Paridhi MaheshwariPop culture has led to many trends. Trends always find their way down to fashion as well. Alongside fashion, there is another very trendy topic: aesthetics. Be it your picture or house, you want it to be aesthetic. Similarly, indie outfits have become a large part of fashion aesthetics. If not outfit, You would have definitely heard Indie music. Music is independently made, not as a part of a major label.
That’s exactly what indie is. It is independence and individuality. Therefore, people usually try to bring out that aspect of their personality by dressing this way. The whole indie kid vibe is very retro and hippy. The topic of individuality is more centred around the choice these people make. People who like to dress indie don’t enjoy being mainstream. Therefore, being indie is just not an aesthetic or outfit. It is a lifestyle.
In addition, Indie is also often linked to rock and punk scenes because of the music. The Indie style is very focused on wearing handmade stuff instead of factory goods. The style is very comfy and affordable. Indie outfits have a very modern hipster vibe. There is no specific rule as to dressing indie. It is more about to do with you.
People often blur the lines between indie and hipster. Therefore, calling them the same or similar. That is not the case though. Indie has a vintage touch to it. On the other hand, hipsters are edgy and different. Both the subcultures are non-conformist and independent. But they have different lifestyles. Hipsters often want to keep starting their own trends and don’t wish to continue them once it gets mainstream. While people in the indie culture have a very non-corporate outlook on life. Therefore, both terms are often used synonymously but are very different.
Why are Indie Outfits Trending?
Indie outfits became a major trend during the pandemic. Tik-Tok really brought this aesthetic into popularity recently. Before that, indie came into the scene primarily due to the Internet culture. It has always been centred around art and societal issues like feminism and LGBTQ. Sites like Tumblr and Pinterest were the beginning points of this aesthetic. Mood boards along with a certain style of dressing.
Indie has become a sub-culture in itself. In addition, Gen-Z has made these outfits a trend. Indie clothing is generally thrifted or bought from second-hand stores. Indie fashion is also very genderless in nature. Absolutely anyone can pull off an indie outfit irrespective of any gender. There is one more trending term that you might have heard: “Main character energy”. Indie kids want to imbibe that energy. Be the main character of their narrative.
Indie aesthetics usually have very bold colours. Even the pictures they click have an aesthetic touch to them. Heavily saturated pictures with low contrast. Artwork is often appreciated through their pictures. It is visually loud along with close-ups of their look. Some also include meme-culture elements within. The look is culturally woke, inspired and still shows individuality. Indie look also has an influence on make-up. The heavy eye-liner with a lot of creative designs. The face look is also bright along with probably dyed hair.
The indie style is not just restricted to your hair, face and outfits. It is very much a part of creating an aesthetic. There are filters on Instagram along the lines of ‘Indie’ and ‘Indie kid’. People tend to click pictures in a certain set-up to make it look indie. Either with walls filled with pictures and illustrations or a picnic set-up.
How to Choose Indie Outfits
Indie outfits are often characterised by crop tops, tennis skirts and baggy jeans. Sneakers and Platform boots are the typical indie-based footwear choice. People who wear indie-inspired outfits prefer going for bold colours. There are also a lot of accessories involved. You may either wear a bucket hat or a bandana. A bucket hat has definitely become a major fashion trend in general.
Skinny jeans are slowly going out of fashion. Flared jeans have become a must-have now. Indie kids also like going for layers. Probably something like a t-shirt over a vest or oversized sweaters. Sunglasses, especially rectangle ones, could also be a part of your indie look. Put on some cut jewellery or headphones and you have your indie look. The indie outfits trend isn’t just restricted to the textile fashion elements. It also has to do with accessories. Handmade jewellery with bolder colours and various out-of-box designs.
Dressing indie is also dressing sustainably. Therefore, try choosing indie outfits from second-hand places. Re-use or upcycle your own clothes. Don’t let fast fashion influence your outfit choice. Also, avoid going for furry choices of anything animal-made. That is also an unsustainable choice. Indie kids were aware of such issues around them. This is shown through the choices they make.
While choosing your indie outfits, try to bring back the retro too. Find something old school or a vintage band tee and rock that looks. Finally, don’t stick to a certain stereotype. Indie is all about being yourself. Be Loud, bold and unapologetic about your fashion choices. If you want to mix and match several fashion choices to put up an outfit together, do it. These were the typical indie things that build a look though. Rest is your choice.
4 Best Indie Outfits For Younger Women
Here are some indie outfits that you might like to wear:
- Printed skirt
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This white lace trim crop top along with any printed skirt would look super chic. You could totally pull off either chunky white sneakers or platform boots with this look too. You could go heavy on jewellery too. Small and Cute earrings would look really aesthetic with this look.
- Sweatshirts
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Almost everyone craves to own at least one sweatshirt. Oversized sweatshirts are like the gen-z calls a “mood.” They look super aesthetic. You could pair them with any bottom and still rock the look. Giving them a collared touch makes it even more indie. Pleated skirts or baggy pants can go so well with this look. Imagine wearing a cross-body bag and white sneakers with this look.
- Crop Tops
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I think every girl owns a crop top. Indie kids more so. Crop tops can be worn anywhere and paired with any bottom. This cut-out crop top along with wide-legged jeans looks easy and comfy. The look is very easy on the jewellery but could be accessorised. Especially with necklaces or earrings. The baguette bag is also complementing the look really well.
- Varsity Jacket
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Varsity jacket-inspired looks always click. They look even better when worn with monochrome crop tops. You could wear a high-neck crop top along with a varsity jacket. Sneakers or vans really work well with such outfits. Going for funky earrings and a bucket hat would make this look even cuter.
4 Best Indie Outfits For Older Women
Indie outfits are all about inclusivity. These are a few looks which can be easily pulled off by older ladies too:
- Printed shirts
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Printed shirts are so in right now. Multicoloured and too many patterns are super trending. You could wear it over a tank top like a jacket too. These printed shirts with baggy pants are a very cool look. Several rings and funky bracelets could be good add-ons as well. A tote bag and a bucket hat are your typical indie kid look too.
- Vintage
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Oversized vintage tees along with mock neck sweaters within look beautiful. It just looks so comfortable. It is the perfect winter look. Put on some hoops and a pair of good vans. This is a very cool look and let no one tell you otherwise. These baggy tees also give off a very sweatshirt look.
- Sweater Vest
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These 20th-century-inspired sweater vests have made a massive comeback into the fashion scene. Wear them with a sleeved crop top along with flare jeans. These sweater vests look very cute when paired with tennis skirts too. The typical sunglasses and headphones are indeed a good way to accessorise this look.
- Checked shirts
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Checked shirts are timeless. They have never been out of trend. Pairing them with a white crop top underneath or even a cami white top is perfect. You could either wear it like a jacket or even tie it upfront. Sometimes, people button up only the last few buttons and tuck it in too.
7 Best Sites to Buy Indie Outfits
Buying second-hand is not just cost-effective. It helps extend a clothes lifecycle. It promotes sustainable fashion and helps save a lot of resources.
Indie outfits can only be called so when bought in second-hand stores. Here are some sites that you may like:
- Stuzo Clothing: This LA-based brand is a gender-free clothing company. Their products don’t conform to a specific gender. It is a typical indie clothing company with affordable pricing. Black, yellow and grey are their common colour pallets. This brand was created back in 2010 and sells everything from crop tops to snapbacks.
- FanFare: This 2018 brand is a sustainable fashion house. This brand upcycles clothes and reduces textile waste. They repurpose, reuse and recycle. The clothes they sell are handmade and ensure a circular system. Their collection also has a very vintage touch to it. Their painted jeans look amazing.
- The macron court project: This is another 2016-founded sustainable fashion startup. They use recycled fabric and avoid textile wastage at all costs. The company also uses strong colours, patterns and textures. Their reworked vintage blazers look really cool.
- Vinted: Vinted is a second-hand marketplace that sells already used clothes. It is an online thrift store which features several brands. It has over 37 million members worldwide and almost all its items are generally affordable.
- Poshmark: Poshmark is another second-hand marketplace where users can buy and sell. This website is not just restricted to fashion. It also has home goods and electronics.
- ThredUP: This is another online store where you can buy and sell second-hand fits. They believe in sustainable fashion and in a circular closet. This is an extremely credible thrift store to shop from!
- The RealReal: This is another online marketplace which believes in a circular economy. The only difference: it is for luxury goods.
FAQs:
What Clothes To Wear To Be Indie?
The indie style is very hipster and vintage influence. If you are specifically looking for indie-looking clothes. You should try wearing baggy or wide-legged jeans instead of skinny ones. Also, crop tops. If you are going for monochrome crop tops, try pairing them with something. You could pair them with a flannel-checked shirt. You could also pair them with puffer jackets or varsity jackets. They also look great with printed shirts.
Print is actually a cool part of being indie. Vintage or rock-band prints really work if you are planning to wear oversized shirts. Oversized sweatshirts also look pretty cool. If you like skirts, try going for pleated ones. When going indie, people also prefer wearing bright colours. Indie kids also prefer wearing layers.
While picking clothes to be indie, don’t forget to know where you are buying them from. You are not going to become an indie kid if you buy them from the mainstream factory-produced brands. You’ve got to handpick your stores or thrift them. These are some cloth choices you could pick from while styling yourself.
How Do You Dress An Aesthetic Indie?
Dressing an aesthetic indie is similar to dressing indie. It is all about the vibe you carry and how you accessorise the look. The add-ons are what make your look aesthetic. Anyone can wear a plain crop top with baggy jeans. How you add the indie touch matters. Bold colours, patterns, and prints really give the aesthetic vibe.
Bright make-up that compliments your outfit’s colour pallet also helps. Handmade jewellery is a very cute part of dressing indie. There are lots you can do with your look. Your aesthetic is eventually your personality. Therefore, your indie outfits must be able to showcase that individuality.
The more important thing while styling yourself is to feel like yourself. Being indie is staying away from trends. You should not be wearing something to conform to a particular group of people. That may be a specific gender or a specific group of friends. Being indie is also not “looking cool.” It is a stereotype that cool kids are automatically indie kids.
How Do I Style My Indie?
Styling an indie look is very simple. There are a lot of options one can go for. Are you wearing a simple white top? Throw on an oversized printed shirt. Try on a floral pleated skirt. If not a skirt, try wearing high-waisted wide-legged jeans. How about the high-top converse? You could even wear a cute bucket hat or beanie to cover your head. If you Don’t like that, go for a bandana.
You could also put on a pair of rectangle sunglasses and a shoulder bag. Don’t feel like wearing that crop top any longer? Just put on a hoodie or sweatshirt and you are good to go. Sweatshirts are so in trend right now. You find people wearing them in warm seasons too! Also, wearing oversized tees. These tees are very indie especially when they have heavy prints and vintage vibes.
Being indie is about being true to yourself. It is about being comfortable in a fashion which is sustainability sourced.
What Is The Indie Style Called?
The indie style is your blend of vintage and modern. It is bringing back the retro look in the most modern way possible. This style also places comfort as a priority. Primarily because it is all about showcasing your true self. Who doesn’t like to feel comfortable?
People often think that indie is only about being vintage. No. You are not an indie kid only if your dress is vintage. There is a lot more to it. Vintage is just a vibe that has had an influence on indie style. Indie kids or the ones who support this fashion choice are extremely woke too. They are radical and politically opinionated.
Indie outfits are not completely dependent on the style. Indie outfits also have to do with the source. You may be wearing the most simple outfit but if it is hand-designed, it makes for an indie outfit. Therefore, indie style does not come with a set of guidelines. It is a style which makes you take a step towards rethinking fashion. It makes you look for unique and handcrafted clothes. Indie in terms of fashion is to do with diversity and sustainability. It is to do with individualism and comfort.
What Does Indie Stand For?
Indie stands for independence and individuality and is essentially used while referring to a music genre which isn’t mainstream. Indie music is all about having your own sound and having full control over your music. Similarly, there are indie cloth designers. These designers handcraft their clothes and jewellery. Some of them also ensure sustainability in mind. Clothes which come from these designers are called indie outfits.
However, indie has its own sense of style too. It is often characterised as vintage and retro. Making an indie choice is all about being woke. It is about not going with the crowd but letting your personality speak its truth.
It is about being able to express yourself through fashion in the most creative way possible. You will find people wearing colourful clips and hairbands to do so too! You shouldn’t feel that “only small kids are supposed to be styled this way.” Thoughts like this look good on men or this looks good on teenagers should interrupt your mind. Indie is based on an individual. If you feel you can rock a fancy hair band on your short hair. Why not? If you think you can wear a man’s clothes and look way better than him? Why not?
In Conclusion
All in all, indie outfits are about having your main character moment. These are outfits that help bring out your main character’s energy. These outfits help you realise you can style yourself the way you wish to. If you have been wearing those skinny jeans just to fit in. Don’t. Your comfort matters! On the other hand, if you love wearing them and feel that’s you. Go ahead and do so. Wearing skinny jeans would not make you less indie.
The fashion scene is always changing. What was in trend yesterday might not be in trend today. Also, what was in trend years ago could again be a trend today. There are no rules and regulations as to how the fashion scene works. If Styles have defined generations, people have defined styles too. You may find Several people around you but only a few catch your eye. It is either their style or their personality which makes them stand out.
Indie is the fusion of both those elements. It is your personal unique style. Yes, it is your vintage and retro but it is also you.
Sustainability is a massive issue. It is highly underrated and misunderstood. We don’t realise so while making daily choices in life. The clothes you keep piling in your cupboard are making you destroy the world slowly. Therefore, thrift is so much in trend today. People are wanting to buy second-hand. They are wanting to slow down fast fashion. These sustainable choices go a long way. A huge amount of resources are wasted to make clothes. Indie outfits help in doing so!
Do you have an indie aesthetic too? Do you have any favourite websites where you buy your clothes from? Let us know in the comment section below!
