Welcome to Indie Sleaze

What it is, Why we love it and Where to Find it Secondhand!

The year is 2006. It is the height of Tumblr and MySpace. Mark Hunter (aka Cobra Snake), Jeremy Scott, and Sky Ferreira are championing the reign of a new fashion era. And partying with the Misshapes. This era will be defined by its grubby maximalist feel. It pulls inspiration from the ‘90s grunge scene and its hedonistic energy is captured with in-the-moment flash photography. Brands like American Apparel are in their heyday, iPod nanos are all the rage, and Hipsters are in.

This fashion era, taking place mainly from 2006-2010, was deemed indie sleaze and is making a hardcore comeback right now. Appealing to nostalgia and irony, this trend has led to the emergence of a whole new category of fashion. One based in the Y2K tacky and liberated aesthetic.

A Few of Our Favorite OG Indie Sleaze Celebs

*The OG indie sleazers – clockwise from top left: Sky Ferreira, Kate Moss, Sophia Lamar, Santigold, Leigh Lezark, Jeremy Scott, Geordon Nicol, Cory Kennedy + an Olsen twin*

Indie sleaze has roots in both rebellion and anti-fashion. Taking on an “anything goes” mentality, this alternative movement feels like a rejection to the runway-to-rack traditional structure of trends. Instead, trends now begin online. They then are able to gain momentum solely through the space of the Internet and social media.

As stated in Dazed’s recent article exploring the re-emergence of this trend, “people want a more nonchalant mash-up of things that feel right in the moment. Indie sleaze was ultimately about seeking pleasure, approaching life as a giant mashup, making the most out of the moment at a time when life was getting darker” – Geraldine Wharry, founder of the Trend Atelier.

Celebrities like Chloe Cherry, Devon and Sydney Carlson, and Olivia Rodrigo all embody this maximalist, bought-it-at-a-thriftstore aesthetic. But make it look effortlessly cool.

*The New IndieSleaze as seen on Olivia Rodrigo, Devon Lee Carlson + Sydney Carlson, Chloe Cherry*

Want to be a part of the ultra-cool movement?

We’ve curated the best picks to have you dressed in indie sleaze in no time –and secondhand, of course! This “retro” aesthetic is recent enough that you can find the actual pieces. No need for new.