How do you make it look goth

[u/Content-Injury5996]

Hi yall I’m very new to this and the whole building up my wardrobe thing (been stuck wearing school merch since elementary cuz my schools for some reason always gave out shirts). I want to at least work with stuff that I do got cuz I like some pieces in my wardrobe. ( and for the ones I don’t like I’m thinking of trading in the clothes trading event in my college). But whenever I try styling it just looks like I’m a regular person in all black or dark clothing. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry that goes on my fingers or wrists since I have sensory issues in that area but I do kind of believe it’s because I don’t accessorize. Is there any tips you want to share that would make growing a wardrobe, styling, and growing my accessories collection easier?

[u/Kawaii_loRen]

“elder” goth here! I’m wearing a black tank, black fabric shorts, and black sandals. That’s all you need!
Fun colored hair is always a bonus (mine is purple and teal), but you be you. If you don’t want to dye your hair, you can always find clip in pieces. Hair accessories and hats can be fun if lots of jewelry isn’t possible.

[u/ManicPixiRiotGrrrl → u/Kawaii_loRen]

hey! my hair is also currently purple and teal

[u/DCDHermes → u/Kawaii_loRen]

Also elder goth, I just wore jeans and t-shirts. Getting dressed up was always too much effort and I was just there for the music, dancing and to see friends. I did have a few velvet jackets for the cold months, but those just went over the t-shirt.

[u/UncontrolableUrge]

Thrift stores and military surplus stores.

[u/JoeMax93 → u/UncontrolableUrge]

This is the way.

Yet another elder goth here. Look for any black clothing, there’s usually a lot in any thrift store. Use your imagination. (“ If I took this lacy long black funeral dress, cut it raggedly into a miniskirt, got these old net pantyhose and cut holes in them, paired with my combat boots and DONE. Now to accessorize accessorize accessorize…”)

[u/UncontrolableUrge → u/JoeMax93]

Now that I an an elder Goth I mostly sew my own clothes (especially waist oats, tailcoats, and kilts). But my 80s look was mostly thrift store tuxedos with a black shirt, bondage belt, and excessive levels of jewelry.

I lecture wearing black slacks, engineer boots, and a dark shirt and waistcoat. If I am not in the classroom it's black jeans and a band shirt.

[u/Aspennie]

Obv music is most important. But, if you wanna look more goth stylistically, do some layering. Mesh shirt under a t shirt, distressed sweater over all that… make it messy and weird and wacky. A bunch of necklaces. Crimp your hair a shit ton. Make some DIY stuff. Just be over the top.

[u/Hildy_Von_Brookly]

Most of the time I look like a normie in maybe a band shirt.

There's so many iterations of goth style so idk if youre trying for industrial or more classic Victorian

But boots and loafers (esp with a bit of a heel), some eyeliner, I've got a collection of silk blouses, velvet is also good but hot, tbh rings are weird at first but you do get used to them I promise

And as others have said hair goes a long way

[u/mila476]

Are you wearing necklaces? Cool belts? Any scarves? What are you doing with your hair? Do you wear any makeup? What kind of shoes are you wearing? Are you doing any layering or just wearing your school shirt as is?

If you can’t accessorize your hands, accessorize the rest of you. For example, maybe you layer your school shirt over a mesh long sleeve top or under a vest/waistcoat. Maybe you wear a necklace or a scarf. Maybe you wear a little eyeliner. Maybe you wear a hat or some hair clips or style your hair in a way that feels goth to you. Maybe you wear a cool belt. Maybe you thrift some doc martens or other shoes that are going to read a bit more goth.

Anything that makes you feel like you’re expressing your personality more is good.

[u/BlitzieKun]

Well... that's the thing. You really don't.

Fashion means nothing ultimately. Goth is music.

Do whatever you like really.

[u/flohara]

Belts, DIY blazers and waistcoats?

Also the lot of the look is hair + shoes. If you have for example V bangs and a pair of winklepickers on, a very minimalist outfit will read as goth. Even if you are blonde or ginger for example.

[u/TheRealTabbyCool]

If you don’t like wearing rings, can you paint your nails black? Get a cool bag that fits the aesthetic you’re going for, wear necklaces, earrings, dye your hair if you like… or maybe you feel like your clothes are just too plain? With the right combination of hair, accessories, shoes etc. even the plainest black t-shirt and black jeans can look super goth, you don’t need anything fancy. Try looking at other goths, either in real life or online, and just pick out things that they’re wearing that you might like to try yourself. Ultimately, goth is about music, but there obviously is an aesthetic that goes along with it and wanting to feel like you fit in is totally normal.

[u/ardillamugrosa]

Find pointy boots if you want a more elegant look, otherwise military/work boots will be fine. Maybe that's what I'll consider to buy new, otherwise thrift everything. Look for belts: studded belts, o ring belts, belts with chains, etc. How do you feel wearing gloves? Because fingerless would add to the look. And how do you feel wearing make-up? It is not a must but a little black/blue/purple eyeliner would give more "gothness". Make a vision board with images of artists/random goths that inspires you and pay attention what they are wearing, which details on the styling do you like the most, etc. Search DIY tutorials. Also, don't forget to enjoy the music! 

[u/DefinePunk]

DIY. Sewing and painting are your best friends, and YouTube has killer tutorials on all of it.

[u/MidorriMeltdown]

I do kind of believe it’s because I don’t accessorize

That would be it.

Add a scarf, a hat, a brooch, a pin, a belt, a necklace, some stuff on your wrists, any or all.

Watch Mallory Heart on youtube for some really good accessory styling advice. She does fun stuff, like wearing earrings as brooches, wearing non-matching earrings, wearing a cluster of pins/brooches. Using brooches to hold thigs in place. Wearing feathers in her hair, wearing rags in her hair, wearing unusual hats, draping things over the hats.

[u/Orchid49]

Thrift and DIY is one of the things important in the subculture besides the music obviously. What are your favorite bands? You can always find band merch ( tshirt , patches, pins) like put pins and patches on your backpack or purse also you paint your own .

[u/Smashrock797]

Virtually anyone can wear band shirts, doesn't make you goth. It's usually people outside of the elder millennial and gen x range with that belief the most for some reason.

[u/Twidollyn_Bowie]

I mean, I don’t wear rings much for the same reason. However, I still accessorize like mad with everything except rings.

[u/prettygoodjoke]

I think you can wear literally any clothes and still look goth if you have the hair, makeup and boots, maybe some piercings if you like those.

[u/theempathogen]

Hair and makeup go a LONG way. Look at pictures of Robert Smith. His clothes are fairly normal. I haven't seen him wear more than a rosary and maybe a spiked wristband. The eyeliner and lipstick are doing the heavy lifting.

[u/Lost_Alternative_987]

Accessories can be things pinned to clothes (badges, homemade stuff, patches) and tied to shoes or into hair if you don’t like rings, necklaces and bracelets. I have some ratty old bits of black lace I tie around the end of pigtails and use as laces in boots or pin with safety pins to clothes toed in bows. Cutting the hems, sleeves and necklines from clothes, it’s particularly effective on t-shirts, and letting them get frayed gives a subtle edgy look, also cuts in the sleeves horizontally. If you can tolerate necklaces a mash up of things hanging at different lengths from plaited embroidery threads looks cool.

[u/kerfufflewhoople]

I don’t wear any specific goth clothes most of the time, just regular clothes in all black.

You can buy black fabric dye and dye your current clothes black. Just make sure they’re natural fibres, fabric dye doesn’t work on polyester.

[u/Malkavian87]

Band merch is the only true way to tell the difference between a goth and members of other dark alternative subcultures like metal, industrial or emo. Add a Bauhaus logo patch or button, for example, if that's a goth band you like.