NEVER. That's when.
Oh, please... Did you REALLY think I'd agree with this? I certainly hope not! But WHY is it that so many people think that goth is just a "phase" some of us go through, like teen angst, menopause, or a midlife crisis, instead of seeing it as a lifestyle choice? Maybe it's because so many of us seem to disappear as we get older, as we 'assimilate' into the boring mundane world because we feel that we have to choose between being ourselves and paying the rent. It's an understandable reason, maybe, but it just should not have to be a choice between a rock and a hard place.
In spite of that silly photo I posted in my March "I'm SO Goth...", I really do believe that one can be goth at any age. But while most ElderGoths are only just starting the approach to that age at which we can no longer stave off the word "old", many of us are already nervous about it. How should we dress? What style of makeup is best and won't make us look even older than we are? And what about shoes? Would somebody think of the shoes!!!
I've said before that once I reach 60, I plan to be dressing like a combination of Stevie Nicks and Morticia Addams. Here are some pictures that I find extremely inspirational:
I'd ditch the big bag she's holding (unless, of course, it's actually a suitcase!), and substitute a coffin bag instead. (I wonder if those boots have orthopedic inserts???)
A bit too much jewelry for me, but I wouldn't wear that much NOW, either. It's a great look, though!
50 shades of AWESOME!!!
50 shades of ELEGANT!! (These ladies make Cruella DeVille's outfit look like a Goodwill castoff.)
Two goths contemplating the site of their eventual eternal rest...
Oh, I just think these ladies look lovely. Too many necklaces? Ha! Suitcase size handbag? Awesome, I can stuff all my wee impractical purses inside!
ReplyDeleteI'm not even sure I'll notice "old age"... 41 was terribly old when I was young and aside from a wrinkle here and there and some eeek don't twist so fast, it's no big deal. I mean, it beats the alternative ;D
It's funny, I was TERRIFIED of turning 30, but when I got to 40 I barely cared at all! I really think it depends on our overall health and mobility whether or not we notice "old age" creeping up. The saying "You're as old as you FEEL" is very true... and the opposite is true as well.
DeleteDoesn't have to be Goth ... this fits any style that evolves as we get age. Many of us 'older' ladies have kept pretty current within our own brand of style.
ReplyDeleteThat mohawk with braids down the side .... genius!
No, I think it's true of all styles, although some definitely don't evolve as well as others! But after all, who SHOULD care what you dress like, other than you? :-)
DeleteAnd yes, that mohawk is so great I almost want to go out and get one myself!
I hope that health will always allow me to dress in cute Gothy dresses and jackets, I may have to switch brands as some Goth dresses are wuite hard to wiggle into, ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI agree, health can sometimes be a major factor in how we dress as we get older. It sounds weird, but it's true. And fortunately, there are a lot more really NICE clothing lines now that cater to people of all sizes and shapes rather than just one size/shape range. (I never did understand that mindset... did designers really think that women with hips didn't wear clothes???)
DeleteLOL I went "normal" and came back
ReplyDeleteOhh, you poor thing... SO glad you recovered!! :-P
DeleteFrom being off from goth to rockabilly during my 20's, I'm back to goth for good :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you back! ;-) But is there any reason you can't mix the styles? I've known more than one goth who enjoys both, but I'm not sure I've seen them mixed together, except maybe on Franny!
DeleteI call it Gothabilly!
DeleteI have rockabilly and goth tattoos and love to mix the two clothing styles. I don't go as far anymore now that I'm 45. But still love both!
I agree that we're never too old to be goth, as the above photos point out. I do believe though, that it's a good idea to incorporate a style that works for a person's age, body, etc. But then again, isn't that what we do anyway?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is! I was SO glad to find so many great photos of Elder Goths in terrific outfits like those. There were quite a few more that I didn't use. And to think, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to find many! :-)
DeleteWell I make no secret of the fact I`m 56 this year. Last Saturday at our monthly Goth club; Carpe Noctum, the DJ played Floorshow for me, a good half of the Goths on the dance floor was over 50! We know how to have fun.
ReplyDeleteI just turned 53, so I'm right behind you! And I LOVE that song!! One of their best, IMHO. Dang, wish I'd been there, too!
DeleteOkay, now I have to pull it up on YouTube. Fortunately I have an office, so I can close and lock the door... ;-)
The lovely couple in the second picture are at Whitby Goth Weekend (we park our car where they are standing!). There are loads of hotels on that stretch so it probably is a suitcase. You'd love WGW, it embraces goths of all ages (cradle to grave, with a few hearses about just in case...). Elder goths generally look magnificent, lots of well deported cleavage.
ReplyDeleteI'm 43 now, and finally have the wardrobe I dreamed of when I was 17. I hope to never grow out of it (I can't afford to, I'm skint!!!). I'm going to my first vampire ball this October and I'm stupidly excited, though Husband Underfoot is refusing point blank to let me put him in a cravat...grrrr! I've been checking out the pics from it last year and again, the age range is great - teens to elders, with music to accomodate all tastes.
And this is why we dream of retiring in Whitby....!
I am repeating to myself, "Envy is a sin. Envy is a sin..." But it's not working!! I am sooooo jealous of anyone who has gotten to go to WGW even once. Consider yourself heavily envied!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's HU got against cravats? They're much more attractive and sensible than modern ties, and the total effect with the appropriate outfit is sooooo sexy! (Maybe you should put it to him that way, and see if it makes a difference in his attitude!) ;-)
I wear orthotics in my Doc Marten's so officially I am old, I guess (60 - it doesn't sound so bad when you say it quickly)! And since I'm pretty lazy, I don't bother with makeup anymore and I suppose the only reason anyone would know I'm 'darkly inclined' is because I always wear black (except the jeans) and my nails are usually long and gunmetal grey. Oh, and the tats maybe. But I'd love to have the nerve to sport a grey mohawk like that one!
ReplyDeleteLet's start saving up for Whitby now, 'kay?
Nah, 60 isn't old, at least not in MY book. When I'm 70, then I'll probably admit that I may POSSIBLY be old, but not before then!
DeleteAnd today I am officially designating a particular jar at home (probably the one that has the "Lizard Bones" label) as my "Whitby Jar". It's a deal!
Believe it or not accommodation for Nov WGW is impossible to find, so we are being heathens and going the weekend before to the Bram Stoker International Film Festival, when the ball is, plus loads of live music and horror films.
ReplyDeleteLucretia, we are so lucky it's so close. Ihave decided against subtlety in favour of alcohol as a means of cravat persuasion! I've even spotted the dinkiest steampunk octopus tie pin....! I will prevail!
ROFL!! Very sensible of you, I think! I'd definitely consider going to the Bram Stoker Festival as well.
DeleteI hope the alcohol doesn't work against you on that one, he might fall asleep and miss the fun! And I keep reading that last bit as "octopus pie tin", hehehe!!!
Octopus pie...now there's a thought! He's given in...I suspect he may secretly have wanted one anyway. Now we are just arguing over the colour...
DeleteROFL!!
DeleteI already dress like Stevie Nicks and Morticia Addams! What you love is what you love. Why do you have to change everything at a certain age? Who made that rule up? I think it's silly. One of my best customers is 73 and she looks fabulous. It's all about confidence. But I do agree about finding comfortable shoes. Good shoes can make or break my day now. I wear Doc Martens constantly. Not because they are stylish but because they make my feet happy. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't say one had to change "everything", but there are certain things that definitely look better on younger skin and/or figures than they do on older ones... I know, I've seen them! I think it's up to each individual to decide what still looks good on them and what needs changing, and if nothing needs changing, then GREAT!
DeleteI have to admit, I've never worn Doc Martens, but I'm going to have to try a pair or two soon!
I married my first pair of DMs when I was 18 (my mum wouldn't let me have a pair when I lived at home. I seem to recall I turned up after a few weeks at uni one day in a purple ankle length hippy dress, black DMs with green ribbons for laces and a green suede coat). I loved those boots. They lasted 6 years before they went to the DM grave yard in the sky (literally, my local supplier actually hangs peoples old docs from their ceiling!). I do think they can be pretty, my clubbing boots are rose patterned Darcies and they are just cute as hell.
DeleteI now have 4 pairs which some in my household may suggest is a little excessive...! More seriously, I also have remarkably pretty feet for a 43 year old - 25 years of orthopaedic boots have really looked after them. They can take some serious breaking in, but once they've moulded to your feet they are amazing.
They sound perfectly lovely! I love the boots I do have, but now I'm thinking I need to add to my collection!
DeleteI've got absolutely no intention of toning things down as I get older. I have noticed that the gothness of my style has relaxed as I've aged but I think that's more because I understand that it's something in me rather than a style of clothing. I also love this lady on Advanced style - https://vimeo.com/18731015
ReplyDeleteExcellent! The more of us who refuse to fade silently into the woodwork clothing-wise (or anything else-wise) the better! And thanks for the video, that sequined skeleton dress was to DIE for... Wish they would have shown more of her total look, instead of just from the waist up. I would LOVE to have seen more of her shoes!
DeleteAdornment is so very Personal that at any age, if one is dressing to reflect the Soul in a visible way... I can appreciate that. Wearing what we Love with complete Confidence and Joy usually makes all the difference. Goth to Grave, sounds like it was meant to be. *winks* Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
ReplyDeleteOh, I LIKE that thought, of "dressing to reflect the Soul in a visible way"!! I never thought of it like that, but really, that's exactly what personal style is. Thank you for sharing that! :-)
DeleteNever, yes!! Great, I love it! Enjoy the weekend honey!
ReplyDeleteCheck my last post here!
Follow each other? Let me know and I'll do the same:
My blog | Bloglovin
♥‿♥
Thanks, you too! I checked out your blog, but I don't read or speak Spanish so I couldn't understand a word! Is there a way for me to translate it to English???
DeleteBeing goth isn't only a fashion statement, so people can stop dressing goth and keep on being goth inside themselves. I believe the question should be: is there an age we should stop dressing goth? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteStill, keeping up with an alternative look when you're older is really hard work, I think it's quite tiresome now - at 20! -, and I believe it will be even more when I'm older. So I admire people who keep on dressing up alternatively even when they're old, because it's really a great effort.
What I'm saying is: let's not judge people who stop dressing goth when they're old, because being goth really is more than just that. Also, people are flexible, I myself really enjoy trying different styles every once in a while, so let's not tell people to stay like that forever, we should probably tell people to stay true to their hearts and dress whatever they want at any age. ;)
Yes, that's pretty much what I was saying. I honestly don't find it difficult or tiresome to keep up the look, but then I'm sure that varies with individuals. Your look needn't be elaborate or require lots of effort; as long as you are happy and comfortable with it, it's perfect!
DeleteI nominated you for a blog award Lucretia wasn't sure if you had already done this one but I love your blog hehe http://eternalwynter.blogspot.com/2015/06/liebster-award-everything-about-my.html
ReplyDeleteThanks! I have already done it, but I'll be glad to answer your questions, as they're different from the ones I did before. :-)
DeleteStay tuned!
I wanted to comment about this post as well ;) I feel noone is too old to be goth. That is so strange that anyone could think we could outgrow ourselves. I will be having goth picnics when I am old haha and definitely carrying a parasol!
ReplyDeleteYeah, and you'd better keep inviting me to those picnics -- maybe someday I'll actually get to one! ;-)
Deleteprobably will show less skin but i had that phaze of 'trying to tone down a bit', did not like it. will not do that again for any reason. never too old.
ReplyDeleteI hear you! I'll probably show less skin eventually as well; if I don't like the way it looks, I'm NOT going to display it! But why make yourself look 'quieter' if you're not? Morticia Addams was elegant, and not at all flashy, but she was NEVER 'toned down', either! ;-)
DeleteHello Lucretia,
ReplyDeleteI am sixty-five, retiring in July, 2019, and look forward to reengaging Goth again. In addition, I will be pursing a vocational studies to become a patternmaker in the fashion industry. Your blog is very encouraging. Need to connect with Goths my age -- I feel like such an island.