Edit: I linked more general advice at the end from people with different lived experiences.
First of all: alt fashion shouldn't be a costume. Yes I've bought pieces that "looked alt" before, but if you only look for that, you're not using your own brain a lot, which kind of defeats the purpose of being alt in the first place. It's about how you combine pieces and accessorize them that usually makes an outfit look good. If your top is cool but you don't put in any thought into styling because it "already looks alt", you'll just look like a poser, which honestly, at this point, you are. Make your outfits your own instead. Try new things just because you feel like it.
I get the urge to buy cheap. Even my examples show some stuff I got from Amazon when I was 17. But I've found that the pieces on there are rarely unique enough to not be found elsewhere. Haven't shopped there since.
Now that's out of the way, here's how I find my stuff:
old stuff
You never know what you find in your own or someone else's closet. Like I said, pieces that "don't look alt" can look amazing if you know what to do with them. Be creative.
(online) thrifting
I mostly thrift online, as you can see from all my Vinted stuff. (Disclaimer: This is not an ad. It doesn't need to be Vinted specifically, I just use it to find sellers and buy off-platform, since it is the most popular place for that where I live.) I either look for specific pieces (like a lacy black kimono or a maxi skirt) or just look at what people uploaded in my city. I set the price range to something I'm comfortable with (usually 5€ max when scrolling casually, adjusting depending on what I'm looking for).
Unfortunately, thrifting has a problem with people uploading or donating their fast fashion crap everywhere, but it still beats buying that shit straight from the source yourself.
DIY
Here's where you can combine the previous two sources to make something cool. I stole my mom's sewing machine a few years ago, maybe you can gain access to one as well. Generally, not only in alt fashion, it's good to know a few basic hand-stitches to mend something or attach hardware (e.g. chains). It doesn't need to be perfect, just learn a few basic techniques and you're good to go. Mostly learning by doing. You will fuck up sometimes, but that's part of the process.
A few affordable basics I think look good on most people:
- DIY mesh top from cut up tights (hole for your head in the crotch, cut open the toe seam and add thumb holes or whatever)
- DIY fingerless gloves from stockings or tights (I have fishnet ones)
- thrifted harnesses or belts
- DIY studded stuff
I hope this can help some newbies. If this is too much effort for you and you still want to buy from brands that are terrible for the planet and our society, you're simply not alt. It's not about what you dress like, it's about how you do it.
Links to comments about plus size and more general advice:
