The eboy subculture perfectly exemplifies how TikTok can influence fashion trends. Popular creators often showcase outfits and styles that quickly sell out in their videos, resulting in more purchases for related products.
What is an eboy? Eboys leverages social media platforms like TikTok to craft a unique digital identity that resonates with its audience. They combine emo, goth, and cyberculture elements with a kawaii aesthetic.
Sneakers
eBoys’ style is an amalgamation of emo, scene, and mall goth fashion, with a dash of Japanese and Korean streetwear. They wear striped long-sleeved shirts, black sneakers with a bold logo, and ripped jeans. They accessorize with padlock necklaces, chockers, and chipped black nail polish. This provocative look has attracted a cult following that is hard to ignore.
TikTok is the cradle of Gen Z’s counterculture, and its influencers are a force to be reckoned with. The video-sharing app has been downloaded over 800 million times and earns 17 billion average monthly views. It’s also a breeding ground for viral challenges and songs that become popular.
It’s not without controversy, however. The platform has been criticized for promoting negative body image, cyberbullying, and inappropriate behavior. It’s also been accused of fostering addictive behaviors, with users spending excessive time on the app.
While much of TikTok content is entertainment and comedy, some creators have gained a steady audience with informational videos. These influencers offer beauty, fitness, personal finance, or cooking tips and advice. Some have even incorporated product placements to increase brand awareness.
Dad Jeans
If you want to step up your style game this summer, dad jeans are the way to go. Not to be confused with low-rise jeans, dad denim is higher-waisted and looser-fitting through the thigh. They also taper slightly at the ankle and can be found in various colorways — from dark tones resembling train conductors’ pants to stonewashed jeans straight out of Zach Morris’ laundry basket.
Fashion TikTok creators are responsible for many of the trends we see on our feeds and the runway. From serving #GRWM looks and OOTD inspo to reintroducing forgotten trends, the global community of style influencers on TikTok has further democratized fashion for a new generation of shoppers.
One of TikTok’s most popular style trends this summer is the Weird Girl aesthetic. Described as a “mish-mash” of all viral TikTok styles, the weird girl aesthetic throws the typical fashion rules out the window. From fluffy bucket hats to mini skirts and DIY-looking crochet knitwear, the weird girl aesthetic has been credited with being inspired by Harajuku fashion. This Japanese subculture mixes multiple different styles into its unique take on style.
Whether you’re a guy or a girl, this look will make you feel cool and laid-back. For guys, pair a pair of dad jeans with a band tee for a rocker vibe or a hoodie for streetwear-inspired style. For girls, dress a plaid skirt with a ruffled blouse or t-shirt to keep the outfit feminine and cool.
Hats
Eboys are known for their baggy streetwear and dark makeup, a mix of goth, emo, and skater styles. Oversized jean jackets, puffer coats, and beanie hats are staple pieces for this style. Many eboys also like to dress up their outfit with bold jewelry and black nail polish. They often incorporate these looks into their music and entertainment content. They are not afraid to take risks and challenge masculinity. Their videos often talk about their anxiety, depression or body image struggles to normalize these issues for others and inspire them to seek help. They are also not afraid to show emotion and evoke strong reactions from their audience, such as crying or yelling in their clips. They even have a sexualized fascination with choking, displaying their necks and feigning choking gestures to their audiences.
This trend will likely continue to grow in popularity as the generation born in the digital world grows up. It will be interesting to see how fashion brands tap into these emerging subcultures, especially as some of them are already collaborating with TikTok stars such as Noen Eubanks. To learn more about incorporating this trend into your collections, contact an EDITED retail expert.
Shackets
Whether wearing the latest collection or rocking an outfit inspired by one of TikTok’s biggest fashion influencers, eboys are all about showing off. Their youth subculture emerged in 2018, popularized by social media app TikTok. This trend has since spread to the real world, influencing fashion and showcasing Gen Z’s unique style.
The eboy aesthetic is a mix of styles that draw from emo, goth, and punk. These kids are perma-online and spend a lot of time perfecting their online personas. They use their digital lives to shape a distinctive identity and connect with like-minded people worldwide.
Although the eboy culture has been catapulted to mainstream popularity by TikTok, it stems from K-Pop style that developed before the platform’s emergence. Like emo boys, today’s teen boys explore gender identity, mental health, and sexual fluidity, but in a different way. While emo boys rocked eyeliner and girls’ jeans, these kids are likelier to lick their lips in a TikTok or pretend to choke their phones for the camera.
