The Indie Swag Era 2.0
Rihanna was preparing a Fenty x Puma comeback with her ambitious collaborations, it was only when she reintroduced the creeper as a ‘Phatty’ and I observed Gucci’s recent menswear show that it dawned on me that Indie sleeze and Swag fashion might be in for a new era, as I felt this shoe drew from both aesthetics.
If like me you have noticed some of the key elements from these fashion eras on TikTok and during the FW23 shows; my hunch is that it signifies another summer comeback aesthetic, post the saturation of the Y2K era we couldn’t l escape, perhaps even participated in.
“Both trends had a lot of similarities, being inspired by 80’s fashion and it’s DIY approach” — The Digital Fairy
Elements of indie sleaze dating back to the 1970s resurface periodically, yet circa 2008, the aesthetic was recognised as “indie” – and later in the 2010s, labeled as “hipsters”.
The trend is characterised by a gritty, retro-inspired aesthetic influenced by 1980’s punk rock and grunge culture. It incorporated skinny jeans, leather jackets, vintage band t-shirts, worn-out sneakers, and messy haircuts. This fashion statement embodies a rebellious and DIY attitude, rejecting mainstream fashion in favor of a more authentic and edgy look.
Swag fashion was Indie Sleaze’s fun little brother. Surging in popularity in the late 2000s and evolved in the 2010’s, thanks to the the likes of Soulja Boy and New Boys. It embraced streetwear staples of the time like TISA, OBEY or Sports club apparel/merch. The two aesthetics overlapped with both styles including snapbacks, skinny jeans, flannel shirts etc, making both styles easily accessible in the fast fashion market. I personally ordered a TISA snapback with my monthly allowance, borrowed my uncle’s Lakers jersey, and requested a pair of Jordan 4's for Christmas and was ready to go.
What was once known as “swag” underwent a linguistic shift in 2016 and became “drip.” Today, “indie sleaze” combines elements repurposed by Gen-Z. When Nicki Minaj channels her alter ego Red Ruby da Sleaze, we praised her for the delivery of her hardest song in years despite the words connotations, just another example of rappers reclaim words and reinvent existing terms to create respected art that should be recognised and highlighted.
Although the aesthetic will never again be worn in its entirety by the masses, Gen-Z TikTokers have began appropriating that culture. Rapper Tisakorean has payed homage to this iconic era with it being the theme of his last album ‘Let me update my status’. He incorporated the sound of that era, visually and stylistically.
The Hip-hop and Rock genres have a significant impact on fashion that is recognised but not examined thoroughly enough for me. Indie trends seamlessly blend into the 2024 quiet luxury movement, as with standout pieces from this style potentially becoming capsule wardrobe staples for the bold. Both aesthetics offer valuable inspiration, especially considering the current mundane marketing strategies adopted by luxury brands. People will focus on elevating their personal style by embracing, the individualistic approach (of all trends that had been circulating at once) of 2023.
