Something I often wonder is, where do the metal heads that do not feel the need to go to extreme lengths fall into line? And by extreme lengths, I'm talking about appearance only, and i'm not examining anything to do with the music or one's personal music tastes itself. An example would be, those groups of metal heads who go all out with the whole studded arm gauntlets, patch-littered jackets, etc., and it's quite easy to see the difference between them and the average joe with his american eagle shirt and flip flops. I just want to know, where does the "not so extravagant" metal head fall in line? The one who just tosses on an autopsy or voivod shirt with some jeans and calls it done? I truly believe these types don't get nearly as many props (for whatever reason) as those who go all out. Maybe it's just because of the dumbasses who think the aforementioned are "more metal" from their no holds barred look? And it's this type of metal maniac that gets shit from everyone if you ask me, and that means no respect from the "full blown" metal heads for not being all decked out, and weird looks and whatnot from the mainstream hipsters for not being trendy enough. I don't know, maybe it's a stupid thing to wonder but does anybody else think this way?

I'm the band t-shirt + jeans guy.
Anyway, I don't quite get the point of this thread, since those who only do that are in majority.

/edit
Wrote "these threads" instead of "this thread" for some reason.

I hope this metal stereotype will die out soon. I'm sick of people claiming someone to more or less metal than anyone else just because the way they look. I'm the kind of guy who puts on one of my band shirts and a pair of jeans and I'm done. I know I'm a real metal fan, I don't need any confirmation from others. I know what you're talking about, and you're probably just as sick of hearing it as I am.

The point was pretty much the end sentences, where these types are frowned upon by everyone else. I'm this type too, and I'll even get the vibe from stupid ass goths, like their probably thinking the jeans+shirt people aren't extreme enough. And of course, it's way over to the top in the eyes of the mainstream trendies. It's just kind of funny too, how a goth would assume that someone like this is a "poser" because they aren't full on (INSERT STYLE HERE), and the trendies think even a black t shirt means you drink satan's sperm for dinner. Pretty amusing how dumb some people can be.

Exactly, I'll just be glad when this phase of trying to outdo one-another is over. But then again, it'll always be that way, if not with one thing then another. At least it won't be metal forever.

I, too, am this type of guy. Also, anyone who dresses to please others is an idiot and anyone who worries about what other people think is an idiot.

I think there will always be young fans who think you are better than someone else if you have more patches than him. I think that "all-out" look is ugly. I have a jeans vest with a few patches on that I were occasionally, but that's it.

Well, you know that I'm a metalhead when you see me. I have long hair, I'm alyway wearing a band shirt. My army jacket is filled with black metal patches. I normaly wear jeans, black dickies or camo pants with a chain wallet. I don't think I'm "more metal" or anything. It's just my style and too bad if you don't like it.

Same here, there's just something about it that's lame. Mine has a single huge voivod patch on the back and a few studs. It's sufficient enough.

I get what you're saying, but I've never experienced it that way. The only guys who are frowned upon are the short-haired guys who come in some clothing that would be more fit to a somewhat fancy dinner.

Also, from my experience the guys who go all the way have been pretty cool when I got to talk to them. Guess it might be different in the US or other countries though.

I guess I could be called one of those people who "go all out" with it, but I sure as hell don't do it to seem any more or less metal. I do it based on my own aesthetical views.

I have long hair, since I like having long hair and think it looks good. I had long hair before I got into metal seriously, and I would probably have long hair even if I never got into metal, or even if it wasn't considered metal to have long hair. Being able to headbang properly is just a bonus.

I wear band shirts to show my support for the bands, but I still only wear band shirts that I don't think is fcuking ugly. A band can be awesome, but if they make shirts thate are ugly as fuck I'm still not gonna wear them. As a result of my own preferences, I almost exclusively wear black metal shirts, even if I listen to a bunch of other genres to, simply because they generally (to me) look better.

I have a trench coat, and while I know a lot of people consider these things really ugly I sure as hell don't and I had been meaning to get one since way before I got into metal. I also decided they had a nice practical application through the fact that it's so fucking easy to hide stuff in a trench coat. I can carry around big, strange looking and/or possibly illegal stuff under the trench coat without attracting attention to myself.

I also wear combat boots, which I was sceptical to wear at first, but as I tried a pair once I discovered that combat boots is pretty much the most comfortable footwear in the world. They don't look bad either, therefore I wear combat boots.

But as I would never put on a piece of clothing for the sake of seeming more metal than I am, I certainly would never judge someone else for not agreeing with my aesthetical and practical choices when it comes to clothing. The only exception to this is scene kids...

Also, gauntlets and spiked armbands in any everyday situation is just stupid. That shit is reserved for being on stage IMO.

I get why some "seasoned" metalheads can look down on the guys coming to a gig with short hair, baggy pants and a Cannibal Corpse Kill shirt (if a band shirt at all). To me that's a guy who aren't a big metal fan, just someone who thinks it's cool. I don't see anything "cool" in it, I just love it and it has become a huge part of my personality. But who knows, they might be really nice guys but I can't help judging them a bit.

Heh, I rarely wear a band shirt anywhere. Jeans are a staple, though! I honestly don't give a fuck how "handsome", "ugly", or "metal" my attire makes me appear. Give me polyester slacks, cheap sunglasses, a jesus robe, and some sandals...Id be pretty damn comfortable. That's my main concern -- personal comfort.

Not to say that I dress like a slob, I have some pretty nice clothes when the occasion calls for it. Any young man in his right mind will spiffy up for the ladies on a night out. But I still like to be comfortable! I might have to try these combat boots, Unholy_Asar. I'm guessing I could find a pair at an Army/Navy surplus store?

I think obsessing over appearances or image is very UNMETAL. I don't really meet many "goth" looking people in my area and when I was in school there were only a few metalheads around so we tended to band together. We always dressed pretty casually and this falls in line with all the metalheads I seem to encounter.

Honestly, if I had my way I'd go around completely naked save for a dubiously large loin cloth. Is that fucking metal or what?!

If it wasn't cold as hell here that would be awesome!

Sometimes I look more metal than others. I usually wear black jeans (not blue, I dunno, I just don't really like blue jeans) a band t-shirt and my brando style leather jacket. Other times I'll swap the jacket for a nice smart thigh length black coat, or a more casual leather jacket. So I guess I generally look quite 'metal' but it's just because they're the only clothes I feel comfortable in. For footwear I wear skate shoes, cause they're comfortable, fairly practical for just walking around town and my combat boots feel stupid when I walk around town in them.

And I've never had any problems with people about the clothes I wear.

I used to just wear a pair of blue jeans, trainers, and a band shirt all the time. It didn't look particularly "metal" but back then I don't think I really wanted to look metal anyway. Around the same time I also had my silly accessories phase, spiked wristwear and all that bollocks. Looking back I realise i might have been trying to force the image a little bit, which is unfortunate. These days I do dress a bit more "metal" but without any silly extremities (clothes wise anyway)...black jeans, band shirts still, boots, leather jacket etc...though in my experience black denim is less popular attire among metalheads compared with blue, and I have Dr Martens boots (much more of a punk/alternative thing) instead of combats for example, so I guess I'm not looking completely 100% "true metal", but I'm cool with that

I just wear a black metal shirt and a pair of either black or blue jeans. I also have long hair and usually wear either black sneakers or combat boots. I don't give a fuck what other people think to be honest. I wear what I do because I want to, simple as that. To gigs I'll usually wear my "kult jacket" as I like to call it, which is just a denim vest containing numerous black metal patches, camo pants and spiked gauntlets and ammo belts.

I can remember a time maybe 4 years ago or something where I was wearing my Venom Welcome to Hell shirt and black jeans and some little 14 year old girl asked me if I was goth. I said no and she said she was and that she liked Venom too. I just shrugged this off and went about my business.

short hair, blue jeans, band shirt, puma's/work boots.

damn i'm metal. lol.

I've got a bit of a reputation among my group of friends as the "heavy metal guy". I've got the long hair and i'm still in the process of growing it out (it's reaching my upper back now). My wardrobe entirely consists of band shirts and jeans. I very seldom wear a shirt that isn't a band one. I wear black trainers or combat boots. I don't do it because it's "metal". I do it because I personally really like the style and I like supporting bands. Plus I think metal shirts often have really cool designs. I don't care how lame anybody thinks I look, because it's just me being me.

I feel I fit into this image as well (although I'm probably not as extravagant). I have long hair, I wear band shirts, black clothes and combat boots (not only do they look cool but they are good for the winter ). The thing is that I don't do it to garner attention and I don't feel that I am more metal than the average metal head. In the it all depends on what you are listening too. The fact that someone can be 'more metal' is kinda stupid anyways and I think that was probably a term developed by people that don't listen to metal anyways. They see someone that is wearing typical 'metal' clothes and they assume that they are 'more metal' than the guy that just wears a band shirt.

Plain jeans , black upper clothing , combat boots or allstars. Point.
That's the casual metal look , only "go all out" at concerts.

I had this time that after school i putted on all types of studs , leatherbands and nails. It looked nice , but it took long and some energy to put it all on and it wasn't really comfortable. It wasn't until a friend said that he only wears spikes during concerts and another friend said wearing spikes doesn't make you a real metalhead , that I realised wearing spikes is just stupid at some moments and after that I stopped wearing all those studs . I also have a kutte , but I mainly wear it when it's warmer , don't know why .

I had one get stuck in the middle once... I had to use my fingers to remove the rest of it. Goddamn heroin!

What if one's metal knowledge was inversely proportional to how metal one looks? I see more than enough of fans with their steel-toe boots, army fatigues, band shirts, long hair and random tatoos who actually don't know shit about metal.

Now, don't exaggerate. Looking like a guido doesn't guarantee you're the most metal fellow around.

Haha. Whenever I see Guido I think of the green buggy-eyed guy in Star Wars. But yeah, I have always believed that appearance does not equal knowledge.

Most of the whiggers I know evolved from skate punks, so they know far more about late 80's early 90's underground punk than I ever will. Too bad they no longer have any tapes...

I think it's fairly common that these "all-out" dudes don't know much about metal at all. Wouldn't surprise me if they're just spoiled kids with enough money to get it all at ones.

I used to have long hair before I shaved it off recently (my hair was undercut and I thought I could grow it out without having to cut my hair but I was ultimately wrong and probably won't have the same length hair until I'm 21, it currently looks like some sort of beehiv/mullet combo that combined with my 5 0 clock shadow kinda makes me look like a rapist ).
I have only really got 2 band shirts (I do have more, but I'm selling those) and most of the time I wear the band shirt/jeans combo but I do like to experiment with different styles (most of the time looking like a dickhead but I don't care ) and my trusty new rocks. I do like to wear my leather trousers sometimes (mainly for concerts though) because I love them and also the look I get off of people (probably think I'm a pervert or something ).
Also I think it's really the pseudo/mallcore goths and metalheads that have a problem with people not being FUCKIN HXC, I've met lots of metalheads (not so many "true"/trad goths though, by that I don't mean that some that've met have been but that I haven't met that many people who are true/trad goths ) that wouldn't give a shit if you turned up with nothing but a rudolf g-string pouch (for the record, I don't own one )

That really doesn't read like the statement of someone who is "stuck in the middle". Stop worrying about some bullshit imaginary metal fashion show and wear what you're comfortable in.

That's the thing with me. I live in a small redneck town where everyone thinks "Country is the only real music!" So when they see me with long hair and a Malevolent Creation shirt that says "Merciless Death Metal Machine", they think "What a freak!" I get told to cut my hair all the time. I'm used to it now and I don't care, but it still is anoying when people think I'm doing it for attention.

I don't even own a band shirt currently, I'm not sure where some of you are getting this pressure to dress metal to be honest. Noone but you gives a shit.

I had long hair for ~5 years before I had to cut it for the army, though.

But I do give a shit, and since I'm not doing it for anybody else but me that's all I care about. I don't even give a shit if anyone else gives a shit or not. That's not the point.

Amen!

I dress metal outside of work. Denim vest. Tight jeans. My hair isn't long, but it isn't short. I'm growing it long because Iommi would want me to. I dont have money to buy spikes and other accessories but I probably wouldn't buy them if I did...

..at work I wear mall brand clothes and brush my hair. Im one of those guys. I don't really care. I need to pay bills.

Seems like I'm one of the few who wears "normal clothes" (normal as in to others).

I usually wear a nice button-down shirt with dark jeans and a fitting blazer. Sometimes I wear a sportcoat instead of a blazer. Simply put - I prefer the smart casual style. I do have few band shirts I've bought to support the bands, but I rarely wear them.

My hair is about 4 cm long now and I never let it grow over 6-7 cm, I'll just look ridiculous. Some people look good with long hair, I'm not one of them.

Yeah, I get the "the club you want is down the street" looks pretty often in my occasional visits to rock clubs and at smaller gigs. (Fun fact: Me and few friends wore suits for an Anal Cunt gig.)

i listen to metal and i wear american eagle shirts and flip fops (among other things obviously). I've argued this point before on this site, i feel one's taste in music should have absolutely no bearing on their appearance, and vice versa.

I'm sort of like the guy above me. I have quite a few band t-shirts, but I don't wear them everyday. I'll pretty much wear whatever I think looks good, be that jeans or shorts and a band t-shirt, or a button up shirt, or a polo. I don't look 'metal' at all - I have relatively short hair as well. Its just not my style.

My get-up includes:

Band t-shirts
Blue Jeans
High top shoes, or Demonia style Military Boots
Leather Jacket, or Leather Trench Coat
Long Hair
Braided Beard
Inverted Cross Necklace


The people that live in this area give me some of the best looks.

It shouldn't need to have any bearing. It should be a choice. People who dress metal should do so completely out of their own free will, not because they somehow feel they have to, as that would be nothing short of pathetic. Contrary to what some people think though, what your decision is regarding this free choice has no bearing whatsoever on how "true" a metalhead you are.

You can be the fucking truest person in the world and wear american eagle shirts and flip flops, and you can be an utter poser and dress like Rob Halford. Clothing is not what matters in this case.

I'm not all out, but i dress pretty metal. I normally wear blue jeans, all stars, a band t-shirt (right now it's behemoth), my hair is about half a foot past my shoulders, and when its cold out, some flannel. I don't really understand when people wear combat boots and spikey arm bands every day, it looks pretty stupid, but then again it doesn;t really matter. As long as you love metal.

I don't dress metal at all. I have a couple band shirts, but honestly I don't really like the way they look with their in your face design and cheesy writing on the back. I can see how people would get super into dressing metal, but I just don't see the point. Emos who dress as their music look retarded, as do metalheads often times, and any other genre taken to the extreme in regards to clothing. I love metal music, but having other dudes giving me props on how metal my attire is sounds far away from a good thing. I don't dress preppy by any means, but I'd much rather not be in black gear with satan advertised 24/7 because I enjoy a sub genre of music - the girls really love that.