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Fashion DIY tips and gratuitous plugs. And hair. Hair! Flow it, show it. Wait...no. That's some hippie musical. Nevermind.

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Old 04-09-2009, 07:57 AM   #1
Okami
 
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Help for male beginner - what to wear

I'm not too sure aboutt this and I want to do it right. I felt like using black nail polish (if that's acceptable) but the clothing is ... meh. Currently I'm wearing a black, kinda loose, long sleeved shirt (with no design) and black jeans. Is this good medicore or just lame? Any help from the experienced is great!
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Old 04-09-2009, 11:08 AM   #2
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Do you like it?

Black can be a good place to start. What your wearing sounds fine, particularly for every day wear.

Band t shirts can be good. Clumpy boots also add to the look.

I like black nail varnish, some don't.

It can be an idea to try different types of looks and see what you really feel comfortable in, there's quite a few different looks within goth, and it depends on your own taste/individuality.

You could try looking at different goth clothing web sites for some ideas.

Whats your hair like? Hair can really add to the look.
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Old 04-09-2009, 11:59 AM   #3
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I'm african and my hair is short and curly. I'm kind of interested in that victorian look.
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Old 04-09-2009, 12:37 PM   #4
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A fellow Victorian style enthusiast? Capital!

I have found that eBay can be most valuable for building a period wardrobe. Though it might sound slightly absurd, sellers of former rental tuxedos can provide some very appropriate-looking waistcoats and tailcoats at a fraction of the cost of authentic period replicas or real antique garments. The Vintage: pre-1930's section of menswear is also worth keeping an eye on. Additionally, thrift stores, such as the Salvation Army, can occasionally turn up some good pieces, such as dress shirts and vests, at very reasonable prices that you can alter or improvise with to create a Victorian look.

If you are willing to spend a bit more money, vintage clothing shops usually carry some 19th/early 20th century formalwear and menswear, but condition can become an issue here, especialy fading, insect damage, and other wear and tear. Keep a lookout for any theatre costume dispersal sales as these can be a treasure trove of well-made pieces.

Do not feel that you must limit yourself to all-black clothing to have a 'goth' appearance. Throwing in some contrast with white, grays, reds, or other rich/dark colors can make your look more interesting and unique.

I myself do not wear nailpolish of any sort, but it can work, so by all means give it a try.

I hope these suggestions may provide some assistance in your pursuit and of course, welcome! *hat tip*
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Old 04-09-2009, 12:40 PM   #5
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I'm more into waistcoats. Whay if I threw in a black or grey hat?
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Old 04-09-2009, 12:47 PM   #6
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It would depend on the style of hat, I suppose. I prefer top hats, though they can be somewhat cumbersome, and also occasionally sport a bowler/derby hat or even a fedora. And the waistcoat look is good for warmer weather when it simply isn't practical to layer up.
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Old 04-09-2009, 01:33 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Okami View Post
I'm african and my hair is short and curly. I'm kind of interested in that victorian look.
Oh dear...

Brother, unless you are going for irony, I would try something else. With the mention of your hair, looking to later eras could do a lot for you especially from 20s all the way to the late 80s.

With all the possibilities, I could see you as an Oscar Micheaux in training, a poet living out the last of the Harlem Renaissance, a Tuskegee pilot championing the Double V campaign, a rude boy or a mod, even as a backup Ray Sexgang, Jean Beauvoir, DH Peligro or Eddie from UK Decay.

However, if you are absolutely insistent upon the done to death and culturally biased against us cliche that is Victoriana, try something that hasn't been seen before (i.e. abolitionist, horribly mangled child worker, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Dred Scott, mob victim, asylum escapee). And a warning too: Unless you are proficient with sewing or have a fat wallet, this will cost you big time in terms of material, patterns and yardage.

Really, just make something that has a sense of irony AND originality to set you apart from the cookie cutter dark aristocrats who never fail to receive compliments on their stuff even though they all look the same.
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Old 04-09-2009, 01:44 PM   #8
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Lolly, that's a pretty racist bit. Why can't he dress like someone who was white from the victorian era? Are we not culturally advanced enough to where he should be allowed to wear something that would be Taboo years ago? Personally, I feel that he should dress in a waistcoat if he wants to. Why does he have to fit a stereotype of the era? The fact you sit and say all the dark aristocrats look like one and other is pretty generalized. The same could be said for other forms of dress as well, so why attack aristocratic dress?
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Old 04-09-2009, 01:51 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lolly PopMuzik View Post
However, if you are absolutely insistent upon the done to death and culturally biased against us cliche that is Victoriana, try something that hasn't been seen before (i.e. abolitionist, horribly mangled child worker, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Dred Scott, mob victim, asylum escapee).
Without even getting into the fact that you seem to have a vendetta against how certain people choose to dress, I think that your aforementioned suggestions seem more like Halloween costumes than a sort of workable day-to-day style choice.

And the Victorian/aristocratic look does not necessarily have to cost one a vital organ or two, which is why I gave tips from my own experience of how to get the look on a budget. It might require some patience and searching, but it can be done.
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Old 04-09-2009, 02:37 PM   #10
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Lolly, that's a pretty racist bit. Why can't he dress like someone who was white from the victorian era? Are we not culturally advanced enough to where he should be allowed to wear something that would be Taboo years ago? Personally, I feel that he should dress in a waistcoat if he wants to. Why does he have to fit a stereotype of the era? The fact you sit and say all the dark aristocrats look like one and other is pretty generalized. The same could be said for other forms of dress as well, so why attack aristocratic dress?
That's not racist, that's an actual fact. In those days, even if you wrote as beautifully as Dunbar or fought as fiercely as Ida B. Wells to keep us alive, it was not safe to be black in the US at all. Especially in the South. Those sort of social ills I just can't entirely forgive or forget about, especially if I factor a lot of other misfortunes (sexism, disease, poverty, child labor) into them.

White shirts, tailored vests and trousers wouldn't be bad for everyday wear and I don't mind touches like corsets and boots for me but does Victoriana have to be the be-all and end-all for goth fashion these days?

I don't have much of a vendetta, I always tend to veer towards the cliched aristocrat when picturing Victoriana and the near-endless aspirations for upper crust portrayals tend to irk me when they could have some fun with the darker elements of the era's style. Those possibilities won't be half bad on a club night/at a show and he's doing something different from the other fancy pants. Nothing against you, just against the lack of anyone trying anything new.

Suggesting other eras can be helpful so that if he's not thrilled with the Victorian things, he has other ideas.

Honestly, if I were to start feeling a pull towards Victoriana, I'd be more along the lines of a successor to Sojourner Truth/Ida/Alice Dunbar-Nelson, apothecary keeper of blood tonics or can-can girl. :P
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Old 04-09-2009, 02:44 PM   #11
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Suggesting other eras can be helpful so that if he's not thrilled with the Victorian things, he has other ideas.
But...He is into Victorian things. He said so himself. =)
And just because it wasn't safe for black people to dress like a Victorian aristocrat back then doesn't mean he shouldn't dress that way now.
The important thing isn't about being original and new (although it's fun), the important thing is whether or not you like what you're wearing.
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Old 04-09-2009, 02:56 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Okami View Post
I'm not too sure aboutt this and I want to do it right. I felt like using black nail polish (if that's acceptable) but the clothing is ... meh. Currently I'm wearing a black, kinda loose, long sleeved shirt (with no design) and black jeans. Is this good medicore or just lame? Any help from the experienced is great!
To start off, what you are saying is okay. Black nail polish is good, how about some eyeliner? Black pants and t-shirt are a good foundation to begin with. Work with what you have and buy things when you want to expand and experiment. But don't go too quickly, it is a good idea to move into this subtly. Look at the more high up members here and adopt elements you like and apply them to your wardrobe. Don't be afraid to think up some ideas of your own to give it a personal twist.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:02 PM   #13
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I personally am bemused to read that a black man would want to attire himself in the raiment of a class of individuals particularly responsible for perpetrating the social oppression that characterized the Victorian era. German military uniforms are swanky and all, but they're not for me, you know what I mean?
Havelock, I don't see how a style drawing upon any of the influences Lolly mentioned would suggest a Halloween costume any more than Victoriana.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:08 PM   #14
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It’s not the culture or the ethics of the era he’s trying to emulate, but the style. It’s a rather pretty style.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:15 PM   #15
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I believe that the same argument could be made for the idea that Punk/Fetish/Steampunk/Industrial/Historical/etc... as being the 'be all end all' of Gothic fashion. In other words, I've observed that the types of clothes that people in the Gothic community choose to wear are much more varied than you would suggest, and while Victorian is a significant part of the scene, it is by no means the majority rule.

I am of Asian ethnicity myself and while I do have a strong attachment to my cultural roots, I hardly feel that dressing in a historically Western fashion somehow debases my ancestry. If someone is comfortable dressing in a style that is both contrary to other cultures' perceptions of how they should dress and also to the preferences of people within their own culture, then more power to them, I say. Taking that route seems to be both original and ironic, to my mind.

Quote:
But...He is into Victorian things. He said so himself. =)
And just because it wasn't safe for black people to dress like a Victorian aristocrat back then doesn't mean he shouldn't dress that way now.
The important thing isn't about being original and new (although it's fun), the important thing is whether or not you like what you're wearing.
And Miss Seidre, you have read my mind in this regard.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:22 PM   #16
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Havelock, I don't see how a style drawing upon any of the influences Lolly mentioned would suggest a Halloween costume any more than Victoriana.
Maximus, I think that some of the styles that were suggested by Miss Lolly were so specific that they would be very limiting in daily practice. There are only so many ways one can be dressed as a 'mob victim' or 'horribly mangled child worker'.

I am not at all suggesting that Mr. Okami goes for the full top hat to tailcoat and cane look, and in all honestly I seldom step out in that whole fancy outfit myself. I am suggesting that he utilize parts of said attire to get that Victorian flare he seems to desire for his appearance. I often go this route, as well.

I hope that clarifies my intent.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:25 PM   #17
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go to that link on the home screen obcurbia, and get urself somthin there all black just like other ppl said you can also look at cryflesh.com there some cool shit, you also want a punk/ rebel look no prepy i hate prepy i want to stick razor wire up there asses and then hang them and soak them with gas then burn them
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:34 PM   #18
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i hate prepy i want to stick razor wire up there asses and then hang them and soak them with gas then burn them
0_o Wow...That's rather harsh.
Are you referring to people who dress in a preppy style or people who act according to the preppy stereotype? And if the latter...Are you going with the actualy prep school definition, or the popular cheerleader definition? Or a different definition entirely?
Just curious.
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Old 04-09-2009, 03:43 PM   #19
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I am of Asian ethnicity myself and while I do have a strong attachment to my cultural roots, I hardly feel that dressing in a historically Western fashion somehow debases my ancestry. If someone is comfortable dressing in a style that is both contrary to other cultures' perceptions of how they should dress and also to the preferences of people within their own culture, then more power to them, I say. Taking that route seems to be both original and ironic, to my mind.
Irony and defying expectations are all well and good, but the victorian aristocracy was an, on the whole, an oppressive caste that I would be reluctant to legitimize by dressing in their style.

Quote:
Maximus, I think that some of the styles that were suggested by Miss Lolly were so specific that they would be very limiting in daily practice. There are only so many ways one can be dressed as a 'mob victim' or 'horribly mangled child worker'.

I am not at all suggesting that Mr. Okami goes for the full top hat to tailcoat and cane look, and in all honestly I seldom step out in that whole fancy outfit myself. I am suggesting that he utilize parts of said attire to get that Victorian flare he seems to desire for his appearance. I often go this route, as well.
I think, with a little creativity, one can stretch those concepts just as far as one can 'aristocrat'. She seemed to be suggesting possible aesthetic influences, rather than that he should wear an oversized factory uniform every single day and tape his thumbs to his hands.
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Old 04-09-2009, 04:18 PM   #20
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Irony and defying expectations are all well and good, but the victorian aristocracy was an, on the whole, an oppressive caste that I would be reluctant to legitimize by dressing in their style.



I think, with a little creativity, one can stretch those concepts just as far as one can 'aristocrat'. She seemed to be suggesting possible aesthetic influences, rather than that he should wear an oversized factory uniform every single day and tape his thumbs to his hands.
Yeah, that's what I was angling after. Influences from Frederick Douglass, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Dred Scott could pull it all together and make Okami look like a man of both education and action rather than a man of pretension and affected manners.

Add a copy of Douglass' writing to tuck under his shoulder like a pamphlet and he's all set.
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Old 04-09-2009, 07:06 PM   #21
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I suppose the problem I have with your rationale is that you seem to hold that a style based on a certain historical look necessisarily implies that one espouses and agrees with the social norms of the time, or at least the stereotype that contemporary perspectives have attributed to said time period. It is one thing to assert that certain garments and styles should not be worn because they are generally offensive to the public at large, but it is another thing entirely to suggest someone avoid a look that they seem to appreciate because of your personal feelings about that style and its historical antecedents.
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Old 04-09-2009, 10:52 PM   #22
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For weeks I wore a black dress (I am a guy) to school, underneath my jacket, and black skinny jeans with chains. It looked neat, if not a bit strange. Nobody said a thing about the dress. I was pleasantly surprised.

I tend to dress more like a punk than a goth. That'll change when I find the right clothing store that suits my needs.
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Old 04-10-2009, 05:16 AM   #23
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just wear what you want to. I tend to wear just my fitted black pants from tripp, army boots and my black miami ink t when I am not going out. If I am going out I wear a black button down, a black vest, and skinny black pants. My hair is also very simple, a jet black chin length bob. My style is simple with not much variation. Why? Because it is what makes me happy. Just wear what you want and you should be okay. And you may find that you have a piece or two that become your 'trademarks' so to speak. Mine are my vests and my super pin straight shiny hair. My friends give me a hard time about both those things("don't you ever want a change?") but I don't really care, I like how I dress
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Old 04-10-2009, 08:01 AM   #24
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You dress the way you want, don't listen to people who will tell you what to wear. I love victorian. x
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Old 04-11-2009, 02:12 AM   #25
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Thanks. I was thinking of wearing a white or black, long sleeved shirt with a black waistcoat, black trousers and black canvases. Oh, and a black hat. Good or bad? I think it's more my style. I personally like sporting black nail varnish and want to wear black lipstick.
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