Eboy is a youth subculture taking TikTok by storm. They showcase their DIY fashion sense with bleach-dyed clothes, oversized jumpers, and monochromatic pieces. They love band/graphic merchandise layered over long-sleeved striped shirts and accessorizing with wallet chains, padlock necklaces, and black nail polish.
It mixes emo, goth, BDSM, and skater culture influenced by anime. It is the Gen-Z aesthetic that champions gender fluidity and self-expression.
Oversized sweaters, monochrome clothes, long-sleeved striped shirts, chain necklaces, dangling earrings, and ombre hair often characterize the look. Eboys also favor ripped jeans, black leather boots, or shoes with tube socks. Other accessories include black snazzy sunglasses and chain belts, with some opting for a pair of beat-up Vans or Converse.
So, what is an eboy? The eboy is a subculture that originated on TikTok. It is an alternative fashion aesthetic that is inspired by a variety of preceding subcultures, trends, and entertainment. These include emo, scene, goth, and skater culture, as well as BDSM and anime.
Celebrity boys include the late Lil Peep, Yungblud, Yung Lean, and Timothee Chalamet, who have worn his signature floppy curls at numerous red-carpet events and are known for oversized t-shirts and cuffed pants. Many of these men openly discuss their mental health struggles, challenging societal stigmas and encouraging others to do the same.
Eboy Aesthetic
The Eboy aesthetic is a prevalent style trend on TikTok and often combines influences from K-Pop, 90’s skate culture, goth, and punk. It usually includes baggy streetwear, dark makeup, oversized jean jackets, North Face puffer coats, and beanie hats. Striped clothing is a common feature as well. Many boys have dyed hair (often orange or black with a middle part) and wear various metal jewelry.
Rap music from artists such as Lil Peep, Yung Lean, and Brockhampton influences them. They may also be seen with a tattoo of an orgasm symbol on their arm or cheek. They wear a piercing in their ear or nose and roll their eyes frequently.
Eboy Subculture
Boys aren’t as easy to spot in the real world as emos or delays, but they can be found at electronic and gaming stores, thrift shops, comic book and anime conventions, and skate parks. They tend to be introverted and spend much of their time alone with their cliques.
Most people are familiar with boys through their presence on social media, particularly TikTok. They’re generally middle-class white teen boys who churn out clothing transformations, lip-syncing, and their signature eye roll and tongue-poking antics.
They often wear styles from earlier subcultures like emo, scene, and goth and modern internet-driven pop cultures like rap and K-pop. A typical eboy outfit might include a striped long-sleeve shirt, chain belt, stud earrings, dangly cross necklace, and a pair of Vans or Converse sneakers with black tube socks. They may also have a couple of Doc Martens or gothic cargo pants, padlock necklaces, and chipped black nail polish.
Eboy Lifestyle
Eboys are social media influencers with an edgy, alternative fashion aesthetic that draws attention from younger audiences. Their videos touch on sensitive topics like mental health, body image issues, and sex.
In doing so, they challenge societal stigmas and encourage people to seek help. Their vlogs and songs often address issues like anxiety, depression, and self-harm. They also discuss BDSM sex and try normalizing discussions about fetish and pornography.
The eboy lifestyle is heavily influenced by emo, scene, goth and b-boy culture. Their oversized jumpers, monochrome clothes layered over long striped shirts, and cuffed jeans are the hallmark of this style. They usually accessorize with chain belts, jewelry, beanies, chunky rings, and pierced ears. Their footwear has a lived-in feel, including beat-up Vans and Converse or black leather Doc Martens.
The boy’s style is also influenced by “sad boy” music, a genre that describes a moody blend of emo, pop-punk, and rap. Some of the biggest sad boys are rappers and singers such as Lil Peep, Yungblud, and Billy Eilish.
Eboy Music
Eboys often use their social media presence to promote mental health awareness, especially among their peers. Their videos and songs discuss anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, and other previously taboo topics. By normalizing these discussions, boys encourage others to seek help and be open about their struggles.
The eboy aesthetic, a mash-up of inspirations from emo, BDSM, and scene culture with a soft-boy undercurrent, has made its way into the wardrobes of celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Grimes, and Doja Cat. The style also influenced the stagewear for BTS’ Love Yourself: Speak Yourself stadium world tour, with Dior’s artistic director Kim Jones designing harnesses and silver chains for the Korean band.
Though boys are often dragged with the same scorn that early aughts emo boys were, this new movement is worth a closer look. It’s shedding light into the psyche of Gen Z men and dismantling toxic masculinity.
Eboy Culture
Despite their dark aesthetics and brooding personae, boys are quite lovely people. They’re usually genuinely interested in making their followers happy, and they do so by promoting mental health awareness. They also use their platforms to share their struggles and encourage their followers to seek help if they feel down.
The eboy culture is a mash-up of several subcultures, including emo, rap, and K-pop. It’s typically seen on TikTok, where boys produce clothing transformation videos and lip-syncing. They’re a bit like millennial emos but less focused on depression and more on the need for clout.
Their style combines baggy streetwear, 90s skater fashion, and gothic or punk influences. They might wear black leather pants, striped long-sleeved shirts, a choker necklace or chunky rings, and a piercing. Often, they’ll have the quintessential Leonardo DiCaprio curtain hairstyle, with floppy bangs that fall across their face.
