Honestly just ignore this post this is just a big yap session to myself.
You know I think I found out the reason as to why I sometimes feel conflicted, annoyed, and turned away from people who dress similar to me.
So this post is going to be a bit all over the place and most likely worded poorly, take everything here with a grain of salt and nuance. This is a bit of word/thought vomit so don't take this as gospel of my ideas - as I'm still trying to figure out what exactly it is I'm trying to say as well.
So recently I came across a video talking about people trying to have a "natural alternative" vibe. And I think that's really what pinpointed the reason behind my feelings. Cuz sometimes I'll see someone dressing similar to what I do. They'll have on graphic t's, have colorations, have kandi, collars, chains, chokers, dyed hair, tail or hanging charms etc. And yeah this is a typical genre of alternative clothing, I'm in no way thinking I made It or I own it or anything. But sometimes I'll see someone wearing the same style and I'll feel annoyed? Embarrassed? Like I want to take off my things and not be associated. Which is a weird thing because I like the outfits so why do I feel this way?
I've also felt similarly within the therian culture. I'll do something on my own, be happy, want other people to be happy, but then I may see someone else and I really want to stop what I'm doing.
For the therian thing I just correlated it to how young-centered it is because of social media and what gets views. Ergo I'm an adult and I don't want to be lumped in with children.
I still think that that's true in some way because typically it's younger individuals who I will see wearing the same stuff and I'll feel the same way as well, but that's not nearly as frequent with someone older than I am.
However I think the real reason for my separation feeling is because of the meaning of the attire and culture has changed. (For both).
See dressing alternative was..well..alternative. it wasn't normal. You got weird looks. You were different, you turned heads whether for better or for worse. And even though there were many genres, styles, and especially stereotypes regarding alt people (emos all have black straight hair and fringes.) There wasn't exactly one or a correct way to be alt. I mean back in the 2000s if you wore black skinny jeans and a darker top you were considered alt. And sure people found their footing into their own communities, but it wasn't required. And really being alt back then was like "the loser table" it wasn't really cool, so if you were alt that was because you wanted to be it.
Fast forward to now and even though things are similar in terms of having their own styles and doing what they want etc. Alternative has become...mainstream? But not in the way of "you have more freedom of expression to do what you want." But more in the way of "marketing alternative fashion in a specific way."
Wait hold on I think I'm onto something here. Is the issue capitalism? Is the issue here of taking a "out group" and now making it into the "in group" but sanitizing it down and separating the huge "out group" into tiny neat organized but most importantly, marketable boxes, so that if you want to be a part of the "out- in group, you have to fit every criteria?"
Because like. Wtf is even naturally alt. Why are people taking the thing of "we are all weird and no one needs boxes" into "Well actually every thing is it's own box and if you don't fit the mold perfectly then you can't say you're xyz." I've seen tutorials on how to dress x. What outfit you need as y. And it just links back to the same fast fashion outfit exactly.
I'm frustrated because when I am doing something for my own sake, my own fun, my own personality, but everyone else is turning it into a fast perfect trend mold - suddenly I can't tell who is with me and who would throw me under the moment my lifestyle doesn't become cool anymore.
