When you're in your teens, it can feel like every decision you make will shape your life forever and for good. This may be true for some things, but it's certainly not true when it comes to personal style. Don't you believe us? Well, just ask all of those Emo kids from the early '00s!
Inspired by bands such as Tokyo Hotel and My Chemical Romance, Emo kids were a common sight 15-odd years ago. But today, it's hard to find a former Emo kid who's decided to stick with the classic Emo hairstyle, the painted fingernails, and the mostly-black attire. Most Emo kids have given up on the once-trendy look, but where are they now? Wait no further, because we have the answer for you.
From Emo-Black to Lumberjack
This selfie pioneer has operated a significant transformation. Going from Emo-black to lumberjack, it's like he decided to go to the other end of the style spectrum. If there's something Emo kids usually are not into, that's heavy manual work and macho culture. But this man must be the exception that proves the rule.
We're not saying lumberjacks cannot be sensitive, emotional, and kind men. We're just saying that we never expected a former Emo kid to embrace life as a lumberjack with such a positive attitude. He's still a stylish dude, though, and that beanie suits his new look perfectly!
From Standard Emo to Standard Standard
If you still remember the Emo days, you've probably seen this look before. The inescapable haircut, the eyeliner, the piercings, and even the way this young girl poses for the camera, it all screams classic Emo style. But has this young woman stuck with the fashion choices of her early teens?
Well, of course not. Not only did Emo go out of style, but she's now become a grown woman who, like the rest of us, needs to apply for a job. She replaced her standard Emo look for a standard-standard look. And regardless of what you think, you have to admit: she's better at posing for photos now!
Emo Together, Change Together
With the same hairstyle, the same Emo-selfie face, and even the same striped shirt, this young couple was meant to be together forever. And they did it! Fast-forward into the future, and they're still a happy and loving couple. As for the rest: well, it's hardly the same.
These once-proud Emo kids have now decided to embrace a more natural look, and, together, they love to upload countryside selfies on the Internet. We think they look a lot better now that we can see both of their eyes. But the sweetest thing is that they still look as passionate about each other as they did in their teens.
Those Rebellious Years
Being Emo was great for expressing yourself. The style was much broader than it seemed, as this young woman demonstrates. Lending some inspiration from the cyberpunk movement, she was an Emo stand-out as a young girl due to her head-turning purple hair.
Nowadays, she has the smile and the hairstyle of a woman who has entirely abandoned her once-rebellious nature. But don't worry, she probably has even more personality than before. After all, you can stop being an Emo kid, but you can't really stop being a rocker. And this young lady looked like she could bang her head like a true champ.
Don't Quit Your Emo, Develop It!
Now, this is what we call being true to yourself! As a teenager, this young girl was a laidback Emo kid, with the classic hair over the eye and the fancy black hat. She wasn't doing anything too over the top, but you could tell she loved her Emo-inspired style.
And, surprise surprise, she hasn't changed at all. She simply evolved into a new kind of Emo, one that fits better with today's mindset. With a cat-inspired look and cute pink hair, she's turned her Emo-looking vibe into something that seems to have come straight out of an Anime series!
I'm So Sad. But Then, I'm So Happy!
Any former Emo kid will tell you that the Emo craze was more about the inside than the outside. "Emo," after all, is short for "emotive/emotional," and there's nothing Emo kids loved more than to show up in public with the saddest possible frown. But was it all an act?
Not at all. Being a teenager can, as you know, be extremely demanding from an emotional point of view. And Emo kids were at least capable of expressing their sadness in public without any shame or concern. But fortunately, as this now-happy former Emo will tell you, things do get better over the years!
Erased Past
Well, if this guy was an Emo kid in his teenage days, then anybody can have a secret Emo past! There's no shame about being a former Emo, but this very normal-looking young man has done a great job at keeping his former Emo personality all to himself.
Maybe he's still Emo on the inside. Because on the outside, he looks like the kind of guy who was born not to make a fuss about his clothes or hairstyle. We bet he probably finds the picture on the left—showing a more artistic, naive, and presumptuous version of himself–extremely hilarious.
Emo-cop
When you listen to a lot of heavy music, as a proper Emo kid does, you may have a prejudice against the police. After all, there's no shortage of heavy rock bands getting angry at cops! But this Emo kid was paying more attention to the riffs than he did to the lyrics.
As a grown-up man, he decided to embrace the life an alternative rocker would never dare: being a cop. Strangely enough, it took him only a radical haircut to stop looking like an Emo kid and start looking like every cop you've ever seen. And by the way: has his chin grown larger and manlier in the process, is it just the angle?
360-degree Turn
Now, this is what we call a transformation! This girl was once a true Emo kid, boasting the classic black eyeliner, the mouth piercing, and even the naturally sad look of a '00s Emo kid. But now, she looks like she's promoting wellness tips on Instagram and drinking cold-pressed juices every morning.
Some people love to join trends, no matter what. The emo culture was once the coolest thing around, but now the world is all about positivity, natural-looking make-up, and big round glasses. And this girl looks like she's super happy about her new style!
Big Small Adjustments
There are plenty of cool transformations on our list, but this is one of the few that looks like it could've been done in two or three hours. Like it or not, we think this young girl benefited a lot from making small adjustments to the way she looked.
Her once-messy hair is now more under control, and her eyeliner is way better and brings new life to her beautiful green eyes. As for that piercing, it was a good idea to move it "upstairs." Mouth piercings are not as cool as they used to be, but nose piercings are really in right now.
Not Paying vs. Paying the Bills
It's not a coincidence that most Emo kids were teenagers. When you have to work hard to pay the bills, you're sometimes forced to tone-down your appearance a bit. While there's nothing wrong with looking the way you want, some jobs require a more assuring and normal-looking attire.
This man is undoubtedly aware of that. To become a well-paid tax consultant for a big firm, he was forced to quit on his precious Emo-styled haircut. But fortunately, even with a suit and tie, you can still grab your headphones and blast some Emo music.
Lost and Found
Back in the day, pictures of Emo kids looking like they were in an Emo-type situation were the coolest thing around. Today, it's probably strange to look at these older pictures of yourself, where the 17-year-old you is acting as though he or she is dealing with all the problems in the world.
With growing-up, comes the notion that your teenage problems were not that bad after all. This woman, who now works as an office administrator, has decided to take life with a smile, but she says she's still Emo at heart.
Winona Ryder Was an Emo Pioneer
It's close to impossible to identify the true origins of the Emo craze. But we have no doubt actress Winona Ryder played a big part in it. She was a pop symbol of the '90s, and she dressed in a way that forecasted the upcoming Emo movement.
Other possible early influences of the Emo culture include the movies by Tim Burton, such as Edward Scissorhands. Speaking of which, actor Johnny Depp may have also influenced Emo culture a bit. At last, older fringe styles—like the steampunk and cyberpunk wave—may have played a massive role in the development of Emo culture.
Emo Vet
Close to two decades after the Emo craze, it's only natural that many former Emos are now employed as adults. This young woman is a great example. She was a big fan of the Emo style, and she loved to take artistic selfies with a black-and-white filter. She also said she used to cut her own hair, which is impressive.
Now she's spending less time working on her Emo-styled haircut and more time focusing on helping animals in need. She's become a veterinarian, and she's turned her teenage angst into a selfless love for furry creatures. That cute goat is undoubtedly thankful!
Yes, I Used to Look Like a Wizard
The man in the first picture is Davey Havok, the lead singer of the popular Emo-sounding rock group, AFI. And the man in the second picture is also Davey Havok! Now 44-years-old, this stylish American musician has decided to quit on his former flamboyant style and let his music speak for itself.
He used to look like a crossover between a wizard and an Emo kid, but those days are gone now. Probably regretting some of his past fashion choices, Havok is now all about playing it safe. You know what they say: a black shirt and a moderate hairstyle will never go out of style!
Popping the Emo Bubble
As the lead singer of one of the world's most crucial Emo bands, Paramore, Hayley Williams was a trend maker of the early '00s. Today, she continues to be an influential personality, but she's no longer the Emo kid that used to make headlines and play for fully-packed stadiums 15-odd years ago.
While Paramore's success continues, Williams has decided to embrace a more standard look. Like Paramore's sound itself, she developed her style into something more pop-like and colorful. She kept the bright-colored hair, though, which is one of her trademarks.
Your Dad's Secret Past
The Emo craze ended not that long ago. But it is old enough for us to find some former-Emo dads out there. And it's crazily strange to think men like this dad-looking fellow were once daring teenagers with a look to match.
Nowadays, this former Emo kid is all about having a relaxing afternoon at the riverside with his beloved young daughter. But wait until the kids are old enough to go to college! That's when he'll surely get those piercings back, as well as the hairstyle that has made him so popular during high school.
Back When Smiling Was Lame
Ignore the totally new hairstyle. The significant transformation in this picture happened in this man's smile. Back in the days of the Emo craze, it sometimes seemed like smiling and being happy was the lamest thing you could possibly do.
While this explains all the grim-looking Emo selfies on this list, we're just happy that "looking sad" is no longer a thing. There's enough sadness in this world for us to deal with, so we don't need to stop smiling for no reason whatsoever. No matter how Emo kids have decided to put it, being happy and positive is always better than being a pessimistic person.
A Lively Look & A Passion for the Dead
This gorgeous young woman has gone from looking like a long-haired Emo kid to having a Kim Kardashian kind of vibe. Still, with long, silky hair, she exhibits the perfect make-up, beautiful eyebrows, and a flattering low-cut dress. But what has drawn her into the Emo lifestyle, to begin with?
Well, this woman has a real passion for the dead. And by that, we mean she's studying mortuary science! It's not the number one career choice for women who happen to look like Instagram influencers, but we think it only makes her more beautiful and interesting.
From Shy & Sad To Happy & Playful
In a way, the transition from an Emo style to a more classic look mimicks the change that happens from teenagehood to adulthood. When we're teenagers, it's hard to have the confidence and power of will needed to assume our personality and act freely in public. As young adults, we start to be more assured of ourselves.
This young girl is a great example. In the first picture, she's all bandy, looking utterly shy and even slightly sad. In the second picture, she's much happier, standing confidently upright, and dressing in a more colorful and self-reliant way.
Change, Without Losing Your Inner Emo
This young woman is showing that you can change and improve your style without disappointing your past Emo self. She quit the pink hair and the squared shirt, but she continued to embrace an alternative look, with a beautiful nose and upper lip piercings, a discreet ear reamer, and a lot of tattoos.
We also love the way she does her make-up now. The finely-styled eyeliner certainly suits her eyes better than the bold line she used during her teenage years. She went from Emo-girl to Instagram beauty without losing her characteristic and rebellious style.
The Trend-Seeker
Is your style truly yours if you happen to change it according to what's "cool"? It's a fair question, and one we would like to ask this young man. In the early '00s, he was a certified Emo kid who looked like he could be the lead singer of a band. Now, he's a blonde-haired hipster with a beard to match.
Some people simply love to follow the latest trend, no matter what. This man fitted in with the times back in the early '00s, and he's doing the same now, 20 years after.
An Emo On a Mission
Emo kids always looked like they were hoping for the end of humanity. They had a nihilistic vibe that seemed to scream, "let's start a fire" at any time. Misanthropic, Emo kids had no hope for a better future and were engulfed by their own dark, depressive feelings. At least, in theory.
But this former-Emo kid seems to show that the Emo culture wasn't always about being a negative person. He decided to become a firefighter, and he now helps strangers every single day of his life. It goes to show that being an Emo kid and having an altruistic personality is not at all a mismatch.
The Right Amount of Pink
A lot has changed since the days of the Emo craze. But one thing has remained the same: this woman's love for pink. However, she's learned over the years that you can still love pink without using too much of it.
Back in the day, she was a pink vision with an Emo attitude to match. Excluding the black, punk-styled pants, she was covered in pink from head to waist. Now she's applying just the right amount of pink. A pink scarf over a striped shirt is good enough to cut it. Also, we love how she's all smiles now!
20 Years Before
The American alternative rock/Emo band Taking Back Sunday was a massive hit among Emo teens. Formed in 1999, the rock group counts with a charismatic lead singer called Adam Lazzara. Lazzara was an early icon of the Emo style, boasting the characteristic hair over the eye and daring nose piercing (not a common thing for men back in the day).
But now, Lazzara looks a lot less like an Emo icon and a lot more like your next-door hipster. With a more natural hairstyle, no nose piercing in sight, and even a vest, Lazzara's Emo past has been duly forgotten.
High-End Emo
While fashion trends come and go, styles never truly die in the world of high-end fashion. Every style has a lot of inspiring influences to present to the world's best designers, models, and photographers. And companies like Prada have been taking the best parts of the Emo culture and mixing it up with something brand new.
This promotion is a great example. It puts so many different familiar things together that it makes for something totally refreshing and modern-looking. And we love how all three models look precisely like Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family.
You Gotta Love Christina Ricci
Quite inadvertently, actress Christina Ricci has been an early icon of the Emo movement. She was notably featured in the movies Addams Family and Addams Family Values, which were highly influential at the time. But most importantly, she had a strange form of humor that connected with the future-Emo kids.
It also helps that she was cast to appear in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, a movie in which she wore a lot of Victorian-style costumes. Today, Ricci is a 40-year-old mom who has hardly anything to do with the Emo style anymore. We bet she's kept her unique sense of humor, though.
Happier Days Will Come
Why was the Emo style so popular among teenagers? Possibly because of the way if reflected teenage angst, anxiety, and melancholy. When you're in your teens, it can sometimes look like the world begins and ends on your newfound sense of sadness. But don't worry: better days will come!
This former Emo kid was a sad teenager, but now he's unable to contain his enthusiasm as he's getting married to the woman of his dreams. However desperate life can look when you're a teenager, you have to keep in mind that it's just a phase, and it will pass.
True to Yourself, Always
As we've mentioned before, there are a lot of different ways of being an Emo kid. You have the classic hair-over-the-eye Emo teens, and then you have the more outrageous trance-style Emo partygoers. As a teenager, this girl probably loved a good rave, where her unique colored braids fitted in perfectly with the surroundings.
Today, she's probably partying way less, but she's still true to her style and philosophy of looking authentic. Her hairstyle is far more laid-back now, but it's still green, which is quite a stand-out. Emo or not, the important thing is that you always remain loyal to your instincts and personal taste.