Goths
A little info on goths
• We don't always wear black.
• Our hair does not need to be black.
• You don't have to listen to gothic rock and other gothic music 24/7, sometimes goths change the stations and listen to pop and other genres.
• Being goth doesn't mean you are sad or suicidal all the time.
Victorian Goths
The Victorian Era held a lot of big dresses and elegant hair- and they reappeared as a big inspiration to the Goth Subculture. The literature also made its way to the subculture, Edgar Allan Poe being a huge hit and a very popular figure in the subculture. Bands like Rasputina may catch their attention, and other more opera-like bands and classical music, as was in the Victorian Era. These Goths may like writing poetry or drinking tea from teacups and saucers. Plays and formal parties are also popular for this type of Goth. The type aims for an elegant feel, like the aristocrats of the Victorian era, the wealthy and elite. These Goths adore combining Victorian literature, style, and passtimes with dark aesthetics of the subculture.
A common way to dress for Goths is a suit with a top hat for men, cravats and trousers also a common form of dress. Anything that might remind one of an aristocrat in the Victorian era. Same goes for women, who usually adore large ballgowns, corsets, hats, long black gloves, and plenty of jewelry with large, dark colored stones. Pale skin is common, along with soft makeup and long, flowing hair, much like the Romantic Goths.
Vampire Goths
A popular dark cabaret musician, Voltair, will claim that Vampire Goths are "essentially Romantic Goths with fangs", and he may not be wrong. Vampires have been a fascination of the Goth subculture for a long time, and some will even say it's a cliché element. Regardless, the vampires have had a close tie with the Goth subculture since shortly after it started in the 80's. A popular author of vampire books is Anne Rice, with her character the vampire Lestat a common figure for many Vampire Goths. This type, too, likes the darker fashions, aesthetics, and brooding atmoshpere, only it's accompanied by fangs and vampire-like qualities. They pride themselves on being vampy, but more of an Anne Rice vampire than a Stephanie Meyer one.
For many, the vampire aesthetic is simply a fashion, but for others, it can become an entire lifestyle, where people will claim to truly be a vampire. A "psionic" vampire feeds off the life energy of someone, while the "sanguine" vampire will literally drink blood. This is a very small portion of the Goth subculture that actually believe they're vampires, and are often just referred to as the Vampyre subculture. Not all Goths must be interested in vampires (I'm more of a witch person myself) and they certainly don't all go around acting like they drink the blood from unsuspecting victims in the night. Being a vampire is in no shape or form a requirement to be a Goth.
Vampire Goths, like Romantic Goths, enjoy the dark and luxurious fabrics. They enjoy lacy and satin items, flowy dresses and other clothing, and clothes with a more aristocratic or elegant feel for both genders. The makeup is also similar to Romantic Goths, with soft eyes and bold lips on a pale face. Vampire Goths might have more detailed eye patterns than a Romantic Goth, but they're still very similar. The jewelry and other accessories, along with nails, may also be very similar, but the one key difference to the two types is that the Vampire Goths are, well, vampires! Small fang caps and contact lenses with different tints and shapes can be bought from Vamp Fangs online or other similar places. I've found Scarecrow Fangs (the type sold on Vamp Fangs) in small gift shops of Salem, Massachusettes and in costume stores around Halloween season.
Romantic goths
Romantic Goths are pretty different from other types of Goth, like Cyber or Traditional.
These Goths focus on the beautiful, dark things in life, Things like dead roses, graveyards lit by the moonlight, ravens, all might be beautiful to this type. Typically, they're deep-thinkers, very creative and have a tendency to daydream, They're a passionate people that usually love the drama of romance and sorrow. Along with those darker, slightly more morbid aesthetics, the Romantic Goths prefer softer music than others might. Classical music, bands like Dark Sanctuary and Nightwish may appeal to them. The brooding mood is what's more likely to draw them in.
Romantic Goths will dress differently than others, by way of lacy dresses, suits, or flowing garb. Lace chokers, black jewelry or any jewelry with deep colored stones are also common. The Romantic Goth doesn't wear only black; they may wear colors of dark blue, green, purple, and deep red, but that doesn't mean they're only allowed to wear those colors. Makeup is usually a little softer, a smoky effect that brings out the eyes with very pale skin vs. a traditional heavy eye. Dark lips or eye patterns such as swirls are also common. Their hair will typically be long, either straight or in soft waves, to look more elegant or dramatic, but it's never a guarantee. Every Goth is different.
J-Goths
Kanon Wakeshima, a Japanese pop artist who enjoys the Lolita style.
Also sometimes known as Gothic Lolita, J-Goth is a type of Gothic movement in Japan that spun off the Lolita styles they already had. In the picture to the right, Kanon Wakeshima, a pop artist and cellist, enjoys wearing Gothic Lolita style clothing. She was produced by Mana, a former member of the visual-kei 80's band Malice Mizer. People would say that he's responsible for the style. Visual-kei bands are bands that focus on drastic appearances around as much as their music, whether they're hardcore like Dir en Grey or softer like Malice Mizer. These bands typically like to blend Goth, Punk, and other elements into their appearance and many will try to look more feminine. These fashion choices helped spur the Lolita movement along. Gothic Lolita, or J-Goth, is debated as a type, but has close ties and relations to the style due to the black, ruffled, lacy dreses and accessories. Gothic Lolita is Japan's own rendition on the subculture among the many other types of Lolita. Many people sometimes use it to roleplay, since maid-style outfits can be seen just as much as somewhat sailor inspired outfits. An aesthetic pleasure that these Goths hope to capture in their dress is that of a porcelain doll, or a child with elaborate dress. (Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler's clothes, both when he dresses as a boy and girl, and his fiancee Lizzie's fashion sense are examples of the style, only not in black.) No music genre is associated with this type, besides Visual-Kei, which relates to the fashion. There's no specific music that this type listens to, they're more fashion based than fashion and music based like the other types, especially Trad..
A typical outfit for those who enjoy the J-Goth or Gothic Lolita type are ruffles, bows and lace on any length dresses, along with stockins and buckled mary-jane shoes. Bonnets and chokers, bracelets, lace parasols, stuffed animals, and other such things are also common for a person of this type to wear. Many clothes are DIY clothes- since Lolita can be a little on the expensive side. Makeup is very soft, smoky, or sometimes even neutral to resemble children or porcelain dolls, so it targets the eyes specifically. The skin is pale and smooth, and the eyes are done to stand out more like a doll's.
Medieval goths
Just like Victorian fashions inspire the Victorian Goths, the Medival fashions do the same for the Medival Goths. There's more than just an 80's music and fashion when it comes to the start of Goth; it goes to the time of medival cathedrals whose architecture was dubbed as "Gothic". For this reason, it's no wonder that many Goths enjoy the medival aesthetics, both in fashion and in buildings. This type generally loves the old tales of dungeons and dragons, knights and wizards, and loves the old buildings, lore, and history of the medival times. Renaissance fairs are a place where these Goths can be as elaborate with their clothes as they want, a perfect place for them to run wild. These Goths aren't limited to only medival clothes, typically blending in elements of Celtic origin and other old civilizations as well. Folk music and metal like Korpiklaani may be right up their alley, along with old chants and songs.
The typical fashion is one that can come close to the medival garb; corsets, long dresses with underskirts and long sleeves, or lace up shirts with boots and loose pants. Some like to have swords, others prefer wands and staffs. Witches are a common feature here as well, with cloaks and a magickal feel. Makeup can be smokey and soft like Romantic Goths, or a bit heavier around the eyes. Both aristocratic and peasant styled attire can be seen from this type, making it popular for roleplaying, Renaissance faires, and general everyday wear if done properly.
Some goths I didn't do and/or couldn't find pictures for
• Fetish Goth
• Steam Punk
• Geek Goths
• Corp Goths
• Hippy Goths
• Cabaret Goths
• Tribal Goths
• Baby Bat
Goth Cousins
• Punk
• Rivithead
• Metalhead
• Deathrocker
• Emo
