By: Selassie W.
Many people have misconceptions about different fashion styles, and because of that, there are a lot of stereotypes about the people who choose to wear different fashions from the everyday norm. For example, someone walking down the street clad entirely in black might have a Gothic fashion sense. Some people assume that a person dressed like this is depressed or suicidal, when actually that person is quite happy, and might be a very friendly person. This happens every day, where people are either discriminated for what they choose to wear, or they’re looked down upon as weird. Now let's analyze a few fashion styles and see if we can tear down the stereotypes or misconceptions people have about these fashion styles.
Goth-Grunge
For this style there are some grunge elements that make this style more of a softer look of Goth than a harsher Victorian look. This style of Gothic dressing often entails the stereotype that the wearer is suicidal/depressed. People have to understand that dressing in darker colors doesn’t mean you’re depressed, and many people who are part of the Goth culture are often, in my experience, happier and more open-minded than people who aren’t.
For this style there are some grunge elements that make this style more of a softer look of Goth than a harsher Victorian look. This style of Gothic dressing often entails the stereotype that the wearer is suicidal/depressed. People have to understand that dressing in darker colors doesn’t mean you’re depressed, and many people who are part of the Goth culture are often, in my experience, happier and more open-minded than people who aren’t.
Kawaii/ Pastel Goth This style incorporates Kawaii, which is a style from Japan that is mostly pink and purple mixed with cutesy elements like cat ears. This style is the newest style, because it mixes the cute Kawaii elements with the darker elements of Goth. People who want to get into more Gothic fashion styles, but still wear a lot of pinks and purples could do Kawaii Goth. There is some discrimination against this style because of the Kawaii element. Some people may not like the Kawaii style, because it’s more child-like. Even though Kawaii incorporates a lot of fluffy elements like cat ear shirts, and Hello Kitty leggings, it’s part of a bigger culture that stems from Japan’s Harajuku. Harajuku is a fashion district in Japan that is known for new ways of innovating different fashion styles and it's also were the fashion Kawaii comes from. |
Indie/Hippie Goth
This style is the most popular, and it incorporates some of the 60s Hippie movement style that was in full bloom. This style is also very popular on websites like Tumblr and Pinterest. To achieve this style, you can get a maxi dress and pair it with a black crop-top. Many people dress differently in this subculture of Goth. However, it doesn’t mean that their style is weird; it’s good to be able to analyze a fashion style before judging a person for what they’re wearing. It also reduces the amount of discrimination one might experience, because of the way they dress. All people should respect one another for who they are.
Source:
Jerome Taylor, Nabeelah Jaffer, Nick Renaud-Komiya. "'The Abuse Has Become a Daily Thing': Punks and Goths Hail Overdue Recognition." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 04 Apr. 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-abuse-has-become-a-daily-thing-punks-and-goths-hail-overdue-recognition-8559181.html
This style is the most popular, and it incorporates some of the 60s Hippie movement style that was in full bloom. This style is also very popular on websites like Tumblr and Pinterest. To achieve this style, you can get a maxi dress and pair it with a black crop-top. Many people dress differently in this subculture of Goth. However, it doesn’t mean that their style is weird; it’s good to be able to analyze a fashion style before judging a person for what they’re wearing. It also reduces the amount of discrimination one might experience, because of the way they dress. All people should respect one another for who they are.
Source:
Jerome Taylor, Nabeelah Jaffer, Nick Renaud-Komiya. "'The Abuse Has Become a Daily Thing': Punks and Goths Hail Overdue Recognition." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 04 Apr. 2013. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-abuse-has-become-a-daily-thing-punks-and-goths-hail-overdue-recognition-8559181.html