Emo subculture

[1] Based around emo music, the subculture formed in the genre's mid-1990s San Diego scene, where participants were derisively called Spock rock due to their distinctive straight, black haircuts.

During this time of popularity, it faced backlash, including violent attacks on emo teens in Mexico and Iraq, and proposed Russian laws targeting the subculture, due to views that it was dangerous and promoted anti-social behavior, depression and suicide.

During the 1990s, emo fashion was clean-cut and tended towards geek chic,[2] with clothing items like thick-rimmed glasses resembling those worn by 1950s musician Buddy Holly, button-down shirts, t-shirts, sweater vests, tight jeans, converse shoes, and cardigans being common.

[7] As the vocalist of Swing Kids, Justin Pearson had choppy spikes protruding from the back of his head alongside straight fringes, which was a prototype for the emo "shotgun blast" haircut.

[7] In a 2020 interview with NoEcho, Pearson cited the band's aesthetic as being based on mods, greasers, the Situationist International, the artists on Blue Note Records and the minimalism of Crass.

[16] After the 1998 release of the music video for "New Noise" by Swedish hardcore punk band Refused, straight, black hair with long, swooped bangs became common.

[7] In January 2002, the Honolulu Advertiser described emo people as "intentionally unshowy": "these guys often ride bicycles, keep diaries, write poetry and hang out at coffee shops.

Inspired by the look of bands like Orgy and Unbroken, Eighteen Visions dressed in effeminate fashion, including skinny jeans, straightened hair, swooped bangs, black clothes and eyeliner.

[7] Fashioncore spread to the West Coast of the United States with the success of Long Island's From Autumn to Ashes and, California band, A Static Lullaby's 2003 tour, with support from New Jersey's Senses Fail.

[29] Junkee Media writer Bianca Devino described Tumblr emos as having "a cooler, Instagram-ready image... marked by Autumn leaves, flannel, thick rimmed glasses, and Fender Telecasters".

A key aspect of this was the posting of images of pastel coloured forests with lyrics from emo revival bands, like Modern Baseball, Tigers Jaw, the Front Bottoms and Citizen, superimposed on top.

[31] Websites like SpaceHey and FriendProject,[32] which retain Myspace's early design, have gained popularity among teenagers,[33][34] and social media influencers on Instagram and TikTok have begun adopting scene fashion.