Gothic fashion is the real winner this awards season

Welcome to the dark side. The goth renaissance isn’t just arriving. It’s here. Celebrities from Jenna Ortega to Kylie Jenner are embracing fashion’s gloomier mood. Romantic black lace, moody makeup and full-length slips are dominating the red carpet this awards season and proving that the archetypal outsider’s subculture has well and truly hit the mainstream. Revelling in the gloom has never looked better.

Of course, it’s easy to put on a black dress for a red carpet event, but there’s much more to the goth trend than donning head to toe black. Goth is one of the most enduring youth subcultures spanning decades and geography – you’re just as likely to find at least one or two goths in a small rural town as you are in a big city. The subculture has spawned countless subsections and interpretations since its conception in the late ‘70s, sometimes controversially.

There was a moment in the ‘00s when goths and their close cousins, mall goths and emos, seemed to be everywhere. Parents lived in fear of their teenagers coming home with dyed black hair and face piercings. No matter how ubiquitous the look, it never lost its alternative sheen. What makes someone a so-called real goth has always been a contentious issue. The co-opting of gothic aesthetics by the mainstream is celebrated by some and derided by others.

The latest wave of gothic fashion in the public eye has arisen on the red carpet. It’s characterised by floor-sweeping black gowns, lace corsets and dark, brooding makeup. While men might be largely embracing dopamine dressing, at the other end of the style spectrum, darker aesthetics have taken the crown.

Emma D’Arcy suited up in a goth dandy ensemble by Acne Studios for the Golden Globes while Yellowstone’s Kelsey Asbille wore an elegant Saint Laurent black dress and a gothic dark red lip. Jenna Ortega channelled Wednesday Addams in dramatic black silk at the Saint Laurent Autumn/Winter 2023 menswear show in Paris. The look was completed with a silk hood and moody kohl-rimmed eyes.

Back in the day, Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder brought a touch of the macabre to high-profile events. To collect her Oscar for Girl, Interrupted, the then-24-year-old Jolie served some serious Morticia Addams energy in a long-sleeved column gown with her straight black hair cascading down past her shoulders. The look went down in the annals of goth fashion history – although the most memorable moment of the night was probably when she kissed her brother on the red carpet.

This time around, the goth craze coincides with cinema’s horror renaissance. And who better to be at the forefront than Mia Goth herself? The X and Pearl star has been channelling a spooky, vintage aesthetic in black veils, lace, gloves and corsets of late. Her X co-star Jenna Ortega has also been playing up to the gothic reputation of her recent roles. The Wednesday star, who is set to appear in Scream VI later this year, has been stepping out in striking silks and lace as well as wearing a full Versace vampire bride look straight from the SS23 runway. Perhaps these new gen scream queens are simply playing up to their characters or maybe the darkness of gothic fashion attracts them for the same reasons they’re attracted to horror movie roles.

Elsewhere, Ethel Cain’s brand of southern gothic sees her wear long black coats or sweeping Victoriana gowns. Her 2022 album Preacher’s Daughter could well be a new addition to the gothic music canon. Then there’s the fact that everyone wants to look and dress like Gabriette now. Think straight dark hair, smudged black eyeliner and Kubrick stares which are all as much a part of the modern goth aesthetic as dramatic black clothes and a gloomy disposition. Add to that the recent Tumblr soft grunge revival which shares a similarly moody look. If black lace gowns are a little daring for everyday wear, fishnets, leather jackets and eyeliner offer a more accessible, yet equally angsty, entry point.

We know that listening to sad music can be good for you so perhaps there’s something to be said for wearing all black and revelling in the darkness. Awards season fashion can often feel disconnected from the real world, but the goth revival is clearly being felt not only on the red carpet but far beyond.

Prince Harry has been hitting headlines for some pretty weird reasons lately. We’ll never hear the word “oscillating” in the same way again. But at JW Anderson’s AW23 men’s shows, people were talking about the prince for different reasons. The until now kids-only brand Wellipets created frog wellies for the collection which were adult-size versions of the ones worn by Princes Harry and William back in the ‘90s pre-cringeworthy memoir and all the rest. “In better times,” as Anderson put it.

An additional new face entered the villa for this year’s winter Love Island as Maya Jama took over as the series’ new presenter. For her first look, she wore a red crochet set handmade by independent brand Crolage which was set up by 25-year-old Sierra during the first lockdown.

There’s no need to splash out on the next designer it-bag. The accessory of the moment is much more humble and accessible. Pillows appeared on the runway at both JW Anderson and Prada, proving that the cosy boy has truly become a high fashion icon. It’s about time!

Anyone creative who grew up in a small town probably went to a field and took dramatic photos of their friends at some point. Maybe it was part of your GCSE art project or you just did it for fun because, let’s be honest, there’s fuck all else to do as a teenager in a to do in a rural town. What you probably didn’t expect is to see Kylie Jenner channel the exact same aesthetic in a recent Instagram post. Spot Kim in the comments telling her to “tag skims please LOL.” Celebs! They’re just like us!

The purge of necklaces on the red carpet continues. Celebs at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards all had noticeably bare necks and Twitter is not ok. “WHERE ARE THE NECKLACES? WHAT’S GOING ON FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE?” screams one viral tweet. Some are calling it recessioncore while others are noting that it’s been quite common in recent years for stylists not to put necklaces on their clients. Will the necklace return in time for the Oscars in March? We’ll have to wait and see.