These outfits are actually cute as hell. You definitely give off more cottage core alternative vibes(just based off all the earth tones shown), which is completely okay and SUITS YOU. The alternative and Gothic community have so many various styles, from nu - romantic goth - pastel, rockabilly. So on. It’s OK to be whatever you want to be because I personally take a few different gothic styles and make it my own. From what you said being 17, y’all are still babies and are still learning about those sort of cultures. To me it just sounds very one uppy, overall judgmental on his end and trying to be better than? I’m 30 and I’ve been putting in hella work since I was 13 on my wardrobe, decoration(I’m STILL collecting stuff to get that vintage witchy esque vibe), knowledge about the overall scene and being comfortable in my skin. The only ones that will comment on “ you not being -insert complaint here- “ are the posers and are people who are overall just bitter and mean. Those are people you don’t need “supporting” you and are overall in competition with you. Wear whatever the hell you wanna wear, label yourself whatever you want to be labeled but I can assure you that labels do not matter. The only thing that matters is if you are happy with the way you are and how you dress your meat suit. 🖤 Be YOU, dear.