There were many subtle signs to spot a rocker girl out in the crowd and those are: the hair, music, make-up and fashion sense. If you want to re-create the incredible Courtney Love look, follow these steps below!
The most important thing to remember when trying to recreate the soft grunge girl look is the music. Bands like Mudhoney, Nirvana and Soundgarden create grunge and there's nowhere better to draw inspiration from! Look to these idols, they will teach you so many things about anarchy, corrupt capitalism, ideology, individualism and love. Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love are the epitome of both grunge music and fashion. Baggy Jumpers, big boots and messy hair was the ultimate grunge style goal.
Speaking of messy hair, for the soft grunge aesthetic - it's super important not to put too much thought into it. Don't put any heat on your hair, just leave it natural or plait it to create a soft wave. Soft grunge isn't as greasy as it used to be in the 90's, but it's all about looking casual. Sort of like, leaving the house creating that 'I woke up like this' kind of eel to your look. If you're stuck for ideas, I've linked a few examples below to get you started, as well as some tips on how to achieve the hairstyles too!
Grab yourself a good voluminous mousse or sea salt spray to begin with. Then simply throw your head upside down and massage the product through. Alternately, you can get a few ragged pieces of cloth and twist your hair into them and then knot the fabric to leave overnight. This will leave you with a beautifully soft curl that looks and is completely natural! The picture below will link you to a great tutorial in case you're unsure.
Now this look is great if you don;t have time to wash your hair in the morning and need a quick, cute up do. Tease your hair from the roots to add volume and then place your hair in a pigtail. Once you've done this simply twist your pony tail around into a messy bun and place some bobby pins/clips to keep it secure. I would suggest keeping your bangs or a few strands of hair out at the front to add a causal flair.
Make-up is a good way to add a bit of sass to your aesthetic, if that's what you're going for. Whether you wear a lot of make-up or not, the soft grunge girl look is still very much achievable . Before you begin, I would advise you to get a good kohl eyeliner and a bright colored lipstick of your preference.
My favorite look is, keeping your skin natural, focusing on the eyes and lips to really make you pop. Start by lining your bottom waterline near your lashes with a good black kohl/pencil eyeliner. Once you've done this, close your eye and repeat on the top of your eyelid near the lash line. Go higher and work your way towards the brow line if you want a more dramatic look. Finish by adding mascara to the top lashes.
Pull this look together by simply applying the lipstick to the bottom lip and then rubbing your lips together. This way, you'll achieve a shabby-chic look as the lipstick will not distribute perfectly evenly.
Most importantly, the last step to achieving the perfect soft grunge style is the clothing. Add a few of these essential items to your wardrobe. No look can even begin to feel grunge without some vintage inspired torn jeans and a plaid shirt/skirt of some kind.
By pairing these jeans and shirt combo below, you can create a casual grunge look, suitable for everyday situations. An iconic and androgynous pairing, this outfit would look good on anybody - emphasizing the comfortable aspect of grunge fashion.
Alternately, you may want to create a more perfected grunge look, possibly for an occasion or date. If this is the case, opting for a jumpsuit is the perfect idea. Not too tight or revealing, however, it does show some leg and is pretty badass too.
Like the photo above shows, in the 90's, denim overalls, oversized jumpers, fishnets and combat boots were all the range too. Pairing these key items together will create a soft but edgy look - making your grunge roots easily identifiable.
Hopefully this article has inspired you to go 90's and get the grunge look! For more info on the grunge culture and aesthetics - check out our blog at The Black Ravens official page.