13 Things All Scene Kids Wore In The Early '00s

Even though teenage and childhood nostalgia is a cornerstone of the millennial generation, scene kids and their style are often forgotten when looking back on the clothes, music, and experiences of one's youth. Emo kids are the easier subculture to remember thanks to their dark and moody style — think studded belts and swoopy bangs — and love of sad, alternative music, but scene kids were just as important to the early 2000s lore.

A few distinct differences set them apart. Scene kids were either posting blogs and photos on MySpace or freaking out at a concert, two things that made them part of the music “scene.” Their style was brighter and more eclectic than emo kids, too. They often wore neon colors, patterned skinny jeans, crimped hairstyles, and as much Hello Kitty merch as possible. Instead of being sad, they just wanted to dance.

Regardless of which online subculture you subscribed to at the time, it’s so fun to look back on what life was like — and for many people, at the lifestyle that still lives on today. Want to remember what the world looked like 20 years ago? Here are 13 things every scene kid needed to complete their look.

Things Every Scene Kid Wore

Bright, Teased Hair

The most important part of any scene kid’s look was the hair. While emos went for jet-black dye and straightened bangs, scene kids loved shades of hot pink, green, and blue. Many also went for big hair. Think shaggy bangs, deep parts, and lots of volume at the crown of their head.

Bright Clip-Ins

If your parents wouldn’t let you dye your hair, the next best thing was to use clip-in hair extensions for concerts — and to show off your true self at school. A bright streak was always a good choice, but black clip-ins also had their place.

Raccoon Tail Clip-In Hair Extensions

The next step up from clip-in and colored plastic hair? The striped “racoon tail” hair extension, of course. This striped hair staple gave a textured, feathered look to your hair and made it even more voluminous.

Giant Hair Bows

Scene kids were always piling on accessories, and that meant they loved a bow. To finish the look, they’d pop in a big ribbon or a row of colorful clips.

Cute Jewelry

While many scene kids loved a lip or eyebrow ring, they were also very into cute jewelry featuring cartoon characters. Think Care Bears, Pokémon, My Little Pony, and Hello Kitty. They’d wear these cartoons on hair clips, necklaces, and bags, and it gave their look an 80s-meets-90s twist.

Glasses Without Lenses

Glasses without lenses were a thing for hipsters at the time, but they were also big amongst the scene kids. A pair of hot pink zebra-striped sunglasses is all you could ever want or need, especially since they looked super cute in pictures.

Shutter Shades

Another option for eyewear? Plastic “sunglasses” with shutters across the lens. These were super popular for everyone at the time, so that meant scene kids would wear them ironically. Irony, of course, is the main source of comedy for kids in the subculture.

Band T-Shirts

Were you even really a scene kid if you didn’t have a band tee? While many would pick up a shirt at the mall, others would get them straight from the source — an actual concert.

Colorful Tights

Remember, emos were all about black while scene kids needed to be covered in color. Nothing completed a look quite like a pair of colorful tights. You were truly winning if you had a pair in every hue, from orange, to red, to green.

Bright Skinny Jeans

From black and gray skinny jeans loved by emos everywhere came colored and patterned skinny jeans. Again, collecting all the colors was the main goal, but you could also get away with wearing the same bright blue pair every day.

Tutus

To lean into the fun and colorful vibes, many scene kids would often pull on a fluffy tutu. Yup, right over their jeans.

Knee-High Socks

Knee-high socks, often in a striped pattern, were another necessity. They’d keep you warm at Warped Tour, and they also hinted at your love for the scene when you wore them to school.

Mismatched Converse

To complete the look, you needed the perfect scene kid shoe. Converse were always a good bet, especially if you got two pairs and wore a different color on each foot. It would represent how "random" you were. At the time, “randomness” was peak comedy.