Maybe you’re 12, 13, 14 or even older and dreaming of finding out how to express your feelings through a new lifestyle. If you want to be a gothic teenager , opt for outfits that consist primarily of black clothing with gothic details like a studded belt or skull tights. Use art to express yourself, e.g. B. through fashion and makeup.
Research backgrounds and subcultures to understand what it means to be « goth ». Read gothic novels and listen to gothic music to immerse yourself in the life of the goth scene. With a little research and a few simple steps, you can become a true gothic teenager.
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1) Dress as a goth
A) Fill your closet with black clothes
The color black will be the basis of your wardrobe. Choose different styles and cuts of clothes that are all black, such as t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, tank tops, jeans, leggings, trousers, skirts or even dresses.
You can also combine other dark colors with black clothes, e.g. B. dark burgundy instead of pastel pink and navy blue instead of light blue.
2) Choose leather and lace items
Leather and lace are gothic items par excellence. Tight leather pants, lace tops or dresses, leather vests or jackets, lace stockings, and even leather bags would go well.
You can go for black leather and lace, or go for other dark colors like forest green, plum, and charcoal gray.
3) Choose clothing with gothic motifs
It is not necessary for all of your clothing to be black every day. You can also wear “”clothes with colorful skull motifs”” , crosses, crows, roses or angel wings.
Sometimes you can even find clothes that look like a Ouija board. Garments decorated with real icons of the Gothic movement, such as the band Edward Scissorhands, The Cult, Marilyn Manson, the Misfits, Elvira, Killing Joke or the Addams Family are also a good choice.
You can e.g. For example, try wearing black pants with a red skull shirt , or purple leggings with an angel top.
4) Choose gothic accessories
Belts, bracelets with studs or spikes, skull or cross jewelry, and black hats are good choices. Chains and gloves cut off at the fingers are also very popular to create a distinctly gothic look. Victorian jewelry such as earrings or necklaces are also good choices.
5) Wears black shoes
Choose from military style combat boots (a staple of goth style), high heel boots, lace up boots, or any other style of boot that you like and feel comfortable in.
If you prefer shoes , then choose black sneakers, flat shoes, shoes with reinforced soles, pumps, moccasins or even sandals. Choose a pair of comfortable and durable shoes so that you have the right shoe for each of your outfits.
6) Add gothic accents to your outfit
If your school requires you to wear an appropriate outfit, you can still look gothic by adding small accents, such as: B. tights with a rose pattern or jewelry with skulls or crosses. Stick gothic pins in your hair or pin a skull pin to your school bag.
You can also paint your fingernails black and choose a gothic-style makeup and hairstyle. Add black accessories, e.g. B. Combat boots and a trench coat .
Make sure you follow the dress code required by your school and avoid using inappropriate words or images on your uniform.
B) Put on gothic make-up and hairstyle
1) Choose a pale foundation
The iconic goth look features pale skin and black eye makeup . Choose a foundation that is 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 ensure the foundation is well blended.
If you’re not allowed to wear makeup or your complexion is too dark to apply a light foundation, don’t worry! You can still create a gothic look through your clothes and accessories.
If you’ve ever been dark-skinned and really wish you had a pale complexion but obviously can’t, try dying your hair as dark as possible. Even if the contrast isn’t significant, it will be enough to draw attention away from your non-pale complexion.
2) Wear dramatic eye makeup
Choose a dark eyeshadow, e.g. B. black, gray or purple. You can use a pencil or liquid eyeliner to create a cat look, or simply draw in dark circles with a black pencil. Apply multiple coats of black mascara, or choose a mascara in a fun color like pink, blue, or purple.
For school, you might want to minimize the amount of makeup you wear. Choose a Gothic style, e.g. A black lipstick or eyeliner , for example , and skip the rest.
3) Choose a dark color for your lips
A dark lipstick , such as B. Black contrasts well with your pale face. You can also go for a classic deep crimson red, or mix it up by choosing a plum, magenta, or navy lipstick. You can choose a signature color to wear every day, or choose the color based on your outfit or mood.
4) Choose the hairstyle you want to have
You don’t necessarily have to have long, black hair to be Gothic. Feel free to choose the cut and hairstyle that suits you best, or leave your hair natural. Everything is allowed, from a shaved head to a mohawk to stiff hair.
5) Dye your hair if you feel like it
Go for a deep blue-black or opt for a bolder color like cherry red. Purple, green, and blue are also popular colors among goths . You can color all your hair, add highlights, create a shadow effect, or color just the ends.
Choose a color and style that makes you feel good, but ask your parents for permission first!
6) Add goth hairstyle accessories
Bandanas, headbands, wands, barrettes, and clips can help keep your hair out of your face and add some interest to your styling. Choose hair accessories made of lace or leather, opt for solid black or choose a pattern like roses or skulls .
C) Adopt a Gothic lifestyle.
1) Research Gothic history and culture
If you really want to be gothic, you need to educate yourself about gothic history and subculture . Do some research on the internet or go to the library and pick up some books on the subject, e.g. B. Nancy Kilpatrick’s Gothic Bible. Find out about Gothic icons, especially musicians and movie characters like Alice Cooper, David Vanian and Theda Bara.
The goth subculture emerged in Britain in the 1980s and was influenced by both punk rock and 19th-century gothic literature.
So from now on let yourself be inspired by the gothic characters you can find in TV series and movies like Lydia Deetz, John Blaylock, Lily Munster, Donnie Darko and Wednesday Addams.
2) Listen to Gothic music
There are many different genres such as gothic rock , death rock, EBM, darkwave and new wave. Gothic artists include Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, and The Cure. Choose music that you enjoy listening to and that you can identify with. Never feel compelled to stop listening to a band just because it’s not goth, and don’t listen to a band just because it’s goth.
Gothics usually agree that the music is the deciding factor. You don’t just have to listen to gothic music (or its subspecies), but you should at least be interested in it.
Start with “Dead by Bauhaus” by Bela Lugosi. This is the basis of Gothic music .
3) Read Gothic books
Search your local library with a keyword like “Gothic” to get started.
Cécile Guillot’s Tributes to a Gothic Woman in Love, Dodie Smith’s Cassandra’s Castle or Susan Hill’s The Hand of the Night are good options. You can choose books about vampires and the undead, as well as those that explore ideas like mortality and darkness.
Classical and romantic literature is very important. Most goths have a good understanding of culture.
Traditional Gothic literature includes Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde ».
4) Let your creativity express itself through Gothic Art
Gothics tend to be creative people with intense emotions . Express these emotions through art. As an example you can take drawing, a diary, singing, painting or dancing. We even have a tutorial for you on how to easily draw a skull . You can also write poems, stories, or songs. Use your creativity to upgrade your wardrobe or create new makeup or hairstyle styles.
5) Don’t go with the crowd!
Young goths are not sheep, they don’t follow trends or prevailing ideas, but are freethinkers who form their own opinions. Don’t accept something just because other people do it, even if those people are goth friends.
Make your own decisions based on your personal preferences and values.
6) Visit goth events
Join the goth teen social media groups to find out about various goth events. You can also search the internet for goth festivals or goth clubs in your area. There you can meet other goth teenagers, learn more about the goth subculture and get ideas for your hairstyle, make-up, wardrobe and lifestyle. Even if you can’t find goth events
in your area , you can connect with other goth teenagers through online forums and goth groups.
If you want to become a true goth, all of our “”articles here”” will answer your questions.
D) The 12 commandments to go gothic
To wrap up everything said so far, here’s a little recap of the key points if you’re wondering how to go Gothic:
1. Dress gothic
2. Choose leather and lace gothic accessories.
3. Wear black shoes
4. Wear skull jewelry
5. Have gothic makeup
6. Choose dark eye shadow
7. Choose dark color for lips 8. Choose a
hairstyle you like
9. Adopt a gothic lifestyle
10. Listening to rock/metal music
11. Attending goth events
12. Don’t follow the crowd and don’t listen to anyone but yourself!
You now hold all the keys to becoming the true version of yourself, free from all the constraints and pressures of the society we live in.
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