What's The Difference?

Alright, I just realized that in my study on Goth make-up, I failed to point out the difference between the different sub-groups of non-normality. Again, this is not intended to make fun of Goths, Punks, Emos, or any other person who fancies themselves disillusioned and anti-establishment. I have been there, I was one of you.

In my experience in the wide world of the non-comformist, anti-establishment, anarchist, libertarian underworld, I have seen a huge variety of 'looks'. Huge. And most of the people that do certain 'looks', refuse to label themselves correctly. So, for those of you who are looking for a niche (and for even more of you who really aren't), here are the categories to choose from, and the prerequisites to fit in each category.

GOTH

If you are gothic, you are, more than likely, pale enough to burn people's retinas when they look directly at you, dressed entirely in black, white or red, and, oddly enough, smack in the middle of the violent scale. Also, you probably have dyed your hair black, whether professionally or on your own, and have done a pretty good job at getting it a uniform color.
In your wardrobe, crosses and religious icons abound, as do lace, velvet, and other similarly vintage-like fabrics. Gloves are popular - as long as they're fingerless - as are stockings, and shoes that are nearly impossible to walk in. For gothic make-up, see my other essay Mascara and Eyeliner: A Guide to Goth Make-up.
As for attitude, you probably spend most of your time alone or with a small group of friends, discussing the injustices of the world, sharing your dark, depressing poetry, or just complaining about preps and jocks. You probably have a perpetual scowl on your face, and are more likely to just sit back and cry silently at insults than start a fight, though if someone picks on your favorite band, author, or TV show (if you do such a conformist thing as watch TV), punches will be thrown.
Popular reading material consists of dark occult books, featuring vampires, ghosts, werewolves or other creatures, and poetry.

PUNK

Punks are slightly less pale than Goths, if only because they have to be in the sun to wait in line for tickets to music shows and to see their favorite bands at music festivals. Punk kids also tend to use a lot more color in their wardrobes. A LOT more color. The colors are usually more neons and deeper versions of popular colors, but they are indeed color. Whereas Gothic kids make people blind with their skin, Punk kids do it with their clothes. You probably have dyed your hair several odd colors, ranging from green to pink to purple, and it has probably been, for the most part, streaked. Your favorite hair style involves either spikes sticking up ten inches from your head, a mohawk, or a completely shaved head.
We've already talked about the colors of your wardrobe (either blinding or almost black), but we have yet to talk about style. Buckles, chains, zippers, and O- or D-rings adorn almost all of your clothing. Knee shorts are 'it'. Fabrics are usually fishnet, cotton, or polyester, and if there's a part of you not covered in some sort of fabric (not necessarily OPAQUE fabric), there is something very wrong. As far as make-up goes, only girls and usually only eyeliner and lipstick. Piercings are a Punk's best friend. Get a few. Or five. Or fifteen. Tattoos, too.
Punks are by and large, the most violent of the underworld sub-groups. Anything is a good reason to fight. Punks comprise most of what is known as a mosh-pit, where people fly at each other and, apparantly, attempt to break SOMEONE'S bones. For the most part, punks are either anarchist, anti-establishment, or libertarians. Thus, their motto: DESTROY. That's what being Punk is about.
There isn't alot of Punk literature. The Communist Manifesto makes up most of the list. The Anarchist's Cookbook is pretty popular as well. Otherwise, Punks don't read much. They're too busy breaking things.

EMO

Ah, my favorite group, the Emos. Emos are more pale than Punks, but less pale than Goths, although Emos are more likely to use make-up to enhance their paleness than the previous two groups. If you're Emo, you dress in black and white. Deviating from this color pattern gets you thrown into a different group, one which shall remain nameless for the time being. As an Emo, you have dyed your hair blonde, and then black, often badly, leaving large chunks of blonde, black and natural hair color that stick out like a fifteen year old in McDonald's playplace. There is only one emo hairstyle: a swoosh of hair in front of one eye, and the rest of your hair shorter (the length can differ, as long as your bangs are the longest part of your hair) and shaggy.
Wardrobe colors, as I've mentioned, are black and white. Perhaps blue denim, but this is the only exception. Emo kids borrow alot from Punks and Goths, seeing as how they use chains (punk) and impossible-to-walk-in shoes (goth). Your shoes are hard to walk in because they should be two sizes too big. In contrast, your clothing should be two sizes two small. Adult small is always too big. 'Skinny' jeans should be your pant of choice, and if not, then you are a girl and you're wearing knee-shorts. All of your clothes are made of cotton and denim. If you are wearing a skirt (this goes for the boy-emos, too) it should be so short that it barely covers your butt. The only acceptable pantyhose are fishnets or black and white striped tights. Emos can be pierced, too, but they usually use gauges in the ears and facial piercings. You should not have tattoos. Make-up is eyeliner. That's all.
The wimps of the underworld, you do not fight back for any reason. Should someone pick on you, cry. If they insult your favorite band, book, author, TV show, flavor of ice cream, whatever, cry. If the sun is shining or the sky is full of clouds, cry. In short: no matter what, you should cry. There should be no dancing or jumping around or mosh pits at your concerts. You stand and listen for the deeper meaning behind the artists lyrics. You may cross your arms over your chest and sway, but that's it.
Emo kids read dark poetry and classic literature. For the most part. You will occasionally see Emos reading vintage comic books.

THE WANNA-BES

Oh, the wanna-be. The scourge of any sect, they are usually ostracized from not only the popular groups, but also the non-conformist groups they try to fit into. They usually get a lot of things wrong about the looks that they are going for. If they are trying to be Emo, they may wear colors other than black or white or may wear full make-up. If they want to be Punk, they may forget to wear enough metal on their bodies to set off detectors twenty feet away from them. Goths, they will never ever do the make-up correctly, neither will they be able to walk in the uncomfortable shoes that really make the outfit for Gothic boys and girls. No one wants to be a wanna-be, and no one wants to be around a wanna-be. So follow my above instructions carefully, and you should flawlessly fit into the group you desire to become a part of. No one will even know you had to read a guide.