Four ways to fit in in Brighton

A few simple tips to help you get fully involved in the Brighton way of life.

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Everyone knows that Brighton is one of the most liberal and accepting cities in the United Kingdom – so OBVIOUSLY it is important that you physically alter yourself to fit in. Here are four easy and cheap ways to get the Brighton look on a student budget!

Get a tattoo

Anyone who is anyone in Brighton has a tattoo, they are totally cute and a visible testament to your pain threshold. Get something edgy – literally! Triangles are all the rage at the moment and by inking one on to your skin everyone will know that you are a big Alt-J fan and therefore edgy as hell. If you’ve exhausted your student loan that’s fine too – draw one on. Nobody will know. Here’s one I did earlier. It’s a semi colon, representing both my love of punctuation and my need to appear mysterious in front of my peers. Remember, real tattoos last forever so don’t fuck it up.

Pierce yourself

If maiming yourself with an inky needle isn’t enough for you why not damage yourself further with a piercing? Because clearly you don’t have enough holes in your body already. To fit in in Brighton you will need a nose piercing at a minimum, after all, who doesn’t want a third nostril? However as a rule the more obscure the body part you pierce the better – how about the webby bit in between your fingers? Or an arm-pit piercing? I myself have a pierced spleen – they love it down at Green Door Store.

Shop vintage

Ew you buy your clothes in Churchill Square?! A true Brighton it-girl/boy would not be seen dead in a shopping centre. One store I would recommend instead is Dirty Harry’s in the North Laines as they have a wide range of old, unwashed clothes at extortionate prices! They also give you a bag with ‘Dirty Harry’ on it so all your friends will know you are totally alternative. To get the same look on a student budget is easy. Take an item of clothing you already own and put it on a busy road. A few hours later retrieve the garment and hey presto – it is ready to wear! Wow – so cute!

Wear a hat with words on it

Living in a seaside town has its pros and cons – not least the bitter sea winds. It’s no wonder everyone is wearing hats. But being Brighton we have a reputation to uphold – a hat that doesn’t make a statement is worse than no hat at all, so why not pimp your hat with a word?! Once again the more edgy and obscure the word the better. Bonus points if the word is rude and even MORE bonus points if it has some kind of accent or umlaut on it. However, these umlauts come at a premium. A similar effect can be made by getting your mums old beany hat she uses for walking the dog and tippexing a naughty word on the front.

Congratulations – you are now edgy enough for Brighton! Celebrate by going to a club night where nobody knows any of the songs, experimenting with your sexuality, then passing out on the beach due to the obscure drugs you took!