Be Goth

The dark world of goths is one of the most diverse and healthy subcultures, flourishing in all kinds of communities worldwide. The spooky, ghoulish look and dark clothes is an instantly striking style. But when other goths in white-out contact lenses start throwing around terms like "ethereal chill wave" and quoting from The Moonstone it can be somewhat intimidating. Starting slow and working your way into the goth subculture can be an immensely rewarding experience for anyone looking for community.

Steps

Dressing the Part

  1. Wear black. Learn the basics of traditional goth fashion. During the days of when the scene was new, the goths did not know or have a set image as to what goth looked like. They just made it up as they went along, but as goth is a certain style, similarities showed among the members.[1] There are many so called "goth" styles out there, however, traditional goth and deathrock are the only ones that are goth whereas other types take inspiration or mix goth fashion characteristics in with other styles, making it become its own thing. Goth fashion includes:
    • Darker colours, including purple and reds[2]
    • Satin bodices and corsets[3]
    • Striped stockings and tights[4]
    • Frilly or lace gloves
    • Lace skirts
    • DIY leather jacket, usually of favourite band logos
    • Fishnet tights[5][6]
    • Winklepickers[7], spiked heels, pointy-toe lace-ups, shiny thigh high boots or Doc Martens[8]
    • Garments of leather, lace, velvet, silk or PVC[8]
  2. Dye and style your hair. Hair has always been an important part of shock tactic method of goth, and it usually takes longer than preparing your outfit or make up.
    • During the Batcave days, Siouxsie Sioux inspired girls to back comb their hair to uttermost heights and Patricia Morrison of The Sisters of Mercy influenced others to leave their hair long and black[9] Bauhaus, Robert Smith of The Cure, Specimen and Dave Vanian all influenced men's fashion and Jonny Slut, keyboardist of Specimen became the face of the band due to his elaborate style and huge, back combed and hairsprayed death hawk.[9] However, you don't need to do anything too extreme everyday. If you prefer to have it long and black, perhaps choppy, you can. There aren't any rules on hair, but goth does have its style. If you're interested in having a certain style you can look up tutorials on YouTube.
  3. Wear makeup. Siouxise Sioux's make up motivated many girls to take the time to draw on Cleopatra stylized eyes, and Daniel Ash influenced men to draw on "death brows" which were drawn on in black and then flared upwards. Eyeshadow palettes and colours were mixed in with electric blues, purples and metallics, and female eyebrows were either thin and high arched like Morticia Addams or pointed, triangular and thick like Siouxsie Sioux. If you don't necessarily like the style you don't have to wear it/make your own version, but a lot of fans of the music dressed like this because they were influenced by their idols.[10]
  4. Accessorize. The more accessories you tend to add, the better your outfit looks. There are tons of accessories that go together with different themed outfits, for example you have fake fangs for a vampire outfit, a corset for a romantic outfit and sunglasses for a traditional outfit.
    • Other goth accessories include:
      • Piercings, including lip, eyebrows, tongues and belly buttons[11]
      • Sunglasses (much like The Sisters of Mercy), top hats, capes, cravats, riding crops or lunchbox purses. Piercings and colorful contact lenses and fake fangs are also popular.[8]
      • Silver jewellery such as silver skulls, human skeletons and bats or religious imagery like crosses made into chunky rings, brooches and necklaces.[5]
      • Nail polish. Black, purple and red were incredibly popular colours with goths.[8][9]
  5. Go thrifting and prepare some DIY. In the original scene, goths did not have complete stores to shop at. They had their creativity and what they found in local thrift stores to work with, meaning there was no "set" goth style (although it ended up looking similar in the end). As punk is DIY, that means goth is too, and will always be a big part of it. Start experimenting with clothes yourself, and make sure they are cheap enough so that if you mess up, you aren't too bothered about it. There are several goth DIY tutorials on YouTube and on blogs to follow if you have no ideas. Meanwhile, some simple tips include:
    • Buy or paint patches of your favourite band/anything from Etsy.com and eBay and sew them onto your jacket/garment of clothing.
    • Buy or make your own band/logo pins and do the same to them as you did with the patches.
    • Learn how to make jewellery, you can even sell it and begin your own business.
    • Cut up old clothes with patterns on and stitch patches onto clothes. Tartan or leopard print patches look great against black jackets.
    • Buy some safety pins and get creative with them, use them to pin jackets together or simply make patterns on your clothes.
    • Bleach clothes to create permanent patterns in them.

Listening to Goth Music

  1. Learn what goth music is. Members of the subculture consider listening to and appreciating goth rock, post punk, deathrock and darkwave music to be an important part of being goth. Many goths listen to many other different genres, too, but there are certain ones which are considered goth whereas others are considered goth-friendly. It doesn't mean you can't listen to them, it just means that you won't make you "goth" if you only listen to those goth-friendly genres.
    • Musical goth characteristics include an echoing tribal beat, 4 / 4 post punk beat or drum machine, funeral synthesizers, flanging guitars that produced cold and brittle effects, distorted guitars, a prominent lead bassline and deep eerie baritone vocals, usually in men.[12][13]
  2. Find goth bands you like. These can be both in the goth and deathrock genres.
    • Some goth bands are:
      • Bauhaus
      • Siouxsie and the Banshees
      • The Cure (some albums)
      • The Sisters of Mercy
      • Southern Death Cult / The Cult
      • The Mission
      • Fields of the Nephilim
      • Danse Society
      • The March Violets
    • Some deathrock bands are:
      • Christian Death
      • 45 Grave
      • Alien Sex Fiend
      • All Gone Dead
      • Voodoo Church
      • Lords of the New Church
      • Mephisto Walz
      • Bat Nouveau
      • Burning Image
      • Ausgang
  3. Listen to the lyrics. Goth music places a great emphasis on the lyric and matching the lyric with creating a mood. Many early vocalists aimed for a Leonard Cohen-like dirge to focus on the words in the song. Start with the most popular Goth songs like A Forest by The Cure, Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus and Cities In Dust by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
    • Learn the words to your favorite goth songs by copying out lyrics in a notebook. Knowing the words to your favorite songs can be a quick way to make friends with other goths, if you're into the same things.
  4. Develop your music taste. The popular goth bands are good, and they will definitely earn you goth points on your goth card (see "goth slang") but finding underground or local goth bands is something you should definitely do, too. Check the "goth/alternative rock" sections of Discogs, Bandcamp.com, Last.fm and Soundclick.com and see what you can find. Be warned, though, because a lot of music is usually mislabelled and is actually metal, EBM or electronic.
  5. Remember to check out other goth-friendly genres / music a lot of goths might enjoy. These are genres goths may be into, but aren't considered to be part of the music genre. These genres include gothic metal, neo classical, witch house, industrial, EBM, aggrotech, shock rock, symphonic metal, ethereal and dark ambient.

Learn the Background and History of Goth

  1. Learn the history of the goth subculture. Knowing your background and history of the subculture you are developing yourself into is a very vital part of being goth. This helps you get past the baby bat stage (a "baby bat" is someone who is new to the subculture) and into maturing into the culture, music and fashion. Some important facts about goth are:
    • In the year 1967, the American band The Doors were described as "gothic rock" and in 1974 Bowie's Diamond Dogs was called "gothic".[14] However, it doesn't make the artist or band goth.
    • Some people cite Nico as the first to record a gothic album; either The Marble Index or The End.[15]
    • The song credited to have birthed the goth rock genre is the 1979 single Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus.[16][17][18] Peter Murphy, lead singer of the band, said that the song was supposed to be written tongue-in-cheek and that their mistake was performing it naive seriousness, which changed the way the audience understood it.[15] This song was also played at the beginning of The Hunger, a film popular among goths.[19]
    • Goth rock or gothic rock is a sub-genre of punk rock which was born out of the British post punk scene in the late 70s / early 80s.[20]
    • A nightclub on London's Dean Street named "The Batcave" opened in 1982[1][21][22][23] by members of Specimen that catered towards this new flourishing scene. Although the club never named themselves as a "goth club", the club helped bring all the forming elements of goth together.[24]
    • The subculture took inspiration from Gothic architecture such as castles and cathedrals; the Romantic movement originating from the late 1700 and 1800 century and Gothic literature such as The Castle of Ontranto by Horace Walpole where the use of the word "Gothic" was first used in literature[25], Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dracula by Bram Stoker and the works of Edgar Allen Poe.[26][27]
    • Goth subculture draws inspirations from ancient Celtic, Pagan, Egyptian and Christian mythology and religions and goth fashion combines high chic, antique, retro-kitsch, punk, fetish and secondhand trash elements[28]

Getting into the Goth Mindset

  1. Create a comfortable space for yourself. Fill your room or your basement with sensuous surroundings: think gothic in terms of light, color, and sound. Put posters on the walls of your favorite bands and hand dark draperies on the walls to soundproof your space, so you can play your music as loud as you want without disturbing the rest of your family. Creating a space for yourself will put you in a headspace where you’re better shielded from the negativity of others. Since many goths are artists, writers, or musicians, it will also help you tap into the creativity and individuality that is such a big part of the subculture.
  2. Read gothic novels. Plenty of goths enjoy reading gothic literature. However, it influenced the goth subculture and isn't actually part of it, so reading gothic fiction alone won't make you goth. People were only starting to be called goth because they were into the music. Regardless, you can still enjoy it and indulge in the dark atmospherics that the genre has to offer. Some gothic works you may want to check out are:
    • Dracula by Bram Stoker
    • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
    • Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
    • The Castle of Ontranto by Horace Walpole
    • Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
    • Zastrozzi by Percy Bysshe Shelley
    • Anything by Edgar Allen Poe, especially his poem The Raven
    • Also read gothic poetry and try writing your own. William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience is a classic in goth poetry, as well as Sylvia Plath's Ariel.
  3. Enjoy the creativity of the subculture. Express yourself. Write poetry, paint, or take photographs. Start a band and play goth music. The goth subculture is full of creative people who like to participate in that culture.
    • Oftentimes, people don't understand or respect the goth subculture. If someone is giving you trouble, just walk away. Don’t waste time arguing. Being friendly and kind to everyone and you might change their perception of goths for the better.
  4. Listen to yourself. Don't let anyone tell you what to do, including other goths. If The Cure doesn't do it for you, but you are really into Johnny Cash, so be it. Don't let anyone tell you you're not "goth enough" for superficial and otherwise unimportant reasons. The most important thing is that you're you, and you're trying to participate in a community that accepts that.[29]
    • Develop your own style naturally by being influenced by what you read and feel, not by following "How to" lists. If you have a genuine interest in a scene, you will naturally be influenced as you get into the subculture. Do what makes you happy.

Getting Involved with the Community

  1. Take part in Goth events, festivals and clubs. Every year, and in several different countries across the world, goth clubs are open and festivals are planned. You can really take part in the goth community if you attend these and listen to what other goths have to say, especially since there will be people who have been into the subculture for 30 years or more, or even since it was born.
    • Some festivals, events and clubs are as listed:
      • World Goth Day[30]
      • Return To The Batcave in Wrocław, Poland
      • Release The Bats, a deathrock club in Long Beach, California[31]
      • Whitby Goth Weekend, Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK[32]
      • Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, Germany[33]
      • Numerous goth clubs around the world[34]
  2. Learn goth slang.[35] Goth slang is an inside joke within the community and by becoming familiar with the terms, you may feel more at home.
    • Some goth slang phrases and their definitions are as followed:
      • Goth Points. A fictional points system which, every time you do something particularly gothy (example, listening to Bauhaus while dying your hair a shade of ebony), adds points to your card.
      • Goth Card. A fictional card which stores "goth points" as shown above.
      • Baby bat. A new and willing to learn member of the subculture. This is different to a poseur.
      • Goth In a Box. A term to describe someone who dresses in complete outfits from Hot Topic. This is frowned upon as goth has its roots in individualism and DIY.
      • Bat-caver. A frequent visitor of the 1982 nightclub The Batcave, but now refers to someone who is an older goth and was a fan of the music played there.[36]
  3. Teach people about goth. As a member of the subculture, it's important that you teach baby bats and people willing to learn about the scene. This stops the spreading of misinformation and gives baby bats the correct information they need to be able to develop into the subculture. If the media's "definition" of goth reaches them first, they may feel they're obliged to participate in negative stereotypes like attempting to worship the devil or self harming. Above all of this, too many baby bats have been unintentionally throwing goth customs and traditions that make goth what it is out of the window.[37] Forgetting the background, history and unifying elements of the subculture makes it lose all value and meaning. Without the background and history, goth would not be what it is today. Goth did not go from a complete social subculture with music and fashion relations to someone's opinion, or simply just a "mindset".

Tips

  • Only do this if you know you're goth but don't know how to get started. This article is more for baby bats than anything. Goth is not something you "become", it's something you are. Very much like punk. It's very rare someone wakes up and decides to become part of an entire subculture when they already know who they are. It takes a considerable amount of effort to find interests of yours which have associations with the subculture. Goths are goths without trying, so if you feel you have to force yourself to like anything goth (especially the music), perhaps the subculture isn't for you.
  • If you are truly goth, you should be interested in it. Therefore you should naturally want to research it and find out more. This is the first step to truly being goth.[38]
  • Your goth fashion is not and shouldn't look like a costume. Put time, effort and DIY into your outfits. It shouldn't look like you've just walked straight out of Hot Topic, or any other chain store that caters to the alternative mainstream. That's not creativity and being an individual. However, you may buy bits and pieces from there, just don't purchase a full outfit.
  • Labelling yourself "goth" does not mean you're a fake or a poseur. It's just a describing word given to someone who has aesthetic, fashion and musical associations with the subculture. Saying you're not goth would mean that you don't consider yourself part of the subculture and if you do, you do.
  • Stay with your old friends. They don't have to be goth. Keep in mind, however, that some of your friends may find the new you to be offensive or just too strange and may stop hanging out with you. But never try to convert your friends to goth; let them be themselves like they've let you.
  • Don't worry about doing non-goth activities. It doesn't make you any less goth, just more of your own person. It stops you becoming stereotypical and it shows that you can still comfortably apply the label and not fit into a box.
  • Goth blogs are also a good way to get advice straight from the horse's mouth.
  • Consider going to Europe. Goth is usually taken more seriously there: the magazines are good, and the German festival Wave Gotik Treffen is the largest industrial, experimental, goth event going.
  • Remember that goth is an alternative lifestyle: people who are homosexual, bisexual, and transgender are welcome along with anyone who doesn't fit in normal society.
  • Ease into your new look. People may assume you're not serious or that you're latching onto a trend if you suddenly show up at school decked in Siouxsie Sioux makeup and a death hawk. Remember to only wear what you feel comfortable with; if you don't feel good, then you don't look good. A black t-shirt of a favorite band with black jeans can be just as "goth" as an elaborate vampire get-up.
  • Just because you're a goth does not mean you have to change your personality.
  • Being who you are is what your style reflects on. Express your emotions in a non-violent way but not needing all the attention. Being a goth doesn't change who you are or what you do, it just changes your appearance. Try not to change too much and end up being excessive.
  • A goth doesn't have a specific religion. Your religion is personal to you and not for other people to decide.

Warnings

  • Some people throw around the "elitist" term a lot these days, and that's because there's a lot of people who stick to the background, history and roots of the subculture. Some people do not think like this and instead, think that goth is "whatever you want it to be". This is wrong as all types of media show that goth has roots tracing back to the punk subculture.
  • Some members of society think goth is a "choice" or "lifestyle". It's not, no one decides to "become" goth one day. Most goths tend to get into the subculture because they've had a darkly inclined mindset from when they were young, and that's prompted them to seek dark literature, film, music and clothes later in life.
  • Having a Gothic mindset alone does not make you goth, as the subculture is based off music. It would either make you darkly inclined or a dark romantic. All goths are dark romantics but not all dark romantics are goth.
  • Don't believe online quizzes which determine what subculture [or, the word some people use, stereotype] you are part of. Most are often inaccurate as most creators of these quizzes haven't done any research or have made one for a bit of fun; not intended to take it seriously.[39]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harriman, A and Bontje, M, (2014), Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace, Everyday is Halloween, p.34 ISBN 978-1783203529
  2. ↑ Hodkinson, P, (2002), Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture, The Emergence of a Style, p.47 ISBN 978-1859736050
  3. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School, Am I a Goth?, pp.11 ISBN 978-0061669163
  4. ↑ Polhemus, T (1994), Street Style: From Sidewalk to Catwalk, goths, p.97 ISBN 978-0500277942
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Roberts, C, Livingstone, H and Baxter-Wright, E, (2014), Goth: The Design, Art and Fashion of a Dark Subculture, Fashion, p.181 ISBN 978-1780978864
  6. ↑ Hodkinson, P, (2002), Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture, The Emergence of a Style, pp.36 - 49 ISBN 978-1859736050
  7. ↑ Harriman, A and Bontje, M, (2014), Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace, Winklepickers, p.202 - 207 ISBN 978-1783203529
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Goodlad, L and Bibby, M (2007), Goth: Undead Subculture, Introduction, p.3 ISBN 978-0822339212
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Harriman, A and Bontje, M, (2014), Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace, Painted bird, p.66 ISBN 978-1783203529
  10. ↑ Harriman, A and Bontje, M, (2014), Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace, Painted bird, p.68 ISBN 978-1783203529
  11. ↑ Hodkinson, P, (2002), Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture, Femininity and Ambiguity, pp.48 ISBN 978-1859736050
  12. ↑ Harriman, A and Bontje, M, (2014), Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace, A New Dark Age, p.22 ISBN 978-1783203529
  13. ↑ Hodkinson, P, (2002), Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture, The Emergence of a Style, p.36 978-1859736050
  14. ↑ http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Draconysius/goth_-the-history_-the-heresy/
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 http://www.gothicsubculture.com/articles/undead.php
  16. ↑ http://www.gothicsubculture.com/origin.php
  17. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School, Am I a Goth?, p.9 ISBN 978-0-06-166916-3
  18. ↑ Roberts, C, Livingstone, H and Baxter-Wright, E, (2014), Goth: The Design, Art and Fashion of a Dark Subculture, Music, p.133 ISBN 978-1780978864
  19. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/pictures/the-30-greatest-rock-roll-movie-moments-20130221/20-bauhaus-bela-lugosis-dead-in-the-hunger-1983-0693481
  20. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School, Am I a Goth?, p.7 ISBN 978-0-06-166916-3
  21. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School, Am I a Goth?, pp.9-10 ISBN 978-0061669163
  22. ↑ Goodlad, L and Bibby, M, (2007), Goth: Undead Subculture, Introduction, p.2 ISBN 978-1783203529
  23. ↑ Roberts, C, Livingstone, H and Baxter-Wright, E, (2014), Goth: The Design, Art and Fashion of a Dark Subculture, Music, p.134 ISBN 978-1780978864
  24. ↑ Polhemus, T, (1994), Street Style: From Sidewalk to Catwalk, goths, p.97 ISBN 978-0500277942
  25. ↑ https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-origins-of-the-gothic#
  26. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School, Am I a Goth?, pp.7-8 ISBN 978-0-06-166916-3
  27. ↑ Roberts, C, Livingstone, H and Baxter-Wright, E, (2014), Goth: The Design, Art and Fashion of a Dark Subculture, Fiction, p.55 ISBN 978-1780978864
  28. ↑ Goodlad, L and Bibby, M (2007), Goth: Undead Subculture, Introduction, p.2 ISBN 978-0822339212
  29. ↑ http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8996-goth-subculture-may-protect-vulnerable-children.html#.UnKSfxa_P_c
  30. ↑ http://worldgothday.com/
  31. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/releasethebatsclub/
  32. ↑ http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/
  33. ↑ http://www.wave-gotik-treffen.de/english/
  34. ↑ https://www.vamp.org/Gothic/clublist.html
  35. ↑ http://www.rebelcircus.com/blog/goth-slang-actually-means/
  36. ↑ http://igothablog.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/goth-slang.html
  37. ↑ http://thegothicalice.tumblr.com/post/148950458874/the-problem-with-some-young-goths-and-the
  38. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIcHD-cV9T0
  39. ↑ Venters, J, (2009), Gothic Charm School, Why you shouldn't believe everything you read on the Internet, including those silly quizzes, pp.25-29 ISBN 978-0-06-166916-3
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