Emo is a deep and artistic subculture- as well as a genre of music. It's mostly about how you express your emotions- for example; through poetry, art, music, dress, etc. Although there is a lot more to being emo than throwing on a few clothes and hair styles, this guide will show you how you can achieve the emo look.
1Change your hair. Scene and emo hair can sometimes be similar, although scene
hair tends to be more colorful while emo hair tends to sweep across your face and eyes more. Whether teased or straightened, most emos have it choppy and covering one eye. If you want to dye your hair, some good colors would be white-blond, black (streaked with purple or red), or dark brown. Alternatively, you can use clip-on extensions, which work almost as well but are better for scene, not emo.
2Wear layers. The top half of your outfit should definitely be layered. For example, you might wear a checkered top over a plain top or a waistcoat over a white tee. Other tops to include among your layers are tanks, black slogan tees, ironic tees, and hoodies. For the true emo effect, make sure tees are tight- but not so tight that its uncomfortable or immodest. You should also wear a cheap hoodie over your shirt- it can be any colour.
3Wear emo band tees. Emo music (originally called Emotive hardcore or Emocore) is a huge part of the subculture and started in the 80's when hardcore punk bands began writing more emotional lyrics. Rites of Spring, Embrace (U.S), Moss Icon, Indian Summer (U.S), Twelve Hour Turn, He**in, Cap'n Jazz, American Football, Drive Like Jehu, Sunny Day Real Estate, Senses Fail, and Texas Is The Reason, are all good examples of emo bands. If you’re a fan of emo music, be sure to dress accordingly.
4Wear jeans- preferably tight.
5Accessorize. Emo is about being emotive, so be sure to express yourself through accessories that show off your interests, feelings, and tastes. Studded belts, pins and patches, band bracelets, messenger bags, charm necklaces (with emo-esque charms), and studded bracelets, or even piercings are all good places to start.
6Wear emo shoes. Complete the outfit with Vans, Converse, Hot Topic shoes, plimsolls, flats or trainers. Break your shoes in to make them look well worn; having shiny new kicks isn’t very emo.
7Wear makeup. To make your features more expressive, wear dramatic shades like charcoal eye shadow, dark mascara, black liquid eyeliner and a dark nail polish. Accentuate the darker tones with a red lipstick or stain. Many emo guys wear a little eyeliner as well.
8Be yourself. The emo subculture is all about being emotive, and the most important part of that is expressing who you really are. If that person happens to like emo styles and appreciate emo music, great! However, if not, trying to assimilate into the subculture will not bring you happiness.
