstly it's all about the hair. It should be straight, choppy, glossy and textured, with a long floppy fringe to frame the face. Black is the base colour for all emo styles, but most people get inventive with highlights/lowlights and big chunks of colour in anything from electric blue, neon pink, white blond to scarlet red. Most emo boys are really in to spikes as well, so hairstyles will be textured, combing smart razor sharp layers with spikes and sweeping fringes. Emo hair is always well styled and in tiptop condition, and scruffy, badly dyed hair in garish colours is more punk than emo. Secondly emo boys love their clothes and this can range from serious emo music lovers who wear band t-shirts, tight dark jeans and classic emo black hoodies, to seriously glam emo boys who love to dress up in sharp shirts and ties, normally in contrasting colours like black and red, and also lots of accessories including belts, studs and bangles. Emo boys are not shy of using a little make up too, and a smudge of kohl round big dark eyes is incredible sexy, and dark nail polish really suits those boys with strong, elegant hands. It can be tempting to go over the top with make up though, and too much eyeliner is straying into Goth territory and is a bit more scary than sexy!
If you fancy an emo boy, its best not to rush straight up to him and ask him out, instead subtly find out what he is interested in from friends, and look for clues such as band names on his bag or t-shirt. Once you know a bit about him you can start up a meaningful conversation, emo boys are often pretty thoughtful and deep, and don't tend to want to talk about inconsequential things like what was on TV last night and general gossip. It is especially important do to some research if you are not emo yourself, and making sure you are up on the scene will mean you have something intelligent to bring to the conversation. Also try not to babble on as he will likely find this a bit shallow and irritating. Keep it cool and friendly to start with and don't pressure him by following him around and staring at him all the time. A few flirty smiles when you happen to see him and a quick hello can be much more effective then running up to him everywhere he goes, as it will keep a little mystery and make you interesting rather than annoying. It doesn't hurt for you to go to a few gigs you think he might also attend, as this will show him you have things in common and will give you a chance to get to know each other in a neutral setting, but don't stalk him around everywhere he goes as this will totally freak him out!
Most importantly try and be yourself. Whether you are emo or not, pretending to be interested in something is impossible to keep up for any length of time, and can make you look really fake and shallow. It is ok to learn more about what the boy you like is into, and you may find you like some aspects too, but keep things real and don't be afraid to disagree sometimes, as this can make for some really stimulating conversations, and emo's love to debate on all things especially music and identity.
Emo Art
I hate to say it, but proof that emo's are just that little bit self obsessed can be seen in the main bulk of art and photography that is generated from the emo culture - its pretty much full on portraits and self portraits in a range of 'cool poses'. Not all emo art is quite obsessed with the self of course, but if you search on the Internet for this type of art then do you get a heck of a lot of pictures of attractive looking people with funky hair and clothes, drawn in a similar high colour, sketchy style, sort of like an emo fashion plate series. Also you see quite a few reoccurring motifs, such as hearts and skulls, and similar colour combinations like black and red.
A lot of the emo self portraits out there tend towards idealised versions of the self and on the surface this does seem a bit self obsessed and narcissistic, but the emo culture is all about exploring emotion and the human psyche, and self portraits are a critical expression of self perception and personal psychology. Throughout history artists have been motivated to record themselves at various stages of their lives, the canvas acting as a snapshot of the inner turmoil's and desires of the mind. When an artist creates an idealised version of themselves they are actively questioning their own identity, trying to resolve how they feel inside with their appearance to the rest of the world, and also at times expressing the inner desire to be someone different, perhaps someone they see as 'better'. Self-portraits are also a way of working through identity, and for some people belonging to a group and having clear visual ideas of who they are can be very comforting Drawing yourself and friends wearing certain clothes and hairstyles can help reaffirm your own identity, especially at vulnerable moments in your life, and by then assuming these clothes and hairstyles in real life you can create an instant sense of belonging.
However not all emo art is purely about the self, and other examples in this genre explore the music behind the culture. Posters, album covers and concert flyers for emo bands are all very creative and stylised, and again often have a sketchy, highly coloured and almost cartoonish feel, with lots of symbolism that includes hearts, crosses, daggers and skulls. For example Fall out Boys new album 'Folie a Deux' (to be released in Dec 2008) features a cartoon picture of a person in a bear suit giving a piggyback to a bear. The album title 'Folie a Deux' refers to a type of clinical madness and literally means 'a madness shared by two', in which a psychosis (such as delusion or paranoia) is shared by two people, and even transmitted from the one person to the other in some cases. As this was originally due for release to coincide with the American elections, it is not too unlikely that this may be a subtle comment on the fever and hysteria that typically surrounds American politics during this time.
Emo Clothing
Emo kids typically dress to express their inner feelings to the world. For example, my friend commited suicide a year ago, and for a few weeks after that I would wear a black tight shirt (tight meaning 2 sizes too small). And black jeans with my friends name written all over them in white-out. Emo kids don't pick out outfits ahead of time, they wear whatever they want, whenever they want. Almost everything has a sentimental or personal value. And a lot of the stuff you see will have cutom markings, or drawings done on them. They do NOT dress to stand out, or to look different. It's all based on how they are feeling when they put that item of clothing on. Although, a lot of emo kids will always be found wearing a dark style. The style includes: -Tight shirts with either NO logos or emo bands - such as Fall Out Boy or Hawthorne Heights. -Tights jeans with faded colors, usually black. -Bracelets, or necklaces with sentimental value. Emo's just don't put on things to make them look cool. -Belts, usually checkered with an awesome looking belt buckle. To sum it all up, emo's have their own sense of fashion. It's ALWAYS unique and ALWAYS has a personal side to it.
EMO Girl or Boy
How To Be Emo
Music
Emo is first and foremost a music genre so you need to be involved in the music scene to avoid being called a poser. Learn to play an instrument! Or at least buy one! If you can't play you can always claim to, and you will gain instant credibility by merely owning it. Just take lots of picture of yourself holding it at creative angles to post on the internet. Can't afford a guitar? Write lyrics! Emo poetry can cover a wide range of emotions but focus on the bad ones. Sunshine and lollypops isn't very emo, so be sure to only write when angry or sad. Use poetry as a way of venting your problems. Don't have any problems? Make them up! Complain about how your comfortable suburban life is making you feel disconnected from the real world and disillusioned with life. Keep a bleak outlook on life and soon you will be writing tonnes of emo poetry! The type of bands you listen to strongly reflect on you as an emo. Bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy are a good bet, but it's more credibly to listen to obscure unsigned bands with names like Reservoir Death. If the music is loud and the lyrics are miserable; its emo.
Hair Colour
Natural hair colour isn't very emo. In order to be a real emo you will need to dye your hair. Jet black and bleach blonde are very good bases, you can then add in strikes of different neon colour to really showcase your originality. Emo is all about standing out so don't be afraid to try more than one colour...but don't go too mad! Or else you'll be more Nu Rave than emo!
Hair Style
Usually around chin length in a reverse mullet (i.e. longer at the front) but can be long with lots of choppy layers. The trademark of an emo haircut is the bangs/fringe which covers ? of the face at an angle. You must cover at least one eye, this shows that you do not want to see the world or have it see you. Experiment with your hair, spike it up and give it lots of volume; You can even back comb or tease it. Finish it off by wearing lots of cute bows and Alice bands...this looks extra emo if you're a guy!
Dress Emo
You need to dress to reflect your mood. Emo style is a combination of punk and goth so much like your hair your clothes should be black with the occasional neon stripes or polka dots. Band logos are very emo and converse are practically mandatory. Nothing should fit you properly: tee-shirts a size too small, hoodies a couple of sizes too big, and most importantly jeans in a size your eight-year-sister would have trouble getting into. For accessories studded belts, fingerless gloves, band pins or badges and enough bracelets and bangles to cover your wrist; to give the illusion that you self harm.
Make up
EYELINER! It doesn't really matter what else you do to your face as long as you have lots of eyeliner on its emo. Put plenty all over the eyelids, under too. If you look like you've been punched; you're there. Apart from that just go as pale as your natural skin colour will allow and wear black nail polish.
Attitude
Attitude is everything. Typically you will be expected to be depressed and insecure. But it's more important to be sensitive and quiet. Avoid confrontation; you have to be introverted and too wrapped up in your own emotions to care about the opinions of others. But you can defend your opinions viva the internet provided you get very emotional about doing so.
