E-Girl Style and E-Boy Style Explained: How to Get the Look

E-girl style is what happens when emo, scene, skate and anime culture all get thrown into a TikTok blender and come out looking cute and a little bit chaotic. It exploded online around 2019 and never fully went away, because it's fun, cheap to put together and easy to make your own. Here's where e-girl and e-boy style came from, the key pieces and how to put a look together.

Where e-girl style came from

The "e" stands for electronic. Back in the 2000s and 2010s, "e-girl" was gamer and internet slang, often a bit of a dig, for girls who were active in online communities. Around 2019, people on TikTok took the word back and turned it into a full aesthetic, and the e-boy look grew right alongside it.

The style borrows from a lot of older scenes:

Emo and scene for the eyeliner, the chunky hair colors and the layered, band-shirt energy. If you remember MySpace, you'll see it immediately. Our look back at scene kids in the 2000s covers that era.
90s grunge and skate for baggy jeans, slip dresses over tees, flannels and skate shoes.
Goth for the chains, black nails, chokers and the love of all things dark.
Anime and kawaii culture for the blush, the hair clips and the cartoon graphics.
Gaming and streaming culture for the cat-ear headphones, the bedroom LED lights and the general "online all the time" vibe.

The result looks alternative but approachable. It's less strict than older subcultures, which is a big part of why so many people tried it.

E-girl makeup

The makeup is the most recognizable part of the look.

Winged eyeliner. Sharp and dramatic, often extended out further than usual. Some people add a tiny flick at the inner corner too.
Blush across the nose. Pink or red blush swept high on the cheeks and right across the bridge of the nose, like you've just come in from the cold.
Little drawn hearts or stars. One small heart under the eye, drawn with liner, is the classic e-girl detail.
Freckles. Drawn-on or emphasized freckles are common.
Lips. Usually soft, either a glossy pink or a blurred red, sometimes a darker berry for a goth-leaning version.
Lashes. Spiky, separated lashes, a nod to anime eyes.

Skip the full face of foundation if you want. The style looks best a little undone.

E-girl hair

Split-dye hair. Half one color, half another, like black and pink or blonde and black.
Money-piece streaks. Two bright front strands framing the face, often in pink, blue, white or green.
Space buns and pigtails. Two little buns or low pigtails.
Clips. Lots of plain or colorful clips holding back the front pieces.

For more color ideas, see our guide to alt hair color ideas.

E-girl outfits

The basic formula is easy: a layer, a print, some hardware.

Striped long sleeves under short-sleeve tees. The single most e-girl move there is. Black and white stripes under a band tee or a cartoon tee.
Plaid mini skirts. Pleated, often worn with fishnets or knee-high socks.
Slip dresses over tees. A 90s trick that still works.
Baggy cargos or skate jeans. For a comfier, skater-leaning look.
Oversized hoodies. Often with an anime or video game print.
Chains. Wallet chains, belt chains, chain necklaces, chain chokers.
Platform shoes. Platform Converse, chunky skate shoes or platform boots. Our platform boots guide can help you pick a pair.
Accessories. Chokers, padlock necklaces, cat-ear headphones, colorful nails, lots of rings.

E-boy style

E-boys came up at the same time, and the look is a little moodier and more skater-inspired.

E-boy hair

Curtain bangs or a middle part. The defining e-boy haircut. Soft, a little messy, falling over the forehead.
Dyed tips or full color. Black, platinum or a bright streak.

E-boy outfits

Striped long sleeve under a tee. Yes, the same trick works for everyone.
Baggy black jeans or cargos with a chain hanging from the belt loop.
Skate shoes or chunky boots.
Flannels and oversized hoodies.
Silver jewelry. A single dangling earring, often a cross or chain, plus a few rings and a chain necklace.
Painted nails. Usually black, sometimes chipped on purpose.

E-boy makeup

Optional, but common: a bit of smudged eyeliner, a tiny drawn heart under one eye, or a touch of blush.

Soft girl, egirl, alt and goth: what's the difference?

These labels overlap constantly online, so here's a quick cheat sheet.

E-girl and e-boy: colorful, playful, internet-born, mixing dark and cute.
Soft girl: pastel, sweet and gentle, with no dark pieces.
Alt: a broad umbrella for anyone outside mainstream style, from punk to grunge. Our alt fashion guide breaks it down.
Goth: a music subculture with roots in post-punk, mostly black and often more dramatic. Lots of e-girls drift into goth, and plenty of goths borrow e-girl makeup.

None of these are tests you have to pass. Mix them however you like.

How to get the look on a budget

You probably own half of it already.

Grab a striped long-sleeve shirt and layer it under your favorite tee.
Add one chain, either on your belt loop or around your neck.
Do winged liner and sweep pink blush across your cheeks and nose.
Clip back two front pieces of hair, or add temporary color to them.
Finish with chunky shoes and black or colorful nails.

Thrift stores are great for plaid skirts, flannels and baggy jeans, and hardware stores sell cheap chain if you want to DIY a wallet chain.

Where e-girls and e-boys hang out now

The style was born online, so it makes sense that the people who wear it still hang out there. If you want to meet other people who get the look, Alt Chat has live chat rooms that run late into the night, plus Altify, which turns your profile photo into an alt version in one tap if you want to see yourself with split-dye hair before you commit. If you lean more emo, our emo outfits guide has more ideas.

FAQ

What is e-girl style?

E-girl style is an internet-born alt look that mixes emo, scene, skater, grunge and anime influences. Think winged eyeliner, heavy blush, two-tone hair, chains and striped long sleeves under band or graphic tees. It took off on TikTok around 2019.

What does the e in e-girl stand for?

It stands for electronic, as in online. The term started as slang for girls who were active in gaming and internet communities, and later became the name of a fashion and makeup style.

What's the difference between e-girl and goth?

Goth comes out of a music scene that started in late-1970s and early-1980s post-punk, and it's mostly built around black. E-girl style is younger, internet-based and more playful, with pinks, cartoon prints and kawaii touches mixed in. Lots of people mix the two.

Can anyone be an e-girl or e-boy?

Yes. It's a style, not a club. Any gender, body type or age over 18 can wear it, and a lot of people just borrow a few pieces like the chains or the eyeliner.