A leather dog collar complete with a dangling silver heart, studded belt, black puddle trousers, and kohl eyeliner—lots and lots of kohl eyeliner. This was my uniform between the ages of 12 and 16, which I look back on fondly as my goth phase, where Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice served as my muse. Though I perhaps wasn’t as invested in it as others in the goth community, you would best describe my style as falling under that sartorial umbrella. It might also surprise you to learn that many of my fellow fashion editors also embraced the goth aesthetic in their youth.
Back then—I’m talking the early-to-mid Noughts—trends were more singular and didn’t tend to overlap quite so freely as they do now. As such, you were more likely to embrace a specific look. On one side of the spectrum you had OG Y2K, which featured low-slung jeans, halter tops from Kookaï, and Von Dutch caps. The other? Its antithesis, goth. I put my energy into the latter as it felt less conformative and more expressive—fashion editors are creatives at heart, after all.
What I always loved, and still love, about the goth aesthetic was just how inclusive it can be. There are so many facets to being goth—from those who take the more traditional approach to those who subscribe to the romantic Victoriana vibe. And these offshoots only keep expanding.
For its annual Pinterest Predicts report, Pinterest revealed that all-things goth have been spiking over the last year. It read, “Welcome to the goth-aissance. Goth will make its way into the mainstream this year across all age groups—just not in the ways that you might expect. Goth business casual, goth baby clothes, and even goth kitchen décor are all rising trends.” I was particularly intrigued by the term “goth cowboy”, which is up 70% in searches on the platform.
Now, I know there’s a lot more to the goth aesthetic than just wearing black, but I wanted to see which gothic outfits I could assemble from my existing wardrobe to see if I could tap back into it. And you know what, it was pretty empowering. Scroll below to see my makeshift gothic outfits, then continue on to see how some of my favourite influencers are also channelling the goth aesthetic in 2022.
Style Notes: Okay, so I know this doesn’t look intrinsically gothic, but I used the mesh long-sleeve top is a nod to the fishnet ones I previously wore underneath printed tees and vest tops. I don’t often wear top-to-toe black, but I felt incredibly confident in this.
A bodysuit will stop your top from riding up.
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My all-time favourite pair of black trousers.
My Mango heels are sold out, but the Prada originals are the dream.
Style Notes: I’ve always loved Victoriana-style dresses—show me a pie-crust collar and I’m sold—and I love how many black velvet options there are out there that tap into the goth aesthetic. Although this & Other Stories number has since sold out, the brand often creates similar styles to shop. In the meantime, why not make your own with a detachable ruffled collar.
Pop this on with everything, from knitwear to dresses.
I’ve had my eye on this velvet mini for the longest time.
Style Notes: The inspiration for this ensemble started with the Dark Academic trend that swirled in 2020, pulling out a pleated skirt and wearing it my stacked Mary Janes to create the school-girl look. In the process, I came across this coat which I snagged from Alexa Chung’s first-ever collection for M&S (how great were they?). Admittedly it’s a little tight these days, but the contrast of textures adds a fashionable spin to this gothic-inspired look.
I’m obsessed with the slightly oversized shape of this coat.
I own this knit in black and cream, and can confirm it’s already perfectly oversized.
Hands down, one of my most-worn purchases from the past year.
My Mary Janes are old, but I’m really into this Musier Paris pair.
The nipped-in waist feels more goth than rock.
The detail on this biker is truly next-level.
It’s the gloves for me.
Find a dress with gloves or cut-out sleeves to achieve Imani’s look.
This is the goth equilivant to a plain white tee.
The flared sleeves and raw seams add to the goth aesthetic of this top.
Jeans can often feel more skater than goth, so black trousers are where it’s at.
A staple in any wardrobe.
Blur the lines of goth and punk with a tartan mini skirt.
If you told me this skirt was from Next, I don’t know if I would have believed you.
Goth, but make it high-fashion.
These over-the-knee boots would look great with mini dresses and skirts.
Feathers might not feel like an obvious part of the goth aesthetic, but the addition of the romantic texture certainly fits with some gothic sub-cultures.
Keep the rest of the piece simple.
Leather is a good starting point for any looking to explore their inner goth.
Leather trousers are incredibly versatile, but look so cool worn with even more leather.
Like myself, Maja experiments with wearing a black mesh top.
Once you own one, you’ll think up a multitude of ways to wear it.
Looks like I’m not the only one who favours the Victoriana goth aesthetic.
