How to be Goth on a Budget

Coming from a working class background, and working my way through college, money has been a bit tight. Nevertheless, it is possible to participate in the Goth subculture without having to spend hundreds of dollars. You don't have to have to feel left out because of cash flow problems.

The Goth Look for Less:

You don't have to buy an opera cape, silk poet shirt, or latex body suit to dress Goth. If you can dress all in black (i.e.. monochromatically,) then you are already there. Black being considered a basic (or Classic) color, most garments are available in black. Furthermore, black, general-purpose garments (shirts, jeans, Dockers, slacks, sweaters, shoes, boots, coats, etc.) can be used in your everyday life, not just for your Goth outfit.

The preferred footwear is a black boot. These can be combat boots from an Army surplus store, or even a black work boots from K-Mart. Be sure to keep these well polished. Road salt can be removed by wiping the boots with a mild solution of vinegar in water. A yearly, very light, application of mink oil between cleaning and polishing your boots will not only help to waterproof them for winter, but also keep the leather pliable, hence extending their service life. Let the mink oil soak into the boot overnight, and then be sure to wipe any excess off before polishing. Kiwi brand Black shoe polish works very well.

If you are going to wear jewelry, then silver colored is preferred. Costume jewelry is fine, and homemade jewelry can even be a real icebreaker. Ankhs (the Egyptian symbol for life, shaped like a cross but with a loop on top,) and Celtic crosses (Crosses with a ring around where the two bars intersect) have been very popular. Some Goths wear Pentagrams or Pentangles (five pointed stars inscribed in circles,) but keep in mind that these tend to have occult or satanic connotations for most people.

Dressing Goth is to some extend expressing a group identification, but it is also about expressing your individuality. It is not a uniform, and these suggestions are simply suggestions.

Goth Music:

Since the Goth subculture started in early 1980's, when fans of British Band Bauhaus started dressing all in black, the key to the Goth subculture is the Music. Nevertheless, you do not need to buy hundreds of albums from the dozens of bands to get a feeling for the Goth sound. You only need to become familiar with the specific songs and bands that you like. Since there is a wide variety of styles within Goth and DarkWave categories, you should always hear a few tracks by an artist to be sure you like it before you consider buying an album. You can borrow albums from friends, and sometimes check them out of the library. Furthermore, some better music stores will play part of an album for you if you are considering buying it. Even better, you can call in requests to radio stations, so that others might be exposed too.

If you wish to purchase CDs, several of the key bands in the Goth movement have "best of" albums, which provide most of their more popular works on one disk. Some of these "best of" albums include:

• Bauhaus 1979-1983 Volume I. Bauhaus
• Galore: The Singles 1987-1997. The Cure
• Staring at the Sea: The Singles. The Cure
• Depeche Mode: The Singles 81>85. Depeche Mode
• Depeche Mode: The Singles 86>98. Depeche Mode
• Wildbrids: Peter Murphy 1985-1995. Peter Murphy
• Twice Upon a Time: The Singles. Siouxse and the Banshees
• Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Volume I. Sisters of Mercy
• Gothik: Music from the Dark Side. Various Artists  (An International Anthology of Goth Artists)

If you would like to read about some of the generally accepted, Goth classic tunes, then lease check out my Goth Music Page on this site.

Gothic Literature:

A general familiarity with the works of Anne Rice is pretty much expected. Also a working knowledge of Gothic Horror Literature in general, such as the works of Edger Allen Poe and H. P. Lovecraft, is also useful. These works are commonly available for loan in school and public libraries, free of charge if you are prompt about the due dates. Please check my Classics of Gothic Literature List on this site.

Gothic Art and Architecture:

A good general knowledge of Art History can be a real plus. In particular, Gothic Art and Architecture, Pre-Raphaelite Paintings, and Dadaist Art are very popular in the Goth subculture. As with Gothic Literature above, you can learn about these subjects from books in your library.

Online Resources:

Since Music and fashion change so rapidly, staying current requires that you keep up. One of the best ways to keep up with what's happening in the worldwide Goth scene is to read the alt.gothic newsgroups. Furthermore, they may help you connect with other Goths around the world. To get a real heads up, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for that newsgroup. Also Please check my list of Goth Newsgroups to learn more.

There is a great multitude of Goth related websites on the web. Please check my List of Links to Goth Websites to learn more.