Go Goth

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!