The 10 most popular types of Gothic

The goth subculture is a culture of diversity and expression, but it is united by common elements and themes. Misconceptions and stereotypes abound when most people think about what it means to be goth. Perhaps one of the most common is that if you are goth, it must mean that you are an angry or depressed Satanist who embraces all that is evil.

The reality is very different, so let's clear up some misinformation about what it means to be goth and explore the rich variety of this dark, mysterious and wonderful subculture.

1- What exactly is Gothic?

In the 1970s and 1980s, as the rock and punk music genres exploded and rapidly evolved, a new term was coined to describe the emergence of a variation of this music as well as the new fashionable styles that accompanied it .

Bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Joy Division and others were among the first pioneers to popularize the gothic style. The goth subculture was essentially born from this emerging music scene and the corresponding fashion styles of these groups inspired fans around the world to adopt and continue to develop the look and, ultimately, the culture.


Today, several decades later, the goth subculture has evolved to include many different styles, beliefs and disciplines, making it one of the most popular subcultures in the world, with many followers in Japan , in Germany and the United States.


The Gothic subculture is often characterized by wearing all-black clothing , strong elements of magic or witchcraft, angry or depressed attitudes and emotions, and bad intent or involvement. While there may be traces of these elements in certain segments of the goth subculture, many of these misconceptions couldn't be further from the truth.


The reality is that the goth subculture is a vast and diverse collection of different fashion styles, preferences, musical tastes, outlooks on life, belief systems, etc. Goths enjoy a wide variety of different types of music and fashion styles. Plus, being goth has nothing to do with being angry, sad, or having bad intentions. The goth subculture includes many happy, optimistic and bubbly personalities. Goths can laugh, have fun, have a positive attitude, and ultimately be good people.

What most gothic subcultures have in common is finding beauty and wonder in the dark, the morbid, and the mysterious. The dark and scary elements of life, which most people are not interested in, are the basis of many goths' lives and are likely linked to individual personality traits and core beliefs. Many people gravitate toward the goth subculture because they personally identify with a love and appreciation of darker things. It's a strong form of expression and a counter-cultural movement that challenges what the mainstream had tried to impose on people in terms of lifestyle and what that should look like.


Like every other subculture on the planet, despite differences in fashion, music and identity, everyone is united by our humanity. We all love, hurt and bleed the same. We should never judge people based on their appearance. It is a person's character that lets the world know the type of person they are.


It should be noted that the popular gothic styles discussed below are not intended to label particular segments that people belong to, but rather to categorize different types of gothic styles based on their preferences in music, fashion, etc. . But at the end of the day, goths can have any style or preference and everyone has complete freedom to be who they want to be.


Okay, now that we have a brief history lesson, let's delve into some of the most popular types of goths.

2 - Trad (traditional) goth

Trad (short for traditional) Goth refers to the seminal musical and fashion styles that emerged at the dawn of the Goth subculture. Borrowing from the styles of the rock and punk scene of the 70s and 80s, you will see many similarities between early gothic style and the rock and punk styles of the time.

This particular style has remained more or less faithful to the traditional roots of the gothic subculture. He took the existing rock and punk styles of the time and went a little darker with the concept. Traditional goths can often be identified by their taste in certain old goth music and their love of dark fashion.


Clothing and accessories include things like black leather, boots , fishnets, belts , and torn shirts . Hair color is usually black and is often a central part of their appearance, with many resembling the glam-rock styles popular in the 80s. Dark makeup and accentuation of pale skin features are also very common.


Many Goths consider the traditional Gothic style to be the pure and original form of the Goth subculture.

3- Romantic Goth

Romantic goths, handsome, elegant and dark, are characterized by velvet and lace clothing , but above all by their romantic vision of things dead, dark and scary. These types of goths draw inspiration largely from the literature and fashion styles of the early Victorian era.


Romantic goths find beauty and appreciation in concepts like dead roses, moonlit graveyards, and literature that emphasizes love, heartbreak, and tragedy. Many of those who identify with this type of Gothic style are creatives with a passion for theater, hence the love of tragic literature.


Fashion and clothing generally have strong Victorian roots, with an emphasis on black clothing with colorful highlights of brighter colors such as red and purple. Musical tastes often lean towards the softer, classically inspired sounds of bands like Dark Sanctuary or Nightwish.

It is this type of Gothic's tendency to romanticize the dark and tragic by combining it with strong emotion and colorful notes that often defines what it means to be a Romantic Gothic.

4- Cyber ​​goth

Cyber ​​goths are a relatively recent addition to the goth subculture that primarily emerged during the rapid rise of heavy electronic music and technology. Unlike many of their goth counterparts, these types of goths are less attracted to black clothing and pale skin, and instead infuse more radical and colorful elements into their style.


Mainstream goths tend to identify with loud electronic music like techno, dubstep, and industrial genres. Not entirely far from the rave or electronic dance scene, trad goths tend to share a love of electronic music styles, dance and colorful fashion.


Many believe that these types of goths were born into the electronic music genre, but gravitated into the goth subculture due to their vocation to a darker nature. Common identifiers in terms of fashion include things like neon dreads, gas masks , and goggles. Makeup styles often include more extravagant designs. Other accessories can be added, such as leggings, platform boots , leather collars and corsets .

Cyber ​​goths are distinguished from other goths in this subculture by being most connected to electronic music, dance, and modern or advanced technologies. Additionally, this style tends to attract more energetic personality types due to the strong component of dance culture embedded within it.

5- Goth vampire

The vampire gothic style is similar to romantic goths in that it incorporates many of the same elements like Victorian fashion but with a strong emphasis on aristocratic or elegant tones.

As their name suggests, vampire goths are primarily characterized by their love of vampires and vampire-related concepts and themes. These types of goths were popularized by inspiration drawn from early forms of vampire literature, such as those created by Anne Rice.

Vampire goths reflect vampiric concepts, so you will often see an emphasis on fangs, satin and silk robes , robes and other clothing, as well as a taste and elegance for the most common things. more refined. Some vampiric goths go even further by actually believing they are a vampire and acting like one. This depth of immersion is often referred to as the "Vampire" subculture, where the concept of stealing the energy or blood of others is seen as something less fictional.

6- Pastel goth

This gothic style is relatively new and is characterized by soft pastels often linked to Kawaii fashion. Although still based on the same darker concepts and principles as other goths, these types of goths incorporate soft and bright imagery into both alternative and traditional goth fashion.


Rainbows, unicorns, pink hair, bright necklaces , etc. combine with traditional gothic elements such as piercings, tattoos (usually brightly colored), and a shared love of the dark and scary.


Pastel goth takes the fundamental dark and scary elements of goth subculture and infuses them with bright, pretty colors. Think of it as a meet-cute-spooky where death and decay are reimagined or celebrated in bright and colorful ways.

7- Emo goth

While many still classify emo as part of the gothic subculture, it is considered by many to be a cousin to most gothic styles, as opposed to a directly related branch. The emo (meaning emotion or emotional hardcore) subculture was popularized in the late 90s and early 2000s, where it even made its way into the mainstream. Around 2010, emo's popularity rapidly declined and although there were still plenty of emo goths in the market, it had dwindled to a relatively small community compared to its former glory.


Although this style originated from traditional gothic elements and ideologies, emo has flourished into its own distinct subculture. It placed a strong emphasis on poetic literature and celebrated the emotional. It was a refuge for the outcasts who were united by their strong emotions.


The music of these types of goths consisted of many emotional and hardcore bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Funeral for a Friend, Secondhand Serenade, Senses Fail, Underoath, and others. Much emo hardcore music incorporated screaming, which often accompanied the emotional parts of the song.

Emo style is typically characterized by skinny jeans , band t-shirts , Vans or Converse shoes , studded belts and bracelets, piercings, tattoos, and most importantly, hair that often features long bangs covering the ends. eyes.

8-Victorian goth

As their name suggests, Victorian Goths get much of their style from the Victorian era which popularized things such as extravagant dresses and sleek hair. With a preference for fancier things, these types of goths emulate the wealthy and aristocratic elite of the Victorian era. Formal galas and other luxurious parties are popular for this type of Gothic as well as a strong interest in poetry, literature, and Victorian pastimes, among others. All of these combine with the dark gothic aesthetic to form a segment of goth subculture.

Victorian Gothic music styles often have classical influences which also include a common interest in things like opera or theatrical performances. The fashion style of these types of goths is usually characterized by extravagant ball gowns, corsets, hats, long black gloves , as well as accessories such as chokers, chokers, and other types of jewelry . Victorian goths often have pale skin, soft makeup, and long black hair.

9- Nu goth

A relatively recent addition to the goth subculture, nu goth, sometimes called hipster goth, is a mix between traditional goths and more contemporary modern elements. As their name suggests, these types of goths take a "new" approach to goth subculture by taking certain elements from traditional goth styles and merging them with more modern concepts.

They stand out less in terms of music and ideologies and instead focus on fashion. Nu goth borrows some elements from traditional gothic styles, but it is often given a simpler or more "watered down" look. It basically incorporates gothic elements without making as bold a statement as other types of goth.

Nu goth style is often called "hipster goth" because of the elements of hipster fashion and styles in which it is deeply rooted. For many, the nu goth style is more hipster than gothic, however, despite the strong hipster component, the nu goth style is still rooted in many of the same core concepts as the darker goth styles.

10- Bubble goth

Bubble Gothic is a new style of Gothic that can more or less be traced to a single person. Estonian pop singer, Kerli Koiv, popularized this style and, in the true spirit of the goth subculture, had a desire to "make beautiful, scary and scary, beautiful".

As with the very origins of the goth subculture, this particular style was born from this type of music. Similar to pastel goths, the bubble goth style adds a colorful and somewhat cute touch to the traditionally dark aesthetic of the goth subculture.

The musical genre of these types of goths mainly includes the musical works of Kerli Koiv (since she more or less spawned the bubble goth style). With similarities to music styles found in the cybergoth world, bubble goth is very pop music focused on edgier or darker electronic elements.

As with cyber goths, bubble goth fashion borrows elements such as gas masks, technology, and other similar accessories. Additionally, it has many similarities with pastel goths, as the style incorporates less dark clothing and instead focuses on lighter or more neutral colors in a variety of styles like shorts, skirts, and tops.

11- Goth deathrocker

A unique branch of the goth subculture, deathrocker goths primarily evolved from the punk origins that infuse the goth style. Darker than traditional punk styles, deathrockers fall somewhere between punk and traditional goths.

These types of goths are primarily based on punk fashion, but this has been taken further by incorporating many goth elements to evolve into a darker alternative style. Closer to traditional goths than other types, deathrocker goths are often considered the missing link between goth and punk.


Visually, this style is known for its strong punk elements like jeans, chains, piercings and extravagant makeup, but all with a darker, more gothic vibe. One of the most notable and common features of this style is the "Deathhawk", which is adopted by the punk and goth subcultures. Additionally, the shaved sides of the head are a common aspect incorporated into the Deathhawk or as a standalone feature.