ARE ALL GOTHS WEIRD?

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Some of the nonsense contained herein may be very loosely related to The Sisters of Mercy, but I wouldn't bet your PayPal account on it. In keeping with the internet's general theme nothing written here should be taken as Gospel: over three quarters of it is utter gibberish, and most of the forum's denizens haven't spoken to another human being face-to-face for decades. Don't worry your pretty little heads about it. Above all else, remember this: You don't have to stay forever. I will understand.
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elamanamou
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As soon as you mention the 'Goth' word alot of people who I know seem to think they're all a bunch of weirdo's! :roll:

Curious why folks dress goth.Could the reason being that you're trying to cover up inner insecurities and to be noticed or just saying UP YOURS to society :?:

I'm not having a dig here as I have no room to make judgement as I like gothic bands and the dress is quite appealing and very artistic! :P

So why do you dress Goth? 8)

ElaManaMou xx
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nick the stripper
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You're a brave lad, asking a qustion like this on a board full of goths in denial. :lol:
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elamanamou
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Curiousity Nick! :lol:
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boudicca
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nick the stripper wrote:You're a brave lad, asking a qustion like this on a board full of goths in denial. :lol:
:lol:

I'll wait for the gates of hell to open up before I wade into this one...
There's a man with a mullet going mad with a mallet in Millets
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Quiff Boy
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a brave lass you mean...

nope. some wish they were "weird", but most are fairly run-of-the-mill folks ;)
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
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elamanamou
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Quiff Boy wrote:a brave lass you mean...

nope. some wish they were "weird", but most are fairly run-of-the-mill folks ;)
I totally agree with you here QB
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ruffers
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I used to dress up like all my friends so the rest of the world knew I was an individual.
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MrChris
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nick the stripper wrote:You're a brave lad, asking a qustion like this on a board full of goths in denial. :lol:
I for one am NOT NOT NOT a g*th in denial!
Chris

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Again and again and again...
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Johnny M
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Interestingly enough all the Goffs I know are just down to earth, normal, nice people. :cool:

Who look strange. :innocent:
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Heartland 14 Jul 03 - 05 Aug 06.[/size:7c190484cc]
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markfiend
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Strange is in the eye of the beholder. 8)
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
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emilystrange
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i like the pretty clothes and makeup. and if there pretty boys involved to look at, (with makeup on) so much the better..
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Stoat Grinder
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nick the stripper wrote:You're a brave lad, asking a qustion like this on a board full of goths in denial. :lol:

IN DENIAL ?.... I've never been to Egypt :wink:
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boudicca
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Alrite, as an ex-student and nascent designer of that-which-could-by-a-drunk-and-partially-sighted-person-be-termed "fashion", and having been asked "So, what's the whole Gothic thing about then?" enough to demolish a brick wall using only my skull, I feel duty bound to give my two cents on this.

I see clothing and so on as one of the most powerful methods for human beings to express their identity (or at least their own perception of their identity), both for their own gratification (they joy of building up one's ego ;D ), and to communicate to others. Man has been changing his appearance, decorating himself, and indicating social positions in this way almost since he began to walk upright. And in the 20th Century, as "the masses" have found greater wealth and developed their own popular cultures, almost everybody now has the chance to project whatever image of themselves they want.

Being a combination of egotistical, vain, and artistic, the idea of projecting a strong image appeals to me. I like to think I am a free thinker (in so far as that's possible), who questions the conventions, ideas and current "fashions" of her society. Albeit from an armchair :oops: . I think any society can only stagnate without, in short, people who stick out like sore thumbs - challenging common perceptions with their ideas or simply their innate oddness. I've felt, and been made, rather an outsider since my childhood for one reason or another (don't crack out the violins though, I'm sure I could have made myself a lot more popular if I'd seen the point), so I automatically idenitfy with other strange creatures.

Growing up, I was drawn to various subcultural styles - I went from a pre-teen hippy through glam to punk to GOFFICK by the time I was 14. It reflected the teenage search for identity, my estrangement from my peers (to my credit, although I was dressing pretty much as a clone of Siouxsie, there was no-one else around me doing anything like the same) and forming of a worldview. You could scoff at such a statement but fashion has long reflected the values and views of a particular age, it can do just the same for an individual.
Sometimes the symbolism of fashion is peculiar to a certain society or country (for example, black symbolising mourning and death in the West, wheras it's white in Japan), but just as often it works on a much deeper, instinctive level.

For example, consider the punk uniform of spikes and studs. Almost bedecking oneself in armour like some spiky reptile signalling to other soft-bodied animals "stay the f**k away or I'll f**king 'ave you, you f**ker!" :twisted: The aggression and law-of-the-jungle anarchy of 'punk' values is effectively conveyed in the dress.

Of course, people's instinctive reactions to certain aesthetics can vary. I simply try to combine those I like and which I feel reflect my values and ideas in the way I present myself. This lands me looking pretty f-ing goff at times, sometimes less so. But it's not about identifying as a member of some group for me, rather sympathies with one (of many) aesthetics because of what it represents to me. And essentially aesthetics are fluid things without boundaries, humans only create them by giving them these names and definitions.
OK, well, there is some identification with defined social movements and groups - but what I think is important is that one takes the elements of these things one likes best, rather than adopting the identity of member of this group (goth, punk, whatever) wholesale.

To me, wearing a lot of black, for example (my most gothest crime I think), is nothing to do with morbidity or "evil" (a concept I don't even believe in, for starters). To my eyes it symbolises authority, power and strength (something I aspire to and at least wish to convey, especially with my particular views on gender equality etc), and intensity (a pillar of my own personality... egotism again). And as such it's sexy :wink: .

Every aspect of my dress has a similar symbolic attraction to me, and this is probably the case with the majority of people, although they won't analyse it. Even absence of interest in one's appearance, or a very mundane one, is telling of who they are.

Sorry 'bout that folks! But you did ask... :oops: :lol:
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James Blast
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Woah! too many words, I'm just in from work, I need smartarse oneliners. :lol:
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Brideoffrankenstein
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When I first started dressing "differently" (about the age of 13 when I got into music) I cared alot what people thought and wanted them to think I looked weird :oops: , but then I grew up and though I still dress the same I care a lot less if at all about whether people think I'm goth or not (I'm not) :P
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scotty
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Fuckin' GOFFS! :roll: :twisted:
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James Blast
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scotty wrote:Fuckin' GOFFS! :roll: :twisted:
Jist shuttit!
Ya worrier of Big Broon Coos!!! :eek:
"And when you start to think about death, you start to think about what's after it. And then you start hoping there is a God. For me, it's a frightening thought to go nowhere".
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scotty
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James Blast wrote:
scotty wrote:Fuckin' GOFFS! :roll: :twisted:
Jist shuttit!
Ya worrier of Big Broon Coos!!! :eek:
And a saviour o' wee Broon Dugs!!
Being brave is coming home at 2am half drunk, smelling of perfume, climbing into bed, slapping the wife on the arse and saying,"right fatty, you're next!!"
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boudicca
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scotty wrote:Fuckin' GOFFS! :roll: :twisted:
:lol: :notworthy: :lol: :notworthy: :lol:

(sez the man wi' the Ghost Dance avatar... :roll: :innocent: :P )
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Ozpat
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I am not goff at all but met quite some who were and they did not seem weird to me....

Doesn't matter anyway how someone dresses or whatever. I try to treat people the same way I'd like to be treated. It starts with respect...
"as we walk on the floodland"
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aims
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It's in the eye of the beholder. I, the wearer, see goth, but the beholders see queer, so who am I to judge? :roll:
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Obviousman
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Ozpat wrote:Doesn't matter anyway how someone dresses or whatever. I try to treat people the same way I'd like to be treated. It starts with respect...
Voilà

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

But sometimes there are limits, :lol: (though I try to be respectful nevertheless)

Not a goth either, but we live in a free world, and everyone is allowed to dress themselves as they like. As boudicca said in her quite philosophical talk, it's all a matter of expressing yourself. I think often your clothing gives the first impression, and therefore it's important to look the way you'd like to look, guess the only thing to avoid is looking like you live on a dump... :lol: :lol:

Perhaps I don't exactly dress like eg. the music I listen to, but then I like abusing first impressions :lol:
Styles are a lie.

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paint it black
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there seems to be two extremes: the specimen/bauhaus 'look at me' type, which, rather like a fadiing tattoo, is a somewhat sad look for the middle aged, and can be rather restrictive to movement. the other, the doc martin wearing, get pissed destroy type.

sadly, akin to the punk on the london postcard, the former wins in terms of stereotype

luckliy, as john said, 'i look good in black' (and now orange) (it's a habit thing) and fall into the latter grouping :lol:
Goths have feelings too
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culprit
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paint it black wrote: luckliy, as john said, 'i look good in black'
I know what you mean...
my tuppence worth:
1. It's a good look for the younger crowd, as I'm rapidly speeding towards 40 my dress sense gets dulled, ie no more boot straps, etc.
2. What gets me is the mass marketed 'trendy' goth stuff, does this bug anyone else, or should we welcome more 'kids' going rock?
3. At the forthcoming NMA & Bauhaus gigs it'll be interesting to see what my age are wearing!
...mmmmmmmmmMMMMMM!....
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markfiend
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Wearing a lot of black does help with picking out clothes for the day: "What goes with black? More black of course."

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
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