Can we just talk abt the alt community right now? Like with especially the stores because WHY are we shopping at fast fashion companies for alt fashion? Like what happened to thrifting, vintage shopping and supporting small business? I’m not saying you’re not alt for shopping at major stores because everyone’s gonna do that, but I’m talking abt buying from Amazon (like a lot), shein, temu, etc. And also Hot topic just feels like it’s slipping into fast fashion. All the products are poorly made, they are major trend hoppers and basically the entire store is just merch at this point. It just seems less like a place for alternative people and more just a place for whatever’s popular right now.
Also another thing that just feels off abt the alt community is the standards. Like it feels like they’re constantly pushing you into a label and then mad when you aren’t good enough at it. Why are we genuinely gonna get slimed out for ourselves grunge when we’re actually emo? Or getting cyber bullied for saying you’re Y2k when you’re actually just scene? I get not wanting people to say something’s the wrong aesthetic but why can’t we just politely say “Hey just btw that style’s called punk, not goth , it’s ok a lot of people make that mistake” and we need to stop calling everyone a poser all the time because it now it just feels like you’re never doing enough. Like you meet all the “requirements” to be alt, but you don’t listen to enough alt music, you don’t wear enough alt jewelry, you don’t wear enough alt makeup, etc. And now you’re getting jumped for “claiming” to be alt, because ig you need to be pushing yourself so hard to be even accepted by the community.
I just wish we could go back to having fun and experimenting with less specific labels. I don’t say I’m a certain aesthetic anymore because I like not getting bullied.