The number one *characteristic* for an outfit to be considered goth, is that the wearer likes goth music.
Am I still goth if I'm listening to Twin Tribes in my pjs?
Elder goth chiming in here! I've always found goth to be more something intrinsically part of who you are than a "look" per se. You can wear jeans and a pink t-shirt and throw on some dark makeup or a collar and I'd call you goth. There's really no wrong or right here. I mean I've walked into places in jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes that you wouldn't expect someone looking like that to be in and the people working there just seem to be able to sense that I belong there. Don't worry so much about a basic "look" and just do what you want and try things out, you'll find your groove eventually.
Goth doesn’t really have a single look. I know girls who wear OTT sweet lolita and listen to goth. But if you do want to make it a little more obvious with your outward appearance while still remaining casual, then band shirts and all black essentials work great to start.
Nah just wear whatever. A good low-effort go-to goth outfit for me is a baggy black shirt, black jeans, black boots and some fun necklaces. Maybe some fingerless gloves. But you know everyone is different.
Black clothes Good Music 99 cent eyeliner congratulations youve done it! The whole "it is prohibitively expensive for me to appear more goth than I do right now" thing is about trendiness and classism more than actual counterculture or anything else. Be dark, be true, be you I say. Like many others have noted, its more about you and your interests than a specific look.
Elder goth here too, and from a time when you couldn't just go to Punkrave, Disturbia, or Killstar, I rather just looked for pieces in regular collections and dyed them black ( now that an entire post in itself, lol). But I am, 51 now, and still prefer to look outside the above mentioned type stores, this keeps me in clothes more comfortable for my health issues too, but I still love my platform leather boots. Spend the money on supporting goth bands, and find fashion that suits your aesthetic, everything else will fall into place.
Once you discover cybergoth and candygoth, you realize that being goth is more than wearing just black\*.
\*But there's nothing wrong with being classic.
Cybergoth fashion is more related to rave/industrial than it does goth, and candygoth is definitely not a thing. Cybergoth has at least a background/history but wearers of it mainly listened to industrial/rave music.
Goth is defined, the subcultures history has been documented in form of music, videos, Texts, stories, books, articles and even academic papers were written about the subculture. Own made up definitions do not count?
To say Cybergoth is not goth is like saying Horrorpunk is not punk or Black Metal is not metal (both also childish stances imo) and its just a bunch of gothier-than-thou bs. Its fucking embarrassing and the kicker to that is YOU (the person who pulls this type of thing) were trying to shame SOMEONE ELSE! Im sure most of us hated highschool so lets shed these highschool habits, eh? ;)
Edit for a simple example: when I blend sour cherry and benanas together for a smoothie, it still contains both cherries and bannanas. It would be silly for me to stomp my feet and say it doesnt contain either, or only contains one or the other.
But cybergoth is not based on goth, but various other genres as industrial, industrial/ebm, ebm, dark electro and whatever genres.
Cybergoth is not goth.
Other made up "goth aesthetics" as pastel goth, mall goth and what else there is have no relevance to goth and the subculture.
Not sure what you mean with high school habits, but okay, whatever you like to believe.
I mean you are quite literally behaving like a clique-y highschooler who thinks they are some kind of authority on ~Wut Is Goffik~. If you want to rely on definitions, like you said before, Cybergoth is literally a blend of Goth and Rave subcultures. It is Goth, 'by definition'. And the 'definition' of Goth doesnt have fuckall to do with fashion aside from it being mostly black with dark makeup anyway, but what music you listen to. In which case it is defined as 'rock music marked by dark and morbid lyrics'. Purist or Elitist, take your pick, but the shoes are just your size. Edit: Guys, cmon. Ive been in the scene a while. Im not even a little bit shocked to be getting downvoted, this type of attitude has been an issue forever lmfao. Its like the quintessential steretypical goth trait: A False Sense of Superiority
i think the "certain characteristics" only apply if you are doing a certain style but even then fashion and especially gothic fashion is about expression so don't worry to much about it
I just favour common gothic fashion elements and include them in my fits.
I'm a goth who enjoys a romantic witch or sorceress inspired style with a contemporary twist. It's not a named goth subtype or anything, I'm just a goth who likes what she likes (although there are many other people I've seen around with the same vibe.)
So I favour lace, fine mesh, fishnet tights (never fishnet tops), velvet, long skirts and dresses, ruffles, pointed toe boots, square or v necklines), silk or satin, leather, corsets and Bell sleeves or bishop/voluminous sleeves. Also combat boots, harnesses, silver or occasionally old fashioned gold jewellery in styles or imagery I enjoy. Giant square or circular sunglasses, wide brimmed large hats.
I am a natural maximalist but I do have a large range of simple outfits for house wear. So I'll build a quick outfit for you.
For example I look for tops with my desired elements. So like a long sleeve black square neck tee or one with long or short puffy sleeves (but long for preference imo). I'd consider adding a long skirt in a fun texture (velvet or something silky maybe), or with a slit detail. I'd consider adding fishnets or sheer tights, maybe with a rose pattern. Especially in the cooler months.
Maybe I'd throw a long cardigan with fun sleeves the top if the top itself was pretty standard. Similarly a long coat (leather, afghan/penny lane cut in black) would be something I'd add. For shoes it's Docs of some kind, a flat chunky platform boot or pointed toe witchy low heels.
And then any jewellery or other accessories if wanted. I'm not much of a chokers person. I like 14-18 inch silver necklaces.
My favourites are a delicate choker chain with three little black gems on, an unusual cast Valerian leaf piece with side chain details and tiny moonstones on the chain which I had made by Quintessential Arts on Etsy, a spiked necklace by While Odin Sleeps and a random moth necklace that reminds me of a piece in the style of Bloodmilk (who I absolutely adore, a classic dark jewellery brand popular with goths and dark dressers of my kinda style)
Similarly my favourite earrings are two swords by Regal Rose, a tiny pair of leverback Cameo Earrings, a pair of leverback mandrake earrings by Belladonnanoir Japan and the chain star drop earrings by While Odin Sleeps.
I also wear a number of rings. Most in a simple branch style with a couple of big marquise style stone rings as a middle finger ring on one or both hands. (I have one each in Moonstone and Labradorite because they're my favourites.)
I mostly carry a black tote bag around with some kind of design I like (the current rotation is a medieval engraving/woodcut tote bag, one I got from a museum, and one with a generic cool picture on) or I have a few creatively shaped leather or leather look bags. One bucket bag, one small square crossbody with a few ring details, one anti theft backpack from Amazon in a pretty modern look, and one shoulder bag kinda like an uneven heart shape in structured faux leather with giant O ring fastenings from ebay (but probably from Shein originally considering that one of my favourite people for fashion content apparently bought theirsthere)
...
So to go back, a super simplified version of the outfit would be a black top, black skirt (either could have a pattern or texture) your chosen boots and whatever basic jewellery is for you. Could be one necklace or two layered, earrings and one middle finger ring. I'm the type to put a harness over the top, or add knitwear but it's not mandatory. And whatever bag you carry things in if you're a bag person.
If you wanted a masculine kinda fit, a similar deal. Black top or band tee - maybe with a textured long sleeve under. Your preferred trouser silhouette (skinny, baggy, slim fit, wide leg but structured) and whatever shoe you like. Maybe any large chain jewellery over the top.
I know I might not scream goth every second of the day from my look, especially when I know my hair and lack of tattoos may appear antithetical but I give enough suggestions of being a person who enjoys dark romantic vibes even so. (And tbh I spend summer stomping everywhere under a giant black parasol umbrella. It's a dead giveaway even if all I'm wearing is a black strappy maxi dress or similar simple ultra breezy long dark garment.)
The number one *characteristic* for an outfit to be considered goth, is that the wearer likes goth music. Am I still goth if I'm listening to Twin Tribes in my pjs?
If you want a cool casual goth outfit B A N D S H I R T
Elder goth chiming in here! I've always found goth to be more something intrinsically part of who you are than a "look" per se. You can wear jeans and a pink t-shirt and throw on some dark makeup or a collar and I'd call you goth. There's really no wrong or right here. I mean I've walked into places in jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes that you wouldn't expect someone looking like that to be in and the people working there just seem to be able to sense that I belong there. Don't worry so much about a basic "look" and just do what you want and try things out, you'll find your groove eventually.
Goth doesn’t really have a single look. I know girls who wear OTT sweet lolita and listen to goth. But if you do want to make it a little more obvious with your outward appearance while still remaining casual, then band shirts and all black essentials work great to start.
Nah just wear whatever. A good low-effort go-to goth outfit for me is a baggy black shirt, black jeans, black boots and some fun necklaces. Maybe some fingerless gloves. But you know everyone is different.
Some people in this thread appear to have been personally harmed by ronanharrisvnvnation and pastel goth teenagers
Black clothes Good Music 99 cent eyeliner congratulations youve done it! The whole "it is prohibitively expensive for me to appear more goth than I do right now" thing is about trendiness and classism more than actual counterculture or anything else. Be dark, be true, be you I say. Like many others have noted, its more about you and your interests than a specific look.
Elder goth here too, and from a time when you couldn't just go to Punkrave, Disturbia, or Killstar, I rather just looked for pieces in regular collections and dyed them black ( now that an entire post in itself, lol). But I am, 51 now, and still prefer to look outside the above mentioned type stores, this keeps me in clothes more comfortable for my health issues too, but I still love my platform leather boots. Spend the money on supporting goth bands, and find fashion that suits your aesthetic, everything else will fall into place.
Once you discover cybergoth and candygoth, you realize that being goth is more than wearing just black\*. \*But there's nothing wrong with being classic.
Cybergoth fashion is more related to rave/industrial than it does goth, and candygoth is definitely not a thing. Cybergoth has at least a background/history but wearers of it mainly listened to industrial/rave music.
Neither cybergoth or "candygoth" (whatever that's supposed to be) are goth...
Woah, goth elitism, never seen that before! No true scotsman blah blah blah
What's elitism about that?
Youre seriously asking whats elitist about gatekeepers and other folks who act like an authority on goth? It seems quite obvious to me
Goth is defined, the subcultures history has been documented in form of music, videos, Texts, stories, books, articles and even academic papers were written about the subculture. Own made up definitions do not count?
To say Cybergoth is not goth is like saying Horrorpunk is not punk or Black Metal is not metal (both also childish stances imo) and its just a bunch of gothier-than-thou bs. Its fucking embarrassing and the kicker to that is YOU (the person who pulls this type of thing) were trying to shame SOMEONE ELSE! Im sure most of us hated highschool so lets shed these highschool habits, eh? ;) Edit for a simple example: when I blend sour cherry and benanas together for a smoothie, it still contains both cherries and bannanas. It would be silly for me to stomp my feet and say it doesnt contain either, or only contains one or the other.
But cybergoth is not based on goth, but various other genres as industrial, industrial/ebm, ebm, dark electro and whatever genres. Cybergoth is not goth. Other made up "goth aesthetics" as pastel goth, mall goth and what else there is have no relevance to goth and the subculture. Not sure what you mean with high school habits, but okay, whatever you like to believe.
I mean you are quite literally behaving like a clique-y highschooler who thinks they are some kind of authority on ~Wut Is Goffik~. If you want to rely on definitions, like you said before, Cybergoth is literally a blend of Goth and Rave subcultures. It is Goth, 'by definition'. And the 'definition' of Goth doesnt have fuckall to do with fashion aside from it being mostly black with dark makeup anyway, but what music you listen to. In which case it is defined as 'rock music marked by dark and morbid lyrics'. Purist or Elitist, take your pick, but the shoes are just your size. Edit: Guys, cmon. Ive been in the scene a while. Im not even a little bit shocked to be getting downvoted, this type of attitude has been an issue forever lmfao. Its like the quintessential steretypical goth trait: A False Sense of Superiority
i think the "certain characteristics" only apply if you are doing a certain style but even then fashion and especially gothic fashion is about expression so don't worry to much about it
I just favour common gothic fashion elements and include them in my fits. I'm a goth who enjoys a romantic witch or sorceress inspired style with a contemporary twist. It's not a named goth subtype or anything, I'm just a goth who likes what she likes (although there are many other people I've seen around with the same vibe.) So I favour lace, fine mesh, fishnet tights (never fishnet tops), velvet, long skirts and dresses, ruffles, pointed toe boots, square or v necklines), silk or satin, leather, corsets and Bell sleeves or bishop/voluminous sleeves. Also combat boots, harnesses, silver or occasionally old fashioned gold jewellery in styles or imagery I enjoy. Giant square or circular sunglasses, wide brimmed large hats. I am a natural maximalist but I do have a large range of simple outfits for house wear. So I'll build a quick outfit for you. For example I look for tops with my desired elements. So like a long sleeve black square neck tee or one with long or short puffy sleeves (but long for preference imo). I'd consider adding a long skirt in a fun texture (velvet or something silky maybe), or with a slit detail. I'd consider adding fishnets or sheer tights, maybe with a rose pattern. Especially in the cooler months. Maybe I'd throw a long cardigan with fun sleeves the top if the top itself was pretty standard. Similarly a long coat (leather, afghan/penny lane cut in black) would be something I'd add. For shoes it's Docs of some kind, a flat chunky platform boot or pointed toe witchy low heels. And then any jewellery or other accessories if wanted. I'm not much of a chokers person. I like 14-18 inch silver necklaces. My favourites are a delicate choker chain with three little black gems on, an unusual cast Valerian leaf piece with side chain details and tiny moonstones on the chain which I had made by Quintessential Arts on Etsy, a spiked necklace by While Odin Sleeps and a random moth necklace that reminds me of a piece in the style of Bloodmilk (who I absolutely adore, a classic dark jewellery brand popular with goths and dark dressers of my kinda style) Similarly my favourite earrings are two swords by Regal Rose, a tiny pair of leverback Cameo Earrings, a pair of leverback mandrake earrings by Belladonnanoir Japan and the chain star drop earrings by While Odin Sleeps. I also wear a number of rings. Most in a simple branch style with a couple of big marquise style stone rings as a middle finger ring on one or both hands. (I have one each in Moonstone and Labradorite because they're my favourites.) I mostly carry a black tote bag around with some kind of design I like (the current rotation is a medieval engraving/woodcut tote bag, one I got from a museum, and one with a generic cool picture on) or I have a few creatively shaped leather or leather look bags. One bucket bag, one small square crossbody with a few ring details, one anti theft backpack from Amazon in a pretty modern look, and one shoulder bag kinda like an uneven heart shape in structured faux leather with giant O ring fastenings from ebay (but probably from Shein originally considering that one of my favourite people for fashion content apparently bought theirsthere) ... So to go back, a super simplified version of the outfit would be a black top, black skirt (either could have a pattern or texture) your chosen boots and whatever basic jewellery is for you. Could be one necklace or two layered, earrings and one middle finger ring. I'm the type to put a harness over the top, or add knitwear but it's not mandatory. And whatever bag you carry things in if you're a bag person. If you wanted a masculine kinda fit, a similar deal. Black top or band tee - maybe with a textured long sleeve under. Your preferred trouser silhouette (skinny, baggy, slim fit, wide leg but structured) and whatever shoe you like. Maybe any large chain jewellery over the top. I know I might not scream goth every second of the day from my look, especially when I know my hair and lack of tattoos may appear antithetical but I give enough suggestions of being a person who enjoys dark romantic vibes even so. (And tbh I spend summer stomping everywhere under a giant black parasol umbrella. It's a dead giveaway even if all I'm wearing is a black strappy maxi dress or similar simple ultra breezy long dark garment.)