What Is Grunged?

Grunge Fashion
The grunge fashion was somehow a rebellion against the starched yuppiedom of Seattle. There exists an unstated rule for the yuppies which says that you mustn't look town like a woodcutter if you want to be dressed properly, decently and smartly. So the denizens of Seattle's underground scene appropriated the torn jeans, bulky shoes and (often chequered) flannel shirts of Washington State's lumber country. But the grunge fashion was also a differentiation from some other musical style. The grungers grew their hair long as a reaction to the short haircut of the hardcore scene and to the clean-cut yuppies. But their clothes also distinguished the grungers from rock and heavy metal musicians with their expensive leather clothes and glamorous costumes. Rock and heavy metal musicians really fit in the image of the big stars.

The whole stardom is a kind of show for them. For grungers they are poseurs. The grunge musicians are just themselves and more anti-stars with their torn clothes. None of them ever really considered this a style but later this anti-style became a product of the fashion industry. Fashion magazines took up the way the grunge musicians dressed and created a special "grunge fashion". Designers like Calvin Klein used it in their shows and the once cheap grunge clothes became more and more expensive. Grunge fashion was exploited just like the music and the young fans bought these things because they were very trendy. Some more things from the grunge fashion are chain wallets, ripped cardigans, basketball hats (preferably worn backward) and Doc Martens.