STARTER PACK: Nu Metal Fashion

Like many other genres of music, there is a specific style of fashion associated with fans as well as performers. Whether it's the ginormous hair of glam metal, corpse paint in the black metal scene, or flannels going hand in hand with grunge, the connection between music and fashion cannot be denied. Both are forms of artistic self-expression that can tell a lot about someone's personality. Many people talk their style and music taste very seriously and see them as an integral part of their identity. There is a signature style associated with nu metal, and the rise in nostalgia for the early 2000's in general has seen a resurgence of the music and fashion that was popular at the time. I even discovered one of my favorite new nu musicians, Mad Kelly, through his nu metal fashion TikTok videos a few years ago.

Let's take a look at the staples you need to create your own nu metal inspired wardrobe.

adidas

This one is a double entry because it refers specifically to adidas shoes, as well as the athletic-wear itself. A video clip from Chris Garza's podcast talking about the influence of adidas on nu metal fashion is what inspired me to write this article in the first place.

First, many of the biggest stars in the nu metal world wore the adidas Superstar style or the Campus style such as Fred Durst, Joey Jordison, Chino Moreno, and Chester Bennington. The now-iconic look of the back-up dancers in the "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" music video even include the classic adidas Superstars with the shell-toe in the white with black stripes variant.

On the other hand, we have the association between a whole genre of music and a clothing brand because of the man, Korn frontman Jonathan Davis himself. He wanted to stand out and look different from everyone else in the metal scene, so he took to wearing adidas tracksuits on stage, which morphed into becoming his trademark performance look. He's had special custom-made suits including the most famous, a purple one adorned with shiny sequins.

This connection even spawned a Korn song titled "A.D.I.D.A.S." (although the content of the song is not about the clothing brand in the slightest), and now decades later, multiple collaborations with the brand itself, blending Korn branded merchandise with the adidas style. All have been a huge success and have sold out immediately, while resale prices can be through the roof. Just like how nu metal itself is a mix of styles, adidas sportswear has been incorporated into the combination of styles that have influenced the fashion sense of those who enjoy the genre.

Baggy pants

It is common knowledge that fashion trends are like a pendulum, what is trendy in one era will shift significantly to the opposite side of the spectrum before inevitably swinging back. Pant styles are a wonderful example of this. Bell bottoms were all the rage in the 70's, while the 80's were the time for skin tight leather pants to make their mark, just for parachute pants, JNCO's, and Tripp pants to be the stars of the 90's and early 2000's. Eventually the 2010's gave rise to the renaissance of skinny jeans, especially among emo and scene kids, and now we have circled back to big pants being the current trend of the 2020's. Many of those in the nu metal scene sported oversized, baggy pants with numerous deep pockets (perfect for storing demo CD's to pass out) whether they were cargo pants or the over the top JNCO jeans that completely covered shoes and dragged on the ground, fated to be being frayed and stained with grass and dirt. Who knows if people were even wearing shoes underneath? They were so flared, no one would be able to tell otherwise.

Oversized t-shirts

This photo encapsulates many of the entries on this list, and has circulated around the internet a lot. There's been a trend asking people if they're a "little pants/little shirt, little pants/big shirt, big shirt/big pants, or big pants/little shirt" person, and the nu metal fashion can definitely be defined as a "big shirt, big pants" person. The bottoms were wide and spacious, and the tops were the same. People who would normally wear a size medium were wearing size XL+ shirts to achieve the look. These would mostly come in the form of band tees or graphic tees. They must have been so comfy back then, more so than their glam rocker or scene kid counterparts that came before and after this era. Now that the pendulum has swung back to this trend, it should stay this way: stylish and comfortable all at the same time.

Cargo shorts with tall socks and chunky shoes

This one is a combined entry because the vibe isn't the same if one of the pieces is missing. While this style is not unique to nu metal, it is common in the skate scene, which is one of the many influences on the fashion worn by those in the genre. Many musicians grew up in and around their local skate scene during their youth and adopted the style, so when they started bands and began performing, the manner in which they dressed became a staple fashion choice associated with nu metal. Baggy cargo shorts (or perhaps even those cool Tripp pants with the detachable bottoms that transformed into shorts), crew socks, and adidas or another kind of chunky skate shoe, paired with other entries in this article, complete a quintessential nu metal look. Excellent examples include Chino Moreno, Fred Durst, and Chester Bennington.

Spiky hair

Business was booming for hair product companies during this era. Between the frosted tips craze, colorful hair dye, and styling gels and hairspray that was needed to sculpt the spiky hair that was trendy, I bet those businesses made bank. All genders rocked numerous spiked hairstyles, whether it was short and spiked upwards or buns and ponytails with spiky ends sticking out to give the hairdo an alternative twist. Faux hawks and mohawks, sometimes even liberty spikes, from the punk scene had a bit of a return as well. Perhaps the most iconic spiky hairstyle in the nu metal world was that of Static-X frontman Wayne Static. Other notable examples include Mike Shinoda, Jacoby Shaddix, Wes Borland, Shifty Shellshock, Spider One, Chad Gray, and Greg Tribbett. Special shout out to Mad Kelly and his hair dyeing/styling videos on TikTok.

Backwards hat

Now you had to have known that this would be on a list like this one. If someone was to name one clothing item that they'd associate with nu metal, it would most likely be that of Fred Durst's iconic red NY Yankees baseball cap that he would wear in a backwards manner. He wore this look so often because it was his lucky hat, and it became a very marketable look that was easy to replicate, so it became his signature look. The craze can be credited to the Nookie music video, with even the mascot on the Significant Other album cover rocking the style. To wear something so much that it has become synonymous with your name, band, and music genre as a whole is pretty sick (the same can be said about the previously mentioned Jonathan Davis/Korn/adidas connection). This was back when it was cool to wear a red hat, but now it's a potential red flag that has become associated with the MAGA crazies. Outside of this particular example, the style was enjoyed by musicians and fans alike, regardless of hat color or brand. It's the perfect fashion hack for when you're too lazy to style your spiky hair.

Chain wallet

Not only are chain wallets a cool accessory, they're practical as well. Ensuring that you don't lose your wallet or get it stolen is always a plus. It comes in handy when you're in the mosh pit and getting shoved and thrown around. This is one trend that I haven't really seen make quite the resurgence that some others have, and it's a shame. Unfortunately, part of that may be due to concert venues being way more strict now than they were 20-30 years ago, and chains in general are usually banned since they can be used as weapons. Still though, bring back the chain wallets out of a concert capacity.

Eyebrow and/or labret piercing

Facial piercings are an alternative way to express oneself, so it is no surprise that there are two which could be associated with the nu metal genre. Eyebrow piercings had their time in the sun during this time period, and like many other entries on this list, have become popular yet again, coinciding with the 2000's nostalgia. It is definitely not a subtle statement like other kinds of piercings may be. It was a popular piercing regardless of gender, with people such as Jonathan Davis, Aaron Lewis, Dave Williams, and Chad Gray, as well as Morgan Lander and Amy Lee, rocking the accessorized eyebrow. However, if you do not have the correct anatomy in order to pierce your brow or you don't like needles, fear not. You can still get the look by drawing one on with liquid eyeliner. It's also a nice substitute if your job doesn't allow facial piercings.

Lip piercings in general were fashionable at the time, but the labret piercing feels the most nu metal to me. Nowadays, the vertical labret is the preferred choice for many people, which is where the piercing goes through the bottom lip rather than sitting underneath the lip line like the standard labret. The most famous example that comes to mind is the double labret that David Draiman rocked for years, with unique jewlery that followed the curvature of his chin. Another example is Chester Bennington, who wore a hoop in his rather than a stud.

Ball chain choker

Such a simple yet very prevalent piece of jewelry that is an integral part of classic nu metal fashion. While yes, spiked collars and chokers were trendy at the time, especially in the mall goth space, the ball chain necklaces were commonplace even for the kids who had strict parents and wouldn't let them wear such outlandish accessories. They were also super accessible if you found a dog tag necklace and took the actual dog tags off. I personally haven't seen this trend come back around, but think it should because they look cool and are great layering pieces.

Tribal tattoos

If you were around in the 90's, either you or someone you knew had a tribal style tattoo. They were allllllll the rage. The traditional meanings stemming from Pacific Islander cultures were not taken into account in most cases; rather, people were adorning their bodies with this style of tattoo for aesthetic reasons. I don't doubt that many of these tattoos were also done in some janky apartment by their buddy who found a tattoo gun and decided the tribal style looked easy enough to try and replicate. Tribal designs on the chest, wrapping around the upper arm, and the lower back were the most common places for these to be placed. Conversations have been had about whether or not getting a tribal style tattoo can be considered cultural appropriation or cultural appreciation, but there is a style called cyber-cigilism (or neo-tribalism) that takes influence from the traditional tribal style but without the historical meaning being attached to the artwork.