Okay, so I’ve been seeing “trad goth” pop up all over my socials lately, and honestly, I was kinda clueless. I mean, I knew goth, but trad goth? What’s the difference? So, I started digging.
My Deep Dive into Trad Goth
First, I hit up Google, obviously. Just typed in “what is trad goth” and scrolled through a bunch of articles and forum posts. Lots of talk about the 80s, specific bands, and certain fashion staples. It seemed like a pretty defined subculture within the larger goth scene.
Then I moved to YouTube. Found some cool videos explaining the history and the music. I watched a few “get ready with me” videos to see how people were actually putting the looks together, too.
- I learned that trad goth is basically the original goth style from the 1980s.
- Bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure (early stuff), Bauhaus, and Sisters of Mercy are, like, the core of the sound.
- It’s all about that dark, romantic, kinda spooky vibe.
- Fashion-wise, think lots of black, big teased hair, dark eyeliner, maybe some fishnets and lace.
After that, I spent some time on Pinterest. I created a board and pinned a bunch of images that seemed to capture the trad goth aesthetic. This really helped me get a visual sense of the style.
I didn’t want to just read about it, I needed music.
I opened my Spotify account, I searched for those main bands people recommended. I created my playlists and put them on.
Finally, I actually tried putting together a trad goth-inspired outfit. I don’t have a ton of black clothes, but I found a black dress, paired it with some ripped tights, did my makeup a little darker than usual, and teased my hair a bit. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a fun experiment!
So, yeah, that’s my journey into understanding trad goth. It’s way more than just “goth.” It’s a specific era, a specific sound, and a specific look. I’m definitely going to keep exploring it!
