Most of us probably use the skull emoji and the parlance “I’m dead” or “DECEASED” when encountering something unbelievable or hilarious on the internet. But how many of us put our money where our mouths are and dress like it, too? Specifically, I’m beseeching us all to dress like ghosts.
It makes sense that ghost fashion would see a resurgence right now, considering we live in an era of increasing darkness—the place, as you probably know, where democracy dies. The national mood may seem hopeful with the resurgent amount of protest across interests and age groups, but the outlook is truly dire; “Feminist” slogan clothing is popular but flaccid as protest, but the costumes from Handmaid’s Tale worn at rallies around the world have been solemn and dramatic, clothing that reflects the sort of true dystopia we fear. It’s an era in which true goth fashion should be thriving—all-black clothing and eyeliner to match to symbolize a state of perpetual mourning—but we can also take it further and dress as beautiful/malevolent spirits here to mesmerize and haunt the bad people of the universe.
At China Fashion Week over the weekend, designer Zhu Guangyan’s JUSERE label held a bridal runway show, but so many of the looks were more suitable for melancholic haunting and rattling around chains; memo to any of my friends who are about to get married (*cough* JOANNA *cough*), your wedding will be WAY more fun if you adopt a ghost theme and make it creepy as fuck, but also ethereal and wispy.
The ghost theme at China Fashion Week carried on with the label Heaven Gaia, whose models emerged from a runway decorated like a creepy forest and were also draped in diaphanous fabrics that could go either ghost or goth depending on the mood.
There was even a baby ghost. Ghost baby!
Meanwhile during Istanbul Fashion Week, they were catching the ghost vapors too. The designer Zeynep Tosun was celebrating strong women with this collection, which is to say immortal women, which is to say women with so much spirit they are spirits.
Fun fact, CRIMSON as a hue is goth as fuck! Don’t let anyone tell you different—it’s not 1982, people.
The designer Nihan Peker was feeling it too; the name of the collection was “My Winter Story,” but you know what that really means—ghosts.
In summary, if you are actually “DEAD,” why don’t you freaking dress like it?