People who wear clothing and listen to music that could be identified as belonging to a wide range of "alternative" sub-genres and aesthetics. This is kind of a umbrella term that groups in a bunch of different sub cultures into a vague alternative umbrella. Alt kids are likely to refer to themselves or a group of friends with similar aesthetics as being alt kids in an endearing or fond way. Its not really used as an insult, its would make sense for an emo kid born somewhere in the years between like 1994 and 2006 but also could be a bit older or younger than that range to use.
A good example would be like someone who is a loose mix between an Emo / Goth kid that grew up listening to a genre spanning mix of bands like my chemical romance, the smiths, sonic youth, sorority noise, dashboard confessional, panic at the disco, and death cab for cutie would use "Alt Kids" to describe the loosely organized group of scene kids, goths, punks, ravers, and indie kids that they formed the closest bonds with in their mid to late teens and early to mid 20s in one very simple and generalized term.
A good example would be like someone who is a loose mix between an Emo / Goth kid that grew up listening to a genre spanning mix of bands like my chemical romance, the smiths, sonic youth, sorority noise, dashboard confessional, panic at the disco, and death cab for cutie would use "Alt Kids" to describe the loosely organized group of scene kids, goths, punks, ravers, and indie kids that they formed the closest bonds with in their mid to late teens and early to mid 20s in one very simple and generalized term.
*two tiny lolita goth girls, a trad goth boy smoking a cigarette, a pair of stumbling messy haired emo boys, a dazed looking punk kid with a black eye, and a nearly 7 foot tall metalhead dude carrying a vamp goth over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes all stumble up to the front entrance of a papa johns at 5 am*
The main cashier: " Oh shit man not the alt kids"
Another employee: "Whats wrong with the alt kids. They tip well, they're funny and they always invite us to cool events"
The cashier: "Yeah man thats the problem, every time they invite us to a show its a super fun night, and I genuinely like some of the music they play for us. What if we turn into alt kids as well man?"
The coworker: "embrace it man, embrace it"
The main cashier: " Oh shit man not the alt kids"
Another employee: "Whats wrong with the alt kids. They tip well, they're funny and they always invite us to cool events"
The cashier: "Yeah man thats the problem, every time they invite us to a show its a super fun night, and I genuinely like some of the music they play for us. What if we turn into alt kids as well man?"
The coworker: "embrace it man, embrace it"
by emobooii May 15, 2025