Taking their cues from their favorite band members (Siouxsie Sioux, Patricia Morrison, Andrew Eldritch, and Dave Vanian), women wore elements of a historical costume—big skirts, bodices, and corsets—which they subverted with notes of PVC, latex, and dominatrix leather. Men were equally flamboyant, blurring the boundaries of gender with their crucifixes, nail polish, and ghoulish maquillage, worn incongruously with combat boots and distressed leather jackets.
By the time the ’90s rolled around, the subculture had splintered into various movements. You had the future-facing cybergoths who loved raving, science fiction, and listening to techno, easily identifiable by their Matrix-style trench coats and phosphorescent rave markings. Elsewhere, the gothabilly scene paid homage to ’50s pin-ups like Bettie Page, brought back to life via pencil skirts, fishnet tights, beehives, and exaggerated wings. However, things had dissipated by the mid-’00s. Naturally, goth was still rattling around, but only in the creases and crevices of culture. Fast forward to today, and it’s started to seep back into the mainstream. And we have the return of Beetlejuice to thank for that. In the words of the ghost with the most himself: “It’s showtime!”
So, what do goths look like in 2024? Well, there isn’t a definitive answer. While in the ’80s you had to adhere to a strict sartorial code, today, things are much more fluid. Indeed, in this era of individuality, goths can be anything as long as it’s rooted in a celebration of darkness. Goth is Mariacarla Boscono at the Beetlejuice premiere, a ghostly apparition in an Ann Demeulemeester silk and feathered gown. It’s Michèle Lamy’s Brobdingnagian Comme des Garçons proportions and Erykah Badu’s towering witchy hats. It’s Doja Cat’s Mephistophelian prosthetics and Billie Eilish’s vampire fangs. It’s Fecal Matter wearing full-look Rick Owens and Arca in her underwear. It’s Ethel Cain’s Southern Gothic prairie girl, but it’s also Amanda Harlech looking lady-like in Chanel.
At their core, goths are outsiders, disruptors, rebels. Yes, there is an underlying look, but goth is so much more than an aesthetic. It’s not some fair-weather trend, or yesterday’s viral news piece. It’s an attitude, and an unapologetic way of life. Indeed, just like Winona, goth is forever.
Tish Weinstock is the author of the forthcoming How To Be a Goth: Notes on Undead Style, available for preorder now
