For most people, the early 2000s were a time of terry cloth purses and Von Dutch trucker hats, but for us emo kids, it meant jamming to MCR, caking on eyeliner, and constantly updating your MySpace page. Here is every nostalgic AF emo kid-thing you were totally obsessed with back when you spent all your money at Hot Topic.
1. Studded belts
You usually wore two to three at once.
2. Writing things on a piece of paper, then taking a selfie with it
xx I Love Rae xx
3. Warped Tour
It was there that you lived your best, most emo life.
4. Bangs that defied gravity and really, really short layers
At the salon you made sure to use the word "choppy" roughly 63 times to describe how you want your layers to look.
5. People who had snake bites
Your mom would never let you get them yourself, so you had to settle for stalking people who had them on MySpace.
6. Pete Wentz
His hair, his skinnies, his eyeliner. And don't even get me started on this music video. *SWOON*
7. Clandestine
Because of Pete Wentz, obvs.
8. To Write Love On Her Arms
It was the best cause and you had all the merch.
9. Being able to sing "when you're in black slacks with accentuating, off-white pinstripes – woah" in perfect unison with Brendon Urie
10. Tutus from Hot Topic
11. The word "rawr"
12. And the face that goes along with it
13. Being called "emo"
Even though you pretended like it was sooo annoying.
14. Drawing on your Chuck Taylors/Vans
15. Wearing half-a-pencil-worth of black eyeliner
16. "Nightmare Before Christmas" merch
We can live like Jack and Sally if you waaaant.
17. Being able to play the opening notes to "Welcome to the Black Parade" on the piano
18. Taking selfies above your head to show off your entire ~emo~ outfit
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Kelsey is Seventeen.com's fashion expert and resident Harry Potter nerd. At the office, she spends her day writing about style, beauty, and literally every move Kylie Jenner makes. On the weekends, you can find her sifting through vintage shops and hunting for the perfect burger. Follow her on Instagram at @klstieg.
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