With starry patterns and witchy silhouettes Whimsigoth is the latest fashion trend taking the internet by storm.The term was first coined by Evan Collins, architectural designer and cofounder of the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute. Collins first noticed it in a certain style of décor seen in the 80s and 90s which ends up inspiring the term. Whimsigoth as an aesthetic blends the “whimsical” mystical nature of celestial motifs with “gothic” dark colours which ends up creating, according to Collins, a “moody, sort of dark, but still weirdly playful” vibe.
The trend blew up on TikTok with many users viewing the style as a sort of dark, witchy, goth-adjacent aesthetic rising to popularity the same time as tags such as astrology, tarot and #Witchtok. In many ways Whimsigoth rose to popularity because of the general new found interest in new age spirituality. But it existed long before this. The style could be found on Tumblr and it’s heavily inspired by shows such as, the 90s Sabrina the teenage witch, The craft and practical magic as well as icons like Stevie Nicks, Anna Sui and Lisa Bonet.
It draws its inspiration from the late 60s and early 70s. The aesthetic consists mostly of Maxi skirts, velvet textures, silver or gold jewellery and crystals. It also highlights colours like dark purples and blues, blacks and patterned fabric. But the whole point of whimsy goth is to play around with it! Turn a skirt into a dress, wear a top as a skirt, play around with your silhouette and throw caution to the wind. If you’re looking for inspiration on how to style and outfit in this aesthetic, TikTok is always there to guide you and mood boards are soon going to be your best friend.
If you’re looking for places to shop the look, since whimsigoth is heavily inspired by the later periods you are sure to find essential pieces in thrift stores, you can use it as an opportunity to shop ethically as well as add unique items to your wardrobe. Depop is another cool place to find things such as dresses and skirts. If accessories are what you’re looking for, there are many small businesses or your local spiritual shop. All in all, whimsy goth is a fun aesthetic to try out. It allows you a lot of freedom in how you want to style yourself and there is no need to follow it word for word, always remember to push boundaries so to allow yourself an authentic style true to you.