The gaming fashion that people can try out

Gamers are their own subculture, and that comes with a range of fashions. Which of these will you try out for yourself?

Photo: Depositphotos

Subcultures are known for having their own fashion movements that grow up alongside them. Think of the mohawks and leather jackets that sprung out of punk music, or the trench coats and pastels worn by modern fans of K-pop. Gaming is no different and given that it is one of the largest subcultures on Earth, that should be no surprise.

Video games are bigger than books, film and even TV, leading the way as the most popular form of entertainment on the planet. While not all gamers would count themselves as members of a subculture, there are plenty of people who live and breathe games and want to showcase that with the clothes they wear.

The history of gamer fashion

Like practically every subculture, gaming started having clothing and accessories associated with it. In the late 1970s, game publishers Activision started providing “achievement badges” - patches that could be sewn onto clothes and bags - to people who completed certain gaming milestones.

For a while, gaming fashion mirrored that of the wider culture. In the late 80s and early 90s, gamers - and the characters they played as - wore sunglasses and backwards baseball caps. As time went on, gaming began being associated with the emerging nu-metal music subculture and took on a darker, edgier aesthetic.

However, it is only relatively recently that gaming began to develop a fashion of its own. This has been accelerated by the rise of platforms like Twitch, on which viewers can watch their favourite games being played by streamers. Because these streamers are often on-camera for long periods of time, their own fashion choices have become more important and “gamer” has emerged as a style in its own right.

What is gamer fashion?

If you ask ten different people this question, you’ll get at least nine different answers. Much like other subcultures, gamer fashion is quite varied, although it tends to be around a central theme. Here are some of the things you might expect from most types of gamer fashion:

Comfort

It might seem obvious, but gamer clothes need to be comfortable enough to sit in for hours at a time. While gaming or streaming, you are often stuck in one position for a long time. If your clothes are impractical and uncomfortable, you will quickly have a bad time.

Merchandise

Just like sports fans will want to showcase their support for their favourite team, gamers will represent their top franchises. The game Minecraft alone sells over $500 million in merchandise each year, while the Pokémon franchise has made over $80 billion from its own merchandising.

Colour

Interestingly, while games themselves are often extremely colourful, gamer fashion is more muted. Typically gamers will wear splashes of bright colours - particularly neon shades - with monochrome or pastel outfits.

Gamer fashion styles

So what are the different types of gamer fashion? They don’t all break down into neat categories, of course. However, we can identify some common themes. For example:

Cyberpunk

This term was developed in the 70s and 80s to describe a particular type of science fiction that concerned itself with hacking and the emerging internet; you can see how that might appeal to gamers! In the decades since, a definite cyberpunk aesthetic has emerged.

To style a cyberpunk outfit, pick a particular neon colour and add it as an accent to an otherwise dark outfit. Neon blue is particularly popular, but pink, purple and yellow all have their place in a cyberpunk outfit. Many gamers even dye their hair bright colours to match this aesthetic.

Casino

Not all games are loud, neon shoot-em-ups; there is still room for traditional casino games in the gaming milieu. Whether you’re playing high-stakes poker or free bingo games on Jackpotjoy, you will want to look your best and emulate the fashion of the world’s most elegant casinos.

That tends to mean adding a bit of a formal, classic touch to your wardrobe. This can be as simple as wearing a sports jacket or blazer over your usual outfit. Feminine options include pearls, red lipstick and the classic cocktail dress. However, remember to think about comfort with your casino look as well.

Streamer

Every streamer is different, but streamer fashion tends to blend together some of the looks we’ve already talked about. For example, streamers tend to wear loose, sports-casual clothing as it is the most comfortable for long periods of gaming. What’s interesting is how much the act of streaming informs the fashion.

For example, streamers’ faces are on screen for long periods of time, but they tend not to be visible from the shoulders down. This means bold makeup looks are essential, but shoes can be something simple and casual. Headphones are also part of the look, with big fashion headsets being preferred over simple earbuds.

There is more to gamer fashion, and a single article couldn’t cover the breadth of looks available to gamers. However, this should give you an idea of the gamer fashion you can add to your own wardrobe. So what will you wear to showcase your gamer credentials?