Trends of the New Gothic Era~ Understanding the Runway ~ Gothic Style

~ Chapter 13 ~ Gothic Style transformed from runway to every day fashion

In the darkness, goths rule the nightworld so it’s time to shine some light on the newest trends and dust the webs off our inner goths. In this series of chapters, I will be exploring the emergence of the latest trends in fashion’s underworld.

I’ve always wanted to dress in a gothic wardrobe fulltime but as I grow older the demands of the workplace require a much more modest approach to fashion and everyday life just doesn’t allow it as often.

So here’s my approach to the latest gothic trends that you can wear at work, in public, and even abroad. Dress how you want to dress. Gothic trends are emerging more elegant and mysterious than before and it’s time to add some new styles into the mix.

From Runway to Reality

Studying fashion trends from the runway can seem impossible at first or maybe some of the looks you’ll just never understand because there are an infinite amount of interpretations. The trick about runway clothes is to see past all the crazy designs and to take it apart like a puzzle and arrange it into a new look that suits your style.

Before we get started, first is do your research on the latest and even older runway collections for gothic wear. Choose the type you are interested in. (Don’t visualize yourself wearing it just yet). Make a collection of about 20-30 looks then ask yourself. Why did I chose it? Was it the color, flashiness, textures, the overall look?

I’ve broken down how to understand and use your chosen runway looks into four basic categories.

Inspiration Through Color

Color attracts the eye and I find it’s the easiest way to gain inspiration. Choosing colors that attract your attention will make you feel confident when you go to wear them because they are naturally relaxing to your mind. The most important thing is to chose the tone of that color that will compliment your skin and hair type. Not sure what those are? Click here to see my previous blog on finding your colors. Sorting through your small collection of pictures choose a few main colors to work with and throw away the ones that don’t interest you. Of course black is a must, but feel free to branch out to different colors to add a bit of mixture into your style. The color can be found in something as small as piercings or as large as the entire outfit. Take a look below to see how I’ve taken the runway look and brought together inspirations for various skin/hair types and fashion looks.

Using Texture and Fabrics

Fabrics and textures come in a large variety in the fashion market so feel free to explore with all the kinds it has to offer. Looking through your photos choose textures and fabrics that you absolutely love and search for clothes with those similar tastes. I absolutely love the shiny look of patent leather and also velvet. While a full patent leather outfit may be a bit too much for my style, I look for bags, shoes, and sometimes bits and pieces of the shiny goodness in my wardrobe to break up the matte look of black. Crimson velvet paired with gold and black is just to die for and makes me feel like a goddess. I search for these in dresses that are elegant or my shoes for the soft silky vibe. Below I’ve taken the strange statement piece of old wood and put together some inspirations from this look. While you might wonder who would wear such a strange thing on their shoulders the designer wanted to draw attention to a specific concept or mood. We might not be able to understand what that mood was, but it’s used to gather inspiration to fit our own style.

Circle, Square, Triangle ~ Learn Your Basic Shapes

Deciding what shapes you like from photos or on your body can be a bit more difficult as it changes constantly in the fashion industry almost every year. Finding shapes in clothes can be hard to see to the untrained eye, but with a little practice anyone can start to see them on the runway. Some common shapes maybe you are familiar with are square, rounded, triangular, or hourglass. The fashion market will be limited in this aspect so you might have to shop around a bit and look through recycle shops for that special piece with just the right shape. You can judge the shape of the entire outfit on the runway or just a single piece such as a skirt, shirt, etc. Choose a shape that compliments your body type best and then from there search for clothes with that similar shape. For example, some people are attracted to soft rounded edges while others prefer sharp crisp edges. Use those references when shopping or putting together your style. Below I’ve taken three looks and put together three more standard outfits that contain the same basic shapes.

Achieving the Whole Look

This one is most difficult and that is to take the entire look from the runway and copy it. These designs are hand made, one of a kind, and very expensive so finding something similar will take some planning and time. Piece by piece you can gather the entire look or opt out of a few pieces to make it your own unique style. Being the most dramatic of fashion it can be a great challenge to adopt the latest look for that noticeable artistic appeal. Having never done this myself I can’t give much advice on how to gather the look, but by sifting through stores, online, and recycle shops you can assemble the look or if you dare and are skilled you can make it yourself.

Runway fashion is art. Don’t let it determine what you should and shouldn’t wear. These are just inspirations to take from and don’t necessarily mean that it’s how we should dress. Runway designs are used to express the designer’s creativity. So now it’s your turn to express your own designs by putting together your unique gothic style to inspire others.