Gothic Rock clothing has it’s roots in the Victorian cult of mourning, with black being the ‘colour’ of choice, but modern ‘Goth’ clothing blends a host of styles and images to create a wonderously diverse look which both stuns and provokes a reaction.
Gothic clothing originally emerged in the early 1980′s as a consequence of the Gothic rock music scene. The look was easily identified by the use of religious or macarbre imagery, leather, fishnet stockings and thigh boots as well as black eye make-up on both Men and Women. This look has morphed over the years to include styles and clothing from the Punk movement, BDSM and ‘Lolita’ sexual imagery plus Elisabethan ruffled shirts.
For women, the use of lots of black velvet and velvet with very tightly laced corsets is the classic ‘Goth’ look, but with the inclusion of styles from other eras we now see brightly coloured dresses, leggings and shoes being brought into the mix, with flouorescent colours and 50′s ‘Marilyn Monro’ type dresses also being worn by lady Goths.
The Goth clothing movement was originally a complete revolt against the bright and brash clothing and lifestyle of the 1970′s and 1980′s, with their use of mixed clashing colours and way-out styling. In some ways, Gothic clothing mirrors both 70′s and 80′s fashion as the whole ethos of the Goth look is deliberate overstatement, even more so with modern Goth clothing as the once shunned bright colours have now been welcomed back into the fold, with designers like Hell Bunny and Poizen Industries offering a mix of flat black and dayglo colours, with the use of bright tartans and overbanding mixing with traditional Gothic styles.
For women, the Hell Bunny clothing rangs gives a real mix of styling, with everything from baby pink 50′s dresses to PVC corsets and an abundance of black lace and the shortest of mini skirts. These clothes, mixed with a choice of massively high heeled ankle boots or the traditional Doc Martens boots give a shocking look which epitomises the modern Goth uniform, and although not as shocking as the old ‘everything black’ look still turns heads.
Women’s Goth clothing doesn’t finish at the top layers – let’s face it, the look would break down pretty quickly if underwear turned out to be cotton panties and a bra from M&S! Gothic women’s underwear harks back to the Golden age of corsets, stockings and suspender belts, with a mix of materials being used – everything from PVC and leather to black lace. Corsetry is very much the name of the game, with overbust and underbust styles being worn either over clothing or under to give shape and definition of waist and bust. Stockings tend to be lace, fishnet or designed with predominantly black being used although there are now is a movement towards bright colours.
It’s clear that the Goth clothing movement isn’t dead, but has morphed continually over the years – every season gives new style influences and this is in some way influenced by Goth rock bands, for instance the ‘Steampunk’ influences which have been brought in over the past few years.
Rocky Horrors is a well known and very well established alternative clothing store with a huge fanbase from all over the planet. Celebrity customers include Alice Cooper and many other Goth, Punk and Rock band members
4
October
2011
As the summer season wanes, many of us regret having to pack away our favorite sandals and open-toe shoes for the winter. However, many of us are equally excited to break out our fall favorites – boots! With the cooler weather come many opportunities to layer on our favorite fall fashions such as leather blazers, textured tights and fur-adorned jackets – all of which serve as the perfect pairings for many of the fall 2011 shoe trends. This fall, make sure you stay on trend with colorful pumps, leg lengthening boots and flats created from reptile and animal prints. Whether you’re looking for a pricey, high-end pump or wish to save money with a moderately priced bootie, there is a fall shoe trend that will work for both you and your budget.
FALL SHOE TRENDS
Many of our favorite summer shoe styles such as platform pumps and booties will transition to autumn, but this fall we will surely see some new shoe trends emerge. One of the fall’s biggest shoe trends are laces. While several designers have been showing Oxford style pumps featuring simple laces, some designers, such as Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs, have taken laces to a new level with complex laced-up boots inspired by footwear from the late 1800s.
Another big trend for the fall are buckles and bows. Ankle strap pumps, boots and other casual shoes with buckle accents will keep you on trend. Professional and dress shoes featuring bow tie details will also be a highlight of fall footwear. As a compliment to the buckle trend, shoes designed with ankle strap details will also be popular this fall. If you want to give your look a little edge, try pairing these trends with texture tights or socks to mirror looks featured during NYC’s fall fashion week.
While stiletto pumps have dominated as one of the most popular heel types, this fall, designers have opted to select more interesting heels to compliment their shoe designs. Stacked heels, wedges and chunky heels will make a comeback this fall – just in time for winter weather. But ladies, don’t throw out your platform pumps and spiked heels because these classic styles will remain popular throughout the fall and winter seasons.
FABRICS AND COLORS
If you want to keep your wardrobe fashion-forward, invest in textured, bold-colored shoes. Statement shoes are making a comeback this fall, but only when paired with simple monochromatic clothing. You don’t need to spend a fortune to sport this trend. Both high-end retailers and discount brands are producing pumps and boots in rich hues and bright color palettes. If you’re looking for a more affordable colored pump, try Christian Siriano’s Gold Collection or Steve Madden’s collection of platform pumps.
Regardless of your price point, choose fun, bright colors like blue, turquoise, emerald, violet and red. If these colors are a little too bright for your taste, opt for stone, beige and funky metallic shades. Two-toned shoes are another popular variation of the colored shoe trend and have been spotted on runways across the globe.
While many of us invested in summer’s nude shoe trend, this fall, nude shoes are getting a revamp by adding a bit of sparkle. Crystal embellishments on nude shoes were seen on runways from NYC to Milan. Outside of sparkle, opt for shoes made from textured fabrics like suede, satin and lace — or take a walk on the wild side with animal prints, reptile skins or faux fur.
About the Author
Post written by Sara Woods, who writes for Coupon Croc. Shopping online for the hottest heels, boots, or flats? Use an Asos discount code and save on all the latest trends.
4
October
2011
TV shows, movies and cartoons are littered with characters fitting the classic stereotype of “The Geek”. The term automatically conjures images of a spotty teenager, with a bag heavy of books and often carrying some sort of complex electronic device. But specifically; we will always dress the geek in glasses. But why do we leap to such an ingrained assumption?
If we think back to some classic characters from TV and film over the years, more often than not, our geeky favourites all fit this ideal and are crowned with a pair of spectacles. Velma from Scooby Doo wears glasses; Napoleon Dynamite’s small eyes peak out from behind a very thick pair of glasses, Professor Frink from the Simpsons doesn’t have eyes – only glasses. Moss from the IT Crowd wouldn’t be the same without his black rimmed beauties and even Indiana Jones, on the rare occasion he actually delivers a lecture, wears glasses.
The Oxford dictionary defines a geek as “a knowledgeable and obsessive enthusiast”, and states that the word originates from a work in English dialect “geck”, meaning fool, and a word of Germanic origin; “gek” meaning silly. Over time, this late 19th Century word has had quite a brand created around it and the technology boom on the 1990s helped boost the credibility and acceptance of the geek. There has often been a negative connotation around being a “geek”; however, the word has always been synonymous with the idea of intelligence.
There is also the theory that wearing glasses in an interview can better your chances of being hired. Do employers really think that someone with specs will do the job better? Cary Cooper, Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University, doesn’t agree. He recognises that employers will want to employ people who intelligent, but points out that “the idea that clever people are glasses-wearers is one of those stereotypes that just hasn’t gone away.”
A study by the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Eye Research found that there is no relationship between being short-sighted and being introverted. However, they did find links between people who are short-sighted and those who are open and friendly. Openness and friendliness are also traits associated with intelligence, however, this was suspected to be because intelligent individuals are well rounded and accepting of different viewpoints rather than because they happen to have a pair of glasses balanced on their noses.
So, glasses do not directly contribute to an individual increasing their level of intelligence; however, wearing glasses will certainly help the learning process if a person has trouble seeing without them. As a contributor to an online chat site bluntly pointed out in a reply to the question Do glasses make you more intelligent; “only if you need them to read”.
About the Author
If you’re looking for stylish geeky glasses or any modern style, try visiting Direct Sight to save up to 80% on high street prices.
