Summer fashion is all about embracing your inner rebel. With bright colors and bold patterns, this season is all about standing out and making a statement. We’ve gathered 10 of our favorite looks for summer 2023 that will have you feeling like a runway rebel. From flirty florals to eye-catching stripes, these looks will make you the talk of the town. Read on to find out which trends you should be rocking this season.
Image from Saint Laurent's Spring 2016 ready to wear collection.
You might think, who needs to know about runway trends when you've got your style down? Goth girls are more inclined to follow the trends of centuries past, while steampunks love trends that may never be! But trust me, it's great to keep an eye out for looks and pieces that inspire you wherever you go! This summer is a perfect opportunity to stock up on your Riot Girrrl basics and grungy tie-dye prints.
Try a Tiara or Two
While perusing Saint Laurent's Spring 2016 runway looks, filled with oversized denim jackets; punk vests, and army surplus jackets which contrasted the sheerest of sheer slip dresses - AKA the most Grunge show in history - we couldn't look past the hair accessory each model wore. A tiara! To date, Courtney Love has been a lover of the signature hair accessory and YSL has officially crowned it the "90s grunge tiara". So, we know we'll be considering rocking it with every outfit!
To make this crown a little more wearable we're thinking of ditching the silvery and sparkly design. By changing the color to something darker like black or red, it makes the accessory less of a costume and more of an accessory.
Along with changing the color, it will also help to use it as a functional piece of jewelry. Use a tiara as a headband amongst long layered curls, or pin it around a messy bun. This way it will fit more seamlessly with your look.
Mad About Metallic
Image from Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring 2016 Couture collection
From sequins to sleek metallic hotpants this is a trend we at Rebels Market can really get on board with. Bring some eighties rocker to your look by pairing high-shine fabrics with bold prints like leopard and cheetah.
When thinking metallics, we have a habit of resigning them to club wear but that doesn't have to be. Just as we subdued the tiara, opting for darker or colored metallics makes them more wearable. Pair some black metallic leggings, with a worn band t-shirt and some black booties and you're adding interest using texture while still being casual in an all-black ensemble.
Say Cheers to Sheers!
Image via www.promgirl.com
Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs were both all about eclectic and romantic sheer dresses this season. For you bohemian babes out there it's right up your alley! Stay modern with a long layered rocker look or go Goth with a nineties-inspired gothic maxi-skirt like the ladies of The Craft. It doesn't matter what you say, we'll always be in love with the modern occult style of those 90s witches and it seems like Alexander McQueen is also.
A great tip for adding a masculine punk vibe to any sheer piece is to utilize the see-through aspect. Just by adding a layer underneath using a pentagram harness or even something as simple as a striped tank top, you can stay covered up while hinting at your darker side. For example, rock fishnet stockings underneath a long sheer maxidress!
Denim Gets a Makeover at Marc Jacobs
image from Marc Jacob's Spring 2016 ready to wear collection.
This year's denim is punk rock as hell! We're in love with this collection's DIY patches and overall eighties style. Did you think that summer meant keeping cool with short skirts and tiny shorts? Think again! Summer means more rips and distressed denim you can wear at once!
To get your own patched and distressed jeans from last season's plain old pair is no problem with a little work. Just pick up your favorite patches (we suggest iron-on transfers, otherwise you'll have to sew them) and use your kitchen scissors, cheese grater, and nail file to add some of the most detailed distressing you've ever seen - it's actually how the pros do it!
To Dye For!
Image via www.luxelookbook.com
If you haven't been rocking a grungy tie dye print, we don't know where you've been! You can even make your own at home in your favourite colours. All you need is fabric dye, an old t-shirt and some rubber bands.
Before you start dying away though here are our tips for tie dying at home:
1 - Make sure your fabric dye will work in conjunction with the fabric type of the item you're dying. There are different kinds of dyes for polyester versus cotton materials.
2 - Start with a blank canvas. Take it from someone with experience. Never dye over a printed fabric, otherwise, you'll end up with the most disgusting colors. Like brown, brown, and more splotches of brown.
3 - Speaking of colors, try looking at a color wheel beforehand. Placing similar colors near each other might muddle them or make some disappear altogether. Opt for complementary colors that sit opposite each other on the wheel like yellow and green or purple and red.
Alien-Chic
Image from Prada's Spring 2016 ready to wear collection.
Alien chic goes hand in hand with tie dye, doesn't it? The runways went alien with neon-colored lipsticks in green and yellow, along with huge metallic graphic eyeliner. These are simple looks that, with pigmented lipstick or good quality metallic eyeliner, anyone can try!
Retro Lingerie and Riot Grrrl Slips!
Courtney Love is the first kickass fashionable grunge girl that comes to mind when slips are mentioned! She proved once and for all, along with Kat Bjelland, that you can be a feminine babe while breaking down taboos and screaming your favorite Nirvana songs at the top of your lungs.
If grunge is your thing, don't be afraid to snatch up some slips this summer. They're great for turning heads and keeping cool. Oh, and they make a great layering piece!
Stripes have Sprung
Image from poupeesdechiffons.org
Channel your inner Beetlejuice with bold monochromatic stripes. Have you heard there's going to be an official Beetlejuice 2? We're already on board. A thick black and white stripe is calling out to us and we can hear it saying Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice ... Beetlejuice!
Whether you're striped leggings or blazer kind of guy, a simple trick to conquering the pattern is to keep them vertical. This way they'll work with your body to elongate your limbs rather than against it.
Braid Beauty
Image from Pinterest.
What's so rebellious about braids, you ask? These tricky hair styles while sometimes baffling to learn can be mind-numbingly ordinary. But if we've learnt anything by looking at mainstream trends on the runway we know that anything, with a little imagination, can be remade into something amazing!
If you're looking for a kickass alternative way to wear braids we suggest using them to fake a side cut, by parting your hair to the side and braiding starting from the front hairline back as far as you like!
Although, if you're already rocking an undercut or sidecut, braids are the perfect way to accentuate it. Just check out the amazing look above! I'd love to see this same style on a model with a mohawk. How cool would that be?
We Love a Vintage Styled Man
Image from Dries Van Noten's Spring 2016 ready-to-wear collection.
For men, retro silhouettes are in for summer. So, if you're into that vintage Greaser or Rockabilly look be sure to snatch up all of the retro-style bowling shirts and tapered trousers you can! To find some quick bargains in this style, we suggest throwing away any preconceived notions and to start shopping in the women's section. Women's fashion in comparison with men's tends to jump on these trends for cheaper, quicker, and more styles. What are you waiting for? We're not judging!
Have we won you over just yet? We're a firm believer that rebels can do anything they choose. Whether that is walking the runway or inspiring it! So, keep a look out for the next rebellious runway looks to love. And be sure to let us know your favorites!
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