Skater chic

When there was Brittany, there also was Avril.

The fashion of 2000s was rich in variety and diverse in expression. While a few girls embraced their feminine style with pink outfits and delicate accessories, another group of girls existed who embraced men's style in general. This trend was known to be anti-Britanny or Skater chic.

The style icon of Skater Chic was none other than one of the biggest stars of 2000s Avril Lavigne. Jeans, graphic printed tshirt, tomboyish style, necktie-and-tank-top combination, baggy clothes, skater shoes, wristbands was the typical outfit for skater chic. The aesthetic of Skater chic would stay away from glitters and gloss, it would embrace a rugged and gritty image. The skater chic felt real and grounded. It was rebellious and challenging the stereotypes of 'damsel in distress' or 'pretty princess'. Sometimes this aesthetic would also invove gothic themes, where along with the skater chic outfits, dark eye makeup was applied. Sometimes skater chic attire would be in complete black that would look moody and dark. Sometimes these outfits would have vibrant colors. In short, skater chic style was open for interpretation and modifications. One can make any changes to the style as per their identity, expression, and liking. That is why it felt true to the character. While it did not remain confined to the just outfits, but it was deep down in the personality too.

As a teenager I loved the skater chic style. Most of my teen years and early 20s I used to dress up as skater chic outfits. They were comfortable and nnot pretentious, was what I felt. I felt skater chic closer to my own identity than the feminine clothing that was popular during that time. Also the clothing was far more comfortable for moving while the other clothes (eg, jeans, skirts) would be uncomfortable or inconvenient. The look was not staged for a runway, it was earned through the lifestyle. The confidence came from how the clothes moved, making comfort look superior to rigid tailoring. It thrived on function, not trends. Rebellion became the blueprint without asking permission. A culture built on rejecting mainstream validation shaped contemporary fashion precisely because it never tried to influence it.

Somehow skater chic aesthetic slowly faded towards the end of 2000s. In 2010s, this trend of skater chic was replaced with boyfriend fit clothing.

But even today, I crave for the skater outfits. To me it was how fashion was adoptive back then. It began in skateparks as utilitarian need and grew into a fashion revolution. The sport led luxury brands rushing to tap into the raw, rebellious energy of skateboarding style. This fashion cared little about traditional fashion demographics. This style did not want to dress to impress, rather it moved, creating a raw, fluid, and intentionally unpolished aesthetic. There was no specific demographic for this fashion and all were welcomed.

To me it felt like a style that wanted to embrace every individual, rather than a specific group of people. This was the kind of style that felt inclusive. Hence, I wish that the style of skater chic returns.