All About Emo

› What is emo

The term "Emo" is used as counterculture; it is an abreviation of the word "emotional". Emo it's defining not only an attitude, but also a fashion that are coming from emocore (emo music). Emocore is a combination between hardcore and punk music which was very popular in Washington DC in the late 80's. The emo culture continued to develop between '90 and '00, reaching the height of its popularity today.

› Emo Kids

The term for the teenagers who listen emocore is emo kids. The society thinks about them as failures; they are not strong enough to hide their emotions, they're sensitive, shy, introverted, and often quiet. Usually, Emo kids like to express their feeling writing poems about their problems with depression, confusion, and anger; all because the world fails to understand them. Emo poetry uses a combination of any of: a highly emotional tone, stream of consciousness writing, a simple (ABAB) or nonexistent rhyme scheme, references to the flesh, especially the heart, heavy use of dark or depressing adjectives, and concern over the mutability of time, love or both. Themes such as life is pain are common. You can check some 'emo poems' on our forum! Altough life is already very hard for them, emo kids have to suffer for even more society prosecution because of their condition. The term 'emo' itself is used nowadays as an insult. Adressed to a person means they are 'overly emotional'. Emocore is compared with pop boy bands of 1990s. Critics cast the music as lacking any artistic merit and that the fashion is just ... a fashion used to drive girls attention. The ones who are emo not because they feel it, but because they like to be trendy are named 'posers'. A big percent of the current emo subculture is formed by posers. Emo subculture is acused that it is celebrating self-harm. As i've said before many fail to understand that those are only fake emos (rawrr you bastards, get away from here); actually i have no rights to judge them even if most of us suffer because of them.

› How to look emo

Many teens want to 'look emo' and have emo hair and all that. We decided to help you so we made a quick guide and also put some pictures with emo boys and emo girls. Make sure you check it, it's on 'emo fashion' page!

› Why emo doesn't mean emotional

Now more of the truth. I'm going to make this as easy to understand as possible.

Now I'm all for evolution, I believe in evolution after all! Even in terms of words; gay use to mean "happy" now it can either mean, "stupid", "lame" or it's current proper use "homosexual."

However, the term emo is very different. If you claim "emo" were to mean "emotional" it then becomes an all encompassing word, it becomes extremely vague and it has no limit as to what it can and will describe. This is an issue because the term is suppose to (and believed to by the people who use it) to describe one specific thing, when it fact it does the complete opposite. Emo when wrongfully used as "emotional" describes every living thing, every song, every word, every breath, every statement. Why you ask? Because what as no emotion is dead.

Emo was created as a shortened term to describe a specific thing, in this case "emotive hardcore" an off shoot of hardcore punk from the mid 80's. This genre is still alive today, although very obscure and unknown to most. Those who like to shout they're 'emo' usually never heard of any other band than fall out boy.

What many of you are now doing are displaying a vast amount of laziness and gullibility. Why are you wrongfully using the term emo to describe "scene", "fashion core" and sappy mainstream rock? Think before you speak, stop taking short cuts, and stop being the media's bitch.

› What is emo music

Emocore has been subject of much debate since it first appeared. So...emo is a genre of rock music. At first, the term was used to describe a subgenre of hardcore punk in the '80s. Later, 'emocore' was used to describe the DC scene and regional scenes related.

› Emo Clothing

By almost all current definitions, emo clothing is characterized by tight jeans on males and females alike, long fringe (bangs) often brushed to one side of the face, dyed black, straightened hair, tight t-shirts which often bear the names of rock bands, studded belts, belt buckles, Chuck Taylor All-Stars, skate shoes, or other black shoes (often old and beaten up) and thick, black horn-rimmed glasses.




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› Emo Fashion

Emo fashion has changed with time; early trends included haircuts similar to those worn by the Romulans and Vulcans in Star Trek, tightly fitting sweaters, button-down shirts, and work jackets (often called gas station jackets).

› Emo Hairstyles & Haircuts

Here is guide of how you can get

emo hair

This goes for girls and also for boys!

Let your hair grow in the front and side parts so they cover your face. In the back you can let it short and spike it up with gel! Some do that, some don't! If you have short hair, the first months are going to be a pain, because you won't be able to make your hair look "emo". As it grows, comb it towards an eye in the direction that you want. After 3 or 4 months, when the fringe reaches 3/4 of the way down your forehead, go to a hair dresser that looks professional, and get it thinned out and have it trimmed so that it will grow in the right shape.

Either if you're a boy or girl, you'll need to straighten your hair, with either an iron or gel. If your hair is wavy, just use hairspray/gel to weigh it down. I suggest buying an hair straightening iron and use a a good moisturizing shampoo to prevent your hair from getting damaged. Tip: If you wash your hair too much, this can dry it out; that doesn't mean you don't have to wash it at all, bleah.

If you consider dyeing your hair, dye it black. The other colors are not so cool and you'll look like a clown, in my opinion.

After 3 or 4 months, your hair should look like you want. From that point, you should go to the hair stylist monthly for your hair to be thinned and stuff.

Final step is to register and post a picture with you in the "emo haircuts" thread members have opened on our board.

Here's a video with an example of what you have to do:



N.B. There is no such thing as emo hair, emo hairstyle, emo love, emo fashion or anything else like this, but most of the peoples are looking for that on the internet and that's why it's used here! The term emo comes from emotive hardcore, and your hair can't be emotive hardcore. What you call "emo style" is actually scene.

› What is Screamo

Screamo is a small tight knit grassroots musical community. It is linked directly to emo (yet another thing most of you kids know next to nothing about). Screamo emerged in the early mid 90's both in the states and in parts of europe, some early screamo bands were Anomie, Saetia, Portraits Of Past, and Orchid. Screamo proved to be a faster more abrasive counter part to it's parent genre emotive hardcore (emo). Some key active screamo bands today are: Loma Prieta, Danse Macabre, Ampere, Comadre, and La Quiete.



"); document.write("--> For your info:

• screamo is not popular
• screamo is not mainstream
• screamo is not featured on the warped tour
• screamo is not for sale at hot topic
• screamo is not trendy bullshit
• screamo is not on tv
• screamo is not on radio

Now for the final key pieces of info: NO, screaming does not make you "screamo", screamo is deemed as such based on the actual music, sure the vocals come into play but it has most to do with the actual music, for example Neil Perry, Yaphet Kotto and a few others have actual written completely instrumental screamo songs.
The following bands are not screamo: underoath, silverstein, alesana, bless the fall, the used, from first to last etc. These bands are aggresive modern rock/edgy pop punk with accented screamed vocals.

How To Be Emo

Music

Emo is first and foremost a music genre so you need to be involved in the music scene to avoid being called a poser. Learn to play an instrument! Or at least buy one! If you can't play you can always claim to, and you will gain instant credibility by merely owning it. Just take lots of picture of yourself holding it at creative angles to post on the internet.




"); document.write("--> Can't afford a guitar? Write lyrics! Emo poetry can cover a wide range of emotions but focus on the bad ones. Sunshine and lollypops isn't very emo, so be sure to only write when angry or sad. Use poetry as a way of venting your problems. Don't have any problems? Make them up! Complain about how your comfortable suburban life is making you feel disconnected from the real world and disillusioned with life. Keep a bleak outlook on life and soon you will be writing tonnes of emo poetry! The type of bands you listen to strongly reflect on you as an emo. Bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy are a good bet, but it's more credibly to listen to obscure unsigned bands with names like Reservoir Death. If the music is loud and the lyrics are miserable; its emo.

Hair Colour

Natural hair colour isn't very emo. In order to be a real emo you will need to dye your hair. Jet black and bleach blonde are very good bases, you can then add in strikes of different neon colour to really showcase your originality. Emo is all about standing out so don't be afraid to try more than one colour...but don't go too mad! Or else you'll be more Nu Rave than emo!

Hair Style

Usually around chin length in a reverse mullet (i.e. longer at the front) but can be long with lots of choppy layers. The trademark of an emo haircut is the bangs/fringe which covers ? of the face at an angle. You must cover at least one eye, this shows that you do not want to see the world or have it see you. Experiment with your hair, spike it up and give it lots of volume; You can even back comb or tease it. Finish it off by wearing lots of cute bows and Alice bands...this looks extra emo if you're a guy!

Dress Emo

You need to dress to reflect your mood. Emo style is a combination of punk and goth so much like your hair your clothes should be black with the occasional neon stripes or polka dots. Band logos are very emo and converse are practically mandatory. Nothing should fit you properly: tee-shirts a size too small, hoodies a couple of sizes too big, and most importantly jeans in a size your eight-year-sister would have trouble getting into. For accessories studded belts, fingerless gloves, band pins or badges and enough bracelets and bangles to cover your wrist; to give the illusion that you self harm.

Make up

EYELINER! It doesn't really matter what else you do to your face as long as you have lots of eyeliner on its emo. Put plenty all over the eyelids, under too. If you look like you've been punched; you're there. Apart from that just go as pale as your natural skin colour will allow and wear black nail polish.

Attitude

Attitude is everything. Typically you will be expected to be depressed and insecure. But it's more important to be sensitive and quiet. Avoid confrontation; you have to be introverted and too wrapped up in your own emotions to care about the opinions of others. But you can defend your opinions viva the internet provided you get very emotional about doing so. 

› Emo Poems and Poetry

Emo poetry is not rocket science, you just have to carry out your sad emotions and so achieving the emo poems, the coolest thing in the world.

You can write about:

• suicide
• lack of friends
• lack of understanding from society and specially parents
• how you love an emo girl/emo boy and he/she doesn't love you
• your emo girl dumping you

Examples of emo poems:

"It's fun to play with guns and knives, And be there just to risk my life, To put just myself in danger, With a lethal unfamiliar stranger. I couldn't care less, With the way I dress, Or the way I look, But I do with my life that you took. You say my head is wrong, And that my heart is badly torn, You don't know how wrong you are, I just want to go so far. Just so far away from them, And always be able to defend, Myself so that I don't get beated, So badly and so differently treated." - Guns and Knives
For more emo poetry check our blog for emo poems To share your poems, you might want to join our forum. We have a special section dedicated to writings. To open thread there, you need Ryan's aprovement, so first open a thread in the emo music section with title "My chemical romance is the best emo band ever"! Rules are rules! See you around! 

› Emo Jokes

This is a pointless page, put it up cause someone send me a file with these. Should be named 'scene kids jokes' or whatever else, however you are searching for 'emo jokes' on google and someone will eventually put up a page like this and offer what you search for so tought I should do that.
It would be more fun to just leave this page empty and not ruin it with old and not funny 'emo jokes' we all heard 3 milion times, but since you came here...

>Why are scene kids so bad at karate?
Because they can never get past the white belt.

>A punk with a rainbow-colored mohawk sits down on a bench next to an old man. After awhile, he notices the old man is staring at him. "What's wrong, old timer?" asks the punk, "Never done anything wild in your life?" "Actually," says the geezer, "One time I screwed a parrot. I was just wondering if you were my son."

>Q:What do you do if there's an emo in your backyard with his hand blow off?
A:Stop laughing and reload!

>What's better than 50 emo kids nailed to a tree?
One emo kid nailed to fifty trees.

>What would you rather be: emo or handycapped?
trick question: being emo is a handycap.

>Myspace.

>An emo kid, a jew, a mexican, and a black guy jump off a building, who wins? Society.

>Emo is to music as Terrorism is to society.

>Get scene or cut trying

>How many emo kids does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Three! One to replace it, two to write a poem about how they miss the old one.

>Did you hear about that new emo pizza? It cuts itself!

>I wish my grass was emo so it would cut itself..(works for hair too.)

>If a blonde and an emo kid jump off a building and hit the ground at the same time, who dies first? The blonde, she drowns in the emo kid's tears.

> What's the difference between an Emo kid and a dead baby?
The baby doesn't cry.

>How many emo kids does it take to make a microwave burrito?
Four. One to write about it on LiveJournal, One to post a MySpace bulletin, One to take a picture of himself in the mirror with the burrito, and One to microwave the burrito.

>What's the difference between an emo kid and an onio
n? You cry when you cut an onion.

>what do you call a punk without a girlfriend??
Homeless

>What do you call 1000 emo kids at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.

And some lame 'emo sites' too...
http://thesurrealist.co.uk/jokes/emo
http://www.no-nothingrock.com/articles/emoabc/abc2.html

› Emo Punk, Punk Emo Music

There are many subcultures across society, which are often identified most easily by the related music and fashion, and these include punks, goths and emos. Because these subcultures often evolved from similar beginnings there are bound to be some crossovers, and that's why you can get smaller groups within each one, such as emo punks. To put the word punk to anything means literally to be louder, brasher and more aggressive about everything, so emo punk represents the more rebellious, hardcore side to the emo culture.





"); document.write("--> The emo culture originally sprang from punk roots, and in the beginning the term was used to describe a more emotionally charged subgenre of hardcore punk in 1980s, usually referred to as 'emocore' with bands like Rites of Spring, Embrace and Moss Icon. In the mid 1990s the term emo become more associated with Indie rock, with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, which was more melodic and less frenzied than punk rock and emocore. As emo moved into the late 1990's it become more and more accessible to the mainstream, with bands like Weezer producing globally successful albums, and also Deep Elm Records releasing the first instalment in what was to be the defining emo compilation series in the world, the Emo Diaries. In the new millennium emo began to become more and more popular, and artists like Chris Carrabba led the new move towards emo punk pop, a mix of melodic, thought provoking pop and catchy, jangling modern rock tunes. Many people who supported the more independent and less mainstream emo music of the 1980's and 90's resented this new move towards popularity, resulting in a serious rift in the genre and it is generally thought by these purveyors of authentic emo that the newemo punk pop sounds are a commercial sell out, with copy cat bands generated purely to make money. Fall Out Boy and Blink 182 hover on the edge of this debate, with their roots firmly in their emocore, underground backgrounds, but with new worldwide commercial success no doubt putting pressure on their creative direction. Fall Out Boy's recent releases have followed theemo punk pop vibe firmly with thoughtful and catchy rock/pop tunes, but the wider variety of influences in their most recent work (such as collaborations with R&B stars like Kanye West) has led some to question the direction the band are heading in, which wasn't helped but a recent cover of the king of commercialmusic Michael Jackson's 'Beat It', that had many serious emo types frowning deeply under their stylish fringes. So emo punk is in part a revival of the emocore vibe of the 1980s, and in general describes the more energetic and rebellious section of the youthful emo scene. Basically those emo punks are those who are not content just to sit and home and listen to records and talk aboutmusic, but who want to get out there and be an active part of culture and society.

› Emo Art

I hate to say it, but proof that emo's are just that little bit self obsessed can be seen in the main bulk of art and photography that is generated from the emo culture - its pretty much full on portraits and self portraits in a range of 'cool poses'. Not all emo art is quite obsessed with the self of course, but if you search on the Internet for this type of art then do you get a heck of a lot of pictures of attractive looking people with funky hair and clothes, drawn in a similar high colour, sketchy style, sort of like an emo fashion plate series. Also you see quite a few reoccurring motifs, such as hearts and skulls, and similar colour combinations like black and red.





"); document.write("--> A lot of the emo self portraits out there tend towards idealised versions of the self and on the surface this does seem a bit self obsessed and narcissistic, but the emo culture is all about exploring emotion and the human psyche, andself portraits are a critical expression of self perception and personal psychology. Throughout history artists have been motivated to record themselves at various stages of their lives, the canvas acting as a snapshot of the inner turmoil's and desires of the mind. When an artist creates an idealised version of themselves they are actively questioning their own identity, trying to resolve how they feel inside with their appearance to the rest of the world, and also at times expressing the inner desire to be someone different, perhaps someone they see as 'better'. Self-portraits are also a way of working through identity, and for some people belonging to a group and having clear visual ideas of who they are can be very comforting Drawing yourself and friends wearing certain clothes and hairstyles can help reaffirm your own identity, especially at vulnerable moments in your life, and by then assuming these clothes and hairstyles in real life you can create an instant sense of belonging.
However not all emo art is purely about the self, and other examples in this genre explore the music behind the culture. Posters, album covers and concert flyers for emo bands are all very creative and stylised, and again often have a sketchy, highly coloured and almost cartoonish feel, with lots of symbolism that includes hearts, crosses, daggers and skulls. For example Fall out Boys new album 'Folie a Deux' (to be released in Dec 2008) features a cartoon picture of a person in a bear suit giving a piggyback to a bear. The album title 'Folie a Deux' refers to a type of clinical madness and literally means 'a madness shared by two', in which a psychosis (such as delusion or paranoia) is shared by two people, and even transmitted from the one person to the other in some cases. As this was originally due for release to coincide with the American elections, it is not too unlikely that this may be a subtle comment on the fever and hysteria that typically surrounds American politics during this time.

› Emo Boys, Hot Emo Boys

Is it just me, or are emo boys really hot at the moment? That combination of funky clothes, super stylish hair and 'I don't give a damn' attitude is so cool, and I never knew how good a little kohl could look on a guy - intense! Also I love that whole aloof yet vulnerable attitude as well that is so attractive, and those boys are smart too and not just interested in the latest lads mag, you can actually have a meaningful conversation with them!




"); document.write("--> So how do you spot an emo boy then? Well firstly it's all about the hair. It should be straight, choppy, glossy and textured, with a long floppy fringe to frame the face. Black is the base colour for all emo styles, but most people get inventive with highlights/lowlights and big chunks of colour in anything from electric blue, neon pink, white blond to scarlet red. Most emo boys are really in to spikes as well, so hairstyles will be textured, combing smart razor sharp layers with spikes and sweeping fringes. Emo hair is always well styled and in tiptop condition, and scruffy, badly dyed hair in garish colours is more punk than emo. Secondly emo boys love their clothes and this can range from serious emo music lovers who wear band t-shirts, tight dark jeans and classic emo black hoodies, to seriously glam emo boys who love to dress up in sharp shirts and ties, normally in contrasting colours like black and red, and also lots of accessories including belts, studs and bangles. Emo boys are not shy of using a little make up too, and a smudge of kohl round big dark eyes is incredible sexy, and dark nail polish really suits those boys with strong, elegant hands. It can be tempting to go over the top with make up though, and too much eyeliner is straying into Goth territory and is a bit more scary than sexy!
If you fancy an emo boy, its best not to rush straight up to him and ask him out, instead subtly find out what he is interested in from friends, and look for clues such as band names on his bag or t-shirt. Once you know a bit about him you can start up a meaningful conversation, emo boys are often pretty thoughtful and deep, and don't tend to want to talk about inconsequential things like what was on TV last night and general gossip. It is especially important do to some research if you are not emo yourself, and making sure you are up on the scene will mean you have something intelligent to bring to the conversation. Also try not to babble on as he will likely find this a bit shallow and irritating. Keep it cool and friendly to start with and don't pressure him by following him around and staring at him all the time. A few flirty smiles when you happen to see him and a quick hello can be much more effective then running up to him everywhere he goes, as it will keep a little mystery and make you interesting rather than annoying. It doesn't hurt for you to go to a few gigs you think he might also attend, as this will show him you have things in common and will give you a chance to get to know each other in a neutral setting, but don't stalk him around everywhere he goes as this will totally freak him out!
Most importantly try and be yourself. Whether you are emo or not, pretending to be interested in something is impossible to keep up for any length of time, and can make you look really fake and shallow. It is ok to learn more about what the boy you like is into, and you may find you like some aspects too, but keep things real and don't be afraid to disagree sometimes, as this can make for some really stimulating conversations, and emo's love to debate on all things especially music and identity.

› Emo Girls, Hot Emo Girls

The emo style is a really modern and individual way to dress, and you can have a lot of fun planning your emo wardrobe, makeup and hairstyles. You don't have to be fully immersed in the emo scene to enjoy listening to some of the bands and wearing related styles, but remember that anytime you adapt a different and rebellious style you may get comments from people, and some of these will likely be negative. You should always choose a style that you feel comfortable in and one that compliments your personality, and then even if people are rude to you, you can just brush it off as you are being true to yourself. The same goes for you as well, other styles are just as acceptable as emo, so don't be rude to people you think of as being unimaginative, preppy or shallow.



"); document.write("--> There are some common themes in the style of emo, and this can be a good place to start planning your own emo look from. Emo hair is a big part of the style, and for girls this is a chance to get really inventive. Emo hair is always in good condition, with razor sharp choppy layers, so make sure you get a good professional cut before you start styling at home. The fringe is normally long, so it frames and drapes over the face, but you can do anything you like with the layers, and create interesting textures having a mixture of long and short layers. Emo hair is normally very straight and glossy, but if you have a longer style you can jazz this up a bit with curly, crimped or combed back sections, and tie up pieces with funky clips and hair grips. Straight braids and ponytails are not normally a feature of emo styles, but they can be combined as small parts of an overall style. Spiky hair is also common in emo hair, but these should be smooth and sleek, rather that the messy spikes of the punk style. In terms of colour the basic tone of emo style is jet black, but this is normally brightened up with lots of highlights or lowlights in a variety of funky colours including electric blue or green, neon pink and white blond. Emo clothes are split into two main styles, street style and glam. Street style is the short of thing you might wear to college or just round a friends house, tight dark jeans with funky belt, band t-shirt, black or stripy jumper/hoody, and canvas sneakers or skate shoes. Skirts are normally teamed up with stripy long socks or leg warmers, and pumps or sneakers. Glam style is what you would probably wear to a gig or night out, or if you are out to lunch with friends. Smart shirts with an edgy cut in black or a very bright colour, ties for that sexy/smart St Trinians look in contrasting colours and funky patterns, designer tight jeans and some killer black or red high heels or wedge shoes. Glam styles are always accessorized to the max, so go crazy with belts, bangles, necklaces, hairgrips, and badges - basically the works!

› Emo Quiz

Emo Test

You are 101% emo...
There are loads of fun little emo quizzes on sites like Myspace, Bebo and Facebook where you can test yourself to find out things like how emo you are, or whether you are glam or punk emo. These tests are just for fun, so expect some silly or humorous questions and try not to get offended by the outcome, they are meant to be a serious reflection on you or your personality!



"); document.write("--> If you want to set up an emo quiz for you and your friends, here are a few suggestions for some fun questions you could include:
1. What does emo actually stand for?
a) Emotion b) sad c) complicated d) clueless
2. What era did the term 'emo' first originate?
a) 1980's b) 1970s c) 1950s d) 1990s
3. What colour is your hair at this moment?
a) jet black b) multicoloured streaks c) natural blond d) chestnut brown
4. The Emo music vibe is:
a) Melancholy and thoughtful b) gentle and soothing c) chaotic d) groovy
5. At school you were/are:
a) Introspective and full of angst b) quiet and studious c) sporty d) the school bully
6. What style of trousers do you wear?
a) So tight you need help to get them on b) tight but enough room to breathe c) fitted yet comfy d) baggy and spacious
7. Are scarves just for winter?
a) Hell no b) depends on the weather c) yes d) I don't wear scarves
8. Do you cry in public?
a) Often b) only if very excited/depressed c) I only cry in private d) I don't ever cry
9. Which of these bands do you like best
a) Dashboard Confessional b) My Chemical Romance c) The Pussycat Dolls d) Slipknot
Here is a break down of the answers to this little quiz, to give you an idea how to score it and how to structure any more questions you might want to make up to go with it:
If you answer mostly A's:
You are so totally one emo loving dude! Check you out wearing your bleeding heart on your poor tattered sleeve. Emo is a way of life for you, not just a fashion statement or a passing fancy, you my little emo friend are the real deal!
If you answer mostly B's:
You have many emo qualities, but still have one foot firmly in the 'normal' world. Your trousers are tight but not chafing, your thoughts sometimes sad but never riddled with angst. To be honest you have the best of both worlds!
If you answer mostly C's:
You know what emo is, but you are not really that interested in thinking too hard about problems, or worrying about things you cannot change. You probably find emo music a bit depressing, and tend to shy away from people who look sad and complicated.
If you answer mostly D's:
You are about as emo as bath full of soapy cheerleaders! The whole emo scene has completely passed you by, so no crying into your coco pops over a beautiful sunrise, or feeling the angst of the world bearing down on your shoulder for you. A quick jog in the fresh air is probably your cure for the blues, or a few pints down the boozer with your mates.