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Emo is a slang term used to describe a range of fashion styles and attitudes somewhat affiliated with emo music and its related scene. As an adjective, emo can describe a style of fashion or music; or a general state of unhappiness or melancholy (as in to "feel emo"). Emo is also used as a noun, often pejoratively, to identify a member of the "emo scene" or someone viewed as fitting the "emo" stereotype.
History
Origins
Main article: Emo (music)For more than a decade, the term emo was used almost exclusively to describe the genre of music that spawned from the 1980s DC scene and the bands inspired by it; however, during the late 1990s, as emo music began to emerge into popular consciousness, the term began to be used as a broader reference than its prior music denotation.
The origin of the word emo itself is unclear. In a 1985 interview by Rites of Spring in Flipside, members of the band noted that some of their fans in DC were starting to call them "emo," arguably because of the state of emotion that the band displayed during their shows. In later years, the word emo was viewed as a contraction of "emotional hardcore" or "emocore," which was the popular designation of the music genre.
A younger contingent argues that emo is a contraction for "emotive hardcore;" however, no primary source demonstrates the use of that term prior to the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, numerous sources cite the use of "emotional hardcore," dating back to the mid-to-late 1980s.
In recent years, as its use has come to define more than just the music, the word emo has often been viewed as short for "emotional."
2000s
Bands like Dashboard Confessional began to popularize a more dramatic and personal style of "emo," which used lyrics that had a far greater appeal amongst teenagers experiencing life and love for the first time. As the lyrical content shifted and the genre began to enter the mainstream, the term "emo" started to be used more often to describe what was perceived by those outside the scene as the overwrought melodrama of the music. The perception was that melodrama was feigned; an effort to display depression or dysfunction where it did not actually exist. Popular comments such as "don't be so emo" and "cheer up, emo kid" expressed the belief among detractors that fans of emo music took themselves too seriously.
As major labels began categorising more diverse bands under the "emo" label, varying styles of music and dress began to be conflated as well. The style of bands like My Chemical Romance and Panic! at the Disco, for example, began to be associated with emo despite the fact the bands specifically denounce the term emo to describe their music.
Fashion and culture
There are two popular forms of dress that are considered emo. The first is essentially derived from the 1990s "indie emo" scene and has connections to indie rock, and punk rock. It includes more vintage and thrift store clothing, typically for a well-worn look. Some of the clothing leans toward khaki colors. T-shirts are typically of smaller sizes and with various prints-- often with images from the punk culture. The favored backpacks, messenger bags, often have pins and patches of various bands. In general, a lot of the clothing features various bands and artists.
The other popular style of dress focuses on darker colors, and is more influenced by Goth fashion. Common to the emo stereotype is straight, dark colored hair (either black, red, or multi-colored ) which covers one eye (or the entire face). Males are pictured wearing pants tailored for females with a punk-rock style studded belt. lip, eyebrow, and labret piercings are common throughout the style. Dark make-up (most notably black eyeliner, although red and pink eyeshadow is becoming increasingly popular) is present on both girls and boys. A common accessory for both males and females is glasses with a dark coloured (usually black), thick rim-- a style even sometimes worn by people not requiring corrective eye-wear. Wristbands, usually black, but in other various colors are also popular as well as other items adorning the wrist, such as studded bracelets. Another increasingly popular accessory is sweatbands or arm socks, often sporting band logos.
Converse All-Star shoes are common amongst both styles of dress, as are Vans and other skate shoe brands.
While "emo" is often used to describe the dress and attitudes of fans of emo music, "emo" as a musical genre and "emo" as a slang term are largely separate; "emo" as a musical genre long pre-dated the use of "emo" as a slang term. At the same time, most current bands are labeled "emo" unwillingly, largely because they share some of the fashion trends and attitudes associated with "emo" as a slang term.
There is also a common stereotype that associates "emo" with self-harm, most notably cutting wrists, partly due to song lyrics associated with "emo" bands, which often speak of acts of self-destruction; however, apart from the anecdotal, there is no significant evidence of any correlation between emo and self-harm.
Alternative uses
The term "emo" has also been used in recent years on the Internet as a form of insult, especially toward those who appear emotionally unstable, or those who talk about issues in their personal lives to people in public forums or chat rooms.
Similar to popular profanity, it tends to be used as a general insult even when it is not directly applicable. Phrases such as "cheer up, emo kid" are used frequently as a quick brush-off in this context. Some people use the term "emo" to describe a feeling of depression, alluding to the association of depression with the "emo" subculture. As a result, individual definitions of emo vary greatly, and consensus on a single definition is difficult if not impossible.