You’re wondering why Goths have such an affinity for the skull and crossbones image. Does being part of gothic culture necessarily mean incorporating skulls into your style? Or how do these rebels bring skulls to the fore?
At our online boutique, we’re passionate about this subject, and the skull is even our emblem. 💀
The relationship between life and death is at the very heart of Gothic culture. The skull is one of the pillars of this counter-culture. Displaying a skull is therefore one of the main signs of belonging to goth culture. 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
In this article, you will discover, among other things:
- Why Goths use the image of skulls.
- And how they incorporate skulls into their style.
After reading the following few lines, you’ll fully understand the importance of skulls to “black clothing fans” and how they bring them to the fore 💀.
Let’s get started together without further ado.
Why are Goths so fond of skulls?
Before we begin, it’s important to know that there are hundreds of ways to immerse yourself in the Gothic world, as everyone expresses their passion (or not) for skulls in their own way.
However, skulls are an integral part of Gothic culture. They’ve been borrowed from African spiritual traditions, where it’s common practice in some tribes to keep bones, particularly ancestral skulls, as relics of death. Let’s take a look together at why bones are one of the fundamental symbols for enthusiasts of this subculture.
1) The notion of Life and Death
One of the hallmarks of these people is finding beauty in things that others consider dark. 😈 They love everything mysterious and dark. And what could be more mysterious and murky than death? Being gothic is a kind of dark comedy. But loving dark things doesn’t mean being unhappy. Quite the opposite, in fact! What we’re talking about here is “Memento Mori”: remember that you’re going to die. In other words, enjoy life while you can.
The skull perfectly illustrates this emphasis on death. It’s the main reason why they love to incorporate skulls almost everywhere in their lives. And we agree!
2) The Skulls’ singular style
Being gothic means standing out from the crowd. And to sport a skull and crossbones is already to be “different”. Even if today, this image has become much more democratized and is no longer limited to certain communities, displaying a skull still expresses a difference. And the style of these dissidents brings it out very well.
Goths are realistic, romantic and often intelligent artists. And the skull image is a powerful element for an artist to work with. There are a multitude of ways to highlight it. Our collection of skull paintings is the perfect example. We invite you to decorate your home with one of them!
Gothic Skull Fashion
We’ve touched on why the skull and crossbones are such an integral part of this culture. Now let’s take a look at how to incorporate it to make a standout style and fully assert your uniqueness. Let’s get started!
1) Wears clothes with skulls
It goes without saying that the first element of gothic style involves clothing. Wearing a garment with a skull and crossbones will propel you to the forefront of the most great skull enthusiasts! The most famous being, unsurprisingly, the skull t-shirt.
Pair almost any black garment with a skull, and you’ll already have an aura of provocative style. Color historically plays an important role in this post-punk culture. Black is associated with the morbid and dark aspects of life. The color is linked to Afro-Caribbean spirituality. “Black is the color of the shadow, the part of the soul that the ancients believed was detachable. It’s the time when spirits can slip out of sight”.
Black is (unsurprisingly) the undisputed master of the gothic wardrobe. But you can also wear colors such as purple, navy and red, which blend perfectly with your style, in harmony with black. ⚫️
2) Equip yourself with Skull Jewelry
Perfecting your sartorial style with jewelry is a detail not to be overlooked. Wearing jewelry with skulls is one of the essential steps to expressing your difference. 🤘🏼 The skull ring is a classic, but don’t underestimate the power of skull bracelets or pendants!
Chains and studs are also of paramount importance to the more radical. The combination of leather, black, chains and silver studs is resolutely gothic. Take inspiration from others, but make sure you have your own style by combining these different elements as you see fit, to express your personality.
3) Adorn your skin with skulls
The idea here is certainly not to convince you to get a tattoo! That decision has to be made of your own free will. However, tattoos are one of the hallmarks of the gothic community. And a skull and crossbones tattoo is the symbol that comes up almost systematically, followed closely by the raven tattoo. 💉
The beauty of our difference lies in not conforming to society’s norms. And the freedom to express yourself through tattoos is one of the most categorical ways to affirm your style. Adopting a skull tattoo is the very expression of asserting your style.
4) Decorate your space with Skulls
Skulls also occupy an important place in the world of decoration. Our decorative skulls are the perfect example. Goths have always delighted in the multitude of choices available to enhance a bony head. Some even enjoy having one on their bedside table to accentuate the “dark” side we mentioned earlier.
Gothic personalities and skulls
The love for the human skull goes far beyond the common stereotype of a morose teenager obsessed with doom and graveyard tombs. Gothic identity has many more facets than one might think. The following characters from literature, film and music have helped shape and define this rich and varied counter-culture, including their use of… yes, the skull and crossbones! ☠️
1) Edgar Allan Poe
As the author of many tormented, ennui-filled stories and poems, Poe’s most significant contribution to our subculture is perhaps his seminal (and often parodied) work, “The Raven”. The illustration for this poem presents the text with, at its center, a crow perched on a skull, reading a book. This image is widely taken up in the art world for its beauty and complexity.
2) Siouxsie Sioux
As lead singer of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Siouxsie’s dark lyrics and fashion sense (thick eyeliner, fishnets and gravity-defying hairstyles) have greatly influenced the world of post-punk music as we know it today. The singer has often appeared with a skull on magazine covers and album sleeves.
3) Tim Burton
The famous director has also contributed to the Skull/Gothic World association through some of his films. Burton is behind such films as “Vincent”, “Frankenweenie” (the original live-action short), “Beetlejuice” and – perhaps the most gothic of all – “Edward Scissorhands”. 🎬
4) Theda Bara
Bara is credited with creating the archetypal “vamp” in cinema – a woman unashamed of her physical desire. Her breakthrough came in the film “A Fool There Was” (1915), where she played a character called “The Vampire”. Her black make-up and provocative outfits were later taken up by the likes of Siouxsie Sioux, Lydia Lynch and many other goths. She frequently posted herself with bones 🦴 during her media appearances.
5) Christian Death
This gothic rock band has also influenced the more marginalized among us. Using death as the main theme of many of their songs, they also illustrated death, the grim reaper and many other symbols on their musical album covers. “Skeleton Kiss” is one of their most famous album and concert posters.
Young Goth, join the movement
We’ve explored different ways for a Goth to feature skulls in his or her life. If you’d like to join in, don’t hesitate! Rings and t-shirts are affordable choices if you’re starting to get into this singular style, for example. 💀 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
Now you also understand the importance of skulls to them.
