Kenage here!

This time we will look at the styles of Victorian-Gothic outfits.

What is Victorian Gothic style?

This style of fashion seems to have it's roots in mourning attire -- a style worn by funeral attendees in the medieval era that continued until the 1870's or later. It was mostly worn by high-standing aristocrats, with expensive fabrics and jewelry. It may evoke a dark, meloncholy feeling.

 

Though it is uncommon to find such fashion today, it is still used frequently in victorian-set entertainment and art.

It can also be associated with vampires, and is also a very popular halloween costume!

Common Themes

I think one of the most iconic things about gothic clothing is it's use of lace and frills. With things like cravats, jabots, petticoats, etc.

Drawing these can be difficult to draw sometimes. But I think it can be fun!

I can show you some easy ways to draw them:

Semi-pleated frills:

Small, frill trim:

A different angle of flowing fabric:

The most important part when drawing detailed fabric is to remember its form. Ribbons or stripes are going to follow the curves of the fabric accordingly.

Tight folds such as a cravat or collar:

And if you still don't feel like drawing it or just want to save time, there are many brushes available here on Clip Studio Assets that can help!

Here are a few that I use and reccomend:

(And as of this writing, they are free!)

Colors

The colors in gothic clothing are dark or very subdued. Black is especially common, but it is not unusual to see blue, red, and purple. Experiment with different combinations! As long as you keep things dark, it will look great!

Dresses

The dresses in gothic clothing are very extravagant! They can be a simple, long gown. Or a beautiful ballroom dress with high detail. There is also the short variant seen in lolita fashion.

There are many sleeve variants.

From short and puffy, to long bell sleeves. You can add ribbons or cuffs for even more variation.

Coats, Corsets, Vests

Coats can be worn by men and women. They come in short or long styles, and may sometimes flow like a cape. Fitted vests are also common, enclosed with fancy buttons or buckles.

Corsets are used to add form to a dress, cinching fabric at the waist to create a feminine look.

Shoes

Shoes will consist of heels with straps, boots, or loafers. Adding boot covers or spats can enhance the design. Consider adorning them with decorative buttons, frills, or ribbons and bows.

Frilled stockings or tights are worn under the shoes. They could have lace patterns or stripes.

 

Accessories

Accessories include hats or veils. Jewelry like rings, and necklaces. And lacy parasols.

Gloves can be made entirely of lace, and be long or short in length.

Other fabrics can be used and decorated with ribbons, lace, or buttons.

Sometimes they may act more as a "floating" sleeve cuff, as seen in the bottom-right example below. Experiment with different styles to create your own!

Hair

Hair may be styled in delicate curls, or tied into a loose bun. It may also be worn long and straight, let down like an elegant waterfall.

 

Doll-like curls can be tricky to get right, so let me explain how I like to draw them:

 

1: Draw an "S" like shape like so. Or maybe a toothpaste shape.

2: Repeat the shape, but smaller and attached to the bottom of the first shape.

3: Repeat this process, making the sections smaller and smaller.

4: Add final details, like loose strands of hair and defining lines.

Easy, right? ☆

Other Motifs

Things like skulls, roses, lilies, crosses, church windows, skeleton keys, candles, lanterns, bats or ravens are common themes that contribute to a truly gothic style.

 

Whether as a prop, a pattern, or accessory in the outfit, including them in your illustration will add more to the overall feeling!

 

Extra

The use of makeup can bring the look all together with dark eye shadow and blush, or painted fingernails.

Try darkening around the eyes or shading the jawbone for a really sullen, creepy effect!

Or for a vampire look, include bright red or yellow eyes. And fangs!

Closing

I wish that I had more time to draw a wide variety of detailed examples. Of course, you can look around on any other image platform for more ideas.

 

"Gothic" fashion comes with many sub-styles aside from Victorian. I chose this theme because it is my personal favorite!

I hope you will experiment mixing different styles as well. You can create all kinds of characters this way.

 

Thank you so much for reading!

If you would like, you can check out my art on my web page linked below!