How to Dress Like a Metal Head

Co-authored by Elle Monus

Last Updated: October 23, 2024 References

A metalhead is someone who listens to and appreciates heavy metal music. Like other musical genres, metal has its own unique image, and metalheads usually dress the part. A typical metalhead outfit involves a black band T-shirt, tight black pants, and sneakers. Then you can add a variety of accessories like denim jackets, jewelry, hats, and belts. Metal fashion can be as diverse as the people listening to the music, but these are common starting points for a metalhead outfit.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Choosing the Right Tops to Wear

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Stock up on band shirts. The most indispensable part of metalhead clothing is the band shirt. Metalheads wear band shirts almost every day and this style fits in most situations. T-shirts, long sleeves, and baseball-style shirts all look great with band logos on them. Band shirts also look good on men or women, so anyone can wear them. Make a list of some of your favorite metal bands. Then search online or in stores like Hot Topic for shirts displaying those bands. An even better option is wearing a band T-shirt you got while seeing that band in concert.^{[1]
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- If possible, buy your band merchandise from the band’s website itself instead of a retailer. That way you know your money is going towards supporting the band.
- Some famous metal bands that always appear on T-shirts are Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Slipknot, and Hatebreed. Start here if you don't where to begin, or just search for a shirt from any metal band you like.
- The size of your T-shirt doesn’t matter so much. A tighter shirt is a more classic look while an oversized shirt is a bit more modern. Both styles are fine with fellow metalheads, so go with what you’re comfortable in.
- If you’re wearing a band T-shirt, make sure you’re actually a fan of that band. Metalheads love to talk about their favorite music and if someone sees your shirt, they may comment on it and ask about your favorite songs, albums, and concerts. If you’re just wearing the band shirt for style and don’t actually listen to their music, other metalheads will find out fast.
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Find clothes with dark, gothic, or satanic imagery. Metalheads don’t only wear band clothing. Any kind of dark imagery will fit in as well. Skulls, crosses, and other horror-themed symbols will mix up your clothing so you aren’t always wearing band shirts.
- Metalheads are usually fans of horror movies as well. Shirts displaying horror movie logos or art will be a nice addition.
- The Baphomet symbol is a horned goat that represents Satan. Many metal bands use it in their logos and it’s a popular graphic on clothing and accessories.
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Add a denim or leather jacket for a classic look. It’s a bit old-fashioned in some scenes, but for decades denim and leather jackets were the most popular looks in the metal community. If you’re going for a more classic look, consider one of these jackets to complete your wardrobe.^{[3]
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- For extra authenticity, decorate your jackets with pins, stickers, and patches that have band logos printed on them.^{[4]
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Wear a black hoodie or sweatshirt for a more modern look. Hoodies and sweatshirts are more common in metal fashion nowadays. Add them to your wardrobe for a more modern look. As an added bonus, these are much more comfortable than leather or denim jackets.^{[5]
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- Many bands print sweatshirts with their logos on them. Look for one of these to represent your favorite bands. Otherwise, any dark color will do.
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Avoid high-priced metal fashion lines. Since metal fashion has gotten more popular in recent years, some fashion lines have tried to cash in with designer lines of specialty metal clothing. These are mostly very expensive and out of reach for many people. The good news is that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a designer T-shirt. Metal clothing is simple, and just a cheap band shirt and a pair of jeans is all you need to fit in.^{[6]
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- Other metalheads will probably be able to tell that you’re wearing high-priced designer clothes anyway, so spending a lot of money on exclusive brands won’t help you get accepted into the community.
- Remember that clothing is a personal choice. If you like these clothing lines, feel free to wear them. Just don’t expect that wearing expensive clothes will impress other metalheads.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Picking Out Pants and Shoes

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1
Wear tight jeans or leather pants. The ideal metal pants style switches back and forth between baggy and tight depending on the time period. At this moment, tighter pants are more in style. Look for jeans or leather pants that are more form-fitting. Make sure the pants are still comfortable, though. Jeans that are too tight will make it hard to move around at concerts.
- Black pants are the most popular color, but normal blue or gray jeans are accepted too.
- A popular pants style for female metalheads is tight black jeans with rips.
- Don’t opt for full-on skinny jeans, though. That was more of an early 2000s metal fashion trend and is outdated now.
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Get darkly-colored shorts for a more relaxed look. Metalheads don't always wear pants. If you find shorts more comfortable, feel free to wear them. The most popular shorts styles are black or other dark colors, or camouflage.^{[7]
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- Whether you wear baggy or tight shorts is a personal choice. Baggy shorts are a bit outdated but some people still prefer them. Tighter shorts that rest just above the knee are more popular now.
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Find a black or dark plaid skirt for a feminine metalhead look. Skirts are popular among female metalheads. Black is always the most popular color, but dark-colored plaids are common too. Look for red or dark blue mixed with black stripes. Also, look for skirts with designs like skulls or crosses.
- A black leather skirt adds another layer of style to the outfit.
- Female metal fans often add black stockings when they wear a skirt.
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Buy comfortable footwear. Metalheads don’t put a lot of emphasis on footwear. Heavy black boots will give you a more classic look from the 1970s and 1980s. Sneakers are more common for comfort, and both men and women can wear them.
- Some metalheads like classic sneaker styles like Converse or Adidas. Newer name brands are fine too.
- Since a lot of metalheads like athletic wear nowadays, running or basketball sneakers are common too.
- If you’re into gothic fashion, black platform boots are a popular choice. Metal and gothic fashion are different from each other, but there is some crossover.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Accessorizing Your Outfit

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1
Look for black armbands and belts. A popular accessory for metalheads is a black leather armband and belt. Metalheads may wear a band on one or both arms. The length varies. Some metalheads prefer a wristband that only goes up 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm), while others might want one that almost reaches the elbow. Try some different varieties to see what you like.
- Some armbands are studded or spiked for extra style. If you opt for this option, be careful not to accidentally poke or rub anyone in public with them.
- Black studded belts are especially popular with women in the metal scene. They go well with tight black pants.
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Put on a fitted band hat. Since the 2000s, hats are much more common in the metal community. Band members wear them often to keep their hair out of their eyes while they’re on stage. Fans have started wearing hats more often too. The most common type is a fitted baseball hat style, usually with a band logo.^{[8]
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- Other designs on your hat are fine. If you like a sports team, feel free to wear a hat with their logo as well.
- Different hats like fedoras aren’t very popular among metalheads. Opt for a baseball hat or no hat.
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Shop for silver jewelry to complement your outfit. Metalhead women especially like wearing shiny, silver jewelry with their outfits. Necklaces, chains, bracelets, rings, and earrings all go well with a heavy metal look. Jewelry decorated with skulls or crosses works especially well.^{[9]
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- Jewelry isn’t just for women. Many metalhead men like wearing skull necklaces or silver chains.
- Be careful if you wear jewelry to a concert. Make sure it isn’t too loose-fitting or it could get caught on someone and pulled off.

Community Q&A

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Question

I have a "small" body compared to metalheads and I have long hair. I always have the problem of thinking that it makes me look feminine. What should I do?

BlackDrummer

Community Answer

Wear tight-fitting outfits. Long hair is a very metal-head look but if you don't like it, try covering it up with hats.

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How do I wear metal-head themed clothing without breaking my school's dress code?

Jonas Grey Lindley

Community Answer

That depends on your schools' dress code. If your school is very religious, then avoid images that may be seen as sacrilegious (demons, upside-down crosses, pentagrams, etc.) Other than that, most metal fashion should conform to most school dress-codes. If they don't want it to be too revealing, wear shirts with smaller collars or longer sleeves, or wear longer pants (or longer skirts.) Other than that, following the dress-code should be easy.

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Does it make me a poser if I wear a color shirt?

Jonas Grey Lindley

Community Answer

Absolutely not! There are many colourful metal shirts out there. The most common metal shirt colours other than black are white, blue and red, but sometimes you will find tie-dye shirts as well.

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Metalheads can also dress much more elaborately. Some like a lot of accessories, makeup, and body modification. This is a personal choice for them. Most metalheads don't get that into accessorizing.

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Remember that metal is a diverse genre of music, and metalheads all wear a variety of different clothing. Don’t limit yourself with what you wear. Feel free to experiment and find different styles.

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Metalheads still wear normal clothes too. Dark-colored flannel shirts and jeans are popular among some metal fans.

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