They say the movement was born in Seattle in the late 80′s.
They say it became commercially successful in the early 90′s.
It was influenced by heavy metal, hardcore punk and indie rock.
A general state of apathy with their current society.
No more play pretend, just simply who you are, naked, uncovered.
It was a discomfort in the direction the world was headed.
It was an anti-conformist motivated shift in society.
It was a society fed up with theatrics.
It was a group of people who just didn’t give a f*ck anymore.
It was for the love of music, and the rejection of the flashy bullshit trends of the 80′s.
And they called it Grunge..

“I’d rather be hated for who I am, than be loved for who I’m not”
The famous words of the late Kurt Cobain.
Grunge was exactly that. When the flashy glitters of the 80′s started to get old, people were tired of the sparkles falling of their jackets. They didn’t want to have fish swimming in their platform shoes anymore, they just wanted to be. Be them. They we’re ready to hang up the sequenced jackets, they wanted to stop back-combing their hair and they didn’t want to see disco balls anymore. People just wanted to feel comfortable and listen to some good music with the people they called friends. Laser beam and smoke machine concerts were tiring and all they wanted to do was watch a band sit with their guitars and play some real music and sing about the depressing state they were all in.

Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Pixies, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Cranberries, Radiohead, just to name a few bands that heavily influenced grunge. Not just on a musical level but grunge as a whole, the fashion, the attitude, the movement, was all influenced by the music. Grunge was a plethora of people sick of conforming. Super model Kate Moss started a trend described as “Heroin Chic”, which was proof that grunge wasn’t just music, the couture fashion industry was taking a bite of the alternative apple as well. Body piercings, tattoos, and uncombed hair could be seen on the streets of Manhattan, it wasn’t just a garage band, school yard trend. Plaid shirts, worn denim, pants that don’t stick to your thighs, this was the staple of the dress code of grunge. Band t-shirts, ripped and well worn in. Crop tops with stick thin belly’s showing, dressed with a piercing on the belly button. Tops that flowed, over-sized sweaters, converse shoes. Doc Martins with wool socks sticking out the top. Khaki pants, do-it-yourself khaki shorts, hand cut with scissors or whatever tool that could cut through the fabric. Vests, over-alls and trench coats. Floor length floral maxi’s and over sized T’s. Browns, olive greens and cloudy blues.

The beautiful thing about the 90′s fashion, is it hadn’t been done. It was innovation out of people who weren’t even looking to invent, it just happened. A trend was created that still influences current fashion, current music, current attitudes. I would like to think that some of my daily looks are influenced by grunge. I grew up on it. I watched my older brother play the bass while I sat in over-sized pants and a Nirvana shirt. I would long board with my bestie Jen and idolize all the young skater boys. It was a phase but it still can be seen in my current wardrobe. Crop tops, band t-shits, plaid and leather, jean jackets and khaki can all be found in my closet at this very moment. I pair things a bit differently but the influence is there. The clothing’s from this shoot is how I would modernize the grunge look. Grunge is classic and doesn’t need a lot of change even in modern fashion. Designers always bring back old trends from era’s, grunge is always seen re-florishing the industry.

Grunge stood for just not giving a damn about what other people thought, it was about being who you are. Kurt Cobain said “wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are”. and ain’t that the damn truth. I think thats why I have aways taken a liking to grunge, I’m just me, that’s it, that’s all. When the make-up is gone, if I am naked and clothes-less, I’m just a grateful human being with a head full knowledge and a heart full of love, that’s all I am when you get to the bottom of it, and how beautiful.
When you’re naked, without your big tv, without your car, no house, no money, who are you? But more so, do you like you? You should, there just isn’t another one of you, so be happy being the best damn you that you can be.

For more fashion lovin' see www.taramarierose.com. My personal fashion blog

-Photography by Mike Phillips
You can find Mike’s work on his site www.michaelphillipsphoto.com and also as the main contributing photgrapher for taramarierose.com
Big thank-you to Mike, always challenging me as an artist to push harder

-Styling, Myself, Tara Rose(Osipoff) and Tanisha Apperley

-Models, Edge Agency. Brianne Punk and Tiffany Janzen.

-Make-up, Tara Apperley

Clothing from this shoot was provided by Uforia-Muse in Regina and also a lot of it was found at thrift stores then altered by Myself and Tanisha. I do want to give a huge thank-you to the amazing women of Uforia-Muse, I can honestly say that I never leave that store empty handed. The owners always have the most unique designers and travel far to find them. I love everything about the clothes they are rockin’. Don’t be afraid to stop by and tell them I sent you