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Gothic Stereotypes: Female
This is not a definitive list, as there is
often quite a bit of overlap between the various categories. There are
some corresponding stereotypes for each gender - ie The Dandy is the male
equivalent of the Lucrezia, the Siouxie is the female equivalent of the
Mad Bob - but there is also overlap between, say the dancing style of
the Lucrezia and the Male Waif. The hell with it, there's just lots of
overlap, okay?
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The
Siouxsie
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WAY too much eye-liner
(i.e. not just black, but also hints of purple, red, green and
occasionally yellow); the same haircut as Mad Bob (i.e. large
black frightwig); dressed in vaguely dark hippie dresses, with
bangles and masses of pendants and chains worn around the neck.
Favorite drink: anything with Vodka in it, especially vodka, or
anything IN vodka (like blackcurrant cordial).
Favorite music: Siouxsie and the Banshees (obviously!), the
Cure.
Dances: much like the Mad Bob, except a bit slower, with
hand-gestures borrowed from Tai-chi; perhaps a bit more
direction and an air of "I know something you don't". |
The
Lucrezia
 |
Long gowns in velvet and/or
lace; 19th-Century riding costumes, net veils; elbow-length
gloves, many rings with large red stones, elaborate face-makeup
(not overdone like the Siouxsie, but with involved designs).
Favorite drink: champagne, anything with more than six
ingredients, or a name with more than five syllables or some
kind of sexual reference.
Favorite music: Sisters of Mercy, anything with the Steinman
Taint, classical (i.e. O Fortuna), the Cocteau Twins,
This Mortal Coil... well, ANY 4AD band.
Dances: very much like the Male Waif; the Two-Step-Back'n'Forth
with minor variations such as skirt-train-swooshing is also
popular because those huge, ornate dresses often make anything
more complicated a dangerous proposition. |
The
Waif
 |
Jeans, Doc Martens (their
feet always look three or four sizes too large for the rest of
their bodies), tight t-shirts; skeletally thin, pale faces, lots
of hickeys; a leather strap around the wrist; the "Tank
Girl" look.
Favorite drink: anything that someone else will buy for them
(except beer).
Favorite Music: Nine Inch Nails, or anything dripping with
angst.
They're usually too self-conscious to dance. |
The
Scruff |
Or the post-hippy. Skirts,
black cardigans or big black shapeless jumpers with holes,
laddered black stockings, no makeup, hair dyed black with
streaks of red or purple, Doc Martens, several ear-piercings
moving in a line up the ear-lobes, also nose-piercings, eyebrow-piercings,
lip piercings, tongue piercings, anything-that-
sticks-out-and-occasionally-some-things-that-don't piercings.
One of the few kinds of Goth you can see out in daylight, albeit
under the protection of very large black sunglasses. Sort of
like a collision between Siouxsie and Hayzee Fantayzee.
Favorite drink: blackcurrant cordial.
Favorite music: Ministry, Skinny Puppy, the harder Nine Inch
Nails. The softer versions have admitted to a liking to Hawkwind.
As for dancing... when they have the energy, they either stomp
like Blank Reg or sway like Siouxsie. |
Death
 |
After the Neil Gaiman
character. Black singlet, black jeans, large silver ankh,
eye-of-horus makeup done in black eyeliner, hairstyle a more
restrained version of the Mad Bob. Also known as the Party Goth,
or Goth-Who-Smiles.
Favorite drink: coca-cola.
Favorite music: Early Birthday Party, the Sugarcubes.
Dances: tends to bounce around like scattered ping-pong balls
(these people will dance to anything. Madness, The Vapours, SPK,
radio static, smashing glass, passing traffic, people
talking...) |
The
Domina |
Heavy black eye-makeup and
lots of leather. Leather dress, jacket, pants, boots, armbands,
whip and/or riding crop and collar. Black-painted VERY long
fingernails. Stiletto heels. May have a semi-naked, oiled man on
the end of a chain or a dog-leash.
Favorite drink: wine or champagne.
Favorite music: anything with a heavy, thumping beat and
orgasmic groans.
Too dignified to dance. |
Miss
Generic
 |
A standard for when she
can't squeeze herself into one of the other categories. Long
black dress; pale makeup, eyeliner design not too intricate
(less that four curlicues); any color hair; a few rings but
must have at least two fingers bare.
Favorite drink: vodka.
Favorite music: anything that the DJ plays - they will then go
around commenting derisively "They call THIS Goth
music?"
Dances: will watch everyone else to see what they're doing and
then tentatively copy them. You may think we're coming down a
bit hard on Miss Generic; not at all. Some of our best friends
are, etc. etc. We accept that some people can't be Goths all the
time. |
The
Baby Goth
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Usually someone's little
sister or cousin. Wears one of her two black dresses (the one
that looks least like it comes from Portmans) and black school
shoes. Hair: Long and neatly brushed. Makeup: Black lipstick and
nail polish, no other makeup, OR, pale foundation and intricate
face designs, done by whoever brought her along. Tends to smile
nervously a lot, especially when spoken to, and fiddle with her
hair or necklace.
Favorite drink: Strongbow sweet, with a straw.
Too busy staring wide-eyed at the dancers to actually hear the
music. |
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