Thursday, November 17, 2016

Trend: Nu-metal T-shirts?

Topshop

Had to snap these photos to confirm I'm not going insane. But there are KoRn and Slipknot shirts at Topshop and Urban Outfitters. Like, copies of the originals. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought this day would come.

So, confession time, I used to really like Korn. Honestly, it wasn't cool to admit this even when they were at the height of their popularity. I actually threw out my Korn shirt because I was like "this will never be cool again" LOL. Because Korn sucks now. Like, a lot. They are a terrible band. I'd die of embarrassment if anyone thought I still listened to them. 

Which brings me to the above t-shirt being sold at Topshop for $50. If post-2000 Korn never happened, I'd probably have gotten it. But they are still making terrible music today. If you wore that, their heyday was recent enough ago that people will think you are wearing that unironically. 

But then I realize that that was over 15 years ago and the target audience for that shirt either wasn't born or was like 5 years old. Girl, do you even know what you are buying? This is the band that had a chorus of "my dick is bigger than yours" in a rap battle song with Limp Bizkit in their megahit album!

What I'm saying is, this is kind of not a cool shirt to wear if you want to be fashionable. For heaven's sake, it was my ironic tag in the bars of Brooklyn. You can tell I was at one point an expert at writing their logo everywhere:


I also saw a Slipknot shirt at Urban Outfitters next to a Metallica shirt. So, Metallica also sucks now, but they were pioneers who have basically achieved "classic rock" status. But Slipknot? No. And this is from someone who was a fan at one point. I even saw them in the greatest show ever, when they played with Rammstein. For real, I can't bring myself to hate either of these shirts, but I'd never wear them lest anyone think I actually still listen to these bands like a person who is trapped forever in their youth as the world has gone by. I can't think of a way to look more old. 

So yeah, I guess this is the blog post in which I realize that I'm old. Something I thought was recent turned out to be over 15 years ago (or almost 20) and I'm old and confused at why it's at a mainstream store as a fashion statement. But I'm sorry--nu-metal ain't the Rolling Stones or Led Zepplin or the Beatles. Which, those of you in my age group, the olds were laughing at us for wearing those shirts and asking, "Do you even listen to that band?" 


Urban Outfitters

I'll help you out, fast fashion stores, while we're on this course. Nu-metal was really a gateway drug to ICP fandom. May I suggest....

Is anyone also feeling especially weirded out by seeing nu-metal--freaking nu-metal!!--shirts at fast fashion stores???!?!?

13 comments:

  1. Having just spent some time in an Urban Outfitters seeking a velvet dress, I can say without doubt that the majority of the girls shopping there would never have listened to any of these bands. Is it being ironic? I think more than anything it's another attempt to make something vintage/grunge without a real grasp of that fashion movement. And $50?! I could go down to the rock shop and buy the same tee for $20. Laughable.

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    1. It's bizarre that they're selling something that you can buy today, new, as a vintage item

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  2. I see metal shirt at H&M all the time lately and yes - it's freaking me out. I mean, I could maybe understand wearing Joy Division tshirts, but you can't make metal that mainstream, you just can't... I think there are young people today who listen to nu metal seriously, along with many core-numbers... urgh...
    Btw I liked Korn too!

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  3. I guess those, who designed these didn't listen to the band(s) either...

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    1. Haha or they went to school, got advanced degrees, internships, worked their way up the corporate ladder, and are living their high school dreams of having KoRn shirts at the mall

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  4. I saw a Joy Division T-shirt in Primark once. It felt weird and just plain wrong.

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  5. F**k, I should have kept all of my t-shirts from high school, I could sell them all for $50. I would be rich as I was a huge nu-metal devotee back then. As you said, this reminds me of when I was younger and like Led Zepplin t-shirts were in style even though the people who wore them had probably never listened to them. Getting old is super weird.........

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  6. Well, I did buy a kiss T-shirt from lidl.but it was 5 euros only

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  7. I totally agree with how you described your sentiments about those shirts! They are disturbing in multiple ways... >_>

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