When most people hear the word "gothic," they imagine a picture of young men dressed in all black and girls dressed in deliberately sexy outfits with tight corsets, puffy skirts and flashy makeup. However, the Gothic style was not always like this. Its roots go back to the Middle Ages, during the persecution of knights and witches.

Gothic style can be seen in almost everything: architecture, sculpture, painting and, of course, clothes. He had a significant influence on the fashion of that time. Modern fashion also uses elements of this style: you can see the distinctive features of Gothic clothing in the collections of famous designers, not to mention inspired by the somber aesthetics of many subcultures.

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History and features of gothic clothing

The gloomy, strict and at the same time magnificent beauty of Gothic clothing originates in a rather difficult period of history called the Dark Ages. However, Gothic got its name later, in the Renaissance. For thinkers of that time, all clothing made in the Gothic style seemed unconventional and disproportionately wrong. Therefore, they got a name of the Gothic tribe associated with these features.

Gothic elements were quite common in the interiors of the Victorian era, in all their luxury and splendor. Gothic vaulted windows and tall, pointed peaks that adorn not only the façades but also the interiors helped achieve the effect.

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Gothic style in the Middle Ages

If you look at Notre Dame Cathedral, the main signs of the Gothic style will become clear:

pointed arches;
stained glass windows;
gloom;
pointed, elongated forms;
legendary monsters that frighten passersby.

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All these features are reflected in the clothes. In the Dark Middle Ages and during the reign of Queen Victoria, there was a strong distinction between estates. It was expressed not only in the way of life, but also in clothes. Women from the lower classes could not wear clothes made of expensive fabrics such as silk or velvet. Neither of them could wear trains. It was a sign of nobility. The longer a train was, the higher its owner's status was.
Odd long-toed shoes, sometimes reaching half a meter, were also common in Medieval Gothic.

Natural features of women's Gothic clothing of that time:

• velvet;

• pointed high women's hats;

• long shoes with a pointed toe;

• standing collar;

• sharp cuffs;

• caftans.

By the way, the black color began to dominate later. Clothing at that time was bright and vibrant: burgundy, blue, lilac and green. Fabrics with floral ornaments were also common.


Modern Gothic

The modern Gothic style appeared on the streets in the 1970-80s. People were fed up with the punks, and the mood of despair and decadence remained in the air. Black became popular, which only added to the gloom and oppressive severity of the Gothic style.

In modern fashion, there are several trends in Gothic clothing, but each is characterized by features such as black and an abundance of black. silver gothic jewelry. The materials most commonly used to create clothing are leather, knit, velvet, silk and even vinyl. Color combinations, in general, are depressing: for example, red or black with white. It emphasizes the gloom and solemnity and makes the image more catchy.

The staple of this alternative clothing style can be seen in Goth's wardrobe. This subculture originated in the 1970s. They follow style in everything: not only in clothes, but also in hairstyle, make-up, music preferences and books.

Goths: a modern reading of the Gothic style

No matter how cyclical fashion is, it undergoes many changes when it comes back from the depths of the centuries. However, you can still see the idea behind modern gothic fashion. When you talk about Goths, the first thing that pops into your mind is images of gothic architecture. Because gothic clothing and architecture have a lot in common: gloom, solemnity, multi-layeredness, tragic majesty and with it magnetic appeal.

The female Gothic style of clothing in clothes is very similar to the male. Female Goths use make-up and heavily paint the eyes black.

At the same time, clothes can be stylized into medieval dresses with gloves, tailcoats, men's pointed hats, cylinders, lace cuffs and other elements of romanticism inherent in neo-Gothic. We have to thank Queen Victoria for the luxury of clothes here. Sometimes, Victorian dresses with a bias in the gothic style have wild features, such as chains, necklaces-collars.

Basic gothic women's wardrobe includes:

• black shirts;

• leather pants;

• white blouses with jabot collars;

• long coats;

• hats;

• gloomy make-up: pale face and dark hair;

• silver jewelry with gothic symbols: cross necklace, skull earring, rose, spider, dragon, bat, etc.

In general, the image of a Goth should be mysterious and mystical. Add some metal ornaments or silver accents, lots of black colors and voila, there's a Goth.

Gothic clothing has been rethought many times over the past decades. However, it has always been loved by everyone: subcultures, fashionistas and designers. After all, you don't have to wear all-over medieval costumes or be a Goth. It is enough to use Gothic style accessories to look bold, attractive, gothic and relevant. With our large collection of Gothic jewelry, Maverick Feather will help you with this.