Everything 90s is new again, from chunky platform heels to grunge fashion, and one of the biggest trends of the decade is having a major renaissance: whimsigoth. This bohemian-inspired style blends casual elegance with gothic drama for looks that are fun, funky, and carefree. If you always wanted to experiment with goth fashion without going full bat mode, it’s a good look for getting your feet wet. If you love the casual grace of boho style but want to go a bit darker with it, this could be the aesthetic of your dreams. Here’s everything you need to know about this spellbinding vintage fashion aesthetic.
What is whimsigoth?
Whimsigoth is a new name for a goth aesthetic that has been around practically since the goth scene’s inception, and which reached the height of popularity from the mid 90s to the early 2000s. It involves combining an eclectic mixture of bohemian elements to create outfits that evoke dark fairytales and a kind of “soft witch” aesthetic. It could even be described as “dark cottagecore,” especially when it comes to interior design.
The mood it evokes is one of mystery and magic, but with a delicate, playful touch. Think of your friendly neighborhood Wiccan casting protection spells while baking cookies. It combines the dark color palette and witchy feel of goth fashion with boho elements like long dresses and casual tops, making it easy to wear every day. A lot of classic pieces fit into a whimsigoth aesthetic, meaning it’s a trend you won’t want to let go of anytime soon.
90s Whimsigoth
This fashion aesthetic was EVERYWHERE in the 90s, although we didn’t really have a name for it then. From Phoebe on Friends to the ladies of Charmed to Willow on Buffy, this goth-boho look was having a moment.
For more examples of a 90s whimsigothic aesthetic, check out movies like The Craft and Practical Magic, and music videos from Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins, Enya, Tori Amos, and The Cranberries. The Smashing Pumpkins album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness also has major whimsigoth vibes, especially the video for “Tonight, Tonight.”
Whimsigoth Decor
It was also a major trend in interior design, with wispy, celestial curtains wrapped around wrought-iron fixtures and touches of gold shimmer on backgrounds of periwinkle or soft purple. If you want to bring a little vintage whimsigothic charm to your indoor spaces, twinkling LED lights intertwined with artificial greenery can make your room a fairytale glade. Candles and cute glass lanterns create a cozy atmosphere that casts a spell.
Whimsigoth curtains are an important element of this aesthetic, and they’re usually light and airy, with embroidered or printed stars, moons, flowers, vines, or leaves. Try incorporating them into a canopy bed to create a cozy, dreamlike space. A bohemian touch like a whimsigoth tapestry above your bed also sets a mystical mood.
The vibe is soft and dreamy, with embellishments like crystals and decorative pillows. Paint and wallpaper are in deep, earthy colors, with accents like lilac, gold, and pale green for pillows, pillar candles, wall art, and window treatments. Bringing together unexpected elements is key to this playful look, and your local antique shop might have just the conversation piece that will elevate your room décor.
How to Dress Whimsigoth
Layers
The main thing to remember is that this look is maximalist, so more is more! It’s all about creating surprising combinations of layers, patterns, and textures (think a chunky crochet cardigan over a wispy tulle dress, or a leather bodice with an intricate, embroidered blouse). See-through black mesh, lace, or tulle shirts are a great option to wear underneath a dress or cami for a bit of goth allure.
If you still want a layered look in the summer, just throw a waistcoat or lightweight scarf over a tee. A sundress can also match this aesthetic if you layer it over a black tee, for example, and style it with dark accessories.
Florals
Flowers are your friends when it comes to whimsigoth style! Whether you prefer Victorian roses or a classic 90s daisy pattern, it’s always a good idea to incorporate floral prints. Floral dresses and skirts that are comfy and easy to dress up or down are absolute staples in any whimsigoth wardrobe. Look for floral prints with black, dark red, or purple backgrounds to emphasize your dark side, or pair girly pastels with a dark undershirt or jacket for an interesting contrast.
Floral maxi dresses and mini dresses can easily be accessorized with belts, stockings, and gothy necklaces like chokers to give you a boho-inspired look with a hint of darkness.
Designs & Motifs
Clothing designs and jewelry involving moons, stars, and suns are often associated with this style. (A moon phase necklace or shirt is a fun spin on this idea.) Other popular designs for whimsigoth jewelry include butterflies, moths, and dragonflies—anything with insects, really—as well as leaves and vines. Crystal jewelry is also a fabulous choice. Mix and match from nature-inspired imagery to create fanciful looks that express your personal style.
Black Whimsigoth Clothes
Black outfits are a staple of any goth aesthetic, but for this look you’ll want dark clothing that has a hint of softness and playfulness about it. A black cottagecore dress with some tiered ruffles would be a good option. If you prefer a more streamlined look, a black sheath dress would work—try pairing it with some quirky floral statement tights. For a versatile pick, a lacy black midi is a classic whimsigoth skirt that will go with almost anything.
Whimsigoth Shoes
As with a lot of goth looks, it all comes down to the boots. However, for this style you’ll want something a little more dainty than sky-high platform Demonias. Instead, opt for Victorian-inspired low-heeled lace-up boots or combat boots in black, brown, or fawn (embellishments like flowers and delicate embroidery are always welcome).
Espadrilles, chunky heels, or flats would also work—anything that would be at home paired with a flowy maxi skirt. Because this style is very boho-inspired, it also works well with sandals, especially if they’re made of fringed or braided leather. Remember, whimsy is the key—it’s right there in the name—so don’t be afraid to bust out the colorful Converse or even a pair of cowboy boots. Whimsigoth is all about being quirky and comfortable, so the shoes should reflect that.
Whimsigoth Style Icons
Stevie Nicks, the Gold Dust Woman herself, is one of the most iconic lovers of whimsigoth style. With her long black dusters and billowy skirts and blouses, she always leaves an ethereal impression. Lisa Bonet is another star who often wears this effortless, eclectic style with a bohemian twist. In the 90s, Winona Ryder’s grunge-inspired looks combined darkness and whimsy for timelessly chic styles, and Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine always takes to the stage draped in gauzy dresses and shawls that create a magical aura.
Whimsigoth Makeup
Eyes
Makeup looks that fit this style tend to emphasize the eyes with lots of curlicues drawn on with liquid eyeliner, sometimes with added pearls, glitter, or gems. Purple and green are the classic whimsigoth eyeshadow colors, from soft sage and lilac to deep, intense emerald or plum, depending on how “goth” you want to be. A shimmery gold eyeshadow would also fit the aesthetic, as would neutrals like beige or taupe, or even dusty rose shades. (Of course, as with any goth aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with black smokey eye makeup looks.)
A heavy dose of shimmer is the key to nailing whimsigoth eye makeup—as befits the style’s late 90s heyday. Pearlescent—or even iridescent—eyeshadow is going to make your look shine.
Lips
Dark 90s lipstick colors can be your go-to when it comes to this look: think brown, burgundy, brick red, and purple. If you’d rather keep it lighter, pale pink or clear lip gloss is the way to go (but stay away from nude shades of lip gloss since they might get you more into y2k territory).
This aesthetic is quite cozy and feminine, so you don’t necessarily need to go super dark with your makeup looks (unless you want to!). The great thing about whimsigoth style is it’s very adaptable and casual. It can easily be worn with minimal makeup, or you can dial up the drama depending on the occasion.
The Origins of the Look
Hippie Style & 70s Glam
Whimsigothic fashion has its roots in the bohemian hippie fashions of the ‘60s and early ‘70s. This was an era when women’s fashion became much less structured and regimented. Women who embraced the hippie movement threw out the tight dresses and uncomfortable stockings, garter belts, girdles (and, yes, bras) their mothers had worn in favor of loose, flowing garments that let them move freely.
Classic hippie looks involve long, loose shirts, often with vests or scarves, worn over bell-bottom jeans or maxi skirts, as well as non-Western garments like kaftans. Bright prints and styles with Indian, Middle Eastern, and African designs were also popular. Hippies would mix and match articles of clothing to create surprising styles that prioritized comfort and celebrated nonconformity.
In the early 1970s, hippie style became mainstream, appearing in the collections of major designers. Flared pants and bright colors became the norm for both men and women, and fashion embraced androgyny in a way that was unprecedented in the 20th century. While men were finally free to wear long hair and bright shades, some women embraced elements of menswear like pantsuits and ties.
Music was another major influence on style, as rock artists like Mick Jagger, Marc Bolan of T. Rex, Patti Smith, and David Bowie took a playful, gender-defying approach to fashion and style. Outlandish, funky fashions from George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic pushed the envelope, while London punks created an “anti-fashion” movement with deconstructed clothes meant to shock and surprise.
A lot of these bubbling undercurrents of 60s and 70s fashion can be seen in the whimsigothic fashion aesthetic. From the hippies, it gets its laid-back vibe and bohemian silhouettes. From 70s fashion, it gets a penchant for playful juxtapositions—as well as vests, palazzo pants, and chunky heels. From punk rock (and its offshoot, goth) it gets a nonconformist sensibility and a hint of darkness.
All these elements came together when whimsigothic fashion took off in the mid to late 90s.
90s Hippie Revival
Fashion is cyclical, and by the mid 90s people were feeling nostalgic for the opulent yet casual styles of the swinging 60s and early 70s. Flared jeans and maxi skirts returned, as did chunky knits, clogs, and big platform heels. Boho looks could involve a mixture of thrifted items and high-fashion pieces—it was all about creating unique, creative looks through mixing and matching.
Miniskirts, eclectic prints, simple slip dresses with spaghetti straps, and lots of velvet were staples of the 1990s reimagining of all things Summer of Love. In the 90s hippie revival, bohemian styles collided with the grunge look to create a new spin on countercultural clothing. Grunge fashion emphasized mismatched and/or altered secondhand clothes, often with baggy, oversized jeans and flannel shirts. This sensibility was right at home with bohemian looks, and the resulting mixture created a new, fun flavor of hippie-inspired fashion.
From grunge, these 90s boho looks picked up a tendency to embrace layering and irreverent mixtures of fabrics. Milanese houses like Marni and Fendi and the Belgian designer Dries Van Noten were instrumental in popularizing this eclectic, carefree style from the mid-90s to the end of the decade.
Boho chic became a fashion aesthetic that never really went away—just look at festival fashion when concertgoers flock to Glastonbury and Coachella every year. It’s a classic for a reason, comfortable and wearable while still being elegant.
From Gothic Fashion to Hippie Goth
The other major element of whimsigoth style is, of course, goth fashion. As a late-70s offshoot of punk, goth also embraced an unconventional look, celebrating all things dark and macabre. Throughout the 1980s, goth music flourished in underground clubs, where goths experimented with fashion that rejected the mainstream preppy looks popular throughout the decade in favor of romantic styles dripping with dark decadence.
Early goth looks, known as “trad goth,” usually involved a metric ton of hairspray and eyeliner to create outlandish, punk-inspired hair and makeup looks. Clothes were black, freeform, and androgynous, with black pants, jackets, and pointed boots or combat boots becoming the uniform for both sexes, often with fishnet sleeves, as well as stockings and leather miniskirts for women. Ripped jeans and tights were a holdover from punk rock style, but they would be styled with heavy statement jewelry and draped black fabric.
Goths also looked to the past for inspiration, often adopting Victorian-inspired styles with long coats, full skirts, corsets, satiny blouses, and lots of black lace and velvet. Goth fashion as a whole is characterized by a sense of opulence and creativity as much as all-black outfits. It’s about expressing yourself, and over the years a variety of gothic aesthetics have evolved, as goth fashion has proved its staying power long after its initial rise.
Of course, these looks were also partially inspired by the hippies who came before and paved the way for alternative subcultures that coalesced around music and fashion. It was only natural that these two offbeat fashion tendencies should combine, and the hippie goth look was the result. This fashion aesthetic partakes of goth’s dark colors and lacy textures while incorporating bohemian silhouettes and laid-back vibes from the hippies who came before. Hippie gothic is the precursor to what we now call whimsigothic fashion.
Where to Get Whimsigoth Clothes
The first stop should be your local thrift store, where it should be easy to find the kind of vintage-inspired maxi skirts and dresses that are the backbone of this fashion aesthetic. (You might even find some genuine 90s clothes for even more authenticity.) Try searching Poshmark, Etsy, Depop, and ThredUp for secondhand clothes you can incorporate into a dark bohemian aesthetic.
Some big brands that carry clothes that could be easily incorporated into whimsigoth looks include Free People, Lovestitch, and Anthropologie. Try shopping ethical fashion brands like Tamga Designs, Whimsy + Row, and Christy Dawn for boho dresses, tops, pants, and skirts that are high quality and sustainably made.
DIY Boho Clothes
You can also incorporate a lot of your existing wardrobe by layering and creating new combinations with clothes you already own. This is especially true if you already have a lot of black clothes or pieces that would fit in well with a boho aesthetic. This look is very adaptable and DIY-friendly, so creating outfits is a breeze. It’s also great for “high-low” outfits combining thrift store finds with high fashion.
You can bring a bohemian goth touch to your wardrobe by adding embellishments like lace trim, fringe, patches, frills, or applique details to skirts and blouses with a little sewing. If you know a few basic sewing techniques, there are a lot of ways you can upcycle thrifted clothes and things that might be languishing in the back of your closet—no sewing machine required.
If you already dress goth a lot of the time, then adopting a whimsigoth look will involve “softening” your existing goth clothes by adding things like florals and nature prints and incorporating colors. For example, you can wear a chunky oatmeal sweater with your usual black dress and boots, or go for layered beaded necklaces instead of a spiked leather choker.
On the flip side, if you like the hippie/boho look but are unsure of how to put the “goth” in whimsigoth, try experimenting with dark makeup looks and adding darker colors to your wardrobe. Black outerwear is an easy way to gothify your outfits—throw a long black duster or leather jacket over your boho clothes, and add some black tights if the weather is chilly.
Style Elements
Excited to start putting together whimsical outfits with a dark, gothic edge? All you need is a few items to mix and match. Here are all the basics of whimsigothic style to get you started:
Wardrobe Staples:
· Maxi dresses
· Flowy skirts
· Wide leg trousers/palazzo pants
· Long sweaters, jackets, and dusters
· Vest/Waistcoat for layering
· Billowy blouses with bell or lantern sleeves
· Camisoles
· Corset tops
· Sheer mesh/tulle shirts for layering
Textures & Fabrics:
· Velvet
· Crochet
· Brocade
· Leather
· Lace
· Chunky knits
· Chiffon
· Tulle
· Linen
Embellishments:
· Embroidery
· Applique
· Beaded details
· Fringe
· Sequins
· Decorative Buttons
Colors:
· Black
· Deep Forest Green
· Amethyst
· Moss Green
· Royal Blue
· Burnt Sienna
· Gold/Ochre
· Deep Brown
· Burnt Orange
· Burgundy
· Violet
Patterns:
· Florals
· Paisley
· Narrow pinstripes
· Nature-inspired prints
· Twill
· Curlicues
· Celestial motifs
Accessories:
· Wide-brimmed hat
· Long, layered necklaces
· Bangles
· Leather wrist cuffs
· Shawls
· Patterned scarf or headwrap
· Antique brooches & pearls
· Crystals and gemstones
· Statement belt or bodice
· Pointed lace-up boots
· Braided leather sandals
· Lots of rings
· Jewelry with butterflies, dragonflies, and moths
· Sun, star, and moon earrings
Color Combinations:
· Green + Purple
· Black + Beige/Cream
· Brown + Green
· Dark Red + Pale Green
· Green + Gold
· Violet + Plum
· Dark Blue + Burnt Orange
· Black + Dark Red
Outfit Ideas:
· Mesh shirt + tee + maxi skirt
· Blouse + corset top + trousers
· Tee + maxi dress + scarf
· Maxi dress + long jacket
· Midi skirt + corset top
· Midi skirt + mesh shirt + cami
· Trousers + tee + cami
Use these style elements and outfit ideas to create fashion witchcraft this spring—and beyond!
Whimsigoth fashion isn’t just another trendy 90s throwback—it’s back in style because it’s so comfortable, flattering, and easy to wear. (And in a lot of ways, it never really left.) Try out some dark bohemian style for yourself, and add a little magic to your everyday wardrobe with this creative, earthy aesthetic.