Gothic fashion and style rejected mainstream values, instead placing an emphasis on freedom of expression. This challenging of society’s taboos makes gothic fashion and style difficult to define. Goth emphasizes transformation of the body, elements of beauty, conscious eroticism and 'otherness' that flout conventions. It is one of the most unique fashion styles around, and the most misunderstood, I think.
Many are drawn to the fashion due to a sense of alienation within themselves or community. This feeling of alienation may explain the style's fascination with morbidity or vampire style. Wearing black eye shadow and shroud-like clothing that refers to the dead or undead, may express grief, despair, mourning or death wish.
However, this is not necessarily an anti-life attitude. Rather, Goth fashion can be a positive transformation from alienation through self-expression via beauty and fashion. They often go from feeling alone and isolated to a sense of belonging to a community that shares the same sense of alienation. Being part of the “shun” crowd, still makes you part of the crowd.
Then you have those like me- who just like the darker side of fashion. Goth fashion embraces all body types, unlike mainstream fashion that relies on a hierarchy of beauty superiority based on body and hair type. Goth fashion prizes voluptuousness, sensuality and sexuality through its variety of fashions.
Typical Goth dress (if you can say there is a typical) consists of black clothing accessorized with silver, but can vary in the color schemes, staying with the darker colors. This is only limited by the wearer's imagination, and can include elaborate gowns and corsets, veils, capes, hobble skirts, neck corsets, teased hair, eyeliner, black fingernails, fishnets, and styles borrowed from the Elizabethans and Victorians.
The elegant, historically-inspired side of the subculture, often involving chiffon petticoats, antique lace, intricate brocades, and corsetry that imitate 19th Century fashion and fabrics, is another prominent style of gothic fashion. This is sometimes known as "romantic goth" or "romantigoth". Most variants of gothic fashion incorporate some facet of this classic style.
Modern changes to the Goth style have brought in body piercing, tattoos, and use of heavy makeup by both sexes. It is also probable that elements of other styles such as BDSM fashion and black metal fashion will be mixed in to the Goth fashions of today.
We can not talk about Goth without the mention of the punk subculture of the mid 1970’s, out of which Goth fashion grew. Early Goth fashion had a strong emphasis on being self-reliant as opposed to relying on professional designers to tell you what to wear. Perhaps this was due to the subculture preceding the designers in making a new fashion statement.
Now there are many great fashion designers of gothic fashion with websites and you can visit them to get ideas for outfits (just as I do). The wonderful thing about Goth fashion is that you do not have to spend a lot to achieve the look, as the very definition of the style is “Freedom of expression.” While most think of it as all black, gloom and alienation, there is really a beauty in the fashion, and in the personality, you put into the clothing you chose.
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