postapocalyptic fashion
Blame it on recently watching the 2nd and 3rd Matrix films (both bad, but especially the 3rd, which was downright painful) but I’m strangely attracted to postapocalyptic style right now. Think Tank Girl, Charlize with her head shaved in Mad Max, etc.
I haven’t gone on an internet deep dive yet, but some themes seem to be:
Ripped, destructed, destroyed fabrics - holes galore
Combat boots - you know, the ankle kind with a flat sole and some chunky buckles (NO HEELS. Heels have no place in the dystopia!)
Tight-fitting pants tucked into said boots, or weird drop-crotch/”harem” pants, or cargo pants
Fingerless gloves
Drapey layers, like a tank top under a holey or mesh sweater
Asymmetric or handkerchief hems
Maxi-length dusters/cardigans/trench coats
Lots of black, grays, and muted earth tones (NO PASTELS, DEBBIE*)
Chunky belts and/or harnesses
Hoods
Over-the-knee socks paired with shorts
Androgyny
It’s a weird combination of practical and sexy. A little flash of skin peeking out of a tattered top, or a sliver of thigh between aforementioned over-the-knee socks and shorts. Nothing impractical or overtly feminine like ruffles, lace, or scoop-necks, but hot all the same! (Maybe because the implication is that this person survived the apocalypse by being scrappy and clever and kicking ass.)
It’s not lost on me that thinness (not to mention whiteness and lack of visible disabilities) seems to be the default in this (as in most aesthetics). Sigh. Also, I HATE that women in this genre magically have time and resources to shave their legs and armpits regularly (and would also choose to wear a push-up bra) even though, you know, THE WORLD HAS ENDED. (Never any period stains, either.) So yeah, this aesthetic certainly isn’t perfect. I do admire, though, that the looks are generally pretty unisex and it’s more acceptable for women to have shaved heads and be less girly. Sure, you can survive the apocalypse with long wavy hair, but at least have the decency to put it in a ponytail!
Ahem. Anyway, post-apocalyptic fashion IMO seems to be related to a few other aesthetics: steampunk, futuristic/cyberpunk, and Western. Steampunk and postapocalyptic both have goggles and a brownish palette, although steampunk is more industrial. Futuristic/cyberpunk is less about dirt and more about shine/leather, I’d wager, but they share the drapey, mesh, and unisex aspects (postapocalyptic is like the Matrix, but rub some dirt on it!). Western style—think Wynonna Earp, not a John Wayne Halloween costume—is also kind of rugged, practical, and boot-centric, but cowboy hats would look ridiculous in postapocalyptic style.
More aspects of postapoc fashion, according to the internet:
Bones or animal skulls used in jewelry/accessories
Shredded fabric
Practical accessories like a water canteen, knife, holster, etc.
A scarf that you can use to block the sand from your nose/mouth (why is there always sand???)
The radiation/danger symbol
Some kind of leather wrist cuff/”bracer” - similar to fingerless gloves, but with more buckles somehow
Army green
Heavy smudgy eyeliner, because obviously makeup is a priority during a complete societal shutdown
Apparently this aesthetic is also called “wasteland,” and Pinterest is trying to introduce me to something related called “solarpunk fashion.” Whaaaat! The more you know.
P.S. Turns out I’m two years late and the kiddies are calling this “avant apocalypse”!
*Referencing Morticia, of course:
