Recently—I have been fascinated with the gothic style and particularly caught my attention. The dark visual aesthetic reinterprets the calming nature of soul and unparalleled uniqueness. The word gothic debuted in the 1980s to highlight rebellious youths who gravitated towards their unique sense of style and beauty. Gothic style was inspired by a shadowy and mysterious atmosphere. The aesthetic promotes endlessly opportunities for being dark.
The desire to possess an exotic dark character culminated when youths explored gothic novels. Novels were a goth-fashion and style inspiration medium behind the appearance of youths who called themselves goths. Goths were seemingly as strange and mysterious people who didn't align with the society ethos they lived.
The gothic novels featured characters with avant-garde looks such as pale skin, dark hair and dark clothes. Goths evoked their distinctive quality with pieces like black stockings, t-shirts, fishnet stockings, black boots and black sunglasses.
Goths beauty looks were greatly enhanced by black-dyed hair, dark eye makeup, black lipstick, black nail polish piercing and tattoos. The said items lent to them a relaxed, rebellious, mysterious and sensual appearance.
The style was epitomized on fashion runways, at Hollywood parties, at the mall and others. Marc Jacobs borrowed the elements of goth style and incorporated in his designs that were showcased in 2001. The Academy Awards in 2002 saw an actress—Gwyneth Paltrow (51) wear a black-gown signifying her love for gothic style.
Goths redefined the understated elegance through the use of color black in their ensembles. An ode that sought to give youths freedom of choice including style.
REFERENCES:
Acker, Kerry. Everything You Need to know about the Goth Scene. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2000.
Schoenberg, Nara. "Underground Goth Cult Rising to Surface." Chicago Tribune (January 13, 2003)