How To Become Gothic

How To Become A Gothic ?

Maybe you're 12, 13, 14 or even older and dreaming about how to express your feelings through a new lifestyle. If you want to be a Gothic teenager, choose your outfits mainly composed of black clothing with gothic details, such as a studded belt or skull tights. Use art to express yourself, for example through fashion and make-up.

Research the context and subculture in order to understand what "To be gothic"means. Read some gothic news and listen to dark style music to immerse yourself in gothic life. With a little research and a few simple steps, you can become a true Gothic teenager.

If you already have ideas and you are only looking for a few accessories to go with your outfits, then check out our collection of skull jewelry that will delight you ! 

Collection of skull rings

1) Dressing in Gothic

A) Fill your Wardrobe with Black Clothes

black dress goth

Black will be the basis of your wardrobe. Choose several different styles and cuts of clothing, all in black, such as t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, tank tops, jeans, leggings, pants, skirts, or dresses.
You can also associate other dark colors to your black clothes, such as dark burgundy instead of pastel pink and navy blue instead of sky blue.

2) Choose leather and lace items

gothic pants

Leather and lace are gothic items by excellence. Tight leather trousers, lace tops or dresses, waistcoats are all made of leather. leather jackets, lace stockings, and even leather bags would fit perfectly.

You can opt for leather and black lace, or choose other dark colors, such as forest green, plum, and charcoal grey.

3) Choose clothes with gothic patterns

gothic style

You don't have to wear your whole outfit in black every day. You can also wear clothes with skull motifs colorful crosses, crosses, crows, roses, angel wings.

Sometimes you can even find clothes with the look of an ouija board. Clothes adorned with true icons of the Gothic movement, such as Edward Scissorhands, The Cult, Marilyn Manson, the Misfits, Elvira, Killing Joke, or The Addams Family, are also good choices.
For example, you can try to wear black pants with a skull shirt red or purple leggings with an angel patterned top.

4) Choose gothic accessories

Goth Jewelry

Belts, studded bracelets or spiked bracelets, skull jewelry, or with crosses and black hats are quite interesting options. Chains and gloves cut at the fingers are also very popular to create a strong gothic look. Victorian jewelry, such as earrings or chokers, are also a good choice.

5) Wear black shoes

Goth Boots Leather

Choose between army boots fighting boots (a basic element of the Gothic style), high-heeled boots, lace-up boots, or any other style of boots that you like and feel comfortable in.

If you prefer shoes, then choose a pair of black sneakers, flat shoes, shoes with reinforced soles, pumps, moccasins or even sandals. Choose a few pairs of comfortable and resistant shoes, to have a shoe adapted to each of your outfits.

6) Add gothic touches to your outfit.

Black Goth jacket

If your school requires you to wear a suitable outfit, then you can always look gothic by adding little touches such as rose-patterned pantyhose or jewelry representing skulls or crosses. Put gothic pins in your hair or hang a skull pin on your backpack.

You can also put black nail polish on your nails, choose a gothic makeup and hairstyle. find some dark or black accessories, like this skull boots and a trench-coat.
Be careful to follow the dress code required by your institution and avoid adding inappropriate words or images to your uniform.

B) Gothic Makeup and Hairdressing

1) Choosing a base color

Goth Base Color

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Benjamin Stone

The emblematic Gothic look is characterized by pale skin and a black make-up for the eyes. Choose a foundation, with a few shades lighter than your natural skin tone. Use clean fingers to spread the foundation all over your face and neck. Use a brush or sponge to make sure the foundation is blended.

If you are not allowed to wear make-up, or if you have a dark complexion to apply a light foundation, don't worry! You can always create a Gothic look through your clothes and accessories.

If you ever have a tanned skin color, and you really want to get a pale complexion but obviously can't, then try to color your hair as dark as possible. Even if the contrast isn't significant, it will be enough to distract attention from your non-pale complexion.

2) Wear spectacular eye makeup

Goth Eye Makeup

Choose one dark eye shadow, like black, gray, or purple. You can use a pencil or liquid eyeliner to create a cat's eyes or simply make dark circles with a black pencil. Apply several coats of black mascara, or choose a mascara in a fun color, such as pink, blue or purple.

For school purposes, you might want to minimize the amount of makeup you wear. Choose a gothic style, like a lipstick or a black eye-liner, and spend the rest.

3) Choose a dark color for your lips 

Goth Lips Dark

dark lipstick, like black, will contrast well with your pale face. You can also opt for a classic, dark red, or mix and match with a plum, magenta, or navy lipstick. You can choose a distinctive color to wear every day or choose the color according to your outfit or your mood.

4) Choose the hairstyle you want

Goth Hairstyle

You don't need long black or dark hair to be gothic. Don't hesitate to choose the cut and the preferred style, or leave your hair natural. Anything goes, from a shaved head to an Iroquois crest or straight hair as a stick.

5) Color your hair, if you feel like it.

Goth Colorful Hair

Credit : Sandraclemente

Choose a deep blue-black or opt for a bolder color, such as cherry red. purple, green, and blue are also popular colors at the gothic. You can dye all your hair, add highlights, create a shadow effect, or just color the ends.

Choose a color and style that makes you feel good, but ask your parents' permission first!

6) Adds gothic hair accessories

gothic hair accessories

Bandanas, headbands, chopsticks, barrettes, and clips can help you keep your hair out of your face and add interest to your style. Choose lace or leather hair accessories, go for plain black, or choose a pattern such as roses or skulls.

C) Adopting a Gothic Lifestyle

1) Research Gothic history and culture.

Best Gothic books

If you really want to be a goth, you have to learn about the history and the Gothic subculture. Do Internet research or go to the library and pick up a few books on the subject, such as Nancy Kilpatrick's Gothic Bible. Learn about Gothic icons, including musicians and movie characters, such as Alice Cooper, David Vanian, and Theda Bara.

The Gothic subculture emerged in the United Kingdom in the 1980s and has been influenced by both the punk rock and 19th-century Gothic literature.
So from now on, take your inspiration from gothic characters that you can find in TV shows and movies, like Lydia Deetz, John Blaylock, Lily Munster, Donnie Darko, and Wednesday Addams.

2) Listening to gothic music

Skull Headphones

There are many different types, such as gothic rock, deathrock, EBM, Darkwave, and new wave. Gothic artists include Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy and The Cure. Choose the music that you like to listen to and can relate to you, as you can see in the picture, there is a brand "SkullCandy" that are the number one for skull headphones, click the link if this sweet your needs. Never feel you have to stop listening to a band just because it is not gothic, and don't listen to a band just because it is gothic.

Gothics generally agree that music is the determining factor. It is not necessary to listen only to Gothic music (or its subgenres), but it is at least necessary to be interested in it.
Start with Dead by Bauhaus by Bela Lugosi. It's the basis of Gothic music.

3) Reading gothic books

Gothic books wallpaper

Search your local library using a keyword like "gothic" to get started. 
The tribulations of a gothic lover by Cécile Guillot, Cassandra's Castle by Dodie Smith, and The Hand of the Night by Susan Hill. are good options. You can pick out books on vampires and the undead, as well as those who explore ideas like the mortality and darkness.

Classical and romantic literature is very important. Most Gothic people have a good knowledge of the culture.
The Gothic literature traditional includes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Bram Stoker's Dracula and Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

4) Let your creativity speak through Gothic art

69 eyes goth

Gothic people are generally creative people who have intense emotions. Express these emotions through art, for example, drawing, diary, singing, painting, or dancing. We've even prepared a guide for you to learn how to draw a skull easily. Use your creativity to improve your wardrobe or to create new styles of makeup or hairstyle.

5) Take your own direction

Goth decision

The young gothic are not sheep, they do not follow dominant trends or ideas, they are free thinkers with their own opinions. Don't accept something just because other people do it, even if they are gothic friends.

Make your own decisions based on your personal preferences and values.

6) go to goth events

Goth events

Join social media groups for goth teenagers in order to discover the different gothic events. You can also do some research on the internet to find gothic festivals or clubs in your area. There you can meet other goth teens, learn more about the gothic subculture, and find ideas for your hair, makeup, wardrobe, and lifestyle.
Even if you don't find gothic events Ii your area, you can always connect with other gothic teens through online gothic forums and groups.

D) The 12 Commandments to Become Gothic

To summarize everything we've just seen here's a little digest of the most important points if you're wondering how to become gothic:

  1. Dressing in gothic
  2. Choosing gothic leather and lace accessories
  3. Wear black shoes
  4. Wearing skull jewelry
  5. Having a gothic makeup
  6. Choosing a dark eye-shadow
  7. Choosing a dark lip color
  8. Choosing a hairstyle that you like
  9. Adopt a gothic life-style
  10. Listen to Rock/Metal music
  11. Go to gothic events
  12. Don't follow the mass and don't listen to anyone but yourself!

Now you have all the keys in hand to become the true version of yourself, free from all the constraints and pressures of the society in which we live.

Gothic skull bracelet

If there is at least one person to follow on youtube that can lead you to Goth things! You need to check out this video! 

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2 comments

Just started out being Gothic so thank you for the tips Salute from Cottage Grove

Junior Garcia Welch

Hi Sylvia
I am one of your fans..
Salut from Washington, DC

JC

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