Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog post, channeling that experienced, down-to-earth blogger vibe, and focusing on the “trad goth dress” topic:
Alright, so I’ve been meaning to put together a proper trad goth look for ages. I’ve always loved the aesthetic, you know, that whole Victorian-vampire-meets-80s-club-kid thing. But it felt a little…intimidating. Like, where do you even start?
First thing I did was hit up Pinterest, obviously. I made a board, just dumping in anything that screamed “trad goth” to me. Pictures of Siouxsie Sioux, Patricia Morrison, old photos from the Batcave club… anything that gave me that vibe. I spent, like, a week just collecting images. It really helped me to see the common threads.
Gathering the Pieces
Next, I realized I needed to actually, you know, find the clothes. I wasn’t about to drop a ton of cash on all-new stuff, so I started with what I already had. Turns out, I owned more black than I thought! I dug out an old black velvet skirt I’d forgotten about, a couple of lacy tops, and some fishnet stockings. Score!
Then came the thrifting. Oh man, thrifting is essential for this style. I spent a Saturday afternoon hitting up a few local shops. I was specifically looking for:
- Black lace: Anything with a Victorian or Edwardian feel.
- Velvet: Skirts, jackets, whatever.
- Flowy fabrics: Stuff that drapes well, like chiffon or even a lightweight cotton.
- Boots: Pointy-toe, maybe with buckles. Doc Martens are a classic, but I was open to anything.
I ended up finding a killer long black skirt with a bit of a ruffle at the bottom (perfect!), and a lacy top that was a little too big, but I figured I could make it work. The boots were a bust, though. I’ll have to keep looking for those.
Putting It All Together
So, back home, I started playing around with different combinations. I layered the lacy top under a black velvet vest I already owned. The long skirt, the fishnets, and… yeah, I was feeling it. I even added a black choker I’d made years ago out of some spare ribbon and a little charm.
I tried some different hairstyles, but keeping it simple.
The makeup was the fun part. I went for a classic pale face, dark eyes, and dark lips. I’m no makeup artist, so I kept it pretty simple: white powder, black eyeliner (lots of it!), and a deep red lipstick. I even tried to do that whole “smudged” eyeshadow look, which… well, it was a look, let’s just say that.
The Final Result (and What I Learned)
Honestly? I was pretty happy with how it turned out! It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely captured that trad goth vibe I was going for. It felt…powerful, you know? Like I could go dance all night at a goth club (even though I probably wouldn’t, I’m more of a stay-in-and-watch-horror-movies kind of goth these days).
The biggest thing I learned? It’s all about the attitude. You don’t need to have the perfect clothes or the perfect makeup. It’s about embracing that dark, romantic, slightly theatrical aesthetic. And, honestly, having fun with it! It’s dress-up, after all. Don’t take it too seriously.
It took some trail and error, but I think it turned well, though I’m not a makeup artist!
Next step? Finding those perfect boots…and maybe experimenting with some more dramatic makeup. Wish me luck!
