How to Be Emo
Sweep your hair., Rock the geek chic look., Try out the screamo look., Embrace androgyny., Make good friends with the hoodie., Know what emo is., Know the subgenres of emo., Appreciate Emo music., Tell the difference between emo and other...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sweep your hair.
Up until the mid-2000s, there was no real emo hairstyle. "Emo hair" usually refers to a particular layered haircut in which long bangs are swept and styled to one side, usually held in place with mousse.
Emo hair is usually dark or dyed, sometimes featuring a bright highlight of blonde or other punky colors.
To get emo hair, start growing out your bangs, but still getting clean-up cuts on the back of your neck.
Pull the bangs over evenly across above your eyebrow and use mousse or hair gel. -
Step 2: Rock the geek chic look.
Featuring Rivers Cuomo-style cardigans and horn-rimmed glasses, this look popularized emo in the mid-90s as it ascended toward the mainstream.
It's basically a cool-looking smart-kid look.
To cultivate this look, you'll need:
Thick or horned rimmed glassesMessenger bagsStudded belts Skinny jeans, in dark colours Eyeliner Plaid patterned or black band shirts of your favourite bands (do not wear band shirts of bands you don't listen to or have never heard of).
Converse or VansBlack wrist or sweat bands Leg and warm warmers Dresses and skirts, usually paired with striped tights Fingerless gloves, usually checkered in colours like red, pink and purple, The genre that rose in the mid-2000s brought with it a patented hairstyle and way of dressing.
Mostly in black.
To rock this look, you'll need:
Dark, tight-fitting jeans V-Neck black or white t-shirts Skate shoes, like Vans or Airwalks A swooped-bang hair cut, typically dyed black with some bright highlight A mouth piercing A studded or white belt Your keys on a carabiner , Style is largely similar for both male and female emo kids.
The haircuts, dress and use of make-up tend to cross the sexes, resulting in a distinctive and androgynous look.
If you wear eyeliner, it should be preferably thin and trace your eyes.
Take it easy on the make-up.
Dark colored lipstick is also common for girls. , Nearly all emo styles involve in some way or another the best old-friend of the wardrobe: the hooded sweatshirt.
It's possible to give that hoodie a distinctively emo flair, however, which doesn't need to take more than a little extra effort to pull off.
Most emo hoodies will be black, sometimes featuring band patches or a small amount of white trim.
Cut a hole for your thumbs in the sleeves of your hoodies.
Wear it with your thumbs sticking through to keep yourself warm in the winter months. , Contrary to popular belief, emo stands for "emotive hardcore punk" and is a sub-genre of hardcore punkand post-hardcore.
The term was first said to be used Flipsize magazine with Ian Mackaye.describes hardcore punk bands in the DC area that wrote more confessional, self-questioning and personal lyricsthan more traditional hardcore punk bands.
Influenced by pioneering hardcore bands Minor Threat and Black Flag, bands like Rites of Spring and Beefeater both wrote confessional and personal lyrics in their hardcore punk songs that led to the coining of the term "emotional hardcore" and eventually "emo".
However, emo was also an insult given to these bands and their fans.
Punks who stayed true to the scene used to go to emo shows and shout insults at the bands.
So, originally, emo was a fairly small local scene in the DC area that gained some attention.
Check out the roots of the emo tree.
Revolution Summer
1985.
An attempt deliberately sought by bands like Gray Matter, Beefeater, Dag Nasty and Soulside to break the limitations of hardcore punk in favor for a fresh idea of creativity.In the early 90s, bands like Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate began flying the emo flag, except these bands sound basically nothing like early DC emo.
Influenced by California pop punk and indie rock, these bands have big catchy hooks and personal lyrics, writing songs with sweeping structures and loads of melodrama.
Recognize more recent developments in the sounds of emo.
Emo broke out huge in the 2000s, with Jimmy Eat World's The Middle and Victory Records bands like Taking Back Sunday, Thursday and The Used, patenting a particular brand of "screamo" music that returned somewhat to emo's hardcore roots.
It was big, loud and extremely popular. , This can help you identify which type of emo music you'll enjoy.
If you hate one style of emo, try others.
Here are some genres:
Emocore:
Short for emotional or emotive hardcore, emocore is a subgenre of hardcore punk from the 1980s.
It began in Washington DC with bands like Rites of Spring and Embrace.
It blended punk with emotional lyrical content.
Indie emo:
Indie emo began in the 1990s when emo changed its roots and broadened from just punk rock.
These emo bands are more indie than punk.
Bands include Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever, Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral.
Emo pop:
Emo pop began in the 1990s during emo's regeneration and blends emo with pop punk.
Bands include The Get Up Kids, Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Paramore and The Starting Line.
Emo pop is what most emos listen to, and there's nothing wrong with it.
But a term that would be more relevant to them is "emo pop" rather than "emo" (because they are two different genres).
Screamo:
Screamo is a subgenre of emocore that derives from hardcorewhich involves screaming and usually fast tempos, loud-soft dynamics and sometimes unconventional song structures.
Bands include The Saddest Landscape and Orchid and the first record to be considered "screamo" is Tin Cans with Strings to You by Far.
A lot of screamo bands also played ballads.
An example of this would be the last song on the record, named Sorrow's EndScreamo is not metal, and doesn't have metal instrumental so make sure not to get confused on this! (see: tips) , From Thursday to Jimmy Eat World, Weezer to Brand New, Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)to Paramore, all people who identify as emo have an active and passionate interest in emo music.
Test out different bands to see what you like.
If you like what you hear, keep exploring sub-genres like screamo and emocore to see what you like best.
If you don't like the music, that's okay too.
You can still express your emotions through fashion and lifestyle.
Here is a short, incomplete and imperfect primer on some emo bands to get started.
You might not like these and still be a passionate emo listener.
That's alright.
If you want to get a foot in the door, check out:
Emocore Rites of Spring Embrace Dag Nasty One Last Wish Drive Like Jehu Braid Jets to Brazil Beefeater Gray Matter Fire Party I Hate Myself Soulside Indian Summer ScreamoCity of Caterpillar Circle Takes The Square Pg.99 Orchid Pianos Become The Teeth Mohinder Funeral Diner Heroin Antioch Arrow Post-emo indie rockSunny Day Real Estate Jawbreaker Texas is the Reason Hoover Policy of 3 Emo pop Jimmy Eat WorldThe Promise Ring The Get Up KidsMy Chemical Romance (after debut, debut is hardcore punk/emo inspired) Paramore (early work) Fall Out Boy (early work) Panic! at the Disco Brand New Taking Back Sunday , Some other subcultures that get confused with emo are scene and goth.
Emo is a subculture that is based around music.
It has a longer history than scene and deals with emotions, self-expression and self-exploration.
Being emo means you understand your roots, listen to emo music and participate in the community.
Scene is a subculture which emerged from members of the chav subculture in England experimenting with alternative fashions.Scene is a mixture of several styles including emo, indie pop, rave and punk fashions.Scenes tend to wear brighter colours, and have teased/back combed hair which may feature "cool tails".
Scene kids tend to listen to music genres like metalcore, deathcore and crunk coreopposed to emo kids who listen to emo genres.
A subculture which emerged from the British post-punk scene in the late 70s / early 80s.
Goths primarily listen to goth rock, cold wave, deathrock and darkwave music.
Bela Lugosi's Dead, the 1979 single by Bauhaus was said to be the birth of the music genre, and the Batcave, a nightclub opened in 1982, the birth of the subculture. , Generally speaking, all emo music has two things in common: big, sweeping, extremely melodramatic guitar-based music, either aggressive and harsh or acoustic and gentle, that contain confessional or explicitly personal lyrics, often about heartbreak and loneliness.
The Used doesn't sound much like Death Cab for Cutie which doesn't sound anything like Jawbreaker.
So what? They're all emo bands.
Pick the sounds you like and don't listen to what you don't like.
If you want to dress emo and listen to Sunny Day Real Estate, go for it.
If you also have Lady Gaga, Johnny Cash, and Cannibal Ox on your iPod, that doesn't make you any less emo.
A real "emo" is someone who listens to emotive hardcore music and genres surrounding it, so as long as you're into emo, you are emo.
While a guy with dark hair and guyliner listening to Dashboard Confessional in Columbus, OH might be considered emo by a lot of people, the California blonde who surfs and listens to Dashboard Confessional might consider herself emo as well.
Treat this as an opportunity for everyone to appreciate the music as appearance doesn't matter. , For tips about music, definitions of "emo," and fashion, check out the guys and gals making the music for advice.
See who they listen to, who they're influenced by, what they read, and what they recommend.
Learn straight from the source. , Originally, emo was a small local scene that attracted national attention.
In this way, a movement started that's now global.
Get back in touch with that original impulse by hanging around the local shows in your own backyard.
It's one thing to go to the Warped Tour and check out the national bands you hear, but it's another to check out and support local emo bands who are trying to get started.
Volunteer to help out at all-ages shows and DIY clubs to put on gigs.
Hand out fliers and befriend other bands.
Check out local zines and participate in the scene. , In general, the emo subculture values the arts.
Painting, making music, writing, and expressing yourself creatively are all important ways to participate in the emo subculture.
Find a way to express yourself and devote your free time to perfecting your art.
Write poetry and turn your words into songs.
Write reviews of emo music and start a music blog. , Being able to play music by yourself or in a band would give you huge credibility and would be a fun way to engage with emo more directly.
Start writing your own songs and playing your own music and you'll be actively participating in the creative culture.
Try playing the bass or guitar, or perhaps even the violin, which sounds amazing in emo songs if you invest enough time in it.
The drums might also be a very good instrument, because drummers are in regular demand for all sorts of bands. , Emo is a subculture that prides itself on self-exploration, intelligence, and feeling.Start reading up on contemporary and classic emo novels and books:
Everybody Hurts:
An Essential Guide to Emo Culture by Trevor Kelley and Leslie Simon The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.
Salinger The Razor's Edge by W.
Somerset Maugham -
Step 3: Try out the screamo look.
-
Step 4: Embrace androgyny.
-
Step 5: Make good friends with the hoodie.
-
Step 6: Know what emo is.
-
Step 7: Know the subgenres of emo.
-
Step 8: Appreciate Emo music.
-
Step 9: Tell the difference between emo and other subcultures.
-
Step 10: Develop a passion for different kinds of music.
-
Step 11: Look to the bands for tips.
-
Step 12: Go to shows.
-
Step 13: Cultivate a creative persona.
-
Step 14: Consider picking up an instrument.
-
Step 15: Read a lot.
Detailed Guide
Up until the mid-2000s, there was no real emo hairstyle. "Emo hair" usually refers to a particular layered haircut in which long bangs are swept and styled to one side, usually held in place with mousse.
Emo hair is usually dark or dyed, sometimes featuring a bright highlight of blonde or other punky colors.
To get emo hair, start growing out your bangs, but still getting clean-up cuts on the back of your neck.
Pull the bangs over evenly across above your eyebrow and use mousse or hair gel.
Featuring Rivers Cuomo-style cardigans and horn-rimmed glasses, this look popularized emo in the mid-90s as it ascended toward the mainstream.
It's basically a cool-looking smart-kid look.
To cultivate this look, you'll need:
Thick or horned rimmed glassesMessenger bagsStudded belts Skinny jeans, in dark colours Eyeliner Plaid patterned or black band shirts of your favourite bands (do not wear band shirts of bands you don't listen to or have never heard of).
Converse or VansBlack wrist or sweat bands Leg and warm warmers Dresses and skirts, usually paired with striped tights Fingerless gloves, usually checkered in colours like red, pink and purple, The genre that rose in the mid-2000s brought with it a patented hairstyle and way of dressing.
Mostly in black.
To rock this look, you'll need:
Dark, tight-fitting jeans V-Neck black or white t-shirts Skate shoes, like Vans or Airwalks A swooped-bang hair cut, typically dyed black with some bright highlight A mouth piercing A studded or white belt Your keys on a carabiner , Style is largely similar for both male and female emo kids.
The haircuts, dress and use of make-up tend to cross the sexes, resulting in a distinctive and androgynous look.
If you wear eyeliner, it should be preferably thin and trace your eyes.
Take it easy on the make-up.
Dark colored lipstick is also common for girls. , Nearly all emo styles involve in some way or another the best old-friend of the wardrobe: the hooded sweatshirt.
It's possible to give that hoodie a distinctively emo flair, however, which doesn't need to take more than a little extra effort to pull off.
Most emo hoodies will be black, sometimes featuring band patches or a small amount of white trim.
Cut a hole for your thumbs in the sleeves of your hoodies.
Wear it with your thumbs sticking through to keep yourself warm in the winter months. , Contrary to popular belief, emo stands for "emotive hardcore punk" and is a sub-genre of hardcore punkand post-hardcore.
The term was first said to be used Flipsize magazine with Ian Mackaye.describes hardcore punk bands in the DC area that wrote more confessional, self-questioning and personal lyricsthan more traditional hardcore punk bands.
Influenced by pioneering hardcore bands Minor Threat and Black Flag, bands like Rites of Spring and Beefeater both wrote confessional and personal lyrics in their hardcore punk songs that led to the coining of the term "emotional hardcore" and eventually "emo".
However, emo was also an insult given to these bands and their fans.
Punks who stayed true to the scene used to go to emo shows and shout insults at the bands.
So, originally, emo was a fairly small local scene in the DC area that gained some attention.
Check out the roots of the emo tree.
Revolution Summer
1985.
An attempt deliberately sought by bands like Gray Matter, Beefeater, Dag Nasty and Soulside to break the limitations of hardcore punk in favor for a fresh idea of creativity.In the early 90s, bands like Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate began flying the emo flag, except these bands sound basically nothing like early DC emo.
Influenced by California pop punk and indie rock, these bands have big catchy hooks and personal lyrics, writing songs with sweeping structures and loads of melodrama.
Recognize more recent developments in the sounds of emo.
Emo broke out huge in the 2000s, with Jimmy Eat World's The Middle and Victory Records bands like Taking Back Sunday, Thursday and The Used, patenting a particular brand of "screamo" music that returned somewhat to emo's hardcore roots.
It was big, loud and extremely popular. , This can help you identify which type of emo music you'll enjoy.
If you hate one style of emo, try others.
Here are some genres:
Emocore:
Short for emotional or emotive hardcore, emocore is a subgenre of hardcore punk from the 1980s.
It began in Washington DC with bands like Rites of Spring and Embrace.
It blended punk with emotional lyrical content.
Indie emo:
Indie emo began in the 1990s when emo changed its roots and broadened from just punk rock.
These emo bands are more indie than punk.
Bands include Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever, Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral.
Emo pop:
Emo pop began in the 1990s during emo's regeneration and blends emo with pop punk.
Bands include The Get Up Kids, Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Paramore and The Starting Line.
Emo pop is what most emos listen to, and there's nothing wrong with it.
But a term that would be more relevant to them is "emo pop" rather than "emo" (because they are two different genres).
Screamo:
Screamo is a subgenre of emocore that derives from hardcorewhich involves screaming and usually fast tempos, loud-soft dynamics and sometimes unconventional song structures.
Bands include The Saddest Landscape and Orchid and the first record to be considered "screamo" is Tin Cans with Strings to You by Far.
A lot of screamo bands also played ballads.
An example of this would be the last song on the record, named Sorrow's EndScreamo is not metal, and doesn't have metal instrumental so make sure not to get confused on this! (see: tips) , From Thursday to Jimmy Eat World, Weezer to Brand New, Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)to Paramore, all people who identify as emo have an active and passionate interest in emo music.
Test out different bands to see what you like.
If you like what you hear, keep exploring sub-genres like screamo and emocore to see what you like best.
If you don't like the music, that's okay too.
You can still express your emotions through fashion and lifestyle.
Here is a short, incomplete and imperfect primer on some emo bands to get started.
You might not like these and still be a passionate emo listener.
That's alright.
If you want to get a foot in the door, check out:
Emocore Rites of Spring Embrace Dag Nasty One Last Wish Drive Like Jehu Braid Jets to Brazil Beefeater Gray Matter Fire Party I Hate Myself Soulside Indian Summer ScreamoCity of Caterpillar Circle Takes The Square Pg.99 Orchid Pianos Become The Teeth Mohinder Funeral Diner Heroin Antioch Arrow Post-emo indie rockSunny Day Real Estate Jawbreaker Texas is the Reason Hoover Policy of 3 Emo pop Jimmy Eat WorldThe Promise Ring The Get Up KidsMy Chemical Romance (after debut, debut is hardcore punk/emo inspired) Paramore (early work) Fall Out Boy (early work) Panic! at the Disco Brand New Taking Back Sunday , Some other subcultures that get confused with emo are scene and goth.
Emo is a subculture that is based around music.
It has a longer history than scene and deals with emotions, self-expression and self-exploration.
Being emo means you understand your roots, listen to emo music and participate in the community.
Scene is a subculture which emerged from members of the chav subculture in England experimenting with alternative fashions.Scene is a mixture of several styles including emo, indie pop, rave and punk fashions.Scenes tend to wear brighter colours, and have teased/back combed hair which may feature "cool tails".
Scene kids tend to listen to music genres like metalcore, deathcore and crunk coreopposed to emo kids who listen to emo genres.
A subculture which emerged from the British post-punk scene in the late 70s / early 80s.
Goths primarily listen to goth rock, cold wave, deathrock and darkwave music.
Bela Lugosi's Dead, the 1979 single by Bauhaus was said to be the birth of the music genre, and the Batcave, a nightclub opened in 1982, the birth of the subculture. , Generally speaking, all emo music has two things in common: big, sweeping, extremely melodramatic guitar-based music, either aggressive and harsh or acoustic and gentle, that contain confessional or explicitly personal lyrics, often about heartbreak and loneliness.
The Used doesn't sound much like Death Cab for Cutie which doesn't sound anything like Jawbreaker.
So what? They're all emo bands.
Pick the sounds you like and don't listen to what you don't like.
If you want to dress emo and listen to Sunny Day Real Estate, go for it.
If you also have Lady Gaga, Johnny Cash, and Cannibal Ox on your iPod, that doesn't make you any less emo.
A real "emo" is someone who listens to emotive hardcore music and genres surrounding it, so as long as you're into emo, you are emo.
While a guy with dark hair and guyliner listening to Dashboard Confessional in Columbus, OH might be considered emo by a lot of people, the California blonde who surfs and listens to Dashboard Confessional might consider herself emo as well.
Treat this as an opportunity for everyone to appreciate the music as appearance doesn't matter. , For tips about music, definitions of "emo," and fashion, check out the guys and gals making the music for advice.
See who they listen to, who they're influenced by, what they read, and what they recommend.
Learn straight from the source. , Originally, emo was a small local scene that attracted national attention.
In this way, a movement started that's now global.
Get back in touch with that original impulse by hanging around the local shows in your own backyard.
It's one thing to go to the Warped Tour and check out the national bands you hear, but it's another to check out and support local emo bands who are trying to get started.
Volunteer to help out at all-ages shows and DIY clubs to put on gigs.
Hand out fliers and befriend other bands.
Check out local zines and participate in the scene. , In general, the emo subculture values the arts.
Painting, making music, writing, and expressing yourself creatively are all important ways to participate in the emo subculture.
Find a way to express yourself and devote your free time to perfecting your art.
Write poetry and turn your words into songs.
Write reviews of emo music and start a music blog. , Being able to play music by yourself or in a band would give you huge credibility and would be a fun way to engage with emo more directly.
Start writing your own songs and playing your own music and you'll be actively participating in the creative culture.
Try playing the bass or guitar, or perhaps even the violin, which sounds amazing in emo songs if you invest enough time in it.
The drums might also be a very good instrument, because drummers are in regular demand for all sorts of bands. , Emo is a subculture that prides itself on self-exploration, intelligence, and feeling.Start reading up on contemporary and classic emo novels and books:
Everybody Hurts:
An Essential Guide to Emo Culture by Trevor Kelley and Leslie Simon The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.
Salinger The Razor's Edge by W.
Somerset Maugham
About the Author
Jacob Martinez
Jacob Martinez has dedicated 9 years to mastering education and learning. As a content creator, Jacob focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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