Emily the Strange is not quite as old as I am, but she would be in her 30s now if she actually aged. I feel like I could be her older sister. We’d rock out together, be all emo and somber and wander the woods to clear our heads. But in the real world, I have dressed up as Emily the Strange for Halloween. I mean like to work, in recent years, haha.
Emily the Strange is an illustrated fictional character created by Rob Reger for his company Cosmic Debris Etc. Inc., based in San Francisco, California. She first appeared on Santa Cruz Skateboards professional skater Ross Goodman’s skateboard graphics in 1991.
Emily is a 13-year-old girl living an alternative lifestyle known for her razor-sharp wit, dark hair, and moody black cats. She is known for her anti-conformist and pro-individuality message.
The Moody Black Cats
Her cats’ names are Mystery, Miles, Sabbath and NeeChee. Each cat has a distinctive trait.
Mystery is the only female cat out of the four and is identified by the star on her collar, one curly whisker, and occasionally a star on her left eye. She is also the leader of the group and is usually denoted by her curly whiskers. She has been with Emily since infancy.
Miles is the most artistic cat of the group and also the fastest. He is identified by his pointy ears, X-mark over his right eye, and two pointy whiskers.
Sabbath is the newest cat to join the Strange family and is usually identified by a tear on one of his ears and one bent whisker.
Mental Hellth
Since Emily is so angsty, her website does have a special section on mental health, which is titled Mental HELLth on the site. It links to various supprt resources which I very much appreciate. Brain health is absolutely critical and there are not enough ways to get treatment. Additionally, there is too much of a stigma when discussing things like depression or anxiety; both of which I deal with on a daily basis.
The Strange Merch
My favorite items that have stemmed from Emily are the books. The series by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner includes titles like “Emily the Strange: All Things Strange,” “Emily the Strange: Stranger and Stranger,” and “Emily the Strange: Piece of Mind.”
The character has also inspired various merchandise, such as t-shirts, socks, hoodies, and other apparel, which can be found on websites like Hot Topic. Oh my gosh, and I LOVE HOT TOPIC. Amazon has some Emily the Strange merch, too.
So, Emily the Strange has a following due to her strong sense of individuality and distinct outlook on life. Her dark, eccentric, and empowering character continues to attract fans worldwide, who appreciate her unique persona and embrace her unconventional style.
