By Grace Koennecke, Web Editor
Graphic: Dylan Reed
Looking for a free night of ecstatic fun this week? Variant Magazine has just the event for you. If you’re in need of a night dedicated to indie sleaze – a genre of music and fashion that originated in the early 2000s and was all about embracing the sweat, glitter and freeness of the club scene – the magazine will be hosting another event inspired by the genre with The Union this Thursday, Feb. 20.
The indie sleaze genre initially was popular in the 1970s, but had a renaissance again in the mid-2010s. Apps like Tumblr were filled with reimagined aesthetics of the genre, with users posting photos wearing brands like American Apparel and attending shows of some of the newest emerging artists at the time, such as Arctic Monkeys and Julian Casablancas.
From there, the genre has continued to stay in the mainstream, with many songs from its resurgence, such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps,” finding new audiences on TikTok and Instagram. It has even bled into film as well, with many films like 2023’s “Saltburn” making the mid-2010s, and even 2000s, aesthetics popular once again.
Events at The Union will include two lookalike contests honoring iconic indie-sleaze musicians Charli xcx and The Dare, so make sure to dress in items like ripped shirts, black or metallic shades, a black suit and tie or knee-high boots to possibly win. You could even pay homage to the genre by smearing on some glitter and wearing angel wings, or even that one American Apparel or Aeropostale dress you have in the back of your closet!
Dress up alongside your friends and dance the night away to artists like Calvin Harris, M.I.A., MGMT and more. The event starts at 9 p.m. and is free for attendees 18 and older. Check out what to wear to Variant Magazine’s Indie Sleaze Night here.
Commenti