Goths 

Identifiable by a preference for black and an interest in the darker side of life, Goths have been a presence in our towns and cities for over 25 years. Mixing the theatricality of the New Romantic's dress with Punk oriented music, Goth has become one of the most enduring although popularly mocked of renegade youth cultures.

The name derives from the funereal dress and pan-stick make-up worn by both men and women. The early Goth style can loosely by described as Gothic horror as seen through the lens of early Hollywood. It is the films such as Dracula (1931) and The Bride Of Frankenstein (1933), and the B-movies of the 1950s that provided Goth with its early style references. In recent years Goth style has looked to the techno-future as well as the romantic past, altering both the look and the sound of Goth dress and music.

The two outfits in Brighton Museum's Renegade collection are examples of mid-late 1980s and contemporary Goth wear and illustrate how this subculture continues to change over the years, arguably making Goth one of the most dynamic and forward-looking of renegade youth styles.

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