The Evolution of Grunge in the fashion world - Research Paper Example

Having no money, young people bought clothes on the thrifts and gradually invented so-called “grunge fashion”. Immensely effected by success of such grunge groups as Nirvana or Pearl Jam, many youngsters also organized local bands and played their own “loud and guitar-based” music. Finally, it was also about heroine which became cheap and affordable. All grunge musicians were heroine addicts and, therefore, popularized its usage among their followers. Later it will be utilized in the purpose of fashion trend known as “heroine chic”.

Grunge subculture existed from the end of 80s till the beginning of 90s. However, within such a short period of time it made a great impact on the future fashion trends and peoples outlook. Grunge was considered rather controversial phenomenon. Originally, grunge fashion was referred as anti-fashion. However, many critics believed that it was neither fashion, nor anti-fashion, but so-called “non-, or un-fashion” (Grindstaff, 2014). As for its status as subculture, some also acknowledged that it was rather debatable: “People who listened to grunge music did not refer to themselves as “grungers” in the same way as “punks” or “hippies” (Price, 2010).

Nevertheless, the crucial issue for this paper is mainly grunge style in clothing so further the main grunge tendencies will be analyzed and described. The word “grunge” means “dirt, filth, trash” (Martin, 1992). As a term to call new Pacific Northwest sound, it was first used by independent record label Sub Pop in 1980s. Jonathan Poneman, a Sub Pop founder described grunge music as the following: “It could have been sludge, grime, crud, any word like that”.The group provided cheap recording service for local Seattle bands.

Grunge, or Seattle sound, was a “mix of heavy-metal, punk, and good old-fashioned rock and roll” (Grindstaff, 2014).