-Goth Substyles-

The fashion of goth

Trad Goth•

◦ The OG. Originated in the 1980s music subcultures. The Cure and Robert Smith, Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins. Big black teased hair, red or black lipstick, black clothing, chunky accessories. Eyebrows tend to be black and thick, following the eyebrow trends of the 1980s.

• Romantic Goth

◦ Continuation from the 80s, originated from the 1990s. Fancy dresses, either modern or historical/fantasy inspired. Look like they’re going to a ball or prom. The theme is often like ‘the love of my life died and I am ridden with sadness ever since then’, or often something like that. Death and funeral theme. Morticia Addams. Ethereal wave music. Vampires (see Vampire Goth)

◦ Perky Goth

▪ Goth but happy and colorful. More of an attitude within the Goth subculture than a fashion or a music style. See: https://www.deviantart.com/trellia/art/Goth-Type-8-The-Perky-Goth-34833132

• Victorian Goth

◦ Like Romantic Goth but clothing is inspired by British Victorian era fashion, especially the funeral clothing.

• Medieval Goth

◦ Mix of Romantic and Victorian Goth, but the style draws inspiration from medieval era clothing (or at least the modern appropriation of medieval clothing).

• Cyber Goth

◦ Ravers, cyperpunk, dark electronic music like EBM (Electronic Body Music), black+neon colors. Cyberfalls, often made of pvc tubes, and cyberlocs, often made from wool to mimic the look of dreads or locs. Gas masks, cool looking safety goggles, furry leg- and/or arm warmers, clothing that’s made of pvc or latex (shiny fabric). Sick dance moves featuring moving your hands everywhere.

• Mall Goth

◦ aka Baby Bats. Young/new people stepping their first steps into the Goth subculture. Used to hang out often at malls, where they’d find other Baby Bats to hang out with. Often looked down upon by more experienced Goths or, in the 1990s, by people who were in the 1980s Goth scene who criticized Mall Goths for only dressing up in Goth fashion and not listening to the music.

• Pastel Goth

◦ Goth but with lot of pastel colors. Similar to Perky Goth. I think it might be a substyle under the Perky Goth style, among other colorful Goths. Often a part of J-fashion subculture circles, especially in the early 2010s.

• Elegant Gothic Lolita

◦ Lolita fashion, it has so many substyles that I might have to make a separate page for it. But the main inspirations are fashion from Victorian and Rococo (and Barouque) eras, as well as the poofy skirt trend in the 1950s. Lolita fashion has nothing to do with the book ‘Lolita’ by Vladimir Nabokov.

• Pagan Goth

See: Medieval Goth.

• Vampire Goth

◦ Romantic Goth but with vampire themes.

• Emo Goth

◦ see: emo.

• Visigoths (THE REAL OG GOTHS EVER IN THE WORLD!!!)