Something people don’t think of too is hand-me-downs and getting clothes from peers. My friends and I exchange things that we no longer need in our lives-let be clothes, let me be an old fan we no longer use. That way a new life is given to things you would’ve otherwise probably thrown away. I would like to stress once more that presenting in a gothic way is the least priority topic if you have not got the core principals down. First please remember that your clothes should be functional more than stylish-now that’s goth! All you need is to look into the political and social aspects of the subculture, its origins, and listen to some of the music. Remember it doesn’t have to be exclusive! You can still listen to any music as long as you enjoy some gothic music too.
The reason we are fighting to de-aestheticize the Goth subculture is because people are currently under the influence that just “looking alternative” is enough to make you goth (or any type of alternative), when in reality the whole point of these movements is that they do not care what you look like. It was never about the material things!! The styles and “aesthetics” we know today were created with ANTI-CONSUMERISM in mind, so WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE TO YOU, THAT IS GOTH! Even punk and emo subcultures have oddly become commodified when individualism was at the heart of their movements. If you dress “gothic” while not sharing any values and supporting only fast-fashion, I am afraid to say that you are not goth. You just wear dark clothes. One can also wear bright pink floral dresses with glitter makeup and be goth. Music and politics are key to any type of alternative subcultuređ.