Indie Fashion

A key characteristic of clothing trends within the modern indie culture is focus on uniqueness and individuality,[2] which is often achieved by appealing to fashion trends associated with music from the 1970s (rock, punk and country) and the 1980s (New Wave). Common clothing items include band T-shirts (see Paul Maiorana), vintage clothing, striped tops, blazers, waistcoats, ties, cardigans, skinny jeans and Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. A somewhat counterintuitive result of this is that though individuality is prized, or at least vocally espoused, indie culture does have an identifiable look, making it less than truly individual and more like any other subculture. This is particularly evident in the case of the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes which has become the most successful brand of shoe in history, as a result of the make being prized for its "independent" style. Surprisingly, the increase in demand for "Chucks" has, as of late, driven up the market price for the once-inexpensive footwear.

Leading figures in indie fashion include George Cohen and Joseph Newman, two of the earliest indie influences. Brand labels are sometimes rejected as an exemplification of mainstream culture, and several small companies cater to the indie style, including Tourist Attraction and Artus.[3] American Apparel.[4] however, has broken this mold and is one of the few brand labels that is accepted amongst the indie culture. A few products favorited in the indie culture include low cut v-neck shirts, drain-pipe jeans, baby bill hats, lip, nose, and septum piercings, short cut-off jean shorts or short athletic shorts, cardigans, any sort of small slip-on shoe, and an emergence of early 90's culture such as bright neon shirts, hats and jeans have also become very popular. There are counterintuitive consequences here as well: though adherents to indie culture would criticize those who patronize mainstream retail outlets for spending too much on mass-produced items, the retailers that cater to indie culture tend to be at least as expensive, if not significantly more so. The clothing chain Urban Outfitters is one example.

Indie fashion has become popular on the highstreet as the subculture grows. Stores such as TopShop, Miss Selfridge and especially H&M stock more vintage inspired quirky pieces- that, ironically, wouldn't have necessarily sold so well 10 years ago.

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