Is Your Wardrobe Short Of A Gothic Skirt?
From Tie-dye to body con dresses and bell-bottoms to power shoulder, they are considered mainstream fashion. However, not all aspects of fashion can be categorized as the same. One such form of style is Gothic fashion.
Gothic fashion is a way of dressing that comprises styles and silhouettes of mostly stark black colour. Other noticeable colour for this subculture are dark shades of purple and burgundy. Considered as a protest against extravagance by many, it is a profusion of dark-coloured velvets, lace, fishnets, gloves, tight corsets, and not the least skirts. This style is also widely known for featuring dark and dramatic makeup that usually includes a thick winged eyeliner, a black or maroon overlined lip, black nails, and darkly dyed hair.
From Where It Has Come?
So, where does this style stem from? Its roots went back to the romanticism movement quite a few centuries ago. The aesthetic bloomed out of the post-punk era. Fashion trends like combat boots and fishnets were observed first during this period and were later adopted by the Gothic culture.
The Gothic period in history started sometime around 1200 AD and lasted till 1450 AD. It can be branched into two periods; the early period from 1200-1350 and the late period starting from 1350 to 1450. Each of these time frames had different styles of fashion.
If you look at Gothic fashion's evolution, the most widely known one is the classic Gothic style. Of course, black overshadows all of the elements, with statement pieces like heavily buckled shoes, ringed gauntlets, net gloves, and mini bondage skirts with fishnets.
Then came Victorian & Romantic Goth in the early 1800s. Here the tightly laced corsets were paired with flowing long black skirts and fishnet stockings, and dark hats. Lolita fashion was deeply rooted in the fashion sense of the goth of this era. The Steampunk Goth style is famous for combining scientific symbols with Victorian style and incorporates warm but dark earthy tones along with black. The new trend is Pastel Goth fashion, where incorporating pastels along with black is becoming normalized. The skirts are often at times pleated and high-waisted.
Types of goths and their preferences in skirts
Types of goth vary drastically. Figuring out how each of them expresses themselves fashionably is quite a challenging task. Nonetheless, these few features will help you distinguish each of them easily.
The first type of goth is Steampunk. Stemming back to Victorian times, this group can be observed as adding a sci-fi twist to their dressing and fashion sense. The complete outfits consist of corsets, bloomer-style trousers, parasols, and frilly skirts. These skirts were mainly in tones of gold, brass, and brown. Gothic dresses UK are ideal for taking inspiration.
Another popular type is Cyber Goth. For this specific distinct subculture, you will probably be confused. Neon and goth do not mix. Right? Not for this community. They team up the elements from steampunk outfits with accents of neon to amp up their look and ensure that all eyes are on them. The outfit starter pack usually contains black staples like pants and vests or mini structured leather skirts paired with neon-coloured fishnets underneath them.
As the name suggests, the Victorian Goth can be traced back to the Victorian era. Like most types of goths, these share a common love with black. However, what sets them apart is the indulgence in high society and a top-notch lifestyle standard. The goths of this era were heavily influenced by Lolita fashion, where the goths loved layering short skirts. Initially, the women used to wear an extremely tight corset with heavy layering on the bottom halves. With the progression of time, wearing only a few layers became the prevalent trend with ruffled blouses and bustle skirts. These used to be lace-up and retro.
The makeup looks inspired by the skirts
The Gothic makeup is everything but subtle. With a foundation usually three or more shades lighter and a bold black, maroon or purple lip, goths are sure to turn heads. The eyeliner is usually thick, winged, and dramatic. When it comes to lashes, Gothic fashion does not shy away from experimenting. Expect to find extremely dense, long, and sometimes colourful falsies. The eyes are usually bold with hints of shades of blacks, plums, reds, and oranges. Smokey eye is a top favourite among this community. Another common fashion choice is darkly painted nails. Goths keep a heavy hand while applying bronzer and blush. All in all, they follow a very extra makeup routine and can be spotted quite easily among a crowd.
As mentioned earlier, the pastel Gothic style incorporates light hues even in the makeup category. Soft blush pinks and blues and yellows are commonly incorporated in the eyeshadow with a soft, flushed look. This makeup is often paired with skirts that are mostly very short and pleated. These can be black, but sometimes, pastel takes over this statement piece.
Cyber goths usually wear leather skirts and are often seen in dramatic makeup and edgy coloured head wigs. The sultry eye makeup gives them a sexy look.
Expect a thin and clearly defined eyebrow to complete the futuristic look. You can also find metallic skirts when considering the steampunk community. To pair with the skirt, the goth community often dabbles into the shades of burgundy and plums. The lips are usually over-lined.
While revamping your wardrobe, adding goth clothes and statements like Lolita-style skirts might not be everybody's cup of tea. However, if you feel gutsy and want to add a hint of edginess in your outfits, start first by incorporating accessories like a Gothic choker or a ring. Another useful tip is to pair up the goth skirts with a top of your preference. This way, you will not feel completely out of your element, and you will allow the article of clothing to grow on you. After all, it would be unfair to dismiss the skirts altogether. They can easily amp up your look and be versatile if chosen strategically.