I’ve always been drawn to alternative fashion, even before I could explain why. Starting the “I am alt.” project helped me understand that pull.
The alt community has, in many ways, raised me and saved the child inside me. Growing up, I was labeled “weird” for my thoughts and opinions. I rarely felt accepted and often felt treated as less than human by “normies” who rejected my ideas and by some new-wave alternative scenes who judge people by clothing rather than values.
Do my clothes make my identity? That question haunts me: am I alt enough? I still wonder whether I look alt enough, but deep down I feel that I belong. I needed that confirmation because, for a long time, this was the only place where I felt safe.
Through interviews and by unpacking what “alternative” truly means, I found the confirmation I’d been seeking. My radical stances on war, inclusivity, politics, and sustainability mirror the political edge of fashion itself. Fashion IS political, but so are my thoughts.
Therefore, I am alt.
I’m frustrated that fast fashion has turned alternative styles into seasonal trends, erasing their original meanings. Many alternative fashions began as visible dissent and community signals for those excluded by mainstream culture. Treating clothing as disposable commodities undermines personal style.
Changing looks every season without understanding or owning them makes appearance insincere. Alternative style shouldn’t be something you “take off” when convenient—small choices (an accessory, detail, or color) can carry commitment into daily life and work. True alternative style is lived, not just worn briefly.
