ЁЯЦд Grunge is Back: How the '90s Anti-Fashion Movement is Defining 2025 Style
Published: June 9, 2025
By: Ashish Kudal | techlitre
By: Ashish Kudal | techlitre
ЁЯО╕ INTRO: When Fashion Says “Whatever”
In 2025, fashion is doing something it rarely does — it’s embracing chaos, rebellion, and imperfection. The grunge style, born in the rainy alleys of Seattle in the early ’90s and popularized by icons like Kurt Cobain, is roaring back into the mainstream. Only this time, it’s remixing with TikTok aesthetics, thrift-core values, and gender-neutral silhouettes.
From oversized flannels and worn-out denim to messy eyeliner and combat boots, Gen Z and TikTok influencers are bringing grunge back — not just as fashion, but as a cultural protest against perfectionism, fast fashion, and algorithm-driven aesthetics.
ЁЯз╡ How to Build a 2025 Grunge Wardrobe — On a Budget
Grunge was never meant to be expensive. The original movement thrived on second-hand clothes, DIY layers, and not caring what others thought. Here's how to build your own grunge wardrobe without breaking the bank:
ЁЯЫН️ 1. Thrift Like a Pro
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Visit local thrift stores and garage sales. Look for plaid shirts, band tees, oversized cardigans, and ripped jeans.
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Online thrifting apps like Depop, Poshmark, and Vinted are goldmines for affordable, authentic vintage.
ЁЯе╛ 2. Focus on Staples
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Flannel shirts (preferably oversized)
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Distressed or baggy jeans
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Doc Martens-style boots
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Chunky knit sweaters
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Layered silver chains and chokers
✂️ 3. DIY is the New Designer
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Cut your own denim.
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Sew on patches or band logos.
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Embrace raw hems, holes, and visible seams — they add authenticity.
ЁЯТб Pro tip: Grunge is about attitude, not aesthetics. You don’t wear it to impress — you wear it to express.
ЁЯСС From Thrift to Runway: How Grunge is Reclaiming High Fashion
Believe it or not, the grunge style now sits front row at fashion week. In 2025, luxury brands like Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Miu Miu are incorporating grunge into their collections.
ЁЯФД Grunge Reinvented:
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Balenciaga's Fall '25 collection featured distressed hoodies and oil-stained jeans.
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Miu Miu’s runway embraced mismatched layers, vintage sweaters, and beanies.
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Virgil Abloh’s legacy at Off-White is still influencing the blend of streetwear and rebellion.
This shift shows how the fashion elite are borrowing from anti-elitism. What once started in dingy clubs and basement shows has climbed back into glossy editorials — but the essence of grunge remains: nonconformity.
ЁЯУ▒ TikTok’s Role: The Charli XCX Effect & Gen Z's Grunge Obsession
Grunge's modern revival owes much to TikTok and Instagram Reels. TikTok stars like Charli XCX are embracing the look, showcasing vintage outfits in lo-fi edits set to Nirvana, Pixies, and Sonic Youth tracks.
ЁЯФе Viral Grunge Trends in 2025:
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#GrungeTok – 1.8B+ views
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“Grunge makeovers” using sepia filters and thrift hauls
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“Kurt-core” outfits mimicking Cobain’s cardigan-and-shades vibe
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Tutorials on creating messy eyeliner, greasy hair looks, and distressed DIY fashion
Charli XCX, in particular, has rebranded grunge for a new queer, gender-fluid generation — where femininity and masculinity blend into punkish self-expression.
ЁЯМН The Bigger Picture: Why Grunge Speaks to This Generation
We live in an era dominated by climate anxiety, burnout, digital overstimulation, and economic uncertainty. Grunge, with its anti-glamour, anti-perfection, and anti-establishment spirit, makes perfect sense.
ЁЯза “In 2025, grunge isn’t just a look — it’s a protest,” says fashion psychologist Dr. Elina Voss.
By embracing flaws, imperfections, and vintage fashion, Gen Z is rejecting fast fashion’s polished machine and choosing sustainability, creativity, and authenticity instead.
✨ Final Thoughts: Is Grunge Here to Stay?
The answer is a resounding yes — as long as it remains true to its roots. Whether it’s TikTok aesthetics, gender-free fashion, or anti-capitalist streetwear, the new grunge generation is not looking to revive the past, but to reshape it.
So the next time you pick up a flannel, ask yourself: Am I dressing for fashion — or for freedom?ЁЯФЧ References & Mentions:
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#GrungeTok on TikTok
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Interviews with fashion psychologists & streetwear analysts
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