Grunge Beauty Trends Are All The Rage For F/W 2024, According To Paris Fashion Week
From classic flannel to vintage band tees, recent fashion shows have seen the resurrection of the '90s grunge aesthetic. Pulling from pop culture, this rising trend brings real throwback vibes, evoking alternative style icons like Courtney Love, Kate Moss, and Winona Ryder. Of course, all classic looks are subject to reinterpretation, and the grunge aesthetic is no exception. Modern fashionistas and beauty lovers are taking inspiration from grunge to spawn new variations like indie sleaze, the rockstar girlfriend fad, and the soft goth beauty of fairy grunge.
This reimagining includes the creation of new, fashion-forward looks that seem to be resonating with designers. We're seeing hints of grunge on some of the world's biggest stages, including the haute couture shows of Paris Fashion Week for F/W 2024. Grunge sensibilities were a notable undercurrent at the high-profile event, from the slouchy, thrifted vibes of Rabanne's fall collection to the eclectic and oversized ready-to-wear looks in Dries Van Noten's show.
Certain fashion houses, including behemoths like Givenchy and Alexander McQueen, also introduced subtle touches of grunge through their styling choices, dirtying up sleeker ensembles and adding a satisfying edge to experimental designs. Across the runways, grunge-inspired beauty looks stood out, suggesting that these techniques will continue building on their popularity well into the latter half of 2024.
Shadowy, deep-set eyes
When it comes to beauty, '90s grunge often bordered on the morbid and mysterious, like a more rock-centric approach to goth styles. For instance, take the glamorous, heavy-handed application of lived-in smoky eyeshadow. This grunge look extends beyond a sultry, lid-based technique to encircle the entire eye. It's then smudged and blurred to look more authentic and worn, like makeup that's weathered a late night at a dive bar. The effect is sleepless and slightly skeletal, creating fierce, deep-set sockets and adding an aggressive edge to your overall ensemble.
Deep, earthy lip colors
Rich browns and earthy, raisin-y burgundies were all the rage for lipsticks in the '90s, making them a perfect accompaniment for any modern take on the grunge aesthetic. Consider shades like mocha, merlot, and even brown-hued plums, especially in matte or velvet finishes. Pair with neater eye makeup for an understated nod toward grunge or go all-out with a dark, concert-appropriate application of messy shadow and eyeliner. In the same vein, your lipstick doesn't have to be completely tidy — a lived-in feel will make the look that much grungier.
Flat, unstyled hair
With grunge hairstyles, less is usually more. Where many modern styles love volume, grunge embraces lank flatness to communicate cool, cynical confidence. Perfect for second- or third-day hair, the target vibe is casual, unwashed, just-woke-up-like-this ease — and it works for both short and long cuts. Longer styles should aim for a slightly mussed look, which can be helped along with texturizing sprays or even by sleeping in damp braids. Shorter styles like bobs are even easier. When straight and limp, they hearken back to grunge icons like Kurt Cobain.
Pronounced, messy eyeliner
Going hand in hand with a smudgy, smoky eye, '90s grunge was all about messy eyeliner. Rather than leading with neat liquid lines, a soft, smearable black eyeliner is perfect for this throwback technique. Add eyeliner or kohl liner to your upper lashes, lower lashes, and waterline, and then blur outward with abandon. If the look is too raccoon-like for your tastes, just dial the amount of product back a bit. To put a different spin on the method, add a rough, imperfect wing at the outer corners of your eyes.
Choppy bangs and layers
Choppy, piecey cuts were quintessential '90s hairdos, from Meg Ryan's cute, snippy pixie and the dramatic layers of "The Rachel" to gothy razor-cut styles. Grunge takes its own approach to this trend by prioritizing ragged, unkempt ends and short, snippy bangs. The usual emphasis on perfect symmetry and neatness goes out the window with the grungy approach, which weaponizes irregular layers for a look that oozes an untamable cool factor.