NU SCENE

Hey Emo Kids, Scene Queens, and Sk8tr Boiz! 2007 called and they want their clothes back! No, actually the opposite- they want to sell you their awesome products! And I’m telling you, a lot of this stuff looks way cooler than what Hot Topic sells these days. It’s time to throw a little variety in style back into the scene! Here are some clothing brands other than Hot Topic you should totally check OUT!

IRON FIST

Iron fist is a company that specializes in graphic designed shirts for both men and women, usually grotesque or gorishin nature with bright colors. Their designs are similar to those of late 2000s and early 2010s metalcore band tees. I myself own an Iron Fist shirt with a more subtle ribcage design on it compared to their normal material. You want something flashy? Go Iron Fist.

AKUMU INK

Akumu Ink has shirt designs that have the appeal to those emo and scene kids who had cute/spooky artwork as glitter graphics on their MySpace profile. The artwork is very reminiscent to the early to mid 2000s alternative art trend, with gothic/punk imagery mixed in with a little chibi influence. It bears a lot of stitches, roses, hears and skulls-classic styles for the time period. Definitely one of my favorites on this list for sure. It will help you really rock the mid 2000s emo look.

ROCKETT (DEFUNCT)

Rockett was a clothing brand that closed it’s doors years ago. But if you’re lucky enough you might be able to snatch a hand me down of this shirt on eBay or etsy! They’re well known for having shirts with this logo on it, or metal merch designs. You can also find them for a fair price on indiemerch!

AFFLICTION

This is a clothing brand that is sold at your local Wal-Mart! It isn’t hard to find one of these shirts for under the price for $20. Affliction sold heavy designed graphic tees for both men and women like this shirt for affordable prices! Nothing is more of a win to an emo than cool looking things at thrift prices! You can still find shirts online and in store.

BLEEDING STAR (DEFUNCT)

Bleeding Star clothing is a brand that is treated almost as an emo fossil. It’s stores have been shut down for many years but people still search after these shirts. All members of Black Veil Brides in the photo above are wearing Bleeding Star shirts. I myself own six bleeding star shirts thanks to my wonderful boyfriend! This brand is known for its graffiti-esque emo prints. These shirts had some hella killer designs. You just might get lucky and find them being sold as pre-owned online, they still are circulating the internet. Bleeding Star is my top favorite brand in the emo fashion scene.

CLANDISTINE INDUSTRIES (DEFUNCT)

If you guys recognize the logo on this brand, you will already know that this was Pete Wentz’s (of Fall Out Boy) former clothing brand! Most, if not all of his shirts had this logo on it, which is well known that Pete also has tattooed on himself. They’re super rare to find now a days but if you mange to get your hands on one- consider yourself the luckiest motherfucker alive.

CUPCAKE CULT

Banned is more of a horror themed alternative goth/scene clothing brand for girls and women. You want shirts or dresses with bats, cats, spiderwebs, skulls or like shirt above? Definitely check out this store!

HEARTCORE CLOTHING

Yes, that is Aiden. And yep they’re wearing Heartcore Clothing. Heartcore is a clothing brand very similar to bleeding star as far as shirt designs go. We have the return of the graffiti-esque paint splatter emo aesthetic. Unlike Bleeding Star, Heartcore is STILL making products to this day.

TRIPP

*Insert OG Hot Topic Tripp pants joke here*. Yeah Hot Topic stopped carrying this brand MANY years ago. These pants were donned by mall Goths and punks alike, and they’re still making pants to this day! It’s a good way to redeem the more punk look in your emo style!

CHOONIMALS

Recognize this art? Pop punk fans definitely do. This art has been used on Vans Warped Tour adverts for many years! And guess what, there’s a clothing brand around them! Give it a check!

ANGRY YOUNG AND POOR

Angry young and poor is both a brand and a store/website where you can purchase all things punk and metal. It’s got anything you can think of, but don’t let the name fool you. AYAP is actually quite pricey!

VAMPIREFREAKS

Remember that gothic social media website that was ALMOST as popular as MySpace? Yep, they have a clothing store too! And let me tell you, they’re stuff if really fucking cool looking, the designs are awesome, and they’re superb quality. Be aware, like Angry Young and Poor, VampireFreaks can also be very expensive. Their style tends to lean more towards the gothic side but nothing that can’t also be donned by emo and scene kids! If the name vampire in their brand isn’t enough to convince you, I don’t know what does.

SKELEANIMALS

You’ve probably seen the dolls before. Yes, the brand actually has a clothing line too! And you can’t tell me that these designs are NOT cool!! Their clothing features these little animal characters with skulls for faces and bone patterns on their bodies with some very emo/scene graphic designs. I’m a super big fan of this clothing brand itself. The brand is mainly geared for women, but again, who’s to say men can’t wear these too!?

EMILY THE STRANGE

Emily The Strange is one of the famous women’s clothing brands that stormed and took over Hot Topic’s shelves back in the day. You have probably seen posters or buttons around with this iconic goth girl on it, pairing with a black and red color dynamic. Emily the Strange is a brand that still lives on and you can order it online for a very reasonable price!

DETHLESS CLOTHING (DEFUNCT)

Dethless is a brand started by Eighteen Visions member MickDeth. His brand has been represented in Black Veil Brides’s music video for “Knives and Pens”. Sadly years later, founder MickDeth eventually passes away from a life long chronic illness. The clothing line ended as abruptly as his untimely death. But if you’re lucky you might just be able to find a shirt floating around on a resale website. I got lucky enough to find the sleeved version of the blood splatter shirt Chris Hollywood is wearing in the photo above. Keep your eyes peeled and you just might find a shirt!

Hot Topic Is (Or Was) Cool But…