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Goth Costume

Goth Costume

In the late 1970s, a new youth craze emerged in England. They were called Goths and they listened to Goth bands and wore Goth costume. The movement spread to the US and parts of Europe, Germany in particular. It was influenced by Gothic novels of the past and horror films, especially those involving vampires. The overall effect was dark and gloomy.

The bands were a big influence on the clothes, hair and make up associated with Goths. What they wore filtered down to the fans. There weren't any hard and fast rules and individual experimentation with Goth costume was encouraged. The usual color worn was black, and purple, and deep red on occasion. Both men and women had black hair, white make up and black nail polish. Eyes were heavily made up with mascara. Women wore long, velvet dresses with fishnet stockings and men wore frilly shirts as worn by the Romantic poets. Sometimes studded dog collars were worn around the neck. Silver buckles and silver jewelry would often finish a Goth costume ensemble.

Old horror movies, featuring Dracula were a favorite of the Goths. The largest annual gathering of Goths in England takes place in the seaside resort of Whitby, where Bram Stoker set his original Dracula story. The women especially, modeled their Goth costume on the female vamp actresses. More recent films were lapped up, such as Interview with a Vampire, adapted from the Anne Rice novel. Winona Ryder played a Goth in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice. Goths started to appear in TV shows too. Symbols of horror were used in their music venues, such as bats and cobwebs.

The bands of the genre had wonderfully macabre names, such as Dead Can Dance, Killing Joke, Sisters of Mercy and Southern Death Cult. The most successful were Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure.

The Goth look was such a distinctive one that many young people were picked on and bullied. A lot of people who felt insecure with their looks felt at home in Goth costume. It gave them a character to hide behind, which made them more confident. It was also a cry for individuality in a time when society is obsessed with perfect, model type looks. The Goths are still with us today, although in depleted numbers. Most people grew out of it as they got older. They made a lot of friends with like minded people and there will be some interesting photographs to show their children.





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Goth Costume

Are you curious about the Goth costume so favored by the young today? A Goth costume can be for fun and play, good on the Clubbing scene and a natural hit on Halloween. Whatever the occasion, strive for the traditional ghoulish look.

This offbeat fashion has its roots in the early 1900's, when elaborately embellished clothing was a sign of wealth. Traditional designs of the Gothic Germanic tribes were commonly included in both home decor and fashion. Deep dark reds, velvet drapes and satin fabrics heavily embellished with intricate embroidery patterns were the "in" signature of the time.

So how does the Goth costume fit into today's lifestyle? Look to Elvira or the famous duo of Thee Goth and Shee Goth for inspiration. Whatever dark pot you decide to dip your finger into, make sure that the costume you choose has some class.

One of the first rules of a convincing Goth costume is dark elegance. A good Goth costume has rich color, an interesting complex texture, and is heavy on embellishments. Fabric weight is also a factor. No honest to goodness Goth dresser would ever wear a lightweight jacket. Let's say you're going for a traditional vampire costume. Now, maybe Bella Lugosi was the first to embody the true vision of horror; but that look has been done to death, pun intended.

Try looking in vintage clothing stores. There you may find a treasure trove of estate period clothing.

Think of the rich and crotchety old man in the mansion down the road. What makes him so frightening? He was, believe it or not, young at one time. The crotchety old man had to die sometime, which means he left his frightening attire behind.

Lounge coats and robes were prolifically common wardrobe items at the time. Hopefully you'll find one of these little gems. The Goth look did permeate these avenues of fashion apparel. The robes of that time were usually floor length. Typical fabrics were satins and silks. A little shimmer of cherry red threads made a very convincing look when sewn over a dark, densely woven crimson red, adding to the Gothic mystique. Lapels were usually made of high quality black satin, with upward-pointing edges.

Garments with lots of intricate embroidery patterns fit well with the high-fashion Goth costume.

When looking for women's gowns suitable to the Goth costume look, the form-fitting floor length black gowns are the little black dress of Goth. For even more of the vampish look, get a corset to show off that tiny waist.

Whatever you choose, make sure no bloody little detail is left unattended!







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Gothic Costumes

Have you ever wanted to dress up like someone else, or maybe change up your image for a while? This is completely normal and the fact is we all do it some times; even if it's just on Halloween. Some individuals prefer anything from vampires, to army recruiters, to princesses, to gothic costumes. Regardless of what you like to be and your reasons for doing it, it's certainly a fun and exciting change of pace. In the last place I lived, there were a number of high school kids who were always dressed in gothic costumes. Now, were these really and truly disguises or did they just prefer this facade? It's so hard to tell with teenagers. The word "lost" comes to mind.

When it comes to the world of dress-up and identity now days, gothic costumes play a large role. Just take a look around your town. Chances are you probably have loads of gothic folks. I think too often this is confused with something else. I have known several gothic individuals in my time, mainly through school and work, and although they appear to wear gothic costumes, they're not practicing any dark arts. Many people tend to think that if you're "Goth," then you're into death, witchcraft, and the macabre. This is far from the truth. In fact, most of the folks I have known who tackle each and everyday in their gothic attire are just like anyone else. Much of the gothic costumes, more or less, concern a way to rebel. The classic getting out from underneath your parent's control. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I think we all can relate to this in our own way.

Are you looking for authentic gothic costumes for this Halloween? This is a wonderful disguise to trample the dark streets in. I can even tell you the best place to search for gothic costumes. Simply hop online and check out the vast array of gothic attire. There are countless websites that cater to the Goths of the world, which is a good thing because there are many now days. Especially in the United States. So if you're in the market for gothic costumes, pop open that Google search engine and go to town. You never know, you might not want to take the costume off.

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