Can somebody who is in high school truly be Goth-

[Death of Cool]

Having been involved in the culture since the mid 80's, allow me to put some perspective on this. The ONLY requirement for being a "true goth" is being a fan of goth rock. Whether you're 12 and are just getting into Bauhaus or 48 and used to party at the Batcave, age is irrelevant.  

[Necrodancer Ghost]

Couldn't have said it better myself, Death.

 

[Mechanical Death]

honestly to me it all depends on their way of doing it.
I've been 30 yr olds who still dye their hair pink badly, wear striped stockings under their cut off tripp pants and combat boots and call themselves goth... it makes me sad really.

I'm 18, I wore corsets to school, wore a victorian ball gown to prom, my clothes were exploding with ruffles lace and velvet ( i got over that tripp s**t in 7th grade) with studs and chains, lace gloves and veiled hairclips....

I never got any s**t for being a goth because I dressed it well. People asked me to make clothes for them, design their prom gowns. When they found out I wasn't going to be a fashion major they were shocked.

Respect all comes from how you display if.

If you think that falloutboy is the greatest band ever, and you can't wait for the vampire weekend concert and have like 5 inches of black surrounding your eyes and think that because you're wearing a dog collar you're just about the coolest most hardcore goth there ever was then you will get no respect from the little middleschooler goths, or the ones who have been doing it forever.  

[Mechanical Death]

Death of Cool

Having been involved in the culture since the mid 80's, allow me to put some perspective on this. The ONLY requirement for being a "true goth" is being a fan of goth rock. Whether you're 12 and are just getting into Bauhaus or 48 and used to party at the Batcave, age is irrelevant.

Agreed, but the clothing and style does go a long with it. There are different styles as I'm sure you know, but mall goth/ kiddygoth just doesn't cut it or deserve the respect.  

[MortSanglant]

Mechanical Death

Death of Cool

Having been involved in the culture since the mid 80's, allow me to put some perspective on this. The ONLY requirement for being a "true goth" is being a fan of goth rock. Whether you're 12 and are just getting into Bauhaus or 48 and used to party at the Batcave, age is irrelevant.

Agreed, but the clothing and style does go a long with it. There are different styles as I'm sure you know, but mall goth/ kiddygoth just doesn't cut it or deserve the respect.

I'd like to direct you toward my post a page back: everyone starts somewhere. I think it's understandable for the young ones to have a skewed idea of what 'goth' means.  

[Necrodancer Ghost]

Mechanical Death

Death of Cool

Having been involved in the culture since the mid 80's, allow me to put some perspective on this. The ONLY requirement for being a "true goth" is being a fan of goth rock. Whether you're 12 and are just getting into Bauhaus or 48 and used to party at the Batcave, age is irrelevant.

Agreed, but the clothing and style does go a long with it. There are different styles as I'm sure you know, but mall goth/ kiddygoth just doesn't cut it or deserve the respect.

The thing is, you still have to chalk the fashion up to the music.
I can almost guarantee you that none of the goths would dress the way they do if they didn't see the pretty goths on stage doing so.
There's a reason most of the goth fashion icons were all musicians.

 

[Whisper Gently]

Mechanical Death

honestly to me it all depends on their way of doing it.
I've been 30 yr olds who still dye their hair pink badly, wear striped stockings under their cut off tripp pants and combat boots and call themselves goth... it makes me sad really.

I'm 18, I wore corsets to school, wore a victorian ball gown to prom, my clothes were exploding with ruffles lace and velvet ( i got over that tripp s**t in 7th grade) with studs and chains, lace gloves and veiled hairclips....

I never got any s**t for being a goth because I dressed it well. People asked me to make clothes for them, design their prom gowns. When they found out I wasn't going to be a fashion major they were shocked.

Respect all comes from how you display if.

If you think that falloutboy is the greatest band ever, and you can't wait for the vampire weekend concert and have like 5 inches of black surrounding your eyes and think that because you're wearing a dog collar you're just about the coolest most hardcore goth there ever was then you will get no respect from the little middleschooler goths, or the ones who have been doing it forever.

<3
I didn't know you were in this guild.
Hai!

 

[Sayga Takaino]

MortSanglant

Mechanical Death

Death of Cool

Having been involved in the culture since the mid 80's, allow me to put some perspective on this. The ONLY requirement for being a "true goth" is being a fan of goth rock. Whether you're 12 and are just getting into Bauhaus or 48 and used to party at the Batcave, age is irrelevant.

Agreed, but the clothing and style does go a long with it. There are different styles as I'm sure you know, but mall goth/ kiddygoth just doesn't cut it or deserve the respect.

I'd like to direct you toward my post a page back: everyone starts somewhere. I think it's understandable for the young ones to have a skewed idea of what 'goth' means.

I started out that way two years ago, i only listened to goth metal and dressed like crap.  

[angel_259236102]

Well, it all depends on how you are going about it. A 30 year old can be as much of a mall goth as a 15 year old. Age doesnt account for maturity, and ignorance. Sure the older you are, generally speaking, the more mature and the more well put together you are, but there are a lot of dumb a** adults who do not know as much as they think.

I do not believe that the original goth music makes you a goth. Because there is no way you can just listen to 80s music to be goth. That isnt evolving, and as much as that music was good for the goth kids 20 or 30 years ago, it is not representative of the culture now. You should know of those bands, since it is where it came from, but goth music has move on from that, and the culture has moved on.

If you have the knowledge of the culture, and dress well, then you are a goth.

I also find that people give tripp a lot of s**t that it doesnt need. Take the straps and chains off and most of the pants are decent. It isnt like the stores around where I live carry much else, and I cant go to Montreal to shop all the time.  

[Padli Andel]

Of course I respect the older one, but you can be a highschooler and still be a 'true' goth.  

[Angel of the End]

The Spirit of Vengeance

If they follow the subculture, listen to the music, and call themselves goth, they're a goth. No ifs, ands, or buts.
But personally, I don't respect anyone unless they give me reason to, no matter what age.

I agree. I do not respect anyone unless they give me a reason to, aka they have to earn it. I'll respect an "elder goth" depending on who that person is, what they have done/accomplished, and other personal standards (respect is a personal thing, right?).
Being a goth is not a matter of who else in the community respects or even likes you. Being French, well, it does not matter if you are liked or hated in France. You can be ex-communicated, I guess is the best way to describe it... from the culture in you're area, to an extent.
But as Vengveance said, "If they follow the subculture, listen to the music, and call themselves goth, they're a goth."

Age is nothing. Age means nothing. I've met children in their 90s and old men in their teens. There are people of 100 who are still in their youth, and 12 year olds who see nothing in life. Age can not be helped, who decides when they are born? It is WHAT and WHO a person is, and to an extent, what they have done with the time that they have that determines respect, in my own personal opinion.  

[Angel of the End]

Death of Cool

Having been involved in the culture since the mid 80's, allow me to put some perspective on this. The ONLY requirement for being a "true goth" is being a fan of goth rock. Whether you're 12 and are just getting into Bauhaus or 48 and used to party at the Batcave, age is irrelevant.

-nods head in agreement-  

[MediaclCunt]

Depends on their taste in music and overall mentality. For example, I had this a*****e on Xanga say I was a poser because I didn't listen to the "right" music. According to her, that was The 69 Eyes, HIM, etc. xd Joke was on her.  

[Ayame_Rikimayu]

MediaclCunt

Depends on their taste in music and overall mentality. For example, I had this a*****e on Xanga say I was a poser because I didn't listen to the "right" music. According to her, that was The 69 Eyes, HIM, etc. xd Joke was on her.

i actually do like the 69 eyes and HIM but that is besides the point. whomever this person is on xanga is horribly wrong, however.

i like how a subculture so diverse in its followers actaually needs a standard solid definition of what "true goth" is and isn't. i don't really consider myself "goth" but i am personally influenced by alot of gothic music and fashion. back in my oh-so-ignorant youth i had, though and now that i look back on it, i was completely retarded. i find that many people who have called themselves "gothic" weren't, according to many of your standards, but maybe they had a taste for certain things gothy.

i myself am not prone to giving myself any sort of label. i'm currently into all sorts of music, goth rock and non-goth rock (do or don't judge me based on what i said in my first sentence, i don't care). and my personal style floats between cyber-goth, cyber-lolita, gothic-lolita, japanese street punk, raver, and the occasional scene. either way, i don't give a s**t. gothic music (and fashion), etc, has spawned many offshoots and it has changed very greatly in the last 20 years or so. i'm sure many of todays goth babies wouldn't be as interested in souxie and voltaire as they were 30 years ago. either way, things change, and even though someone on here said it before, i'll say it again. because why would you catagorize someone today based on a standard of 30 years ago? and why is there catagorizing to begin with?

anayway, back to the actual question of this thread: i do think its possible for someone to be goth and in high school but like i said before, i don't care if the person is truly goth or not as long as they are not obstenatiously clueless. there are people like me whose lives have been influeneced by gothic culture and know more than those who actually call themselves gothic but aren't actually goth. likewise the judgemental factor, need there be one, should be maturity. and some amount of knowledge. and a lack of arrogance.  

[Xahmen]

Yeah but why would anybody WANT to be goth while in highschool?
Unless of course they feel that the only way anybody will ever notice them unless they make themselves stand out to be ridiculed.

Because Gothic fashion is nice in magazines, and nice in clubs, and nice on the television screen, but we all know that in real life in real-world scenarios; the gothic style gets nothing but scorn and ridicule by everybody (most at least) who is not also dressed in the goth style.