Look Like a Rocker

Whether you need ideas for a costume, are going to be in a movie or play, or are looking for inspiration for a new look, dressing like a rocker will always give you a certain edge. Rock is a genre of music, but there's a particular look and lifestyle associated with it as well. There are many subgenres of rock, however, and each one has its own fashion, so if you want to look like a specific type of rocker, you may need to find an idol to provide inspiration for your style.

Steps

Choosing the Right Clothes

1. Find the right bottoms. Looking like a rocker is all about finding the right combination for an outfit, and a large part of that is picking a pair of bottoms—such as pants or skirts.
   • Jeans, especially ripped and worn ones, are an excellent choice for most rocker outfits, no matter what subgenre you're going for.
   • For a more indie or folk rock look, consider rolling up the cuff of the jeans by three to four inches.
   • For a younger and more modern rock look, consider skinny jeans instead of baggy, shapeless ones.
   • To achieve a punk rock look, try tight pleather (or leather) pants, a short plaid skirt, or plaid pants instead.
   • If it’s a glam rock look you want, consider leggings with an intricate pattern or tight vinyl pants. Glam rock style is usually much more costumed than other types of rock.
   • Unless you're going for a very specific look (AC/DC), avoid wearing shorts when you want to look like a rocker.
2. Choose a complementary shirt. The type of bottoms you picked and the subgenre you're going for will help dictate the style of shirt you wear. However, a solid T-shirt, especially in basic white or black, is a staple look for many rockers.
   • Classic rock or metal: go for a regular scoop-neck tee.
   • Modern, indie, or folk: consider a V-neck tee on its own or layered over top of a regular tee.
   • For many glam looks, the vest, blazer, or over shirt is more important than what's underneath, but for a good base, choose a T-shirt or tank top with an interesting design or eye-catching pattern.
   • For any type of rock, including punk, a concert T-shirt or tank top from a favorite band is always acceptable.
3. Choose something to wear over your shirt. This step isn't strictly necessary, but it can help define your look a little more. Popular types of over shirts include:
   • Flannel shirts, especially for a grunge look, open over your T-shirt. If you don’t want to wear the shirt, you can tie the arms around your hips or waist.
   • A modern twist on the classic flannel is to wear a fitted flannel shirt buttoned all the way.
   • Vests or blazers. If you're going to rock a vest, choose a fitted style and pair it with dark jeans or matching pants. For a blazer, choose something slim-fitting and unlined.
   • Cropped denim or pleather/leather jackets. This is popular for punk, metal, glam, grunge, and classic rock looks.
4. Embrace all things pleather or leather. Leather—and the more eco-conscious pleather—material is always an acceptable and popular choice for shirts, pants, dresses, shirts, or jackets in all rocker looks, and the use of it may be one of the most recognizable signs of the edginess associated with all rock genres.
   • Thrift stores are an excellent source of many rock style apparel items, especially leather clothing that’s been nicely broken in.

Accessorizing the Style

1. Get some rocker shoes or boots. The style of footwear you choose will be largely determined by the style you're going for.
   • Combat boots are a great choice for any tough rocker look that you're going for, as are boots, shoes, or sandals studded with metal accessories.
   • Dr. Martens are excellent for punk, metal, and grunge looks, and can be paired with regular or skinny jeans, shirts, or dresses.
   • Canvas shoes are great for a softer rock look, like indie, folk, or grunge.
   • Basic boots, dress shoes, and sneakers are fine for a classic rock look.
2. Find yourself a pair of sunglasses. Especially when mixed with leather and studs, nothing says rocker more than a cool pair of sunglasses, such as:
   • Ray Bans
   • Wayfarers
   • Aviators
3. Accessorize with a hat. Hats aren't strictly necessary for all looks, but they can complement certain rock styles. This includes toques and beanies for grunge looks, bowler hats for punk styles, cowboy hats for metal or classic looks, and basic baseball caps for modern rock.
4. Pick the right jewelry. The aesthetic of rock jewelry is to choose pieces that are daring, chunky, and usually metal or studded. This means large rings, bold necklaces, loud bracelets, and thick wrist cuffs.
5. Learn to do your makeup right. They key to rocker chic makeup is making it look like you don’t care that you’ve been out partying all night. This means dark smudged eye makeup, imperfect lipstick, and chunky mascara, if you're going to wear it.
6. Figure out what to do with your hair. Each subgenre of rock has its own hair styles, and some are more daring and noticeable than others. For a basic look, however, choose messy and unkempt hair.
   • To go punk, go colored or bleached and style your hair with spikes or a mohawk.
   • For a more modern rock look, try a modern mohawk style where the sides of your head are short or shaved and the hair on top is longer but slicked back rather than spiked up.

Tips

• For ideas about fashionable and trendy rock looks, go to lots of concerts and see what the band is wearing. You can always find an idol to model your own look after.
• Basic black v necks and slim fit jeans and boots are the on tour uniform for myself and any band I've been in while on the road-comfortable, still stylish, ripped jeans, worn enough for long drives and flights, sunglasses of your choice.

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