Having been Emo before the term even existed, I dive into the eternal debate of cheap vs expensive goth clothing. Is everything worth it ?
While many people online tend to shit on fast fashion, expecting everyone to be able to afford quality, the darkest ones are aware that poor people also exist.
Don’t get me wrong here, the products are toxic more often than not, and made in slavery.
We exploit poor countries. But so do most of the big brands that cost a fortune.
Most of it ends up in landfills polluting the sea and killing entire ecosystems in the process…
We all know this.
We also all know that the cost of living is hell.
DIY: the eternal essence
So where am i going with this ? Well, wise-consuming is the point. Buy only what is necessary.
You know by now that the alt-genre is based on mostly DIY.
Add a few screws here and there, a pin to the tie, and voilà, you’re set.
This can be done on low cost everyday items and still look great. This is the essence of the culture. Beware of fake leather though, that shit will crumble in a heartbeat. Blink twice and it’s gone.
But everything else is customizable.
Quality over quantity : investing in identity
But there is also the option of quality over quantity.
You want to look like a victorian prince ? Like one of Dracula’s wives ?
Like a deranged BDSM vampire ? Or like a Goth Lolita ?
This is where the price rises, but so does the quality.
Not everyone is after the punk look, and this is where brand research becomes crucial.
Considering the price surge, every look becomes a fashion statement, a bold choice and a thought through one.
Those items are often long lasting, can be worn often and are a game changer when it comes to clothing identity. If you divide the price by the times you’ll wear the items, it’s usually worth it. And you’ll cherish them even more, like the goth royalty you become in them.
The Killstar paradox vs. the Shein reality
If I’m being completely real with you, my wallet doesn’t follow my dreams.
I saved a lot for a Killstar bag back in the day and got it gifted to me for Christmas.
After several uses, the details are scraped a bit. Mind you it was 70€.
The goth dress I bought from AliExpress 12 years ago for 20€ still hasn’t moved.
I wear it about twice a week.
Same for some Shein shirts.
The brand that shall not be named and that everyone (with good reason for the exploitation part) shits on.
Similar ones from Hot topic have been in the trash for years because the flocking came off.
But their dresses and leggings still hold after 10+ years.
Sometimes a price tag is steep only for the brand name, same as luxury for regular people.
Goths have their own Gucci and Prada. But in the end, sometimes, they’re not worth it either.
This is where feedback feels important.
Do not dismiss someone because they buy low cost. Do not follow someone because they’re rich.
Do your own research on product sustainability.
Despite it all, I refuse to give in to the 100% throwable fashion.
We need to be able to indulge and be happy with quality products.
It feels weird to see the resurgence of the mainstream alternative style nowadays.
I never thought it’d come back in the spotlight in my lifetime but here we are…
And fast fashion kinda feels like it’s killing the weirdo subculture. I see studded belts at Primark. It breaks me.
The mainstream problem
We shouldn’t be able to find corsets everywhere. It’s nice to use for DIY, because they’re cheap, but they don’t carry the same weight as secondhand old ones, or refined, victorian majestic ones.
Be careful with Vinted as well, sometimes it’s just Shein with a higher price tag.
So what to do ? Well, buy a little bit of both.
Quality for everyday life, and cheap stuff you’re willing to customize like a skin in a game for parties, concerts or festivals. Stuff can get muddy, beer can be thrown, that’s where alt culture is after all.
Some brands are what we actually aspire to own when we want to escape the fast-fashion loop, but not for risky events.
You get the best of both worlds with the internet, use it.
16-year-old me would have killed for that privilege, instead of painting Jack Skellington with Tipp-Ex on my shirts.
Ahhh the good old days.
Those shirts cost me around 25€ back then, they’d be about 5€ now on Temu.
So spend wisely.