It’s official: Indie Sleaze is back. If you’ve been feeling like edge, grit, and carefree coolness has been missing in your wardrobe lately, this style is for you.
This unpolished aesthetic-born from the late 2000s music scene-is all about returning to the rebellious style of the pre-filtered internet era. Think of it as the forerunner of the “Brat Summer” aesthetic we saw earlier this year.
Nick Drewe, the trend expert at Wethrift, commented on the resurgence of this look and how you can incorporate a little Indie Sleaze into your life this autumn.
What is Indie Sleaze?
“At its core, Indie Sleaze is about rejecting the polished, filtered world we live in today.
“It’s a style that taps into a nostalgia for the simpler days of grainy photos, Myspace, and fashion that was thrown together rather than planned for weeks.
“The beauty of this style is that you don’t even need to buy anything new to achieve this look. Since Indie Sleaze places a strong emphasis on sustainability, we actually encourage thrifting, mismatching layers, and pulling pieces from the back of your wardrobe.
“This trend is all about expressing your individuality and letting your personality shine through.
“It’s a stark contrast from the polished looks that dominate social media today, and a trend I predict will eventually overtake the classic ‘influencer’ aesthetic.”
Indie Sleaze is rooted in the early 2000s music scene, drawing inspiration from the underground fashion and nightlife that were prominent at the time.
“The style was a staple amongst fans of the likes of The Strokes, Crystal Castles, and The Cure. It was derived from the indie and punk movements of the time that celebrated nonconformity.
This era of fashion was in direct opposition to the overly polished looks of mainstream Y2K pop icons like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé.
“In the late 2000s, the Indie Sleaze crowd was the cool, anti-pop culture alternative. People who embraced this look weren’t interested in designer labels. Instead, they gravitated towards vintage finds and style choices that defied the fashion norms of that era.
