In 2022, dressing how you like is easier than ever, and interstellar fashion is guaranteed to get you looks – take it from someone who thinks ‘alien’ is a compliment!
Fashion has always had rules.
Don’t wear blue and black.
Never mix metals.
“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”
However, it’s 2022; we are seeing more and more of these rules being broken. From maximalism being heavily sought after at events like the Met Gala to celebs praised for stepping out in joggers and underwear as outerwear. Whether you read the fashion magazines and stalk the looks on Twitter or see an outfit in a Tik Tok during a five-hour binge that inspires you, people will always be susceptible to craving something new, and I find that people are starting to step out of their comfort zone a lot more.
There’s something beautiful about dressing for yourself – letting go of any stigma around your body shape, wearing whatever you like the look of and styling out pieces that maybe aren’t the ‘norm’ – and for myself, that’s futuristic hyper-femme outfits and graphic makeup that stands out on the streets of Sunderland. The 2020 COVID-19 lockdown meant that I had a lot of time to spend re-evaluating the way I express myself, and a box of Jerome Russell bleach was all it took for me to realise that I could look however I wanted whenever I wanted.
If you see me outside of my flat without a big graphic wing or a chain or two – I’m having a very bad day. The day I discovered coloured eyeliner was the day I decided to be the menace that constantly gets stared at on the Metro, and over the last few years I’ve likely spent about £200 on glitter and UV liners. I pride myself on looking like a Euphoria extra or like I’m casting for the latest Charli XCX music video, and I treasure when my friends tell me I ‘look like an alien’.
On the best thing about colourful eyeliner, Managing Director of Glisten Cosmetics Natalie Chapple said: “The ability to express yourself in subtle ways. I think self-expression is huge in makeup. People have spent a long time being told what to wear when, and for some people, they still need to wear certain clothes to work and in the office, but being able to wear a bright winged liner is such a subtle and easy way to express yourself.”
Huge pop culture moments have certainly inspired this mass change in self-expression, with my For You page on Tik Tok flooded with fashionistas using what they already own to put together outfits influenced by their favourite Euphoria characters. From Jules’ androgyny and Rue’s glitter to Maddy’s slick hairstyles and Kat’s fetish themes. It has also been the birthplace of many memes regarding whether the outfits are entirely suitable for high school students but I think that also shows the great divide between people wanting to wear what they like and others thinking that there needs to be a strict dress code for professionalism. Personally, I don’t think education or work should be affected by fashion, and the more comfortable the person is, the better they will work.
One celebrity we can look up to for these fashion serves is Doja Cat, whose music videos for Planet Her have inspired bold eye makeup and futuristic fashion like no other, and that effect can be seen by the fact that Glisten Cosmetics’ sales increased around the time ‘Get Into It’ was released. Chapple said: ‘it just makes [her] so happy to see my stuff being worn by an artist I respect and love.’
If alien beauty is something you want to see first before trying on the green face paint, there’s one place I’d always recommend looking: Mercury. Not the planet, but Newcastle’s very own drag queen can often be found lurking in Bobby’s Bar with some of the most insane alien princess looks ever seen on this side of space. Self-described as ‘intergalactic, glamorous, and utterly ridiculous,’ anyone looking to change up; their look with some sci-fi influence should have a nosy at what Mercury’s got going on!
The best part is, dressing in fun colours and experimenting with makeup looks seen on television can be really easy – the task could be daunting at first but I can almost guarantee that every look you’ve ever seen can be achieved with either what you have or what you can buy cheaply. In fact, I revel in being able to wear cheap, low-rated items from Asos and turning them into something layered and fashionable, and not a single item from my makeup bag is high-end. It’s all about playing with what you’ve got and not being afraid to mess up, as shown in this ‘get ready with me’ video I produced.