Be Emo

From the suburbs to the beaches, from Mexico to Iraq, teenagers have been self-identifying as "emo" for years and it still manages to confound and confuse the mainstream. What is emo? What does it mean to be emo? Based on the melodically-aggressive and complicated hardcore music of mid-80s Washington DC, emo has its roots in mostly indie but has expanded into many styles, sounds, and cultures from indie rock to pop punk. Emo is huge and it's here to stay. If you want to learn about the history, the music, and the culture to get started participating in emo culture, you've come to the right place.

Steps

Looking the Part

  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.
  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 or glasses[1]
    • Messenger bags[2]
    • Studded 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 Vans[3]
    • Black 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[4]
  3. Try out the screamo look. 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
  4. Embrace androgyny. 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.
  5. Make good friends with the hoodie. 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.

Understanding Emo

  1. Know what emo is. Contrary to popular belief, emo stands for "emotive hardcore punk" and is a sub-genre of hardcore punk[5] and post-hardcore[6]. The term was first said to be used Flipsize magazine with Ian Mackaye.[7] describes hardcore punk bands in the DC area that wrote more confessional, self-questioning and personal lyrics[7] than 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.[8]
    • 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.
  2. Know the subgenres of emo. 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[9], 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 hardcore[10] which 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 End[11] Screamo is not metal, and doesn't have metal instrumental so make sure not to get confused on this! (see: tips)
  3. Appreciate Emo music. From Thursday to Jimmy Eat World, Weezer to Brand New, Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)[12] 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 Be 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
    • Screamo[13]
      • City of Caterpillar
      • Circle Takes The Square
      • Pg.99
      • Orchid
      • Pianos Become The Teeth
      • Mohinder
      • Funeral Diner
      • Heroin
      • Antioch Arrow
    • Post-emo indie rock[14]
      • Sunny Day Real Estate
      • Jawbreaker
      • Texas is the Reason
      • Hoover
      • Policy of 3
    • Emo pop
      • Jimmy Eat World[15]
      • The Promise Ring
      • The Get Up Kids[16]
      • My 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
  4. Tell the difference between emo and other subcultures. 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.[17] Scene is a mixture of several styles including emo, indie pop, rave and punk fashions.[18] 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 core[19] opposed to emo kids who listen to emo genres.
    • A subculture which emerged from the British postpunk 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[20], and the Batcave, a nightclub opened in 1982[21], the birth of the subculture.
  5. Develop a passion for different kinds of music. 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.
  6. Look to the bands for tips. 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.

Participating in Emo Culture

  1. Go to shows. 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.
  2. Cultivate a creative persona. 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.
  3. Consider picking up an instrument. 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.
  4. Read a lot. Emo is a subculture that prides itself on self-exploration, intelligence, and feeling.[22] 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

Tips

  • Don't become emo unless it's your true self. Find your own style and expand it.
  • Remember that being emo doesn't mean you must wear black. Emos, in fact, can often wear lighter colors.
  • Learn your terms and that emo isn't subjective. If you decide that "emo" is suddenly Twenty One Pilots because of their sad lyrical themes, someone else can decide that Nine Inch Nails are punk because they're loud and use fast dynamics. There's history behind these terms, and you have to learn about them rather than trying to make up your own definition.[23] Subcultures are based on unifying aspects and terms, so erasing them or making up your own don't make sense. This happens in the goth subculture a lot, but it stands for emo, too.[24]
  • Anyone of any religion can be emo. Don't get put off.
  • You may be subjected to negative criticisms by your non-emo friends and possibly the majority of society if they aren't emo, so just ignore them.
  • Don't confuse metalcore and deathcore bands as "screamo". This is a very common belief in the emo community, and most people don't even learn what skramz is. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Black Veil Brides, Asking Alexandria, Suicide Silence and Pierce The Veil can all be considered for the metalcore, deathcore or post hardcore genres. They are not screamo as these bands feature metal instrumentals, not punk instrumentals. However, there is nothing wrong with listening to these bands as an emo, just learn your genres and refrain from mislabelling them.
  • There is a genre called "screamo" which refers to the sub genre of emo, and then you have the screaming vocal technique which all different sorts of genres use. That's why people usually call any band which has screaming vocals "screamo" when it's the instrumental they really need to pay attention to to identify which genre they're part of.
  • If someone asks you if you cut yourself or are depressed, just ignore or deny it if you don't. If they asked you, chances are, their opinions are already made and your approval isn't going to change it much.
  • Don't feel like you have to wear a particular style of clothing or makeup to be considered "emo". No garment of clothing determines how emo you are as it's always been based on music.
  • If you're applying eyeliner, do not be afraid to apply to the inside of the lids and under the bottom lash-line.
  • When shopping, remember that you don't want anything that's too expensive. Emo really isn't about the clothing, you don't even have to go shopping to get what you need. Simple clothes are fine.
  • Layer your clothes. An example is wearing a long sleeved shirt under a band shirt, tank tops under a tee shirt, or leggings under ripped jeans. You probably should only wear layers in the winter, fall, and early spring. Hoodies are also really good for layering as well.
  • Don't feel forced to change if your friends are emo. Emo is all about being yourself and not being afraid of what others think.
  • You do not have to cut, torture, or harm yourself in anyway to become emo or even goth. Self harm is never good and it can hurt lots of people to see you hurt. Just try to stay quiet or sit down and relax on your own when you don't want to be disturbed. Try to look at least a little peaceful and not desperate by purpose.
  • You don't have to deny that you are Emo. This is a stereotype that, in all truth, only some Emos follow. In 2016 (or whenever you're reading) it is perfectly acceptable to outwardly tell people that you are Emo.
  • However, don't go around saying it to whoever makes eye contact with you. This is what poseurs do.
  • If you're going to be emo, you have to be confident in yourself.
  • When doing emo makeup, make sure you really get into your waterlines and don't shy away from a ton of mascara.
  • If you're going to be emo, make sure you have good friends that won't judge you.

Warnings

  • Some people (mostly online) will harass you for your style.
  • Emo is absolutely not about cutting yourself, anger or depression. It will not make you more emo. Emo doesn't mean self-harm; it means self expression. (If you or someone you love is in a crisis please call 1-800-SUICIDE)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.fourfa.com/fashion.htm
  2. ↑ http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/spring03/seawell/fashion.htm
  3. ↑ http://emo-fever.com/emo-clothing.htm
  4. ↑ https://www.soemo.co.uk/emo%20fashion.php
  5. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/style/emo-ma0000004447
  6. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/post-hardcore-a-definition-2803470
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.fourfa.com/history.htm
  8. ↑ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. New York City: Feral House. p. 157. ISBN 0-922915-71-7
  9. ↑ http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/11/18/245954581/a-rational-conversation-is-emo-back
  10. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/style/screamo-ma0000004448
  11. ↑ http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2006/nov/22/screamo-san-diegos-baby/#
  12. ↑ http://www.stereogum.com/1503252/
  13. ↑ http://sophiesfloorboard.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/screamo
  14. ↑ http://www.fourfa.com/styles/index.htm
  15. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20110903200539/http://www.allmusic.com:80/explore/style/emo-pop-d13770
  16. ↑ http://exclaim.ca/music/article/get_up_kids_prep_vinyl_reissues_of_eudora_on_wire
  17. ↑ http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/finding-emos-and-goths-moshers-and-scene-kids-1-2088198
  18. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20081226234749/http://www.absolutepunk.net:80/showthread.php?t=308135
  19. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/feb/25/emo-pop-tribes-mods-punks
  20. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide For Goths and Those Who Love Them, Am I a Goth?, p.9 ISBN 978-0061669163
  21. ↑ Roberts, C, Livingstone, H and Baxter-Wright, E, (2016), Goth: The Design, Art and Fashion of a Dark Subculture, Music, p.134 ISBN 978-1780978864
  22. ↑ http://wber.monroe.edu/EmoECYC.pdf
  23. ↑ http://www.fourfa.com/feedback.htm
  24. ↑ http://thegothicalice.tumblr.com/post/148950458874/the-problem-with-some-young-goths-and-the
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