Gothic fashion emerged from the British punk movement around the late 1970s to the 1980s. This style is characterized by dark, mysterious, antiquated, and elegant aesthetics. Over the years, this fashion trend has branched out to different types like gypsy, steampunk, Lolita, Victorian, glitter goth, and vampire goth styles, to name a few.
If you’re aspiring to be a gothic fashionista, you need to learn which clothing items you can mix and match to fit this style. When you visit your local women’s clothing store, here are some wardrobe essentials you must purchase to achieve a goth-inspired aesthetic.
- Buy Black Wardrobe Pieces
Black is the signature color in gothic fashion. If you want to indulge in this style, get tops, skirts, socks, hats, and pants in this color to build your wardrobe. You can emulate a gothic look by wearing black clothes made of leather, lace, velvet, and silk. Go to boutiques, flea markets, secondhand shops, and indie shops if you want affordable yet stylish clothing items.
- Wear Goth-Inspired Dresses
You can’t complete your wardrobe without getting at least one gothic dress. You can purchase a long Victorian-style gown or a short lace dress made of velvet, silk, and lace. If you want to display a dramatic and romantic look, go for a piece with large and flowy sleeves.
Don’t limit yourself to only buying black dresses. You can still give off a gothic vibe by wearing dresses in other colors like purple, maroon, and dark blue.
- Purchase Gothic Boots
Combat boots are a staple in gothic aesthetics, so make sure to buy a pair or two. Since they are versatile to wear, you can combine them with dresses, skirts, leggings, pants, shorts, and tights.
You can also buy boots in other styles like ankle boots, knee highs, platforms, and heeled boots. In addition, don’t hesitate to purchase them in different colors other than black, like purple, indigo, or white.
- Get a Corset
When you envision the appearance of a gothic woman, you’ll likely imagine her in a corset since it is a clothing staple in ladies’ goth style. If you want to exude a sexy and elegant appeal, wearing this piece can do the trick by highlighting the shape of your waist and showing your hourglass figure.
A corset is flexible, can be worn in formal or casual looks, and can be styled in various ways. You can wear it on its own, but you can also layer it over a dress, a lacy blouse, or a simple top. Although black is the preferable color for gothic corsets, you can purchase them in purple, dark blue, red, burgundy, or green for more options.
- Accessorize With Gothic Jewelry
There are a wide variety of designs for gothic jewelry, so don’t be afraid to mix and match them. Buy black or dark-colored accessories to achieve that gothic vibe. Find rings, necklaces, and earrings with themes and elements that are associated with death and mourning. These include roses, swords, crosses, demons, skulls, skeletons, and coffins.
Don’t forget to buy choker necklaces, which are popular and common accessories among individuals who love gothic fashion. Chokers can be plain black, studded, laced, or combined with a pendant.
You can also purchase gothic ornaments made of platinum, silver, stainless steel, or white gold. Moreover, look for jewelry pieces with gemstones like onyx, ruby, and emerald.
- Add Graphic Prints to Your Wardrobe
Graphic-printed tees that have occult patterns are also part of goth fashion. Find shirts with striking illustrations like moons, stars, pentagrams, and crosses. Browse through gothic shops, thrift stores, and flea markets. There are also various gothic-themed graphic tees in online stores.
Goth fashion can be complicated and intimidating if you don’t know the basics. Now that you know the gothic wardrobe must-haves, you can confidently choose which items to buy when visiting your local women’s clothing store.
Although the gothic style has a signature dark, gloomy, and antiquated aesthetics, you can interpret it in any way you want to achieve a distinctive and individualistic appearance. Feel free to experiment and play around with your clothes until you find a gothic look that embodies your taste and identity.
