Fashion Talk - Observations about the evolution of my personal style

Doesn't it feel like "alt" is losing meaning lately? I've been into alt fashion for ages, and I noticed that people tend to use the term to refer to goth/punk/emo styles exclusively. Kinda reminds me of how "harajuku" is used to refer to a handful of japanese alt styles, even though it's an umbrella term for alternative fashion in the harajuku district.

Anyway, I've been alternative for a while. But clearly not in the way most people expect. I wear a lot of colors, mostly cutesy stuff, which is not what's commonly associated with alternative fashion. But like, come on, how many people in miniskirts with bows and cute bright colors do you see walking down the street? Alt just means "alternative to the ordinary", I consider myself as alternative as my goth friends.

However, I've always struggled to find a specific subculture to fall into. It should be noted: I don't like to stick to subcultures, I find them limiting and I'm too complex of a person to stick to one particular subculture. However it's easier to know the name of what you're aiming for when you're looking for inspiration.

Needless to say my style is always evolving, but lately I've been aiming for a mix of Y2K/coquette/whatever Fran Fine in The Nanny has going on.

I find that "coquette" has associations with annoying tiktok trends for me, but I try not to let trends throw me off from wanting to get certain styles. I like coquette fashion! It's cute, and it's making me love the color pink a lot. I used to be one of those girls who hated pink as a kid, and now I turned out to be a boy who dresses like a barbie. It's interesting how things change, huh?

I get most of my clothes from independent stores; be it handmade stuff, thrift stores, flea markets, or clothes my friends decide they don't need anymore. The only brand new stuff I get are shoes or jackets, mostly because I need them to last. Getting cheap shoes that break in a week is worse than spending a lot of money once on a good pair of boots, at least for me.

I guess I also have a small shopping addiction for this stuff... but it's small businesses, so it doesn't count, right?

I am in the process of renewing my closet, which is to say giving away the clothes I don't wear and replacing them with things I actually like. I do this every once in a while, I guess because not having a stable style makes it so I stop wearing certain stuff after a couple of months. I guess I'll either give them away, sell them, or alter them to fit my current style? I'll see.

I guess I also should mention that, while I'm trying to base my style on coquette/y2k fashion, I'm trying not to limit myself to that, so I'm calling what I got going on "Nanny Fine hyperfemme". Catchy, isn't it?