Growing up in the '90s pretty much leaves you with a warped sense of fashion. You can’t really blame us, though – with icons like Clarissa Darling and The Beastie Boys, it’s easy to fall victim to clashing patterns and prints, and think absolutely nothing of it. We have to hand it to our '90s upbringing – mixing and matching wasn’t just comfortable and a great way to express yourself, it was also loads of fun because you could be someone and something different every day.


Thanks to the sudden rise of the indie subculture, in not just street but mainstream fashion, we '90s kids are released from the shackles of societal norms and are once again free to don Lolo’s bowler hat and aviators, as well as Lola’s mothball-preserved dresses. The pretentious attitude and selective taste in music, clothes, food, films and friends is, of course, completely optional. This freedom allows us to crawl back into our maong jumpers and brush our hair only when we feel like, as well as indulge in all of our guilty pleasures, but only if we do so ironically.


Now, contrary to popular belief, not all indie kids aka hipsters are Pabst-drinking, hobo beard-rocking twenty-somethings who worship everything obscure. Some of them are conyo kids who think Sonic Youth is a TV show, or that Neutral Milk Hotel is a place you can stay at. Regardless of whether you really are a one or are dressing like one for comfort (and to score with indie chicks), we’ve got a rundown of five indie-mand independent brands to help you commit to your full-fledged hipster self or, you know, to just look good.


1) Nick Automatic


With the goal of “handmade world domination, one shirt at a time,” the two-year old outfitter of local (April Morning Skies, Chicosci, Urbandub) and foreign (Forever the Sickest Kids, Miss May I, New Found Glory) bands alike is well on its way to becoming an icon that embodies the revolutionary strength of music and popular culture.


Humbly starting as a speck of an idea that evolved into a doodle, Nick Automatic has now become an established name sought out by hipsters, music and graphic art fans alike. Cop your own Nick Automatic shirt from The Doodle Store or Built By Sonic!


2) Gnarly


Adopting a 1970s slang term to describe a killer wave, Gnarly is taking over our streetwear culture one skateboarder, surfer, comic book enthusiast and music fan at a time. The company’s signature G logo was never just a letter - from the get-go, it represented the quintessential surfer belief to “let go, get rid of all inhibitions and just have the gnarliest time.”


Aiming to spread the culture of all things awesome, Gnarly sets out a challenge for us to “set the trend,” not just locally but all over the world.


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3) Headware


It’s no surprise that the market’s changing, or already has – nowadays consumers don’t just want but need clothing that’s isn’t just appealing, but easy as well as versatile. Enter Headware, the new de facto leader in knock-out fashion for your noggin.


Headware offers an all-around accessory that can be utilized as a balaclava, bandana, beanie, dustmask, hairband, headband, scrunchie, or scarf, thanks to the magic of its stretchable, breathable, tubular and seamlessly functional fabric. Headware incarnations are now up to 20, staying true to its promise to “keep your head happy.” We believe them – our heads are going to be happy for a long, long time.


4) Drone


Drone Clothing Co., in contrast to its name is far from anything vacant or mindless. Approaching fashion and tackling popular culture with truly hipster irony, Drone’s designs don’t pack a punch but a sting.


The one-year-old clothing company offers cartoon tees and a range of radness collection that’s got the streets buzzing, so what are you waiting for? Order your own and get your sweet, sweet dose of Drone goodness.


5) Elevate


Design, regardless of the details, has essentially become ubiquitous in the contemporary’s mass produced marketplace. (Try saying that five times really fast.) The dilemma now is to provide good design to the consumer, and Elevate Apparel has welcomed the challenge with grin and grit.


Driven by bike, graphic design, as well music and urban street culture aficionados, Elevate aims to promote a more positive outlook and approach to life by embracing each person’s uniqueness.  By conceptualizing shirt designs regularly and producing them in limited quantities, the company ensures that each article of clothing carries a distinct identity and philosophy which the wearer hopefully adopts. Elevate proves that there’s more to a simple t-shirt than meets the eye.


Don't look now but Juice.ph's got a promo that's too good to scroll past!

Leave a comment on this article and tell us where or when you'd rock these indie digs and the five (5) best answers win a Nick Automatic, Gnarly, and Elevate tee each. The three (3) second-best replies shouldn't feel so bad though, because they'll still get some Headware and Drone goodies!

We'll announce the 8 lucky little hipsters on Friday, September 28 (promo extended)! Good luck!

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