How to Be a Scene Kid

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Last Updated: October 10, 2023

Scene people, it's sometimes said that is worn within bright colors, crazy hair fringes and tight or skinny neon jeans. Scene people are only as scene as their social networking profile pages. So it's important to not only look and act scene, but to also prove you are scene online. Use this wikiHow to guide to teach yourself how to be a scene kid in no time at all.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Dressing Scene: Girls

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1
Get the hair. Scene hair can either be short or long, but often the longer hair has a bit of volume to it. Scene hair has to resist being bland. It's one of the most important aspects of your appearance.
- Dye it and/or put some color into it. Dye your hair black or blonde, or maybe both: blonde streaks inside a sea of black. Add flourishes of pink or purple to round out the look.
- Tease and/or straighten it. Tease it (especially in the back) to add a lot of volume to your coiffure. Straightened hair is a must for those with curly or wavy hair. The straighter the better.
- Don't shy away from hair extensions if you feel you need them. Some scenesters think that hair extensions are a must.
- Add a little flourish like a hair band, beret, or flower, especially if it has some color.
2
Get the makeup. Scene makeup is characterized by bright, daring colors contrasting with the ever-present black or dark-blue eyeliner. Maybe you have glittery eyeshadow; maybe you darken the outline of your eyebrows. Whatever you do, don't forget the eyeliner!
- Your makeup is your big opportunity to "feminize" your appearance. Because dressing scene won't distinguish you too much from guys, don't be afraid to go a bit overboard here. Dramatic, bold makeup is definitely what's called for.
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3
Go for bright, flashy clothes. Striped clothing is definitely in style, as is plaid (although try not to get too boring). Don't abuse the thrift store racks (you're not a hipster), but don't shy away from used clothes. Some different options that you might consider wearing:
- Striped black and pink top; a tight pink skirt with a blue bandana wrapped around your waist; ripped electric blue leggings; and pink flats (ballet shoes work well).
- Purple leopard print top; white overall shorts with the strap(s) undone; black tights; and scuffy, white slip-on Vans.
- Handmade silk-screened band tee; skin-tight purple (or black) skinny jeans; pyramid stud belt (although they are slowly becoming too popular); and huge sunglasses.
4
Rock the accessories. The accessories really complete the scene look, so be sure not to forget them. Oversized is really part of the fashion. Accessories include:
- Sunny-Gs. Your sunglasses will come in two sizes: big and really big. In fact, the bigger the better. Aviator glasses are acceptable.
- Jewelry. Bracelets, necklaces, body art, and piercings are all the rage. Stick with jewelry that has an edgy, ironic, or cartoonish feel to it.
- Hats. Hats look great on scene girls (although not so much for scene guys). Choose big hats that don't necessarily match with the rest of your outfit. Special props goes to hats that no one has yet.
Try Rue 21, Banana Republic, Aeropostale and even others similar. Don't try Hot Topic unless you search for musical merch or find some bright clothes. Scene people wear bright colors and preppy clothes. They don't wear dark clothes and pocket chains.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Dressing Scene: Guys

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Scene guys, let's face it, spend a lot of time perfecting the look. They care about fashion, and about their fashion making a statement. They don't want to look like your average Joe on the side of the street. Their unique dress is part of their overall mentality.
2
Have straight hair. Hair should always be pin straight, and possibly teased. You're lucky if you have straight hair! If it isn't straight, blow-dry it after showers and brush it. Make it dry after showers so curls are prevented. You could use a straightener, but many guys don't do it, so don't feel forced to do it.
- Get the bangs. If it's one thing that epitomizes the scene look for boys, it's the shaggy, layered bangs. They are absolutely essential. Look around for inspiration.
- Start off with natural hair colors, and dye around it. You probably want the base of your hair to be dark or blond or brown, so dye the whole mane a dark color and fill in highlights (maybe blonde, maybe platinum, maybe purple) around it.
3
Pull off the clothes effortlessly. You're going to be dressing quite differently from how most guys dress, so you have to pull it off with confidence and verve. The clothes that you'll fit into your standard rotation include:
- Tight jeans or slim-fit jeans. Wearing jeans is good, but they should be tight or even slim. If you can't fit into skinny jeans, just wear tights. Don't force yourself to fit into something to skinny.
- Bright shirts, cartoon shirts and striped shirts. These are the staple of your tops. Brights and stripes really rule the day here. The occasional plaid isn't too bad.
- Skater shoes like slip-on vans or chucks. Bright colors are a good idea. Chucks might be a little over-worn at this point, so think about getting some vans.
Guys usually will get party shades, like what Brokencyde wear.
Get some ink or piercings in visible places to let people know that you are hardcore and/or a deep person. Note that many scenesters choose to get henna tattoos or "make" their own using permanent marker; if you're unsure about getting a tattoo, remember that it's permanent and that you can't change your mind afterward.
Try Rue 21, Banana Republic, Aeropostale and even others similar. Don't try Hot Topic unless you search for musical merch or find some bright clothes. Scene people wear bright colors and preppy clothes. They don't wear dark clothes and pocket chains.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Acting Scene

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1
Type like you don't care. Add extra letters to the end of words. Typing like a scene kid has no grammar or spelling rules. Use unusual amounts of emoticons and <3's. Some example include: D= :3 ^_^ and c:
- Some examples of how you might type:
  - "ZOMG dats HxC." = "Oh my god, that's hardcore."
  - "Srsly, i don't caaaare if he liks me. hes got to shutup." = "Seriously, I don't care if he likes me. He has to shut up."
2
Create the perfect xX"SceneName"Xx. This point of your name is to convey that you are both scene and creative. Scene names do not follow any spelling or grammar rules that regular names do. This doesn't mean that they don't follow their own rules, guidelines and/or basic themes:
- Play with a phrase. Take a fantasy story like Alice in Wonderland and change it so that people believe you are cultured and clever, like AllisonWonderland.
- Make an alliteration. Think of an adjective you would like associated with you like brutal, homicidal or catastrophic, and add it to your name. If it's not an alliteration, force it by misspelling the adjective, like KatastrophicKatie.
- Add some X's. It's just a xXfunXx way to look more scene. But always balance out the x's so that there is the same number of x's on both sides of your name.
- Ignore grammar rules. Try adding incorrect punctuation!, avoiding spacingwordsproperly, and using upper and lowercase letters intErchAngEably.
3
Become friends with everyone you know, and then some. Social media profiles are judged by sheer volume of "friends" someone has. That means: If you met someone briefly, add them. If you went to middle school with them, add them. If you have a mutual friend, add them. If you like the same band, add them. If you have the same pose in your profile picture, add them. If you are from the state, add them. And so on.
- Flirt with everyone you friended. If someone adds you, be sure to thank them for the add. Then be sure to mention that they are cute and that you are interested, whether it is through a comment on a picture, a wall post, or in a private message.
4
Set a profile picture of "yourself". The photo shouldn't actually be a picture of you, so much as a picture of part of you. Here are some typical picture tricks to get the perfect scene profile photo:
- Cut yourself out of the photo. Don't feel the need to include your entire face or body. Just your eye and bangs, just your body or just your mouth is enough of a photo to help someone identify you.
- Use a mirror. Extra scene points are giving for using your iPhone to take the picture. This lets everyone know that you: 1) Took the photo yourself, and 2) that you spent a lot of money on your camera or smart phone.
- Rotate the camera/photo. A basic straight on shot isn't creative. Everyone takes pictures like that. Angle the camera, or move it so that people have to struggle to find your in your hair. It makes your profile picture so much more interesting.
- Set the camera on a table and bend over/sit at your computer. Ever bored and have nothing to do at the computer? Take pictures. This is like the exact opposite of suggestion 2, so much so that it's ironic and creative that you didn't rotate the camera.
- Don't look at the camera! Look down, look up, look to the left, look to the right, just don't look at the camera.
- Hide behind your hair. Unlike other people, scene kids care about two parts of their bodies: their eyes and their hair. This should be the focal point of the picture. So don't distract people with your face.
- Filter your pictures. Change your picture to black and white, faded-vintage, blurred or color tinted settings to achieve the scene look.
- Write on your hand. Write a quote, your name, or a heart on your hand and hold it up for the camera. Everyone thinks this is cute.
- Do a creative face. Smile, stick your tongue out, look like your contemplating, just be creative! Don't do a boring smile, everyone smiles in pictures!
5
List as many bands as you can under "music" as you can. If you have even heard a song by that band, add them. It's important to showcase your wide taste in and vast knowledge of music. The more music you include, the more "scene" you will look.
- Go for obscure, not-yet-popular music. Scene kids, like hipsters, adore the idea of having liked a band before they were cool. It means they're on the cutting edge, a trendsetter. If this means resurrecting a once-popular band that has since fallen into obscurity, that's ok too.
Music shows are important to the scene culture. Go to as many as you can. If there is a concert within a 60 mile (97 km) radius, try to go. Update your status to let people know that you are really into music. Don't forget to take pictures to prove that you went. Pictures should be of the stage and mob pits. It's not important that you are actually in the pictures.
Constantly update your status to tell people that you are bored, what's bothering you, that you feel like chatting, or that you are off to a show. People wouldn't have become friends with you if they didn't want constant updates on your life.
8
Get the attitude. The right scene attitude will do a lot to help you fit in and distinguish yourself as a true scenester. Because you dress the way that you do, expect to get a lot of grief from other people, especially older folks. Brush it off. A scene kid isn't interested in getting approval from random haters, much less from adults (although s/he isn't that rebellious). To master the attitude:
- Be carefree. You are who you are and you know it. You're happy with yourself, so you wear your badges with confidence and style.
- Don't be rude. Scenesters don't really have a chip on their shoulders like some hipsters do. Whether it's to someone's parents or a friend in your circle, you seek to be pleasant and easy-going, even if you're being teased.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Music

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1
Listen to "scene" music. "Scene" music includes Dot Dot Curve, Brokencyde, Owl City, Blood on the Dance Floor, Millionaires, Scene Kidz, Breathe Carolina, 3!OH3, Family Force 5, I Set My Friends on Fire and Jeffree Star.
- Other than the likes of 3!OH3 or Breathe Carolina, try electronicore, too. Electronicore fuses electro-pop with melodic metalcore and stuff. Try stuff like Attack! Attack, I See Stars, Memphis May Fire, Enter Shikari, Woe is Me, Capture the Crown, Make Me Famous and Abandon All Ships. You can also try bands like Pierce the Veil if you want. Electropop and dance-pop is recommended, too. Even these artists and groups sometimes cite pop stars as influences or even appear on a compilation series called "Punk Goes Pop". Try Katy Perry, Carly Rae Jepsen or Nicki Minaj. You could also try dubstep and house/techno/dance/etc like Skrillex, Knife Party and deadmau5.
- There are many bands or artists mislabeled as scene. Many people think deathcore, for example, is scene. It isn't. Deathcore is a hybrid of death metal (Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Brain Drill, Dying Fetus) and metalcore (Hatebreed, Converge, While She Sleeps). Metalcore fuses metal music with beatdown hardcore (Death Before Dishonor, Madball, Comeback Kid). Metal, death metal and hardcore punk all have nothing to do with the scene style. Many think this because of the appearances of a few deathcore bands. However, a band that shows the typical image of a deathcore band would be Rose Funeral, Oceano, The Red Chord or Despised Icon. Also, here is some other music mislabeled as scene:
- Hollywood Undead - Obviously rap rock
- Asking Alexandria - Metalcore/synthcore
- iwrestledabearonce - Experimental mathcore
- Falling in Reverse - Glam metal/easycore
- The Devil Wears Prada - Melodic metalcore
- Suicide Silence - deathcore
- Black Veil Brides - Glam rock
- Of Mice & Men - Metalcore
- All Time Low - Pop rock
- Paramore - Emo pop

Community Q&A

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Question

if you dress this way but don't listen to scene bands, would that be considered "fake"?

Community Answer

Listen to what you want to listen to! You don't have to fit into every small box in order to have scene style.

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Tips

Realize that some people will hate you.

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Make sure that you are very careful with your hair. Use a thermal protection spray applied in your hair before straightening or curling it. Don't shampoo too much and deep condition regularly or your hair will most likely be in horrible shape after a little while. It's also nice to buy lots of hairspray.

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Don't throw away all your preppy clothes! You can use long sleeved shirts, plain t-shirts and shirt-dresses for layering.

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Warnings

Don't lie about what you like and don't like. If you have never/barely listened to a particular band (or you just don't like them), don't lie and say you have just because it's the "scene" thing to do; no one likes a liar. If you buy a band shirt or claim a band as your favorite, you should be able to name at least three songs by them off the top of your head.

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Be prepared to have haters. Some people out there are against "scene kids" and will swear, name call and possibly bash you for just walking around the street. It depends on what kind of area you live in. And definitely don't lash back out on them, just protect your self if needed. But you most likely will never get much more than funny looks or mean comments, so don't worry too much about this, just be aware it is possible.

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Never act stuck-up, conceited, rude, or all-powerful to anyone, regardless of whether they're into the scene or not. Confidence is key, not arrogance. People will just think you're annoying, and will not see you as you truly are.

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Don't dye or tease your hair too often or else you can damage it. If you ignore this, your hair may become wiry and fried. To help keep your hair healthy deep condition it regularly."

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Don't take this "scene" thing too seriously.

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An addition to that, it is VERY important that you remain yourself. Labeling yourself as only "scene" is a huge mistake. Be true to yourself and be an individual; be unique. The most important thing about being part of scene culture is individuality. It does not matter if it is in the "Style Guidelines" Don't try to act like someone you're not.

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Don't buy a lot of your clothes from Hot Topic; That store has mostly dark clothing. Scene people wear bright colors and usually are like a cross between preps, "emos", socialites, etc.

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Don't try hard to be scene. Scene is a subculture, like any other, with its own aesthetic, which either fits you, or it doesn't. You don't have to try to be scene if you aren't genuinely interested in it. Those who truly are scene don't have to try to be so, because they are already Scene. If the fashion doesn't appeal to you, don't wear it, if the music doesn't appeal to you, don't listen to it. Trying hard to be part of any subculture is the essence of being a poseur. Be yourself, do not try to fit yourself to conform to any subculture, only consider yourself part of a subculture if it fits you.

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The first and most important guideline to maintaining your scene status is to never ever EVER refer to yourself as a scene kid! It is an an irreversible mistake if you do it; you will be forever known as a poseur, and no genuine scene kid will ever take you seriously again. You have been warned. If someone calls you a scene kid to annoy you, don't scoff or get defensive; just brush it off.

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Don't confuse scene with scenester. A scenester is a person a person who tries very hard to fit the stereotype of a social, artistic, or musical scene or subculture, more or less a poseur, whereas the scene people are their own unique subculture, which emphasizes creativity and uniqueness.

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Don't copy other people. All it will do is 1.) get people mad at you, and 2.) make you look like a fake and you guessed it- a poseur. 3.)There's no point. Being creative is one of the main points of being scene. If you don't want to be creative or expressive at all why do you want to be scene?

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There is a difference between emo and scene. Emo is a sub-genre of hardcore punk referring to bands like The Promise Ring, Silverstein, Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, Cap'n Jazz, Drive Like Jehu and The Starting Line. Fans of this genre usually label themselves hardcore or punk, but "emo" are risen to be a self using term instead of an insult, what it first came about as. Original emo fashion included sweaters, messenger bags, horn rimmed glasses and band D.I.Y. but the newer emo fashion consists of converse, eyeliner, band shirts, dyed black straightened hair and studded/pyramid belts. Scene fashion has layered, teased and dyed into multiple colours hair, sometimes with coontails with neon jeans, colourful vans/converse and accessories of bows or glasses. People think scene is just a "brighter version of emo" but this is incorrect - they both have different histories.

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Know when to use intentionally incorrect spelling. Using intentionally incorrect spelling and grammar is not acceptable for things such as school assignments or legal documents.

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