DIY Edgy Fashion Style: 9 hacks to transform ordinary clothes

When people want to be different, the catchword in fashion is ‘edgy’. An edgy style is an individualistic counter-fashion style. It is an amalgamation of different alternative fashion styles like modern goth, grunge, modern punk, etc. curated to your taste. Edgy fashion is first class at what it does –  giving you an edge and making you stand out.

Alternate fashion styles developed as counter-movements against the conventional, conformist, frivolous, and ostentatious aspects of high fashion styles, and as part of changes in the music, and ideological tastes of people. It gives you boldness, unconventional looks, and non-traditional aesthetics.

Check out these posts on Fashion style categories and Fashion subcultures

Though some elements of these subcultures can be seen in this fashion style it cannot be boxed into a particular alternate subculture. Because of this, there are many purists of these fashion subcultures who frown upon this style (some even hate it with a passion) because it is not based on an ideology like a protest against a social situation or love for a particular music genre; it is just a fashion style. No particular agenda, no deep thinking, just an expression of style. 

The main complaint of the purists of these subcultures are that everything is made-to-order, and commercialised. The spartan starkness of the alternate fashion is today replaced by branded clothes that pretend to be old and dilapidated, stark and basic.

With some DIY-hacks on your own old clothes, you can counter these arguments and still be edgy. So, here are those easy DIY fashion hacks that can be applied to transform ordinary clothes into edgy statement pieces.

DIY Edgy Fashion hacks

1. Adopt dark color in clothes, accessories, and makeup

Black or Dark colored clothes are favoured in place of colorful clothes. Keep aside your bright, multi patterned and multi colored clothes more suited for a boho style and pave way for a more stark wardrobe palette.

Black is the most used color in an edgy fashion style, followed by grey, other than the indigo of denim. This takes after the punk movement of the 1970s and the 1980s. 

2. Borrow clothes from elders

For tshirts and layers oversized rules.

5 . Add metal accessories and embellishments 

Silver colored metal eyelets, rivets, spikes are used to embellish jackets, jeans. Safety pins are used to hold clothes together. These metal studs, spikes,  create edgy and punk-inspired looks.

Leather chokers with metal parts, steel armlets are all favourites.

3. Make the clothes look old

The dilapidated down-on-your-luck look is the core of alternate fashion. Use distressing techniques to give a worn and rugged appearance to denim, t-shirts, or other fabrics for an edgier vibe.

Frayed edges, ripped holes, a controlled faded look (without the dull feel of old clothes) are all characteristic features.Learn different ways to make clothes look old here.

4. Cut up clothes and then patch them up

You can take your new clothes, cut it up and sew it back up again. You can add patches, lots of them – find patches which are dark in color as well as theme. You can use clothing patches that you have cut up from your fabric scraps or ones you can buy in stores.

5. Add mysterious and anarchistic slogans

The darker the better.

This can be added to your wardrobe as printing on t-shirts or as patches or even as jewelry. Use slogans like the following.

• Ignite Change.
• Embrace the Unknown
• Anarchy in the Soul, Revolution in the Heart
• Awaken the Rebel Within
• Break Free
• Power in the Unseen
• From the Shadows We Rise
• Realm of Chaos

6. Include dark, mysterious imagery

Skull icons

Symbols like skull, skeleton are an oft-repeated thing in edgy fashion.

7. Leather

A Biker’s leather jacket is an all time favourite. Get yourself thrifted leather pants or jackets or even vests.  

8. Skirts and Tights

Dark colored Plaid short skirts, paired with black tights are all time edgy fashion favourites. 

9. Boots

Everything goes with a pair of black boots.

These are some elements in my radar – you may have characteristic elements that you love that you can include in your style to suit your edgy fashion aesthetics

9. Jewelry

Get yourself chokers, chunky boots, or statement jewelry.

Related posts : History of fashion ; Fashion design lines

Read more on Alternative aesthetic styles : Gothic fashion style; Streetwear; Hip hop style of clothing; Grunge fashion; Hippie fashion. ; Punk style in fashion