Dress me like an office goth.

December 15, 2009 2:52 AM

I wanna dress like a smart goth. Recommend me some online stores.

When I mean smart goth, I don't mean over the top going out to a club goth, I mean hanging out with friends and doing the shopping goth. Oh, and male clothes only.

I'd also be interested in how you interpret this.

Looking in particular for: Nice civil war / victorian jackets, unusual black trousers, army boots / trainers with something extra, nice smart shirts (no frills) and a selection of hats.

posted by gonzo_ID to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 answers total)

Chateau Bizarre maintains a good index of online stores, good for a broadview of what is out there and has been on the net for a while.
posted by chrisbucks at 3:09 AM on December 15, 2009

I think "goth" isn't exactly the word you're looking for based on your desire for late-19th century jackets. Goth for men can mean: black eyeliner, tight (possibly shiny) T-shirts, nail polish, skulls, dyed black hair, leather. Like Marilyn Manson.

I think you should go in more of a steampunk or vintage direction. Here's a list of purveyors of such clothing.

Also useful for you to know: Victorian fashion (top hats, morning coats, etc) is very much in fashion right now, so this might not be as challenging a task as it would have been ten years ago.
posted by purpleclover at 3:26 AM on December 15, 2009 [3 favorites]

Seconding "victorian" or "vintage" as search terms, rather than goth.

(And "civil war" is probably a full third of eBay.)
posted by rokusan at 5:32 AM on December 15, 2009

Lip Service has some great quality stuff. They have some lines like Corporate Vampire that are acceptable for the office (note that the actual Corporate Vampire line is on close-out and therefore limited, so just take a look around).
posted by getawaysticks at 5:47 AM on December 15, 2009

My husband bought a frock coat from this site that he has worn quite a bit, to goth and non-goth functions.

Keep an eye out for individual pieces everywhere you go. Even Target. You never know what you'll find and it's more creative than just buying a whole outfit "off the rack."
posted by JoanArkham at 5:50 AM on December 15, 2009

You can check out the corporate goth group for suggestions, but most of the recovering goth, corpgoth, I'm-not-a-goth professional types that I know shop the same places as everyone else. They just choose things that fit with their aesthetic! Searching on "corpgoth" will give you lots of ideas how to pull outfits together, if not lots of places to shop.

These ties can work with the right outfit to give a goth/industrial/steampunk accent. Plastikwrap has jackets and pants which can work. Kenneth Cole, French Connection, and Guess (they show up in the department store outlet shops in the US all the time, but I see from your profile you're in the UK, so I don't know how available those brands are to you) usually have good pieces that work in a corpgoth wardrobe. I have long desired a lovely pair of boots from Pennangalan but am hesitant about the overseas mail order and potential return.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:26 AM on December 15, 2009

I think "goth" isn't exactly the word you're looking for based on your desire for late-19th century jackets. Goth for men can mean: black eyeliner, tight (possibly shiny) T-shirts, nail polish, skulls, dyed black hair, leather.

Oh, before the word "steampunk" made it into common parlance, goth was commonly understood to incorporate much of that genre. Yes, late-19th-century jackets are goth. (Lestat, helloooo.)

Zara and other "European style" clothing stores will yield you some good stuff. H&M, too, at least here in the States. (I see you're in the UK.)
posted by desuetude at 6:27 AM on December 15, 2009

For shoes, try Fluevogs
posted by Lazlo Hollyfeld at 7:10 AM on December 15, 2009

Try ebay for nice surplus. I've found a search for 'greatcoat' will bring up lots of lovely huge recovering-goth appropriate woolen monstrosities. My (non-black) Swiss greatcoat gets admiring comments from the general populace, and cost be about thirty bucks.

Re-enactment and Victorian shops like 'Gentleman's Emporium' can also be quite good for general anachrogoth needs.
posted by LucretiusJones at 7:26 AM on December 15, 2009

I'm with purpleclover and others who say steampunk not goth.
posted by necessitas at 8:31 AM on December 15, 2009

"Office goth" is practically an oxymoron, unless you work in a very progressive or artistic kind of office. Sounds like the clothing you're seeking doesn't necessarily need to be boss-approved, though - just smart-looking and of good quality.

For boots, I second the Fluevogs suggestion. I recently got my first pair of them (at a thrift store, no less! What a find!) and I love them so much it's almost frightening. You could also try Vixens and Angels for boots, though some of the stuff there has more of a club-goth feel to it than you might want.

Clothing Underground ("portal for underground shopping") has an extensive list of links to websites of alternative clothing purveyors. I use it frequently.
posted by velvet winter at 11:14 AM on December 15, 2009

"Goth" encompasses many style choices, including what the OP is after. Victorian goth does not always equal steampunk.

I'd say the central piece in your wardrobe should be a well-tailored black coat. Whether this is wool or velvet, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian or militaristic will depend on your taste. It needs to fit you well, though, and it needs to make you feel fantastic.

Theatrical costume sales are good places to go for these and other well-made garments. Several of these happen every year. Surf around on your local theatre and opera companies' websites. Usually you have to get there early and queue for a while before they let you into the warehouse to look around, but it's worth it for the amazing things you find.

The Alternative Bring and Buy Sale happens every few months in London and is a good place to find good stuff at decent prices.

Vintage men's clothing is harder to find in charity shops than women's, but it's probably still worth looking.

Best of luck!
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:52 AM on December 15, 2009