Introduction

What is Gothic Fashion?

The twentieth century saw the rise of many subcultures, with 'goth' being one of the most instantly recognisable. The word 'goth' conjures up images of teenagers clad in dark colours with chunky boots, make-up-caked eyes and flowing clothes. The subculture is strongly associated with historical styles, tragic literature and moody music. Similarly, the word 'gothic' evokes shadowy hues, macabre tales and heavily decorated churches with elaborate graveyards to match.

Where do these ideas and associations come from? If a building is described as gothic, it is generally accepted that it is medieval, or, more commonly, Victorian in the style of medieval. Stories we think of as gothic often date from the nineteenth century, such as Dracula and Frankenstein, as well as the infamous penny dreadfuls. Just like Victorian architecture, these tales have their roots in more ancient times.

The Goths were originally an ancient European tribe. Throughout the 1600s, the word 'gothic' began to be used to describe styles from the medieval period. The 1700s saw the beginnings of popular gothic fiction (which tended to be melodramatic and historical). This in turn inspired gothic architecture and, by the early 1800s, fashion. The gothic look became one of the most common aesthetics we now associate with the Victorian era.

Goths, like most subcultures, evolved in the explosion of youth-obsessed society in the decades following the 1960s. They came of age in the 1980s, remaining part of the subculture spectrum to the present day with their Instagram-friendly extravagant clothes and bold colour choices. They have also spawned various subcultures of their own including cybergoths, psychobillies and steampunks.

Gothic fashion often draws on European traditions, blending different eras and folk costumes. Influences have recently come from further abroad, including horror films and gothic Lolita from Japan as well as skull motifs and Day of the Dead celebrations from Mexico.

Gothic woman wearing a gown and a halo-like headdress, photographed by Sergei Kleshnev.

Folk stories across continents and religions tell of the dead rising, monsters in the woods, lost souls feasting on the living and beings with magical powers. Throughout history these stories have been both believed and dismissed, and treated with disgust and reverence; people have even died because of them. These ideas have always been with us and will probably continue to be so in some shape or form, horrifying and delighting us in equal measure, reflecting the darker side of the human psyche. They often come with their own imagined dress code, thanks to Hollywood films, book illustrations and the importance that society attaches to dress codes and colours, now influencing the fashion and style of modern goths.

Goths have influenced mainstream trends. Dark tulle, corsets, heavy boots and black coats with distinctive gothic flavours don't stay out of vogue for long. Famous fashion designers whose work has shown gothic influences include Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Christian Lacroix.

Gothic style icons include burlesque performer Dita von Teese, British aristocrat Daphne Guinness, actress Helena Bonham Carter, rock star Dave Vanian, artist Bianca Xunise and comedian Noel Fielding, who all interpret the gothic style in their own way, from the playful to the stylish and everything in between.

Goth Friends in Germany, 2017.

The glamour of the past and the mystery of the occult holds an attraction for many people, and gothic fashion is one way to channel this. People have always romanticised the past, with Europeans traditionally viewing the Middle Ages as a lost golden age of folklore and beauty. Gothic fashion is more of a wishful amalgamation than a carbon copy of a genuine historical era, while the reinvention of past fashions is a practice common to all eras.

This book will chart the history of gothic fashion, beginning with its roots in the medieval period, to the present day, taking in arguably the most gothic century of them all: the nineteenth. It will examine the influences and evolution of gothic into the style we are so familiar with today. Whilst it will reference and chart gothic trends in music, art and literature, none of these elements are this book's primary focus. Gothic literature (especially from the nineteenth century) and goth music (especially from the 1980s) have been extensively written about in other publications. My aim here is to give an accessible overview of gothic fashion throughout history. The bibliography features texts which focus on other aspects of gothic culture. This book will mention other countries and cultures, but its focus will primarily be on the UK.

Goth can mean different things to different people.

People come to gothic culture in various ways, through music, literature, film and social media, but also simply through an appreciation for the fashion - seeing a goth in the street or on the screen and wondering how to get that look. Unless you have no cultural context at all, you would probably realise that some elements of a goth's wardrobe reference mystical beings (such as cloaks being associated with vampires), or the darker side of life (for example black being associated with mourning).

Goth can mean different things to different people. It can often be used as a derogatory term, even by other subcultures. Goths can be portrayed as nerdy, or as devil worshippers, or as lonely and dangerous. There can be much media scaremongering, because goths appear more demonic than angelic. However, it hopefully goes without saying that if you are reading this book, you know that most goths are not evil serial killers! Similarly, whilst goth is a subculture that lends itself to the shy or the creative, not every goth is an introverted artist.

Some people actively set out to be a goth; others, when labelled as such, either embrace or reject the term; some might say they had a goth 'phase' or would describe themselves as 'a bit of a goth', and, while still not fully goth in dress, might still wear predominantly dark colours or excessive eyeliner or chunky silver jewellery. In some cases, it is thought that certain people simply cannot be a goth because they don't like a certain band, while on the other hand, others mislabel people as goths simply because they have an alternative look. It is up to the individual to define themselves - or not - as they see fit.

Dame Blanche, a mythical French being.

Model on a catwalk at the M'era Luna Festival in Germany, 2015.

For myself, I have dressed in goth fashion in some periods of my life more than others. I tend to be more gothic in winter than in summer (a fair-weather goth you could say), but I tend to mix in various styles that I like, including vintage, bohemian and historically influenced styles.

I was drawn to the gothic aesthetic because I like historical clothes and dramatic colours. I wanted to wear corsets, long skirts, long coats and boots, all of which chime with the goth aesthetic. I love lipstick, so I still wear bold lipsticks, and when I was a teenager, blue and black lipstick was one of the first 'alternative' fashions I experimented with. I have naturally long, dark-brown hair but it has been dyed black, green, blue, purple and red. I have an interest in gothic fiction, history, witches and the fantastical but don't have much stomach for actual horror.

My first awareness of goths was being very little and seeing a trio of what I now know as goths walking past in velvets and lace, and just being stunned at how beautiful they looked. There were also elements of goth in my family. My mother wore Doc Marten boots and a long black coat when I was in primary school. My grandmother wears beautiful silver jewellery. My aunts had long dark hair, long coats and skirts, and one in particular, a fan of The Cure, helped me dye my hair and, in more recent times, accompanied me to Whitby.

Katie Godman, the author, photographed in the Old St Pancras Church Yard by Dianne Tanner, 2017.

Bristol, my hometown, is a city which embraces the bohemian and the alternative, with gothic buildings dotted about everywhere; it's also not too far from Glastonbury, with its abbey and mythical tor. In some way, the gothic has long been a part of my life and I hope it long continues to be so.

Some people are quite stringent about what it takes to be goth, while others accept its fluidity and that it manifests itself in different ways in different people's lives. This book simply traces the history of gothic looks and examines how they have changed and evolved over time. It is an alternative subculture, and, historically, the definition of gothic is a broad church. By its very nature...