Surely you met guys and girls, or even teenagers, dressed in strange black and pink clothes, with numerous piercings, with black, often dyed hair and long oblique bangs on the streets of big cities. They are called emo. Often these young people are confused with other subcultures (primarily with the Goths), ridiculed. And in some countries they are even persecuted. Many people unknowingly believe that emo is just a style of clothing: torn tights, thick makeup, funny baubles on a patchwork bag over his shoulder.
Others believe that these guys like to gather in cemeteries and read tearful poems about death, which is a phenomenon close to decadence of the beginning of the twentieth century. There are those who identify these difficult teens as the first suicide candidates. So who are emo? How did they arise, how do they differ from representatives of other related subcultures? Read all about them in this article.
History of occurrence
If you asked who emo were in the 1980s, most of the inhabitants of our planet would shrug their shoulders in perplexity, and the inhabitants of the District of Columbia (USA) would answer you that they are fans of a certain musical style. Indeed, the spiritual ancestors of modern girls and boys with slanting bangs were called punks. They also listened to hard rock, adorned their body with tattoos and piercings, and had a predilection for “noose” on their neck. But the musical direction of the emo core, spun off from punk rock, was too peculiar, specific. And the fans of these two styles professed different foundations of life, felt the world in a completely different way, to be different. And therefore, in the style of clothes, slender young men with black hair began to move away from the inflated guys shaved to zero. A little later, their isolation from the environment is ready.
Attitude
With the heyday of the new subculture and its penetration into the countries of the Old World, many people became interested in those who are emo. The main distinguishing feature of the adherents of this youth movement is expressiveness, a vivid and undisguised expression of their feelings. Therefore, among the masses far from subcultures, there is an opinion that emo are tearful, difficult teenagers who do not want to grow up, prone to depression and even suicide. Yes, the romanticization of death is present for them, however, in the same way as for the Goths. But what gave the name to the flow is called not a suicide thirst, but a desire to express emotions - anyway, sad, or funny. It’s just that our world gives more reasons to cry than laugh … They call themselves emo kid (from the English words emotional and kid (child), thereby emphasizing their desire to remain childishly direct, the refusal to wear social masks that society imposes on people.
Emo core music
Of course, a certain ideology, lifestyle and attitude determines the subculture, but do not forget that it was born in the bowels of music lovers. The first creators of emo-core were punks from Washington, who brought some harmony and musicality to the mainstream cacophony. In the following years, the musical style was influenced by such movements as grunge and Hindi rock. Lyrics of songs of emo-core are lyrical, and their performance is excessive emotionality, expansiveness. Long ballads are mainly dedicated to unrequited love, a broken heart, longing and suffering. Singers should have a high and strong voice, capable of abruptly switching from a whisper to a squeal. Modern emo style in music has split into several trends. One of them is the classic core, close to hard rock, but softened by lyrical notes. Vaolens (from violence, violence) is distinguished by cruel texts splashing out aggression. Emo punk is not without fun and self-irony. But screamo is hard to endure for unprepared people, but this style also has its fans.
Famous emo bands
Many musical groups that emo are worshiped all over the world, deny belonging to this subculture or use different styles in their work. The most popular in Russia is the German group Tokio Hotel. Her album “Room 483” has received platinum status from us. The musicians of “Fall Out Boy” call themselves pop punk, although experts consider their work a classic emo style. In the compositions of “30 Seconds To Mars” the alternative, space and prog rock merged together. Since the early 2000s, various emo groups have appeared in Russia. Monalisa is very popular. She appeared in Moscow in 2001 under the original name "The Day After Tomorrow", and six months later she gave her first solo concert. Also, one cannot ignore the “Ocean of My Hope”, whose album “What You Won't Know About” is very popular.
Subculture Varieties
Emo is, first of all, a lifestyle. It is not necessary to dress in black and wear a long bang of the color of the black wing to belong to this subculture. For example, tru-emo (from English tru - real), who consider themselves to be true spokesmen for the views and life positions of this youth movement, dress in checkered retro-style clothing. They also listen to music only on vinyl records, bobbin and cassette recorders. "Real emo" do not smoke and do not drink alcohol, drug addicts. The entire youth movement is characterized by vegetarianism and even veganism. New emos - with black hair, long bangs hanging to the tip of the nose, wristbands and piercings - are very recognizable.
Image
A special feature of this subculture that distinguishes it from the Goths is clothing. An emo boy often wears a tight T-shirt and black or dark blue jeans, with patches and holes. A bag is thrown over his shoulder, like a postman, where badges and emblems are densely attached. The emo girl is decorated with a black short skirt, from under which torn tights stick out. Plush toys are attached to the backpack or bag, with which the hostess rips open the bellies, and then sews them with harsh threads. Representatives of both sexes are given out by a belt - black or pink - with chains, a huge badge. T-shirts adorn either the names of musical groups or very characteristic prints: broken hearts, crossed pistols, other cemetery paraphernalia. Wristbands, stern collars and piercings (on the left nostril, as well as lips, eyebrows and nose bridge) complete the look.
Emo makeup
Both girls and boys who adhere to this style apply white powder on their faces to emphasize the contrast with black hair. Lips are painted with flesh-colored lipstick. Eyes they densely fail with a dark pencil. Emo kiddies coat black nails. Everything in their appearance should speak of a gloomy rejection of this cruel world, of their own resentment and defenselessness. Emo makeup creates a certain image - a cute vulnerable child, whom you so want to protect. On the bloodless-pale face (this effect is achieved with the help of a light foundation and white powder), eyes stand out. The upper eyelid is painted with a pencil, the lower eyeliner. Generously apply shadows and blend them. Ink is passed on the eyelashes twice. Lipstick in emo makeup (as opposed to ready) should be light pastel colors.
Hairstyle
Representatives of this subculture are distinguished by a long oblique, bangs completely covering one eye. Emo for haircuts go to specialized salons, since it is necessary to thin the ends of the hair with a razor, to make the hair as if prickly. Owners of wavy curls should first align the strands with an iron. Emo hair is dyed black or dark red. Girls often wear a lot of accessories - bows, bright hairpins, elastic bands. They often braid the ends of the hair into ponytails or pigtails. With the help of varnish or wax, emo fix the short hair on the top so that they stand upright.
