Last Updated on May 12, 2021 by
Goth fashion is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented trends in style. What started out as a dark and gloomy rebellion against traditional society has grown into an all-encompassing lifestyle with its own cultures, customs, vocabulary, rules for dress code, and even its own music genre. In this blog post, I will give you a brief history of goth culture and then break down some of the essential elements that make up the goth style.
Gothic Fashion History
Goth fashion is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented trends in style. What started out as a dark and gloomy rebellion against traditional society has grown into an all-encompassing lifestyle with its own cultures, customs, vocabulary, rules for dress code, and even its own music genre. In this blog post, I will give you a brief history of goth culture and then break down some of the essential elements that make up the goth style.
The first known usage of “goths” to describe people who follow certain styles comes from Roman scholars around A.D. 200 when they used it to refer to any barbaric tribes or peoples outside their borders (the equivalent word we use today would be “barbarian”). It wasn’t until the late 1800s that “gothic fashion” was used to describe what we would now consider goth clothing styles.
The term “goths,” however, has often been associated with music because of a series of bands from the 1980s like Joy Division and Bauhaus who defined themselves by their style rather than a musical genre. What started out as post-punk quickly evolved into an even darker sound after lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980 (which is why it is sometimes referred to as “the death rock” movement) which led to a new wave of punk/post-punk called “Goth.”
What Are The Characteristics Of Goths?
Goth fashion is usually more dark and morbid than your typical person in a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. They are often seen wearing all black or darker colors with contrasting accessories that create an even darker mood. This includes everything from makeup to piercings on their face or body–all of which can be considered gothic style if it meets the criteria mentioned above (though this doesn’t mean every individual who wears these styles will also fit into Goth culture). Anyone can wear something “gothy” once for Halloween but you won’t know exactly what it means until someone explains it to you.
We typically see three different types of people as part of the Gothic subculture:
The first type would be those known as “Goths.” Goths are often seen as the most serious and darkly-appearing group of all. They love to wear black, heavy makeup such as a lot of eyeliner or eyeshadow, piercings on their face (typically around the mouth but sometimes also in other places), tattoos that cover more than just an arm or leg, etc. This is mostly due to this being initially how they were originally portrayed by society–as something scary because these people dress completely different from what’s considered average for today’s world.
How Do You Style Gothic Clothes?
So how does one go about styling their gothic clothes? The answers to that question are as varied and darkly interesting as the people you’ll find at a typical Goth club or event. Some may wear tight, revealing clothing and others prefer loose-fitting garments. There is no right way to do this–it’s all personal preference when it comes to what someone wants for themselves in terms of fashion. What we can say with certainty though is that these types of pieces tend not to be found on racks near your local mall. If you’re looking for Gothic clothing, then there are other places where you need to look!
What Are Some Characteristics Of Goth Fashion?
If you’re looking for Gothic clothing, then there are other places where you need to look! Goth fashion is typically dark – take your cue from the name. Black or navy blue jeans and t-shirts are popular in this scene, as well as long coats and black boots (usually combat style). What sets gothic fashion apart though? Heavy metal jewelry on one hand, while makeup that’s often bright red lipstick with carefully done eyeshadow is also common. If you have a penchant for wearing all of those things at once then this may be something worth exploring further!
How To Dress Goth In Normal Clothes?
A common misconception about the style is that it has to be expensive or complicated in order for someone to wear it. In reality, all goth looks are created from a combination of three elements: darkness, asymmetry, and texture (Reich 2011). The key difference between what might be considered more “gothic” clothes and regular clothing items is that they have an element of spooky darkness with them. For example, you can find plenty of dark-colored jeans at any store but if you add some accessories like studded leather bracelets or chains around your neck then those same jeans would make a good base for building a complete outfit. It doesn’t matter how much money one spends on their wardrobe – as long as there’s some darkness in there, it’s going to be considered goth.
This is a story about the dark side of style: what happens when fashion goes from looking good to feeling bad? What do we think makes up goth style and how can you tell if someone might not just like this particular look but actually has an unhealthy relationship with their clothes? The term “goth” originally referred to any person who dressed in black-centric clothing as well as mourning attire (Reich 2011). In addition, many would wear makeup that was quite dramatic and pale skin – which further emphasizes the death element (Harris 2012). This association between death/darkness is still very prevalent today; however, some people may mistake these elements for being more than just a style choice and might try to diagnose the person as having mental illness or depression (Harris 2012).
Some characteristics of goth fashion include wearing darker colors, most notably black. In addition, many people display symbols that are dark in nature such as skulls. When someone wears these items it can be seen as almost like an offering for death; they’re paying respect to their own mortality and by doing so acknowledging how precious life is. This may create anxiety if worn too often because at any point this could all change – we don’t know when our last day will be! What’s more interesting about this type of clothing is that it looks very awesome on others (many goth bands have themes based on what they wear).
Can You Dress Goth Without Being Goth?
Is it possible to dress Goth without being goth? That is an excellent question, one that many people wonder about. What does a person have to do in order to be Goth – wear all black and go out on Halloween night haunting the living hell out of everyone (not really)? The answer is yes! It’s possible for someone to enjoy dressing up in darker colors and still not identify as Goth. For example, if you work at a funeral home or just want something different from what other people are wearing then you could dress like this outside of any context surrounding death. However, it may take some trial and error before finding clothing combinations that look good together because those who tend towards darkness can’t find anything they like unless they’re wearing black.
I’m not sure what you’re getting at, but I would say that there are various factors that can contribute to someone identifying as Goth depending on where they live and how they feel about the term itself. What is considered normal in one area may be seen as abnormal or even scary in another. For example, if a person lives somewhere with a lot of conservative views then it might be very difficult to find clothing that fits their style because their community won’t allow for this type of personal expression. On the other hand, those who don’t conform will always have some way of expressing themselves through fashion no matter what society says! And sometimes people just want something different from everyone else so Goth fashion could work regardless of any context.
The style of goth fashion is often characterized by dark clothing but there are many variations to the aesthetic. For example, some people may want to wear lighter pieces during the day and change into darker clothes at night for a more dramatic effect. Other individuals might prefer wearing all black in order to appear mysterious. They could also choose specific fabrics that make it easier or harder for other people to read emotions on their faces! There’s also a variety when it comes to makeup such as eyeliner which can range from being very thin and subtle up until someone wants an intense smoky eye look that’s big and bold enough for any drama queen out there! The possibilities really do go on…and they’re endless!
