Dyed hair, band tees, girlish dresses, thrifted items, punk music, and no tolerance for bigotry. Depending on your age and influences you could either be thinking about alternative trends today or the early ‘90s Riot Grrrl movement. Both share similarities and differences, however, the movement of feminist punk bands and alternative styles has made a resurgence due to the political climate and popularity of youth activism today.

For context, the Riot Grrrl movement started in the early 90s in the Pacific Northwest when punk music was a white male-dominated music genre. Female punk was already established in the late 70s-80s with artists like Joan Jett and X-Ray Specs, but women in independent punk bands decided to take a ‘do it yourself’ route by not only producing music but by also creating fanzines— zines created by nonprofessional enthusiasts of certain topics. Zines are not only fun projects, but these specific zines helped unify women from all over. It created a safe space for women to talk about taboo subjects like sexual assault, the patriarchy, and women’s issues. 

The Riot Grrrl movement’s politics were anti-racist, anti-sexist, antihomophobic, antirape culture, and anticapitalist, as shown in drawings of women armed with guns defying the patriarchy in zines. Controversial song titles also emerged like “Dead Men Don’t Rape” by 7 Year Bitch and “Rebel Girl” by Bikini Kill. The Riot Grrrl manifesto, written by Kathleen Hanna in ‘BIKINI KILL FANZINE 2,’ declares, “I believe with my wholeheartmindbody that girls constitute a revolutionary soul force that can and will change the world for real.” Despite the big criticisms of the Riot Grrrl movement lacking racial diversity, the Riot Grrrl’s message embraces individuality among women, much like today with the #Metoo movement. There’s still a prevailing message of women having a platform to express their pain and frustrations of a patriarchal society that wants to keep them silent. 

So what does this have to do with style? Well, the Riot Grrrl movement used aesthetics to convey their messages. In a simple Google search you can find images of Kathleen Hanna, frontwoman of the most iconic Riot Grrrl band, Bikini Kill, with dyed black hair and wearing a plaid bra with the word “slut” written on her stomach or a red aline dress with the phrase “Kill Me” in white letters. You see Courtney Love, lead singer of Hole in a classic red lip and frilly girly dresses. Riot Grrrl zines and fanzines were also covered in symbols and messages of their politics as well as aesthetics.

The Riot Grrrl movement paved the way for women to enter the independent punk world, but also influenced a culture of alternative fashion and values today. Many of those trends from the ‘90s we see today in alternative intersections. Today’s “E-Girl,” for example, is a subculture that has gained in popularity since the viral explosion of the Chinese app “Tik Tok”. The trademark excessive blush and high knee socks resemble the “Kinderwhore” trend that was popularized by Cortney Love. Riot Grrrls used a combination of grunge and lolita style to defy the “good girl” look, set to raunchy, angry music they sang on stage. 

Trends of dyed hair and baggy clothes could be traced to the streetwear of the 90s, but Riot Grrrls created a subculture. With low funds and independence inspired by the movement, Riot Grrrl got creative and take a DIY approach to pretty much everything. Girls taking the style into their own hands by upcycling and thrifting is in total Riot Grrrl spirit.

The female punk subculture is still well and alive. Women today in the punk scene don’t necessarily follow the same style, but have incorporated much of a vintage classic of the late ‘90s. The styles are still deviating from the male gaze, and can range from hyperfeminine to total androgyny. Many of the same messages in female punk bands reflect those of the Riot Grrrl movement, with more relevance to today’s social issues, such as LGBTQIA+ rights and Black Lives Matter. Same tune, different lyrics. The pro-feminist trends are still as popular as they were back then.

The idea of subverting the male gaze into a rebellious, shocking explosion of anger and oppression is still alive in music as well as art, essays, and clothing. Alternative style and values are trending now in our current political climate. From pussy hats to baggy jeans, women, and girls, dressing how they want is punk rock.