A Beginner’s Guide to Trad Goth: Music, Fashion, and Etiquette

By Bonnie Blackthorn – Vintage Fishnet Addict & Batcave Survivor

Hey there, baby bats! 👋 If you’re reading this, you’ve probably fallen down the rabbit hole of trad goth culture – and trust me, it’s way better than whatever bland nonsense Instagram’s pushing these days. I’m Bonnie, a trad goth since my teens (yes, I survived the eyeliner droughts of the early 2000s), and I’m here to help you avoid looking like a Hot Topic clearance rack.

Let’s start with the golden rule: Trad goth isn’t a costume – it’s a lifelong romance with the beautifully macabre.

“How I Went from Mall-Goth to True Trad Goth (And Why It Matters)”

Picture 16-year-old me: raccoon-eyed, drowning in Tripp pants, blasting Marilyn Manson… and completely missing the point. My trad goth awakening happened at a dingy club when some Siouxsie-lookalike tossed a Bauhaus vinyl at my head (long story). That’s when I learned:

Real trad goth starts with the music.

• Post-punk is your bible: Bauhaus’ Bela Lugosi’s Dead isn’t just a song – it’s our national anthem.
• Darkwave desserts: Sisters of Mercy, Joy Division, early Cure. No, Billie Eilish doesn’t count.
• DIY ethos: Burn mix CDs like it’s 1985. Your playlist should sound like a fog machine choking on poetry.

Pro tip: If your “goth” playlist has more synth than a Casio keyboard factory, you’re doing nu-goth. And that’s okay – but trad goth purists will side-eye you harder than a sunny day at a cemetery.

“Dress Like a Trad Goth, Not a Halloween Store Exploded on You”

Repeat after me: Fishnets are underwear. My first trad goth outfit involved lace gloves, a torn Slayer tee (cringe), and enough buckles to reopen a Hot Topic. Learn from my mistakes:

• Vintage vibes: Thrifted Victorian blouses + leather pants = instant cred
• Color palette: Black (duh), blood red, purple that screams “I read Poe under a full moon”
• Hair crimes: Tease it big or shave it off. No lukewarm middle ground.

Fun story: I once tried DIY-ing a ruffled collar with dental floss. 0/10 – cats tried to adopt me. Stick to safety pins and desperation like the rest of us.

“Trad Goth Etiquette: How Not to Be That Cringelord in the Corner”

Newsflash: Trad goth isn’t about being the edgiest corpse at the club. I’ve seen newbies try too hard and end up looking like Hot Topic threw up on a Tim Burton reject. Here’s how to avoid it:

1. Respect the OGs: Don’t diss Siouxsie’s makeup skills unless you want 40-year-old goths hexing your eyeliner
2. Club rules: At goth nights, dance like nobody’s alive. Bonus points if you’ve perfected the “dead flower sway”
3. No gatekeeping: We were all cringy mall-goths once. Be nicer than the vampires in The Lost Boys

“Why Trad Goth Still Matters (And No, It’s Not Just About Dying Your Hair)”

After 20 years in this scene, here’s my hot take: Trad goth is resistance. In a world of TikTok trends and fast fashion, we keep the underground alive. Last month, I saw a teen in a hand-sewn Sisters of Mercy patch jacket – that’s the spirit!

Final advice from your spooky auntie Bonnie:

• Start with the music – the fashion follows
• Thrift everything except dignity
• If you’re not confused for a haunted portrait at least once a month, try harder

Still have questions? Slide into my DMs or check out these trad goth resources:

• Trad Goth group on Reddit

• And more good Trad Goth videos on YOUTUBE

Now go forth and be gloriously gloomy, baby bats! 🦇