12 June 2008

What happens when dressing head-to-toe Goth during daylight..

I came across an interesting article on the Daily Mail's website (I didn´t know such a right-wing newspaper would pay any attention to a subculture fashion.....) where a fashion journalist tried on the "trendy" outfits of the moment. Obviously, the experience wasn´t pleasant at all. The interesting bit is, of course, when she dresses herself as a Goth. Here´s the bit:

GOTHIC
"Fashion took a turn for the macabre at Prada, Fendi and Gareth Pugh this season [winter 07], with black and more black.
There was also a gothic twist at Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane, who named witches as the inspiration for their collections.
I'm a bit worried about this one, especially when the make-up artist slathers an entire compact of black eyeshadow on me and says she's going to make my hair look 'dirty'.
Camilla Staerk's tulle dress is beautifully made, though; the halterneck is elegant and the Victorian bustle skirt makes me feel like a baddie in one of Dickens' novels.
The fingerless gloves are rather Karl Lagerfeld-esque and the Jimmy Choo ankle boots are to die for. I suspect the jagged metal cone heels could be classed as lethal weapons.
So, individually, I really like each piece of clothing. But head-to-toe, I'm scared by what I see in the mirror.
Unlike the other looks I've tried today, it feels unnatural to smile in this outfit. People stare and some swerve out of my way. None grin or stop to chat.
Far from feeling empowered and fierce, my confidence is waning - so I move quickly on. "What do you think of my outfit?" I ask two passing girls. "You look like the goths at our school," laughs one. "Yeah, I think the gloves are cool, but there's too much black. You need some colour," says the other.
Good idea. We head to a nearby flower stall to take a photo with a bright background. Or at least we try to.

The flower seller looks me up and down with a face like a wet weekend and refuses to let me buy anything from him, let alone have my picture taken next to his roses.
No wonder goths have a reputation for always being so grumpy - the reaction I'm getting is overwhelmingly negative.
Fed up, I head to the nearest cake shop to sweeten up. The girl serving me grins, then makes my day: "Where is your dress from? I love it," she beams. I give her the designer's details and she, in turn, hands over my cake for free. Maybe being a goth for the day isn't quite so bad after all.
VERDICT: Not my cup of tea. Head-to-toe black is just too sombre and seemed to scare away everyone.
If you're into this look, you've got to be brave and go the whole hog: diluting black garments with bright colours just looks cheap. If you're wearing it in the day-time, go a little lighter on the make-up to avoid scaring small children. 2/10
"


MY VERDICT: Goths don´t look grumpy! People think they´re grumpy. Gothic style is just for Goths or Goth-lovers (people with a strong and very defined personality). This article is a clear example when anyone (not familiar with the subculture) attempts to wear it and then they deeply regret it and on top of that they make a fool of themselves, turning the outfit into a custom outfit. Goth is about sophisticated drama not dressing up for Halloween!

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