Are you the queen/king of your own style? I know that I am!
The grunge style focused on looking rough and tough, but women also wore grunge as a way to reject traditional femininity and embrace a more masculine aesthetic. Grunge upended societal expectations about women’s clothing—women who loved the style could wear oversized flannels and combat boots without being called “mannish” or “ugly.”
We can thank grunge for showing us that women can wear whatever they want without being judged for it—or worse—told they don’t belong somewhere because of how they’re dressed.
My particular grunge style is a mash-up of the eighties rocker, the nineties grunge, and the noughties punk movements, which are perennially trapped in the 1980s. I’ve always gravitated toward rougher and more difficult looks. These cultural trends exude a gender-expanding, feminist, androgynous atmosphere, which I find to be rather appealing. There are a plethora of alternatives to consider. Early in adulthood, I may have broadened my horizons a little and experimented with new aesthetics. However, no matter how hard I tried, it always ended up back in my grunge wardrobe.
Grunge has a broad spectrum of aesthetics, from hyper-feminine to extreme-androgyny, making it a style that anybody might conceivably fall in love with. These nine necessities should be included in your wardrobe whether you want to reproduce some of the great grunge styles from the past or just try something new.
Plaid flannel shirts
Since its debut, plaid flannel has been one of the most important elements of grunge fashion. Look for flannels that are baggier and more worn down in order to replicate some of the most powerful looks from this era. Depending on your own style, the flannel shirt may be worn open with a vintage shirt beneath, buttoned up for a more masc-grunge appearance, or knotted around your waist.
Ripped jeans
Torn-up denim has a really rough, unkempt appearance that goes well with practically any grunge ensemble. Neutrals, blacks and greys, and fading colors should be used as color tones. If you don’t have the money to purchase them, cutting a pair of standard denim jeans with scissors and then tossing them in the laundry can assist them to seem more worn down and worn out. Cuff the bottoms or match them with a punk belt to give a touch of additional flair to your look.
Combat boots or Converses
Grunge-styled shoes usually fall into one of two categories: either you wear some comfy combat boots or canvas, flat lace-ups like Converse, or you wear some combat boots and lace-ups like Vans. Each of these artists brings their own distinct kind of grunge to the table. Boots make you seem edgier. Converse makes you seem more relaxed.
Overalls
Overalls (aka dungarees) were 100% nineties fashion that fell into basically every type of fashion. Every genre and culture from hip-hop to boy-bands to pop to grunge wore these wardrobe pieces. The beauty of overalls is that they look completely effortless. Throw on a crop top or a flannel to make it perfect grunge. You also can go full out of the nineties and unhook one of the straps. Just be aware that you’ll have to have real confidence to go one-strap! It’s not exactly the norm these days.
Leather jackets
When it comes to leather jackets, they give just the appropriate amount of rough edge without going overboard with features and textures. It’s really adaptable. Printed jeans, ripped leggings, a plaid skirt or flannel shirt, and other band tees are all good options for pairing with this top. When it comes to the appropriate grunge look for colder days of fall or winter, there is no doubt that leather jackets are essential pieces. You can also enhance the look with layers, think thick tights under shorts or a skirt, and comfortable leg warmers over tights are all good options for keeping warm.
Vintage graphic t-shirts
Graphic t-shirts, whether in the form of a band t or a skull and roses t, have always had a distinct position in grunge culture and fashion. This is partly owing to the style’s roots as everyday, worn-down clothes that were intended to be worn every day. Bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Mudhoney contributed to the development of the style.
Make sure you have some fun t-shirts that aren’t too tight so they can be layered over other items of clothing such as sweaters.
Babydoll dresses
When it comes to the more feminine side of grunge, low-cut babydoll dresses are the ideal addition to your closet. Babydoll gowns, made famous by Courtney Love, quickly became a fixture of the “kinderwhore” look, a grunge aesthetic adopted by all-female bands. It was possible to make a feminist statement in this grunge style by taking really feminine wardrobe items such as babydoll dresses and hyper-inflating them with makeup and torn tights, then subverting them with highly harsh and forceful confidence. The combo took a negative view of femininity and turned it into a grunge statement of strength via the use of grunge elements.
Beanies
Because grunge style originated in the Pacific Northwest, it should come as no surprise that beanies are a must-have item for every grunge fan. They are cozy, laid-back, and sloppy in appearance.
Denim shorts
High-waisted, faded, probably patchworked, and certainly denim shorts are the ideal shorts for the grunge look. These may be worn with practically any article of clothing that is not a pair of trousers. When your beloved jeans get too worn or holey to wear any longer, it’s time to cut them! Make yourself a pair of frayed, one-of-a-kind shorts to wear over the summer. After all, grunge isn’t only for the colder months of the year!
What should you wear to look grunge?
Grunge fashion emerged in the early 1990s as part of a larger grunge movement. It was a style of dress that was more concerned with comfort and functionality than a formality. The style was popularized by bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains, who were influential in the music industry at the time.
Grunge men typically wore flannel shirts, ripped jeans, and combat boots, while women tended to wear torn dresses or ripped tights, plaid shirts, slip dresses, plaid shirts, combat boots, Doc Martens, and messy hair.
What are grunge outfit colors for women?
Grunge is a style that rejected the bright colors, dirty appearance, and candy-colored hair that characterized the 1980s. Colors such as dark brown, gray, black, and burgundy serve as the foundation for the grunge fashion style, which is then accented with red, orange, pink, green, red, purple, yellow, and pastel colors.
What accessories to wear with grunge outfits?
When it comes to grunge, the whole thing is all about being authentic. You can accessorize with jewelry like chunky bracelets, pant chains or necklaces that say bold quotes. You can layer your jewelry over each other so they complement each other nicely. Then add some fun makeup and maybe even get yourself some temporary tattoos in honor of our favorite decade!
Grunge isn’t just about how you dress, either; it’s about what your hair, nails, accessories, piercings and tattoos say about you—as well as what they don’t say. Your look should be subtle and understated—but at the same time, very powerful. If this sounds like a lot to ask of one outfit, that’s because it is! Let us continue to help you pull off grunge with minimal effort and maximum impact.
How do you style grunge girl hair?
We’ve seen some truly beautiful grunge hairstyles on the runway and in the streets, signature grunge hairstyles for females include messy short hair, grungy braids and grungy bob. The hairstyle usually looks big and fluffy without too much maintenance. We hope they inspire you to create new looks of your own.
How to do grunge aesthetic nails?
Grunge nail art is a style of nail art that is inspired by the grunge rock music of the 1990s. The look is characterized by heavy use of dark colors, rough textures, matte tones, simple deisgn and basic shapes. You can paint your nails black or charcoal for an edgy look that shows off how much personality you have. Exact pattern to go for depends on whether you are trying to match a fairy, edgy, summer, cute, goth, vintage, soft or hipster grunge aesthetic. Common secondary colors include red, pink, pastel and other dark colors.
You can’t go wrong with grunge nails. They’re perfect for adding a touch of style to any outfit and make your hands look great when you’re out on the town. They can also be used as an accessory for nightlife in your favorite club or bar.
How to do grunge aesthetic tattoos?
Grunge tattoos are a popular tattoo style that emerged in the 1990s. They are characterized by their heavy use of black and gray shading. Grunge tattoos can be very graphic and intense, but they can also be very stylish and modern. They are usually small in size and with empowering meaning.
Grunge tattoos are also very popular right now and can be found on both men and women. These days there are tons of different styles available so you’re sure to find something unique that suits your personal taste as well as fits within any budget.
What is grunge makeup look?
Although the 1990s maybe over, a few essential beauty trends from that decade are still relevant today. The grunge makeup style is a case in point. This includes matte lipstick, black nail paint, plenty of mascara, a great smokey eye, matte face, smudgy and dramatic eyeliner, and dark lipstick in different shades of black, brown, or burgundy, all to give off a casual, sloppy feel, among other things.
Accent the grunge makeup palette with shades of blue, purple, red and pink colors, you can look pretty soft, glam, cute, hipster or even rock.
What shoes to wear with grunge outfits?
If you’re planning on wearing a grunge-inspired outfit this season, try starting with one of these great quality grunge shoes. Combat boots, creepers, canvas sneakers, military boots, and platform sandals are some of the grunge-approved shoes you may wear with your outfit. A good pair of grunge shoes can really make an outfit stand out from the rest of the crowd.
What styles are similar to grunge aesthetics for girls?
- Glam Rock Outfits
- Emo Outfits
- Retro Outfits
- Hipster Outfits
- Hip Hop Outfits
- Soft Grunge Outfits
- Fairy Grunge Outfits
- Cute Grunge Outfits
- Punk Rock Outfits
- Vintage Grunge Outfits
Grunge is going to be a huge trend for summer 2024, and we’ve got all the aspects you need to make your look complete! Whether you’re looking for the perfect shade of black nail polish or just want to throw together an outfit that feels like it’s from the 90s, we’ve got you covered.
After adding these wardrobe essentials to your closet, you are sure to be the ultimate grunge queen! Just remember that you don’t have to adhere strictly to one look. Feel free to mix and match these with other non-grunge apparel. Some of the best outfits I’ve ever seen include short boho dresses and grunge-torn jeans or business blazers, a slip dress, and a full face of makeup. It doesn’t matter how many styles you mix as long as it’s your own style. The thing that truly makes the outfit is your confidence and your own love of the clothing. For more male aesthetics, please check out our guide here.
Thanks for reading this fashion article. Remember to like and share with your friends. Also, tell me your favorite go-to clothing piece in the comments section.