Everything You Need to Know about the Yallternative Style

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Channel your inner country-rocker (y’all)

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA Reviewed by Melissa Young

Last Updated: November 27, 2024 Fact Checked

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Yallternative Meaning

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Yallternative Fashion Aesthetic

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Yallternative Music

Yallternative is a fun subculture that blends traditional country and cowboy style with emo, goth, and alternative edginess. These days, it's popular on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, but it's been around for nearly 10 years on Tumblr. We’ll show you how to create unique yallternative looks of your own, plus we’ll give you a few tips on how to find music that fits the mood.

What does “yallternative” mean?

Yallternative is a subculture that mixes Southern influences with edgy alt and emo looks. It's all about individuality and creating a safe haven for marginalized communities. If you’ve ever felt left out by your Southern culture (or you just want to join in on the fun), yallternative might be for you.

Section 1 of 3:

What is the yallternative trend on TikTok?

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Yallternative is a trend that mixes Southern and alt cultures. Yallternative adds an edgy vibe to the traditional vibe of the South and Southwest. It can refer to clothing, accessories, music, or even just an attitude. Individuality is everything in the yallternative lifestyle, so this is a trend that you can really make your own.^{[1]
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- Yallternative might blend cowboy culture with a goth aesthetic, farm life with emo style, or outlaw country with rock and roll—there’s no wrong way to do it.
- If you're interested in trying out the yallternative trend, don't stress about copying an exact aesthetic—if you’re a little bit country and a little bit alternative, you’re nailing it. ^{[2]
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- Embrace other people’s individuality, as well—yallternative is about inclusion, so do your best to embody that.

Section 2 of 3:

Yallternative Fashion Aesthetic

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Channel emo and goth by wearing plenty of black. Emo and goth styles have a big influence on yallternative looks, so start by layering a few black pieces into your outfit. Start with your favorite black tee, bodysuit, or pants. Or if you're wearing something colorful, add black boots, a black cowboy hat, or black accessories.^{[3]
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- There’s really no such thing as too much black for these looks, so if you want to go head-to-toe black, that’s fine. But don’t be afraid to mix in fun, colorful pieces that represent the Southern side of yallternative.
- Band tees and black lace are also common in yallternative outfits.
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Balance out the goth look with jeans and denim shorts. No need to retire your favorite jeans—there’s plenty of room for denim in a yallternative look. If your outfit is leaning more goth, try a pair of flared jeans or straight-leg cowboy denim with a big belt buckle. Or if you want to lean a little more alternative, wear black skinny jeans with cowboy boots or denim cut-offs with fishnets.^{[4]
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- Add in a Southwestern flare with a denim vest, or go old-school Southern in a pair of denim overalls.
- Incorporate materials like flannel, corduroy, and leather to mix things up.^{[5]
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Change up your look with different types of boots. Boots are a yallternative staple, but like so many other aspects of yallternative culture, there’s no one right way to do it.^{[6]
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Research source} Boots can be a major statement piece, so think about how you can use them to balance out the feel of your outfit.
- If you’re wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, try to play up other alternative aspects of your look—like wearing all black clothing, heavy silver jewelry, or a leather jacket.
- Wear platform goth boots with a sundress and a cowboy hat for a unique feminine yallternative look.
- Channel a yallternative TikTok girl by wearing combat boots, cut-off shorts, fishnets, and a crop top.
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Add silver, turquoise, and leather jewelry. No outfit is complete without accessories—and jewelry is an important part of traditional Southern and alternative styling. Start simple with silver rings and layered necklaces, or go all out experimenting with body chains, belt buckles, piercings, and more.^{[7]
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- Silver is more common than gold in yallternative looks—not really surprising, since it’s so popular in goth, emo, and Southwestern styles. Similarly, the strong Southwest influence in yallternative lends itself to a lot of turquoise jewelry.^{[8]
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Mix goth and western accessories for a unique look. Think of accessories as the finishing touch on your yallternative outfit. Ask yourself if there’s one more thing you can add to take your look to the next level, like a hat, jacket, cross-body bag, belt, or fishnets.^{[9]
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- Try traditional Southern staples like a big rodeo belt buckle, lariat tie, or denim jacket.
- Or lean more into your emo and alternative roots with a leather jacket, cuff bracelet, leather jacket, or fishnets.
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Use black eyeliner and lipstick to amp up your goth vibe. Try your hand at black winged eyeliner or go all out with goth makeup, including dark eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and dark red or black lipstick.^{[10]
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Research source} But if you go more goth with your makeup, opt for more traditional clothing to really nail the yallternative balance.
- You can also flip the script by wearing traditional beauty makeup with a goth-inspired ‘fit and a cowboy hat.
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Show off your tattoos and colorful hair. If you love bright, colorful hair, side-shaved haircuts, full sleeve tattoos, and facial piercings, wear them with pride.^{[11]
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Research source} Yallternative is all about pushing boundaries, so if you want to, feel free to rock unique, edgy styles that can sometimes be seen as taboo in Southern communities.
- If you have especially edgy tattoos, piercings, or hair, choose more traditional country clothing to keep the yallternative look.

Section 3 of 3:

Yallternative Music

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Make a playlist with all your Southern and alt faves. Like everything else yallternative-related, there’s not one particular style of music you have to listen to. Feel free to jump back and forth between old and new country, plus all of your emo, goth, and alternative faves. But if you’re not sure where to start, check out these artists:
- Outlaw country: Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr., Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, David Allan Coe, Carley Pride, Jessi Colter, and Steve Earle^{[12]
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- Modern alt country: Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers, Dexter and the Moonrocks, Noah Kahan, Whiskey Shivers, and Colter Wall^{[13]
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- Emo basics: My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessional, Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, and Sunny Day Real Estate^{[14]
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