Gothic Fashion History Case Study

 

One of the most difficult things to undertake is to define Gothic fashion. There are so many groups and branches within this subculture that it appears that everyone has their own definition of gothic fashion. Everyone, however, is interested in Gothic fashion history and where it all began. Many individuals feel that loving black entails adopting a gothic fashion style.

Although the color black is celebrated in this British punk trend, there is more to consider before choosing this style. To comprehend the origins of gothic fashion, we must first look at the influences that aided in its development. Continue reading as we delve into the history of gothic fashion by analyzing the beautiful, unique, and gloomy aspects of this fashion style.

Gothic Fashion History – Its Origins

Where did it all start? In this section, we'll look at how gothic came to be and what it was like during the time.

The Victorians

There is no way to discuss gothic fashion history without mentioning the Victorian era. Despite the fact that gothic fashion has evolved into Cybergoth, it all started with the classic Victorian goth aesthetic. The predominate color of Victorian Gothic clothes was black. However, it was sometimes enhanced with dark purple, green, or deep crimson colours. There was always death throughout the Victorian era due to the high mortality rate. Because of the regularity of these aspects, Victorians began to accept death as a normal part of life. They were frank about their feelings about the war and utilized their attire to symbolize the perpetual sadness that was becoming their story.

People wore black to convey their tremendous grief over their loss. As time passed, the colors faded to grey tones, reaching the half-mourning stage. Back suits and black gloves were worn by the men. They wore hats made of black cloth. It was even stricter for ladies because they had so much black, and widows would wear a black veil before switching to white. Although men were only required to wear mourning clothing for a few months, ladies were required to do so for two years. Because keeping mourning clothing in your wardrobe was considered bad luck, they were frequently discarded after the grieving time. As a result, Victorians were accustomed to purchasing new mourning garments on a regular basis.

Fans of Victorian gothic fashion history have been flocking to Whitby, North Yorkshire, for the annual goth weekends, one of the world's major goth events, since 1994.

Glam Rock and the New Romantic

These are some of the other punk-inspired gothic fashion pioneers. The glam rock era of the 1970s was coming to an end, and the angry anarchy of punk music was on the rise in the United Kingdom. The gothic fashion style began in August 1979 with Bauhaus' 'Bela Lugosi is Dead.' A generation was exposed to one of the pioneers of the Gothic movement. Even though he has denied being a goth, his effect on gothic culture is significant. Furthermore, Siouxie Siu is a major influence on gothic fashion and is known for epitomizing and inventing gothic fashion.

There was also David Bowie's glitz, Iggy Pop and Patti Smith's ferocity, and Joy Division. The New Romantics' glamor also helped the goth subculture to resurface in the 1980s. Despite these influences, the fathers of goth are widely recognized as Robert Smith and Peter Murphy.

Who Created Gothic Fashion?

To completely comprehend gothic fashion history, it is necessary to understand who invented gothic fashion. Many gothic style proponents existed long before Siouxie Siu, Bauhaus, and Robert Smith. Many gothic icons have used this fashion style to make a statement. This fashion icon existed before the popular creators, thus we'll honor them for their contribution to the history of gothic fashion.

Theda Bara

Theda is a silent film star, and many people who are familiar with her past regard her as a pioneer of gothic dress. Theda is America's first goth, and her gothic style allowed her to go beyond the usual 1920s costume. She had dark eye makeup, eerie and exposing attire, and a gothic overall appearance. Theda was the first Hollywood vamp, and she popularized the femme fatale cliché.

Despite the fact that her birth name was Theodosia Burr Goodman, the film company altered her name to Theda Bara. To add to the suspense and mystery, the studio constructed a history for her. Theda's publicity stated that she was fascinated in the occult and that she was born in a Sphynx and subsequently moved to Paris to become an actor. This was not the case because Theda was born in Ohio and had never been to Paris or Egypt. Theda designed her own wigs and daring clothes. Every surviving photograph of Bara is legendary, displaying her love of black clothing, heavy makeup, exposing attire, and fierce appearance.

Morticia Addams

The original Addams family and their influence on Gothic fashion history cannot be overlooked. Since 1938, Wednesday, Morticia, Pudsey, Gomez, and Uncle Fester have been goth. The Addams Family, the first gothic family, was invented by Charles Addams. Their attitude, dress, and dark humor had a major impact on culture. Morticia, the family matriarch, inspired the goth look with her black attire, black hair, pale skin, and dark lipstick. Morticia was both elegant and haunting in the comics, movies, and television series. She is the reason why the next figure in gothic fashion history catapulted goth fashion out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

Vampira

This is the first princess of darkness, born in 1922. Maila Nurmi, an actress, invented the Vampira character after drawing influence from Morticia Addams from the Addams family. Nurmi presented a late-night horror movie show on television, which was still in its infancy. As a result, thousands of Americans were familiar with her spine-chilling cry. This made Vampira famous because no one had ever seen somebody like her before. Each Vampira film began with a personality that was diametrically opposed to her appearance.

Vampira's demeanor was distant but personable, sincere, and caustic, and her sharp puns added to her allure. Her highly corseted waist, long dark gowns, straight black hair, and sharp brows set her apart from the prevalent 1950s image. Nurmi wasn't a Vampira when she dressed up; she was fascinated by the occult, alternative subcultures, and other unusual things. Vampira influenced horror movie icon Elvira from the 1990s.

Contemporary Influence on Gothic Fashion

There's more to goth fashion than meets the eye. There was a strong emphasis on femininity for both sexes, and it went far beyond the romance associated with vampire fiction. Tops, skirts, corsets, and collars were the most fashionable fashion styles for both goth genders for several years. Rather than conventional gothic fashion history, goths adopted this from the contemporary fetish scene. The frequent display of goths' dyed hair, facial piercing, combat pants, and tattoos highlighted linkages between rock culture, fetishism, and punk.

T-shirts bearing band logos were a popular fashion trend among goths. These emblems, along with the artist's name and design, were unique to the goth scene. Another modern influence from the music culture entered the goth aesthetic in the 1990s. Fans and bands began to enjoy and adapt elements of dance culture into the goth appearance and sound as people sought new directions that would present them with a fresh set of sounds and looks.

Furthermore, goths incorporated mechanical dance beats and electronic sequences into the dark music associated with the goth. Finally, Cybergoth merged the traditional goth aesthetic with reflective or ultraviolet-sensitive hair extensions, braided hair extensions, and neon makeup.

Goth Clothing, Makeup, and Accessories

Leather jackets, corsets, fishnets, gowns, long robes, miniskirts, and layered skirts were typical Goth attire. They are usually black. When they aren't black, they come in dark tones like burgundy and purple. This isn't to say they don't wear other hues; they just aren't as common as the darker ones. The clothing was largely made of silk, velvet, laces, satin, and nets. Hairstyles were usually bushy, large, and spiky.

Doc Martens were a popular shoe choice throughout Gothic fashion history. Military boots, new rocks, and huge, clunky, unisex boots are other options. The heels were usually quite long, and goths also wore black nail polish. Furthermore, Goths liked to accessorize their costumes with chains, spiked chokers, occult jewelry, buckles, piercings, hats, belts, crowns, and valuable stones such as rubies.

Vampires, bats, skulls, coffins, mirrors, and religious symbols were also elements throughout Gothic fashion history. Goths were always enigmatic, melancholy, and frigid. Furthermore, they always had a supernatural atmosphere with overtones of romanticism. The Egyptian trend of smoky eyeliner and kohl eye makeup impacted goths' preference for pale skin. They also sported lipstick in burgundy, black, and deep wine.

Modern Goth vs. Ancient Goth Style

The early goth outfit is uncomfortably stylish. It includes body-hugging clothing that emphasizes curves to give the wearer an hourglass figure. This was the top, while the bottom was flowing, exaggerated, and lengthy. Men, on the other hand, wore ruffled and laced shirts. They were also dressed in dark flat boots, black high-heeled heels, and blood-red shoes. Men would bleach their bob hair with bangs, whilst ladies would leave their hair loose or tied up in a bun.

These minor nuances in Gothic fashion history had a big impact on today's fashion and shaped their fashion subcultures. Modern Gothic dress was straightforward and comfy. It included silhouettes as well as mature and uneven cuts. Tattoos and simple accessories were observed on goths. Goths typically mixed these features with their own fashion sense.

Furthermore, the skin wasn't as bare thanks to the black makeup. Many shoes, such as sharp shoes, lace-up boots, and studded and buckled shoes, were also worn. Along with their gothic clothes, people experimented with diverse hairstyles and colors.

Final Thoughts

Although there are many influences in gothic fashion history, it is a modern style in its own right. It has remained consistent and unique for many decades. As a result, goths are easily identified by their subcultures, and their different features are always understandable.