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Gothic fashion is a clothing style worn by members of the Goth subculture. It is stereotyped as a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. Typical gothic fashion includes black dyed hair, dark eyeliner, dark fingernails, and black clothes, . Styles are often borrowed from the Elizabethans and Victorians. The extent to which goths hold to this stereotype varies, though virtually all Goths wear some of these elements. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Shortcut: WP:WIN Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia and, as a means to that end, also an online community. ... Shortcut: WP:CU Marking articles for cleanup This page is undergoing a transition to an easier-to-maintain format. ... This Manual of Style has the simple purpose of making things easy to read by following a consistent format — it is a style guide. ... This article is about the late 20th / early 21st century subculture. ... Clothing protects the vulnerable nude human body from the extremes of weather, other features of our environment, and for safety reasons. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Eye liner Eye liner is a make-up used to define the eyes, to change their perceived shape or to create a certain mood: a razor-sharp matte line or smoky kohl contour may change the entire look of the face. ... The Elizabethan Era is the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, June 20, 1837) gave her name to the historic era. ...

Many within the subculture would say that "dressing goth does not turn a person into goth".^[1]

Extension of Identity

Gothic woman, traditional style, with big hair, spikes and piercings

Fashion is a part of the identity practices of the goth subculture. As such, a person's style (including their clothing, hair, makeup, and accessories) is a major factor in determining whether the person will be perceived as "authentic" by others in the subculture. This is not particular to goth; rather, it is a feature of many subcultures. Styles that are read as "goth" to the mainstream may be read as "outsider" to those participating within the scene, and participants in the subculture may and often do have differing ideas about what constitutes gothic fashion. In his book Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture (Berg Publishers Ltd., Oxford, 2002), Paul Hodkinson talks about goths using their fashion choices to demonstrate commitment to the subculture. In particular, he asserts that more extreme, less easily concealed choices -- such as dyeing one's hair or shaving part of it off -- demonstrate greater commitment. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2025x3000, 397 KB) A black and white photographic picture of a gothic girl with medieval look, spikes and piercings. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2025x3000, 397 KB) A black and white photographic picture of a gothic girl with medieval look, spikes and piercings. ... Big hair is a term that can refer to hairstyles that emphasize large volume or largely styled hair. ... The practices by which a subculture in particular, or subcultures in general, define, mark and police the boundaries between their members and the larger culture. ... Cosmetics or makeup are substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning. ... Look up mainstream in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Paul Hodkinson aka Hoko (born 14 September 1965 in Liverpool, England]) is former professional boxer. ...

The core of gothic fashion is individual taste, as gothic culture generally attempts to subvert mainstream conventions of how one must look. Anti-mainstream fashion sentiment is not its prevalent theme, however, nor is this attitude shared by all members of the subculture. While recurrent themes can be identified, many different and highly unique outfits can be witnessed at events like the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig and the Whitby Gothic Weekend in North Yorkshire, England, where the color palette ranges across the spectrum from head-to-toe white to all-black. Between those two extremes, anything goes, be it modern, classic, conservative or ragged. Look up mainstream in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wave-Gotik-Treffen (German das Treffen means meeting) is an annual festival for music and arts in Leipzig, Germany. ... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ... Whitby Gothic Weekend, often abbreviated to WGW or simply referred to by attendees as Whitby, is a twice-yearly festival for goths, in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England, organised by Jo Hampshire who runs Top Mum Promotions. ... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Typical Aesthetics

Typical goth dress usually consists of, but is not limited to, black clothing, often combined with dark red, occasionally accessorized with silver and/or pewter, that is often Egyptian, Christian crosses, and Wiccan symbols. For other uses, see Red (disambiguation). ... This article is about the chemical element. ... Pewter plate Pewter is a metal alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent tin, with the remainder consisting of 1-15 percent copper, acting as a hardener, with the addition of lead for the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... For the book series Wicca see Sweep (book series) and Circle Of Three. ...

The stereotypical female gothic outfit, sometimes referred to as the "romantic" look, is limited only by the wearer's imagination, and can include elaborate gowns and corsets, veils, hobble skirts, neck corsets, teased hair, eyeliner, black fingernails, fishnets, and styles borrowed from the Elizabethans and Victorians. Traditional female goths in general wear some sort of skirt/dress. Also popular are tight-fitting trousers and boots with a slight military look, but moreso connected to Rivetheads. Wedding - Bridesmaid in long gown A gown or evening gown is a womans evening wear, corresponding to mens formal wear for white tie and black tie events. ... A luxury hourglass corset from 1878. ... Veils as articles of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, are intended to cover some part of the head or face. ... A hobble skirt is a skirt with a narrow enough hem to significantly impede the wearers stride, thus earning its name. ... A neck corset (sometimes called throat corset or neck lacer) is special type of corset which is worn fitted around the neck instead of around the waist as of with ordinary corset. ... Big hair is a term that can refer to hairstyles that emphasize large volume or largely styled hair. ... Cosmetics or makeup are substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning. ... This article discusses the anatomical nail. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Fishnet (material). ... The Elizabethan Era is the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, June 20, 1837) gave her name to the historic era. ... A Rivethead is a person who listens to and part takes in the industrial music subculture, a genre of music often associated with todays goth scene. ...

Traditional male goths mostly wear some sort of black suit (possibly with some dark red, dark blue or silver as contrast), a gothic male is rarely seen without some kind of dress shirt (unless he is wearing nothing on the torso), and legwear often involves tight or rugged-looking pants. As opposed to most other subcultures gothic males almost wear as much makeup as the females.

Unisex As with the unisex nature of makeup, clothing also takes on a more personal, less dichotomized nature in the goth community, which is why male goths may be seen in skirts, dresses, corsets, and other culturally female attire. The nature of the event will to some degree dictate the dress code, but expression of personal style is generally more important, and it's not unusual for club-goers on a given night to appear dressed very formally or elaborately in a way unrelated to the specific event.

Variation and Cross-Influences

The simplicity of the style lends itself to variation, and is often combined with elements of other styles (typically BDSM fashion). Various piercings and/or tattoos are not uncommon (though this is primarily a 1990s addition to gothic fashion), and both males and females may wear elaborate makeup. Hair is often dyed blue-black, and sometimes backcombed to give it a large, ratty appearance. There are a few similarities between goth fashion and the more masculine black metal fashion, which can make it difficult for someone unfamiliar with either fashion to discern the subculture of the individual. Like the punk subculture out of which it grew, early goth fashion had a strong emphasis on the DIY ethic. A collar is a common symbol in BDSM. Female bottom in bondage with leather monoglove BDSM is any of a number of related patterns of human sexual behavior. ... Body piercing is a form of body modification. ... For other uses, see Tattoo (disambiguation). ... Cosmetics or makeup are substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning. ... Hair coloring products generally fall into four categories: temporary, semipermanent, deposit only/demi, and permanent. ... Black metal fashion refers to the style of dress preferred by some listeners of black metal music. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ... Punks at a music festival The punk subculture is a subculture that is based around punk rock music. ... The DIY ethic (do it yourself ethic) refers to the ethic of being self-reliant and doing things yourself as opposed to paying others to do it. ...

Alteration of Clothing

Like the punk subculture whose roots it shares, early goth fashion had a strong emphasis on the DIY (Do It Yourself) ethic (this DIY approach is not as common as it was in the 1980s). ^{[citation needed]} Punks at a music festival The punk subculture is a subculture that is based around punk rock music. ... See also: DIY Network, a cable TV network. ...

Post-Victorian Influence

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. A corsetmaker is a specialist tailor who makes corsets. ... Windsor Castle in Modern Times by Landseer depicts the Queen and the Prince Consort at home in the 1840s. ...

Goth Fashion Culture

Goth style's rejection of mainstream values, emphasis on freedom of expression, and challenging taboos makes it difficult to define its aesthetic principles. Goth fashion emphasizes transformation of the body, elements of beauty, order, conscious eroticism and 'otherness' that flouts conventions. This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ...

While a member of the Goth subculture may or may not embrace nihilism, many are drawn to the fashion or music due to a sense of alienation, which may explain the style's fascination with morbidity or vampire style. Wearing black eyeshadow and shroud-like clothing that refers to the dead or undead, may express grief, despair, mourning or deathwish. 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, and through a sense of belonging to a community that shares the same sense of alienation. Alternately, the choice to embrace this fashion may simply rise from a far less complicated psychology, and reflect an attraction to Eros through Thanatos, an attraction to the 'darker' side of sexuality. The wearer may find the extremity, intensity or 'otherness' of the dark Goth look or preoccupations to be sexy or empowering. This article is about the philosophical position. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Philip Burne-Jones, The Vampire, 1897 Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings that subsist on human and/or animal lifeforce. ... For other uses, see Fashion (disambiguation). ... Look up alienation, alienate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Fashion (disambiguation). ... Psychology (from Greek: Literally knowledge of the soul (mind)) is both an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. ... This article is about the Greek god Eros. ... In Greek mythology, Thanatos (in Ancient Greek, θάνατος – Death) was the Daimon personification of Death and Mortality. ... This article is about human sexual perceptions. ...

Theda Bara's look has inspired some types of Goth fashion.

^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links ThedaBara. ... Image File history File links ThedaBara. ... Theda Bara was the stage name of Theodosia Burr Goodman (July 29, 1885 - April 13, 1955), a silent film actress. ...

For women, 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 privileges voluptuousness, sensuality and sexuality through its referral to fashions and even individuals of other eras that also prized these qualities. One famous female role model is Theda Bara, the 1910s 'Vamp' femme fatale known for her dark eyeshadow, curves and smoldering onscreen presence. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Theda Bara was the stage name of Theodosia Burr Goodman (July 29, 1885 - April 13, 1955), a silent film actress. ... // The 1910s represent the culmination of European militarism which had its beginnings during the second half of the 19th Century. ... Convicted spy Mata Hari made her name synonymous with femme fatale during WWI. A femme fatale (plural: femmes fatales) is an alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. ...

Like the Urban Primitive movement, the goth subculture rejects mainstream conventions and encourages reinventing oneself by transformation or physical modification. That one may take total control of one's image is a powerful individual response to a society dominated by Photoshop images that prescribe a rarely attainable ideal of a faked 'natural' beauty. With its obviously dyed hair, pale skin, and differently-defined physical aesthetic, Goth fashion is a calculated "unnatural" response to the unattainable "natural" California Girls golden Barbie (or Ken) image. Modern Primitives are people in developed nations who engage in body modification rituals and practices derived in part from rite of passage practicies in primitive cultures. ... Adobe Photoshop is a bitmap graphics editor (with some text and vector graphics capabilities) published by Adobe Systems. ... A dye can generally be described as a coloured substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. ... California Girls is the title of a song written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson and recorded by The Beach Boys for their 1965 album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). It features contrasting verse-chorus form. ... Information Occupation See: Barbies careers Family See: List of Barbies friends and family Created by Ruth Handler Barbie is a best-selling fashion doll launched in 1959. ... Look up Ken, ken in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Goth fashion can be recognized by its stark black clothing (or hair or makeup), often contrasted with boldly colored clothing, hair and makeup in strong shades of deep reds, purples or blues, in fabrics and styles that evoke romantic eras as well as morbidity, that usually combine style elements that flow and drape as well as restrict or emphasize and sexualize a body part (i.e. corsetry or tight sleeves or trousers). Goth fashion further emphasizes the personal power of an individual, as the calculated juxtapositions of elements of the rugged accessories(i.e. metallic and leather), to that of the vulnerable, fragile and sensual restriction of body parts (i.e. lace, silks, and high heels for either gender). Like other fashions that embrace elaborate fashion choices and rules, goth fashion elicits attention from others, both goth or non-goth. This article is about the color. ... Gender in common usage refers to the sexual distinction between male and female. ...

Goth Fashion Shows

As the size and sophistication of the goth apparel industry has grown (Batgear Beyond online directory, for instance, lists hundreds of goth shops and labels), in many places goth-specific fashion shows have sprung up. The mainstream fashion world pays little regard to goth fashion, and therefore independent gothic fashion events, or smaller shows that are part of broader fashion events, are necessary for goth designers to show their designs on the catwalk. Edge City, a large goth/alternative fashion show in Sydney, Australia was run as part of the Mercedes Australian Fashion Week in 2001 (2), and the last three Nocturnal Instincts/ Circa Nocturna Melbourne alternative fashion shows have been run as part of the arts programme of L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week. This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ...

While some fashion shows may only feature 5 or 6 designers, others can be quite large. Edge City (now no longer running) had at its biggest point 21 designers and 96 models(2). Attendance at these events can also be quite large. One of the current big fashion events in Melbourne, Nocturnal Instincts, may get several hundred in attendance. Gothique Fashion in Seattle is one of the longest running shows, and most frequently held, featuring two shows per year since 2003. Additionally, smaller fashion shows are often held in goth night clubs. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ...

Confusion with Heavy Metal Fashion

Goth fashion is often confused with heavy metal fashion, and uninformed outsiders often mistake fans of heavy metal for goth,^[2] particularily those who wear black trenchcoats or wear "corpse paint" (a term associated with the black metal music scene). This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Heavy metals, in chemistry, are chemical elements of a particular range of atomic weights. ... This article is about the musical genre. ...

This has contributed to the goth subculture being blamed for the actions of individuals with no involvement in the goth scene whatsoever (see: Controversy.) This article is about the late 20th / early 21st century subculture. ...

See also

• Goth subculture
• Gothic rock
• Gothic Lolita
• Deathrock fashion
• Punk fashion
• Punk rock
• Rivetheads

This article is about the late 20th / early 21st century subculture. ... Gothic rock (sometimes called goth rock or simply goth) is a genre of rock music that originated during the late 1970s. ... Two girls in frilly, somewhat extreme Lolita dress that was popular around 2002 in Takeshita Street, Tokyo Gothic Lolita or GothLoli , sometimes alternatively (though incorrectly) Loli-Goth) has two definitions. ... Johnny Slut, from the band Specimen, exhibits deathrock fashion Deathrock fashion is the distinctive style of dress usually associated with the deathrock music scene. ... Punk fashion is the styles of clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... A Rivethead is a person who listens to and part takes in the industrial music subculture, a genre of music often associated with todays goth scene. ...

References

• Hodkinson, Paul: Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture (Dress, Body, Culture Series) 2002: Berg. ISBN 1-85973-600-9 (hardcover); ISBN 1-85973-605-X (softcover)
• Fuentes Rodríguez, César: Mundo Gótico. (Quarentena Ediciones, 2007, ISBN 8493389161)-In Spanish. Covering Literature, Music, Cinema, BDSM, Fashion and Subculture topics-
• http://www.theage.com.au/news/Fashion/The-dark-side-of-style/2005/03/16/1110913658383.html (1)*
• http://www.spraci.net/news/articles/EdgeCi_63h.shtml

1. ^ Pete Scathe An Early History of Goth Scathe.demon.co.uk
2. ^ Pete Scathe An Early History of Goth Scathe.demon.co.uk

External links

• Listing of Gothic Fashion Sites
• Goth Fashion Cultural Researcher Paul Hodkinson