Alt Style Is Back—And Women Are Redefining the Aesthetic

Alt Style Is Coming Back—And Women Are Leading the Charge

Pink hair, smoky eyeliner, barely-there brows, and bold self-expression are back in the spotlight as alternative style resurges across fashion, beauty, and music. Once largely dominated by men in the 90s and 2010s, the alt revival taking over today’s cultural landscape looks and feels entirely different. Women—diverse in background, culture, and identity—are steering the movement and reshaping what alternative expression means in 2025.

On TikTok and beyond, the aesthetic is thriving. From young style icons like North West to alt-pop artists such as Julia Wolf, alternative looks and sounds now dominate For You Pages. This resurgence isn’t simply a return to the past; it’s a reclaiming and reimagining of alt culture through a modern, inclusive lens.

A Subculture That Never Left—It Evolved

Alternative aesthetics have always been more than a fashion choice. For many, they represent a mindset—an openness to creativity, individuality, and challenging expectations. While mainstream culture once spotlighted alt men, women were building the foundation behind the scenes, nurturing the aesthetic across music, fashion, and online communities.

Artists like Hayley Williams and bands like Meet Me at the Altar kept the genre alive, even as grunge, goth, and emo shifted into micro-subcultures like grunge fairy, hijabi goth, and soft alt. The internet didn’t just preserve these movements; it allowed them to multiply, evolve, and diversify.

Representation Takes Center Stage

Laylo Qasim: Alt Makeup Meets Muslim Identity

Somali Muslim creator Laylo Qasim became an alt-style fixture on TikTok thanks to her bold, transformative makeup looks. Her ultra-thin brows, thick eyeliner, and viral “trust-the-process” base routine inspired countless recreations—especially among young Black and Muslim girls who rarely see themselves represented in alt beauty spaces.

“I'll get tagged in a video, and it's another Muslim girl or a Black girl saying, ‘Laylo made me feel like it’s okay to be alternative,’” Qasim shares. Weeks after her wedding, she recalls blending her cultural traditions with her alt aesthetic, symbolizing the very fusion she represents online.

Cultural Fusion: @crypticmortal and Pakistani Gothic Style

Similarly, TikTok creator @crypticmortal merges Morticia Addams–esque beauty with elements of her Pakistani heritage. Her content illustrates how alternative style can be a place where identity isn’t sacrificed but celebrated.

Moe Black, another creator shaped by both Black and white cultural expectations, relates deeply to this. “You don't have to sacrifice core parts of your identity to dress the way you want,” she says. “It’s just an extension of your character.”

Breaking Stereotypes and Building New Paths

Many women in the alt revival found the style inherently, even instinctively. Moe Black notes that being plus-size often made her feel “alternative” simply for existing outside a narrow beauty standard. She drew inspiration from Skins UK, One Direction, Barbie Ferreira’s Tumblr era, and her mother’s influence to create her signature aesthetic.

Meanwhile, musician Hannah Bahng uses alt style to subvert stereotypes associated with being East Asian in the public eye. “I wanted a more impressionable identity,” she explains. Influenced by Avril Lavigne, her evolving sound naturally pushed her toward alt fashion, which her fans now emulate as she tours.

A New Generation of Alt Women in Music

Women in music are not only embracing alt style—they’re defining it.

• Olivia Rodrigo continues to reign as pop-punk’s new face, pairing her rebellious sound with a contemporary alt aesthetic.
• Julia Wolf captivates audiences with Twilight-inspired outfits, thrifted gems, and electrifying eyeliner.
• Amira Elfeky, touring with Bring Me The Horizon, infuses punk theatrics into her wardrobe, wearing everything from card-themed gowns to grunge makeup.

Alt style is no longer just a look—it’s a badge of creative independence.

Why Alt Style’s Return Feels So Timely

Fashion cycles are famously repetitive, but this alt resurgence is rooted in something deeper than nostalgia. Creators like Qasim feel its return was long overdue.

“I want it more mainstream,” she says. “I’m tired of donut-glazed makeup. I want people to cake their faces.”

Moe Black adds that the current socio-political climate is shaping this shift. “People are interested in alternative ways of thinking, life, and dress. There’s a desire to push against what feels like imposed norms.”

Alt style resonates now because it offers individuality in an era that often pressures conformity.

Finding Your Own Alt Style

The heart of alt culture has always been about radical self-expression. As Qasim puts it, “Once you realize someone will always have an opinion, it makes you realize you could just do what you’re going to do. Life is short.”

Whether your inspiration comes from a classmate, a TV show, or women redefining the movement today, the path to finding your alt style starts with listening to yourself—not the internet, not trends, not the critics.

The comeback isn’t about looking like past eras; it’s about making space for identity, creativity, and authenticity. And right now, women are leading the charge—fearlessly, boldly, and unapologetically.

Alt style isn’t just returning.
It’s evolving.
And it’s more inclusive, expressive, and powerful than ever before.

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