In its early stages, the Emo-Indie scene was closely connected with Indie and Punk Rock, with whom common styles of dress are shared, such as the T-shirt, a fundamental item of clothing preferred by males and females of the Emo scene, tight trousers, the favourite footwear being sneakers (Converse All-stars, Chuck Taylor, Vans, Puma and such).

The Emo-Indie style T-shirts are usually in small sizes and with very varied designs, often related to music or the cinema. Dark and eye catching colours are usually very popular with both sexes. Black T-shirts are frequently a part of the Emo male’s wardrobe, and pink T-shirts, showing off daring sexy designs, of the female’s. T-shirts with amusing, sarcastic, ironic or ingenious messages are usually an element of the Emo style. The ironic messages on the T-shirts speak of the contradictions and injustices in our present world and often serve as a language for pop culture.

Close-fitting T-shirts, retro look polo T-shirts, tight jeans, shorts, sweatshirts and caps with printed designs and other influences from the Hip-hop culture, and Skater fashions are usual within Emo fashions and the Indie look. Other common aspects of the Emo look are black hair, sometimes blue black, or other impossible colours, dark coloured make-up (for both females and males) and thick rimmed black glasses.

The hairstyles are particularly important, being perhaps one of the most characteristic features of the movement. Although there is great variety among them they share certain elements in common: as well as the previously mentioned hair dying, the cut is always very neat and with style (far from the unkempt styles that characterized Punk) and often the styles (such as those with long fringes covering part of the face) are as common with males as with females. Another fairly common style is that of a ‘dishevelled look’, which has this appearance, but is actually carefully contrived and not a matter of chance.

The members of the group Weezer were some of the first to wear the Emo style of clothing in concerts and for promotional photographs.