Why do Goths dress in black?

Are you wondering why goths dress in black ? Are you fascinated by the color black and would you like to adapt this style? Or maybe, you were intrigued by seeing a goth dressed entirely in black?

The team of the shop is passionate about the gothic movement. We have experts in Goth clothing. Millions of goths in the world who dress in black, we will explain to you point by point why this is so. 😊

Goths dress in black because this color represents the vanity of life. It allows one to see death as it is. Goths opt for the color black because it recalls sadness, melancholy and night. It is this shade that best reveals their state of mind.

In this article, you will discover:

• The Real Meaning of the Color Black and Why Goths Adopted It
• The multiple cultural and musical influences that led them to this choice

After reading this article, the reason why goths dress in black will no longer hold any secrets for you!

Enough chatter, let's find out without further delay!

Before getting to the heart of the matter, we need to ask ourselves who are the people who choose to dress in black and what is their nature.

What are the names of people who dress in black?

You guessed it, when we talk about people dressed in black and who like to wear it, we immediately think of goths. Although there are many clothing styles where this color is predominant. 

The first thought that comes to mind is our friends the Goths. When we talk about gothic fashion , we can quickly see that the definition is quite vague. Most of the time, those who did not know this movement think of: a person who decides to dress up because he has dark thoughts. And that's it. We will see later that it is not so simple.

What is a goth?

Brief definition of a goth

This is a vast subject. But to make it short, one or a Gothic is a person who adheres to a very specific musical style that emerged in the 1980s in English . The most famous ones include: The Cure, Bauhass , Siouxsie . And later singers like Marilyn Manson , Nine Inch Nails , and others. 

Moreover, it must be kept in mind that before being a clothing style, it is a state of mind. It is a movement very rich in culture, notably in literature, philosophy, music, cinema, romanticism, poetry and fantastic mythology. 

They are very open-minded people, who are very open on many subjects. One of the characteristics of the Gothic mindset is the ability to see beauty in all things, even in death, gloomy themes, suffering, etc. 🦇

Of course, Gothic stands out for its unique clothing style and its own aesthetic. In the idea, the style of dress and the continuity of the state of mind, it is not the clothes that make the Gothic, but the Gothic state of mind that makes the clothes. They also adopt provocative and original makeup and haircuts that do not leave one indifferent.

So, every Gothic is different from another. Her clothes, jewelry, and accessories are carefully chosen and have a particular symbolism. They have the courage to go against the grain, and don't care what others think; the most important thing is to be authentic. Their unique personality, the grow often to like solitude. They are not afraid of being marginalized from society, quite the contrary.

Stereotypes about Goths

Goths are also entitled to their prejudices and clichés. Here are some of them:

• Goths are weird
• They only think about attracting attention .
• They are look like all
• THE Goths are suicidal And depressive
• All Goths are satanists

And finally... 

• Goths only wear black

And yes, although the gothics like to wear colored clothes very much black, you should know that it is not the only color that they wear!

The Meanings of Black Color in Gothic Fashion: Everything You Need to Know

Previously, we saw that the people who most often opt for black are goths. It's a color that suits them well. The question that arises now is the meaning of this color and the deep symbolism of black . Why is black unanimous among goths? This is what we are going to see now in six 6 points.

1. Black clothing: a symbol of death

To begin with, one of the symbolic meanings of black is that of death and mourning . In fact, if you ask many people what the color black reminds them of, this term will come up often. Black is the color of mourning in funerals, the reaper who takes souls, darkness, nothingness, shadows, are also filled with blackness. Wearing gothic clothing of this color means that one is comfortable with these concepts and is fascinated by death. 

Besides, if you also, you is interested in the concept of death, discover the gothic skull bag which will perfectly symbolize it. ☠️

2. The color of suffering

Then, black can also mean suffering and unhappiness. It is the color that perfectly represents tormented states of mind. The sufferer who prefers to remain alone in the dark with his pain is a perfect metaphor for understanding the connection between suffering and darkness.

3. Dark attire: metaphor for melancholy and despair

Whether in 19th century German Romanticism or in the Victorian style, melancholy and despair are omnipresent. Not that it is the only theme of these movements of thought, but it remains present all the same. If sadness had to be given a color , most people would say black. It makes sense that when we feel negative emotions, we see the world in a darker light. We tend not to see the colors of life, but its darker aspects.

However, this remains just one meaning, not all goths are sad and depressed.

4. Dark-colored clothes: a symbol of the night

Also, you should know that most goths love to live at night . When the sun sets, and there is no full moon, it is completely dark. So, black is a symbol of the dark night. Wearing dark clothes helps to create harmony with your preferences and way of dressing. He who likes to live when everyone else is asleep will choose to wear black to best represent his ideas. 🌙

5. An anti-Christian color

During key moments in a Christian's life, we are dressed in white. Whether it is for baptism or communion, the people concerned are dressed in light clothing. The anti-Christian logic is therefore to reverse its colors to show that one is totally opposed to this religion. However, the Gothic movement has many views on these issues. (agnostic, atheist, Christian, satanic and others) . So black has an anti-Christian meaning. only in a minority of cases . 

6. Black to see the beauty in all things

Finally, we saw in the points more tops that black has meanings which are connected to dark things. But that's not always the case. Let's add a little nuance. 

One of the most important symbols of black is that of seeing beauty in all things . Whether it is in sadness, death, night, etc. Wearing black clothes symbolizes accepting things as they are, and being able to love them. Wearing this color is an act of courage and authenticity that few people dare to do. 🌹

Musical Influences: Dark Clothes

Now you know what the meanings of black are in gothic fashion, and what they imply. Now, let's look at the multiple musical influences that pushed goths to choose this color tone. Here are some examples. 🎵

Marilyn Manson: a dark look

No need to introduce him, Marilyn Manson is an iconic character in Goth culture . He has his own way of dressing, we can see a strong presence of the color black in his style. With fame as great as Marilyn's Manson , we can see that many people are inspired by him notably to dress , and therefore wear black.

Dark Wave: Dark Thoughts and Black Clothes

Let's take a look at a musical movement in its own right. Dark Wave is a musical genre that emerged in the 1970s, which is closely linked to the goth movement . It also appeared almost at the same time as the New Wave . Music of this genre contains a lot of lyrics that revolve around introspection and dark thoughts. Thus, the artists of this musical movement dressed exclusively in black, which pushed their fans to do the same.

The Cure: A Dark Clothing Style

The Cure are a gothic rock band, born in England in 1978. It is a reference group for the history of Gothic culture. Moreover, we can categorize The Cure, in the New Wawe , alternative rock and post punk. 


Many former Goths, or purists of the movement, are very fond of The Cure. When we observe the members of the group in concert, we can see that they also have a gothic look all in black, which has not left their fans indifferent. 

You too, discover gothic fashion in all its splendor!

In this blog post, you have understood the many reasons why goths wear black . This way the next time you see a goth or choose your goth clothes, you will know exactly what they mean by wearing this color.

Whether it is through the symbolic dimension, or through musical and artistic influence. The dark clothing style represents above all a state of mind and belonging to a community, it is therefore a totally justified color.

Besides, if you are reading this topic it is probably because you are interested in black goth clothes for your wardrobe. This is exactly what we offer in our shop dedicated 100% to the gothic universe.

By the way, this pair of shoes is a must-have that is one of our best sellers. Click on it to discover it and visit the rest of our store.