Teen Gothic

As an elder goth, I can remember when Hot Topic first started opening stores in the shopping malls. Their entire back wall was Goth clothing. Lace, leather, metal, chains… I bought my first velvet corset at a Hot Topic.

But then they got rid of their goth section roughly 15 -20 years ago is seems and switched it to all anime and cosplay style merch from movies and such.

Yesterday I passed the Hot Topic in the mall, and my eye was drawn to a black sweater on a wall, and I wandered in for the first time in a couple years. A large, intimidating looking, but deceptively adorable person flounce up to me and handed me a coupon for daily discounts. The coupon had relatively goth teens in black lipstick posing in pictures.

And lo… the wall of goth clothing was back.

Corsets, lace dresses, black plaid miniskirts…

And the music was club music.

It warmed my heart. Is it possible our subculture is surging back?