By | Ababa Lorde
Alternative fashion has been around for centuries, existing in many cultures around the world. When a society’s social standards have been established, some begin to defy those rules in various forms. Through music, fashion, and lifestyle, subcultures and countercultures are formed when people choose to rebel against mainstream norms and express their individuality and creativity. Punk, goth, emo, scene, gyaru, steampunk, and lolita are some examples of alternative subcultures.
Spanning the ‘90s and the early 2000s, the face of alternative fashion was always white. Many believe that to fit the aesthetic of alternative subcultures like punk and goth, you must have deathly pale skin and a thin body. However, the basis of counterculture is to reject societal conformity through fashion and music and is a statement of political dissatisfaction at its core. There is no skin color prerequisite.
Alternative Black people have long existed despite the pushback from many alt spaces and even the Black community. In recent years, thanks to social media, Black people have been able to express themselves and provide representation for younger Black alternative audiences. They have also used their platforms to speak out on prejudices and the lack of deserved recognition faced in their communities. In an interview with The Face, Willow Smith touched on her experience, “Black people created rock music. But we have been so indoctrinated, so conditioned to believe that we only thrive in certain categories of creativity and entertainment. And that’s just not OK.”
For so long, Black creatives have been put into a one-genre-fits-all box, and not only is this narrative harmful, but it’s also straight-up false. Rock’n’roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe originated pop gospel and popularized the electric guitar as early as the ‘30s; she was given the title of Godmother of Rock’n’roll. Other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-recognized musicians like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley were proponents of the genre in the ‘50s.
Today, artists like Rico Nasty, Bali Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Opium (record label), WILLOW, Nova Twins, Baby Storme, Bktherula, and Edith Victoria (lead singer of Meet Me At The Altar) are all prime examples of thriving alternative Black artists that have influenced the current cultural climate through their unique sounds and fashion. Below is a list of alt-Black influencers to follow on Instagram:
★ @aliyahsinterlude
★ @ashtonxxelon
★ @jandoras_box_boutique
★ @brainiactheartist
★ @maliciouscitrus
★ @dnayzja
★ @princekorli
★ @cinnagal
Sources
Ash. “The History of: Gyaru.” The COMM, 19 May 2022, the-comm.online/blog/the-history-of-gyaru/.
Hackel, Stu. “Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock’n’roll.” uDiscover Music, 20 Mar. 2023, www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/sister-rosetta-tharpe-rocknroll-pioneer/.
“The New Era of Alternative Black Girls.” RIVO MAGAZINE, rivomag.our.dmu.ac.uk/the-new-era-of-alternative-black-girls/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.
Ngwe, Glory. “The Black Girls Reclaiming Alternative Fashion.” CNN, 20 June 2023, www.cnn.com/style/the-black-girls-reclaiming-alternative-fashion/index.html.
Pometsey, Olive. “You Can’t Touch Willow Smith.” The Face, 8 July 2021, theface.com/music/willow-smith-interview-2021-lately-i-feel-everything-album-music.
Tamošaitis, Mantas. “The Evolution of Alternative Fashion.” DRIPCRIME, 3 Jan. 2023, dripcrime.com/blogs/news/the-evolution-of-alternative-fashion#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20alternative%20fashion%20is%20long%20and%20varied%2C%20with,all%20things%20dark%20and%20mysterious.
Wald, Gayle. “Sister Rosetta Tharpe.” Sister Rosetta Tharpe | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, www.rockhall.com/inductees/sister-rosetta-tharpe. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.
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