How to be a Scene Kid: A Guide

Have you ever wanted to become an average, sterotypical scene kid? Well here's your chance. With this step by step guide, learn how to become the typical scene kid of your dreams.

Step 1: Style

Since scene kids are famous for their fashion, make sure you have a wardrobe filled with scene fashions. Clothing is retro inspired, and is usually tight fitted. Stock up on graphic tees, skinny jeans, band shirts, leggings, long necklaces, skate shoes, hoodies, anything with a retro feel. Since scene kids have many different styles, you can pull off just about any look you want to, just make sure you have the basics.

Hair: Scene hair is a must have. There's many styles you can sport. Guys usually have black dyed hair with sidebangs, often poofy and teased at the top. Girls, however, can pull off many different styles and looks. Here's some typical styles of scence hair:

* Layers: Scene kids often layer their hair at the top, sometimes the bottom.

* Teased hair: This is a must have. Scensters usually tease their hair at the top so it's big and poofy. Sometimes they spike or stack their hair.

* Hair dye: Another must have. There are many diferent ways to color or dye your hair. Scensters commonly dye their hair black, bleach blonde or dark brown. Highlights are also a must. Bright, unusual neon colors such as blue, pink, red, green, purple ect. are common, as well as black or blonde highlights. Whatever colors you choose, just remember, the more unusal, the more scene.

* Sidebangs: Another must have. Every scene kid must have sidebangs. Sidebangs usually cover the eye and are on the right side of the face. Some scene kids streak them or dye them a solid color different to their main hair color. They are often layered. Whatever style you choose, make sure you have them, since no scene hair style is complete without them.

* Extensions: This is also common with scene kids, girls in paticular. Girls often choose extensions that are different from their main hair color, such a blonde hair with black extensions, for example.

* Lenght: Guys usually have longish hair that hits around mid neck, but girls can pull off most lenghts. Scene hair for girls is usually longer styled, but short hair will work as well.

Tops/shirts: Shirts usually are retro inspired and unusal. Most shirts are tight fitted, but make sure they fit you. As I've mentioned before, scene fashion has many different styles, just be sure you are equiped with the basics.

Band tees: Since music plays an imporant part in the scene culture, every scene kid has their own collection of band tees. It doesn't matter if the band is a classic 80's emo, punk or indie band or if the band isn't well known, just as long as you listen to the artist often and are an expert on the band, or else you will be considered a poser.

Graphic tees: These are a must have. Graphic tees often have random icons, as well as cartoon characters. Most icons will work, but these are most common. The more unusal, vintage, weird and random the icons are, the better.

* Skulls

* Birds

* Robots

* Dinosaurs

* Hearts (commonly broken ones)

* Lightening bolts

* Spaceships

* Guns

* Ribcages

* Planets

* Rain/rain clouds

* Stars

* Music notes

* Piano keys

* Headphones

* Guitars

* Rainbows

* Unicorns

Don't stop there. As I've said before, most icons will work. These are just a few from the top of my head and aren't even half of the icons that would be accepted.

Hoodies: Hoodies are common. Be sure to have several hoodies to wear, not just one or two, since scene kids wear hoodies often. Hoodies often have patterns, designs or random icons (see list above). Common hoodie patterns are skulls, animal prints (Usually in lepord print, but zebra print works as well), polka dots, stars and stripes. Cartoon based hoodies are common. Band hoodies are also acceptable.

Cartoon character based tops: It doesn't matter if it's a hoodie or a tee shirt, but be sure to have at least one or two. Most cartoon themes will be acceptable, but these are some of the most common.

* Hello Kitty (This is a must have for girls. Accesories are also acceptable)

* Invader Zim

* Gloomy Bear

* Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

* Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends

* Pokemon

* Sanrio

* Barbie

* Skelanimals

* Emilie the strange

Keep in mind, your options don't end there. There's plenty of other cartoon tees that will work, just make sure you can find them. The cartoon characters also don't have to be modern. Classic cartoon shirts would be perfect, after all, scene fashion has retro roots.

Patterned tops: Tube tops, tank tops, camis, it doesn't matter. Just be sure to have some shirts with stripes, animal prints (zebra and lepard prints are most common. Try find some in unusal colors instead of the basic black and white and brown colors, such as red, green or pink for example) polka dots, checkered pattern, ect.

Pants/bottoms

Skinny jeans: This is a huge must have. No scensters are seen without them. The tighter the better, but make sure they fit properly. No one wants to be seen with a fashion victim. Try to avoid ones with flares or boot cuts. Vintage or dark wash skinny jeans are a must have. Straight legged skinny jeans will work too. Although blue denim is the most common, ones in black or in unusal pant colors, such as red, blue, pink, yellow, green ect. will also work.

Skirts: Girls can wear skirts as long as they are worn with leggings, stocking, fishnets or knee high socks. Stripped socks and leggings are the most common, but most patterns will work. the most common skirts are:

* Tutus

* Plaid skirts

* Denim skirts

* Plain black skirts

Shoes: There's plenty of different shoes scensters can wear, but skate shoes are the most common, as well as ballet shoes. Vans and converse are the most popular brand of skate shoes with scene kids, but other brands such as DC and Etnies will work too. Wear what you please, but have at least one basic pair of converse or vans in your wardrobe.

Converse: This is one of the most popular brand of skate shoes. Every scene kid must have at least one pair of converse. Low tops are the most common, but high tops work as well. The laces usually are tucked inside the shoes instead of being tied. The most common color is black and white but other colors will work as well.

Vans: This is also another popular brand of skate shoes. Some of the most popular and basic vans are checkered slip ons, usually in black and white, but other colors will also work. Vans come in all different patterns, style and designs, some are sneakers with laces, some are slip ons, so choose your desired pair.

Ballet flats: These are popular with scene girls. Usually they have a little bow on the front. Any will do, metallic, silver, brown, black, red, white, or in patterns, so choose which ever you desire.

Accesories: No scene kid is complete without them. There are many different accesories in the scene catagorey, so there's many for you choose one. Keep in mind, I haven't listed all the accesories in the scene catagorey, these are just the main ones.

Peircings: These are common with scene kids. Any will work, snake bites, labret, lip rings, navel peircings, nose rings, three or four on each ear, plugs, the list goes on and on. You can get away with most facial peircings, so chose what you desire.

Necklaces: There are so many different necklaces you can choose from. Necklaces are usually long. Pearl necklaces are a must have. You can choose any color as long as you have at least one in black and one in white. Necklaces with random icons would work. Ones with guns or skulls work as well.

Bracelets: Jelly bracelets would be acceptable. So would a studed one, or pearl bracelets. Wrist bands also work, for both boys and girls. The most common would be a checkered one, but most will work.

Bandanas: These are a must have. Have at least one bandana. Most patterns will work. Colors are commonly red and white, black and white, pink and white, and blue and white. You can wear them around your head, around your mouth or around your neck.

Belts: Studded belts are the most common. Although silver is most common, other colors, such as red, pink, ect. work as well. Belts with piano keys or checkered ones will also be accepted. Sometimes chains are added to the belt.

Hair accesories: These are a big part of the scene style. These will work:

* Hair bows

* Bright colored hair clips

* Head bands (with skulls, guns, polka dots, ect.)

* Ribbons

* Bandanas

* Cartoon themed hair clips

* Flowers (usually fake plastic ones)

Fingerless gloves: Black ones are the most common. Ones with bows, lace, skulls, stripes and holes will work too.

Oversized glasses: These are acceptable as well. Usually cat eyed or in black.

Gloomy bear/Hello Kitty plush and dolls: You need these to pose with for your pictures.

Neckties: These are acceptable for both boys and girls. Ones in black and red or stripped ones are the most popular.

Make-up: Make-up is needed to complete the scene look. Make-up is not worn by just girls, but by guys as well.

Eyeliner: This is a must have for both genders. Make sure it surrounds the eye. Guys are reccomended to wear it lighty, but girls, however, can wear it as lightly or as heavy as they please. Cat eyes work for girls. Liquid eyeliner works best, but if you are a begginer, start with an eyeliner pencil until you get the hang of things.

Eye shadow: Boys usually wear hot pink or black eye shadow. Girls usually wear bright eye shadows, such as lime green, hot pink, red, bright purple, blue ect. but black, white and dark purple is also acceptable. If you do choose to wear eyeshadow, do remember to wear your eyeliner as well.

Nail polish: Guys usually wear black nail polish. Girls wear black nail polish, but sometimes pair black polish with red, hot pink or white nail polish.

Now that you know the basics for a scene wardrobe, let's move onto the next step.

Step two: Become obsessed with music.

Music has a huge influence and plays a major part in the scene subculture. The music scene is what inspired the whole scene sterotype. To be a scene kid, you must love music. Be a music expert. Study different gernes, cultures, and bands. Look up tour dates. Try to go to as many shows as you possibly can. Have an i-pod or mp3 player that's chocked full with your favorite songs composed by your favorite musical artists. Live for music. Learn to love music. Become a music whore.

Typical gernes scene kids listen to: Keep in mind, scene kids are open to many different gernes, but these are the common gerens that scene kids listen to.

* Punk

* Screamo

* Techno

* Power pop/pop punk

* Hardcore

* Emotive hardcore (or emo for short)

* Indie

* Alternative/Alternative rock

* Metal

* Rock

* Hard rock

Research: Scene kids often know alot about music. They search up different music gernes, cultures, tour dates and musical artists. Do the same. Study music history. Research your favorite bands. Find facts about them and the members. Act like you've known your favorite bands for long time, even if you haven't, since scensters tend to do that.

Concerts/shows: scene kids love music, so they go to as many shows as they possibly can. Search tour dates of your favorite artists. Go with a close group of friends. Make sure to mosh and head bang while you're there. Take pictures of you and your friends at the show and upload them on your myspace and other websites you are active on.

Now that you know about scene fashion and understand that music is a large part of the culture, it's time to go to the next step.

Step three: Develop the attitude.

Scene kids are usually considered as bright, bold, outgoing, confident, random and weird. Unless you want to be considered a poser, you need to develop a proper scene attitude and personality. Don't push it or try too hard, otherwise you'll be classed as a wannabe.

Confidence: Scene kids are known for their pride and confidence. Become overly confident in everything you do. You must truely love who you are. Consider yourself a unique, cool, special person. Accept who you are and be proud of your flaws. You must think of yourself as the most beautiful face on the planet. Compliment yourself. Ignore other people. Don't care about what others think of you. If you truely accept yourself and feel confident, you won't care about what others think. Don't think lowly of yourself. But don't become vain or brag about yourself or act as if your better than everyone else. You can be confident, but don't over do it. You'll be disliked by most people.

Be weird and random: Scene kids tend to have odd senses of humor. They tend to act wierd and different. Do the same. Be weirder than weird. Say random things. Act in unusal ways. But don't over do it and act wierd in everything you do or be random all the time. Do it at the right moment instead.

Be bold and outgoing: Most scene kids are very bold, outgoing, friendly people. They are very sociable. Become friendly to those you meet. Get a tight clique of friends that you hang out with often. Meet alot of people and go to social situations. Be kind to those you meet, but state your opinion when needed. If this isn't you, you can be the shy, quiet scene kid who's kind to everyone.

Don't act depressed: Scene kids are often mistaken for sad, gloomy, dark, depressed, self loathing kids which is not true at all. Scene kids have emotions like everyone else but are happy most of the time. Don't whine or complain or about things, attention seek, or act depressed. Not only will you be considered a poser, but you'll also be considered annoying and obnoxious.