Scene style is a mix of punk rock, indie, and emo fashion that became popular in the early 2000s. Its exact origins are highly debated among those who consider themselves scene. Certain types of clothing and hairstyles are widely considered scene style, such as graphic t-shirts and bleached blonde hair with neon streaks. The purpose of scene style depends on who is asked. Some people believe it is only a fashion statement, while others believe being scene is a way of life. Like emo fashion, scene fashion gained quite a bit of popularity on the Internet.
Graphic t-shirts and skinny jeans are often considered scene clothing for both men and women. Leggings or tights are occasionally used in place of skinny jeans. In general, the clothing is bright and colorful and heavily accessorized. Most scene kids wear clothing that fits well or hugs the body; baggy clothing is generally not scene. Large hair clips, headbands, and ballet flats are popular among scene women.
Scene hair is incredibly varied in color, but the style is usually choppy with long side-swept bangs. Mens’ scene hair styles are normally similar to those of women, though sometimes shorter. Scene hair is heavily layered for a choppy look, with some people opting to cut their own hair to better achieve the uneven look. Both blonde and black are well-used base hair colors, but the dyed streaks can be of any color. Red, blonde on black, and black on blonde are commonly chosen.
Many people who opt to practice scene style do so because the fashion appeals to them. Others believe it is more of a lifestyle for those who love art and the music that influences scene style. Generally, these two groups of scene people strongly disagree on what scene actually is and might even look down on each other because of their difference in opinion. In addition, many scene people reject the idea that emo style can be scene or that it influences scene style at all, while others view emo style as a related fashion.
The Internet helped scene fashion blossom into a multi-country fad, especially on the social networking website Myspace™ where scene pictures were often posted. This sudden rise in popularity was not without backlash, however. Scene fashion was often openly mocked, made into Internet memes, and generally considered socially unacceptable among some groups. Emo fashion experienced a similar reaction when it first became popular.
