Grown-up goth.

Like most sub-cultures, goth makes me think of youth. I was never super into the music but I've always adored the beauty of the fashion. Few genres of music inspire the same level of dedication and creativity through clothes. A lot of my teens were spent flirting with goth and punk fashion. However, though I don't feel (at twenty) that I'm old, I do feel I'm too old for some of the things I used to wear. Very few people don't look ridiculous in these clothes beyond their teens. It's just a little too literal, a little juvenile. Not true for everyone, of course, as there are those people who dedicate themselves and their lives so completely to genres, make them a way of life, that you cannot help but nod appreciatively. For those of us who aren't quite so epic, we have to learn how to, not lose who we were, but integrate that into becoming an adult. That means being a little less obvious, a little less costumey. Looking like an Anne Rice character is cute when you're fifteen but not when you're going for job interviews. But you don't want to lose yourself to being age appropriate. How to balance it? Do a Booth and only let your personality shine through socks and ties? Or maybe we can just learn to think about things in more abstract ways. Fashion houses are great educators of this idea. Retain that punk or goth aesthetic through a colour palate, materials or hints of sub-culture that are included in unexpected ways. What I'm wearing today isn't even a particularly subtle example of this; We have a largely black palate with some red thrown in for colour, use of lace and sheers, a crucifix and cameo. Worn differently, all these elements would be too much, too literal but here they are tamed by the simple wardrobe staple, the classic black skinny (which transcends every age group), by inversion of typical goth silhouette and layering. The goth silhouette is usually baggy on bottom and tight on top; as when poofy little skirts or longer flowy ones are paired with corsets. Here, I'm wearing tight pants with loose, baggy layers on top. I have layered a kimono-like jacket over a Peter Pan collared shirt over a corset-inspired tank. This adds depth to the outfit, layers of interest and layers of influence; Japanese fashion, sweeter, preppy trends and more stereotypical gothic clothing. The hair and makeup (or lack thereof) is pretty casual and neutral, again, not giving in to the obvious or costume by slicking on some black lipstick. 

See, the thing is, as adults we're so much more than one genre. We've experienced so much more and moved on from the hurt and pain and general shittyness of being stuck in the ether (and secondary school) and we no longer need to hide behind our music. When we're adults that music, life-shattering, altering and bettering as it may have been, is just one part of the many things that make us unique. It's no longer everything about us. So, when I make my goth a little more grown-up and try to age gracefully, I'm not forgetting my past but I'm letting it fit in better with my present and my future x

Corset-inspired tank - Vila - Shirt - Two Tone - Kimono-like jacket - Vintage (says its from Paris but nothing else) - Skinny jeans - Pieces - Crucifix - Topshop - Cameo brooch - Gift from Italian friends - Runners - Office