Alasdair McLellan is one of fashion’s most fore most photographers. This may seem irrelevant to a blog based on the ‘Indie’ subculture, however, born in Doncaster 1974, it is McLellan’s northern roots that he reflects in most of his work that I find lends itself well to being referred to as indie.

   After studying photography at Nottingham Trent University, McLellan has gone on to shoot numerous covers for Vogue and i-D and also campaigns for Margaret Howell and Topshop.

   Always referring back to his past, his work reflects upon the gritty, blue atmosphere of the north. Sharing a similar belief in ‘English Realism’ with fellow northerner Morrissey, whom of which he includes as one of his influences, it is reflected in his work through use of dull colour, industrial locations and a general depressed mood. American photographer Bruce Weber also has influence on McLellan’s work as they share similar industrial, working class heritage. “He believes that photography should be personal and loves the possibility of creating any kind of world through its medium.”- https://i-donline.com/en_gb/topics/28/alasdair-mclellan

   One of the strongest parts of the Indie subculture is its reference to music, this of which Alasdair also relates to in his work. Bringing the arts of fashion and music together, McLellan has done shoots with artists such as Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner and of Morrissey for an interview in i-D magazine in 2004. He was also a member of the group that produced ‘Fashion DJs’- an event held at Abbey Road studios in an attempt to ‘celebrate the inextricable link between musical performance and fashion exhibitionism.’-  http://showstudio.com/project/fashion_djs

   I came across Alasdair’s work on my visit to Salford Lad’s club when I saw an image on their notice board of fashion model Cara Delevingne shot outside the same building. This editorial, titled ‘Manchester Division’ was shot for fashion magazine Purple, using typically ‘Indie’ locations for this shoot such as record stores and some back street alleys. The contrast between the modernity of the Stella McCartney and Mary Katrantzou pieces used against the cold and dull setting that is Manchester works well. I also like the juxtaposition of the look of the male model Tom Middlehurst, whose hair is deliberately styled in an Ian Curtis way, against the fresh face of Delevingne. In a way this reflects what ‘Indie’ is today. It’s going against what you think it should be, it’s rebellious and goes against the curve.

Inspired by indie fashion icon Alexa Chung, I went for a less obvious formal occasion- a trip to the theatre.

This look is very off budget for the regular indie kid, however is an example of the style one would aim for.

The oversized silk shirt dress is both relaxed yet sophisticated and requires little effort to style which suits the Indie girl's dress sense. This can be found in emerald green at Topshop Boutique, £95. 

Easily thrown over the top is an oversized blazer by THEORY for £695 at farfetch.com. This adds a certain androgyny to the look which is typical of Indie style. 

A simple statement necklace, £65 '& other stories', brings the outfit into evening wear and the bag, £995.13 by Reed Krakoff its simple and sophisticated too. 

Looking at Grunge style and with winter in mind I have created a layered look suitable for casual wear. 

Knitwear is always a key element in grunge wear, the more oversized the better. Layering a chunky jumper over a skater dress doesn't give the most flattering figure but shows an 'I don't give a damn' sort of attitude.

 

Cara Delevingne models for Pepe Jeans AW13

   Pepe Jeans have a selection of baggy fit jumpers but their price is quite high for the average Indie kid, with most knitwear around £70. Their shop in Carnarby Street has a 'cool', 'indie' kind of vibe with the women's section in a downstairs basement, and other Indie label rivals such as The Kooples and menswear brand Pretty Green near by.

   Paisley is really popular in Indie fashion, (the inside of Pretty Green's store is covered in the print!) and so I chose this dress from Cooperative at Urban Outfitters for £48. For winter I've paired it with wooly tights, £12 @ Topshop.

   For a higher budget, I've used Dr Martens brogues- £90 @ ASOS and for the Wallace Sewell chunky knit scarf you'd have to splash £156.36 at Barneys online. 

Literature is an art admired by Indie kids and so the library is somewhere one may hang out. 

I put this look together as a super relaxed outfit that is comfortable yet stylish. Looking at grunge style which is very similar to Indie, I chose really baggy items that would be practical to lounge about in. A large bag is essential for putting all your books in, this rucksack is £35 at Rokit. 

As colour isn't related to indie style, I used a monochrome palette with browns and greys for a less smart look. The graffiti shirt is inspired by Morrissey and is £22 by 'Cheap Monday' at Urban Outfitters. This price goes to show that Urban Outfitters can cater for a student budget. Climbing up the price ladder, the baggy fit crepe pleat trousers are £45 by 'Sparkle and Fade' and the buckled brogues by 'Deena & Ozzy' are £65, both also Urban Outfitters.

The indie culture is based largely around the arts: music, films, photography etc and so I thought it would be appropriate to create an outfit for a gallery.

The Lowry Gallery, Salford Quays specialises in exhibitions centred around Art and Entertainment. Defining Me: Musical Adventures in Manchester, is on from September 28^th- February 23^rd 2014 and celebrates Greater Manchester’s musical heritage. 

Using Morrissey from The Smiths as a muse for this outfit I created a baggy and basic silhouette.  The signature white t-shirt is an affordable £16 in Topshop and the spotty shirt would be worn over the top for £29.99 at Zara. Surprisingly, I found the simplicity of the clothes in Zara to be very suited to the indie look if styled in a relaxed and effortless way.

ASOS Marketplace is great for picking up original vintage pieces, which are key to indie style, and this practical satchel is £38.

On the higher price end are the shoes for £155 at f-troupe in Soho and the box pleat skirt found at ‘& other stories’ for £65. I like the contrast between the smart skirt and the baggy shirt.

The record store is not only a place an indie girl would go to shop for music. Most are used as a social hangout and some even have a cafe to chill in with friends.

Inside Rough Trade East

The turtleneck jumper is £46 at Topshop. I chose it as the plain tops Ian Curtis used to wear inspired me. Both the Sessun coat (£225) and the Cooperative trousers (£48) I found at Urban Outfitters- an obvious choice for an indie girl. Although the prices are higher than the ‘student budget’ I think they would usually aim for, these two pieces can be worn again and again in various outfits.The bag is £17 from vintage superstore Beyond Retro in Shoreditch and the buckled boots are £42 on ASOS Marketplace.

I have chosen a comfortable look for this, as it would probably be a relaxed afternoon out. The indie girl wouldn’t look ‘overdressed’; therefore I opted for a thrown together outfit using signature indie monochrome colours.