The only tutorial you'll ever need on how to build your dream alt wardrobe

Taking one scroll through forums, bulletins and blogs there are so many people asking the same question on "how do I get ___alt clothes??" "where do I buy  ___?" and instead of replying to all 10,000 posts with the same stuff I wanted to make this blogpost to show you how to get YOUR dream clothes no matter the style.

When looking at clothes/styles you want to achieve, look into outfits of that category. A huge problem people have is feeling like they need to buy the exact same items the model is wearing in the exact same way. Please do not do this. This results in overconsumption and unoriginality. You wont have your own style, just a rip off of other people's. (the alt community also priories underconsumption and originality)

When looking at a style you want, you need to go into specifics. You need to sort of "dissect" the outfit into it's original components (tops, bottoms, shoes, accessories, etc). Look at the details of each garment and pick what you like the most about them. Whether it's fur on a hoodie or stripes on a long sleeve, these are key words you can use to find similar clothing pieces

I think it's hard to do this without a proper example, so let me show you one !

For this outfit, I searched "cute alt outfit" on Pinterest, and now I'm going to show you how to recreate this using only second hand pieces that make it cute, but still unique. In order to "dissect" this out ft like I mentioned before, You need to look at each individual piece and the components of it.

I found both of these skirts on Depop under the search "tartan mini skirt." If you layer the dark one under the lighter red one, it creates a similar skirt to the one in the photo. Being alternative, you have to look at how to create unique pieces like the skirt in the photo with multiple unconventional items like these 2 skirts I found.

For the blouse, I searched "white blouse with ruffles" on Mercari. If you want to make the blouse more fitted to you you can sew or safety pin it. (I'll probably make another tutorial for that). See how I took note of the ruffles in the blouse and included it in my search? 

For the top, I went on Mercari as well and searched for "black top with red details." Although the original top is cropped, It is so incredibly easy to cut the bottom off and make it cropped yourself. Remember, alt people need to be creative with DIY. If you want to be alt, you should learn these skills and how to incorporate them

The bow was probably the easiest part. I went on Poshmark and searched "black bow clip" and there were hundreds of results that could work for this outfit. 

Just like the top, you'll need to incorporate the DIY aspect into the tie. This tie I found on vinted works perfectly if you just take some time and dye it red. I searched "plaid tie"

This necklace was also one of the easiest to find, and In my opinion I think it's cuter than the one in the picture. This was the FIRST result when I searched "Metal necklace" on vinted. (This photo makes it look gold but it's actually silver)

Now to show you how all these pieces work together, I made this (honestly hourrendous) collage to show you.

In conclusion, If you want to gain your dream alt wardrobe you need to take some time and effort. Remember how Rome wasn't built in a day, and your closet shouldn't be either. Building up a wardrobe like this takes years, so please don't feel discouraged. If you want to gain this skill for spotting clothes take notes on the searches I did "metal necklace"-look at what the piece is made of. "white blouse with ruffles"-look at the specific components that make that garment special. "tartan mini skirt"-look at patterns

Remember: if you buy fast fashion, you aren't alternative. You're a clown in a wannabe punk costume

(sorry for taking such a large break from blogging, I've been really busy, but I'm motivated and have some ideas for 2025 !)