Goth Jewelry - Part 4: Putting It Together

Hello Design Fans:

Having looked at inspirations, symbols, colors, and materials, it's finally time to consider how to design something that is both fun to make, and empowering to wear. My inner goth enjoys designing in two different modes; the first creates elegant jewelry with a dark twist, and the second creates statement pieces - some of which are pretty over-the-top.

The first category includes jewelry that anyone might wear, depending on mood and event. It seems to be characterized by silver toned metals, gemstones of black, gray, red and purple, and more subtle symbolism. I particularly like red brecciated/poppy jasper for this look. It is a brick red stone swirled with gray and possibly flecked with black. It matches perfectly with both hematite and onyx

Moving towards statement pieces, I tend to include more glass and crystal, say something that might look like blood droplets. Pewter is a timeless and classic goth jewelry material. It has a attractive antiqued luster, and nicely cast pieces create wonderful jewelry that no one will miss. And yet, it is still generally tasteful and not campy.

And then when I'm feeling adventurous, I'll explore other ideas. I work with symbols like locks, skulls, and tribal markings. I'll use materials like thick metal chain, leather, fake barbed wire, and bone to create something dark and compelling. Consider what your inner goth would like to see, what would be the most fun to create, and then see what happens.

Great goth jewelry is hardly just for Halloween. It is a great way to express your inner goth any time of year, or at any event, that calls for a dramatic, romantic, elegant, and even quirky look.

Jennifer

Image Credit:
Red Brecciated Jasper Pendant - Red Jasper, leather cord, hematite and sterling silver necklace, bracelet, earrings. Lunar Blue Designs - Listed on our Etsy site in September.
Pewter bat - Pewter, crystal, glass, and silver necklace and earring set. Lunar Blue Designs - Listed on our Etsy site in October.

Goth Jewelry - Part 3: Materials

Hello Design Fans:

By far the thing I enjoy most about designing gothic jewelry is the fun of sorting through possible materials. Part of what makes traditional jewelry "traditional" is the use of familiar materials in expected ways. Gothic jewelry makes itself known not only through color and symbols, but by unusual use of regular materials (or by use of things that you otherwise wouldn't put in jewelry at all :)

You might find bone, leather, chain, dust, velvet, silk, coal, and liquids used in traditional jewelry, but these will generally be used in understated ways. For example: a gold chain for a bracelet, silk string for pearls, or glitter filled water in a small vial as a pendant. Similar materials in gothic jewelry will be used to make a stronger, edgier, more emotional statement. Examples include using several lengths of faceted anodized chain for a necklace, wide black silk to form a choker, or red 'blood' in a pendant flask.

I have a set of small flasks, and I enjoy finding interesting materials to fill them. Tame fillers, like glitter, don't seem to grab my interest. Ah, but unusual fillers get my attention.  Fake blood is already pretty overdone, so I look for the more unusual; crow feathers, watch parts, bizarre herbs, or whatever seems different.

Bone is almost always a good choice. Carved wood is appropriate, especially if you can hand paint it. All sorts of fabrics lend themselves to gothic jewelry, like lace, velvet, and silk. But keep your eyes out for other, more interesting stuff: volcanic glass, nylon mesh, recycled license plates, real fish net, and insects in amber or resin. If you can't find something strange enough to inspire you, maybe you can make it yourself - take the usual tour of the internet and see the ideas that are out there.

All of this hardly means you can't use typical gemstones to good effect. Garnet and black onyx are perfect, and marcasite has a wonderful feeling of mysterious, by-gone days. Even traditional standbys like bright blue topaz can be worked into a necklace that evokes a sense of dark winter nights. It is how these more typical stones are used in the context of the piece that is important. If your necklace is mostly blue topaz and bright silver, well, it probably has limited gothic appeal (unless the silver is in the form of a vampire bat and the topaz is in the eyes, say ...)

A word of caution - jewelry is for fun and fashion, and shouldn't be dangerous to make or wear. Do not get carried away in your desire to make your twisted jewelry creation. Check to be sure that no matter how sharp, tight, or painful your piece looks, that it isn't actually sharp, tight or painful. Gothic jewelry and fashion leans heavily on theater inspired props and the magic illusions of old. So keep it like the fake barbed wire, creepy but safe.

Jennifer

Image Credits:
Black Glass and Onyx Medallion - Lunar Blue Designs, listed in our Etsy store September 2010.  I found this dark silver metal and black glass medallion and wanted to pair it with an appropriate chain to make a gothic piece.  One chain alone would not work, so I matched up several lengths of different chain including antiqued nickel, faceted anodized steel, and black rolo.  The bail for the pendant is also chain, and the onyx drops complete the design.

Goth Jewelry - Part 2: Colors and Symbols

Hello Design Fans:

One might think the colors and icons appropriate for gothic fashion would be a short list (you know, black and crosses). But this certainly is not the case. I'll admit that for colors in my jewelry, I gravitate towards black and red, with an overall dark feeling. Yet it is clear that goth fashion includes any color at all, and can carry a kind of brightness. Hot pink, neon green, chalk white, and candy purple are hardly uncommon.

And of course symbols and icons might include crosses or fangs, but they also include iron nails, daggers, animals, and a great deal more. Some people prefer a sense of subtlety and maturity in their fashion that eschews standard symbols completely in favor of an overall impression.

Your choice of colors and symbols will be driven by the effect you want to achieve, of course; the meaning, mood, and overall statement. What does your inner goth say? For example, are you interested in something brooding, intense, and romantic? Or do you prefer something campy, energetic, and strange?

For the dark romantic mood, consider inspirations such as Victorian-era mourning culture, old silent horror films, and gothic cathedrals. Colors might include black, white, gray, silver tones, and deep or washed-out gem tones. Symbols might be crosses, bats, webs, ravens, chalices, and the Moon. The campy energetic mood might be inspired by icons from the 'Day of the Dead', voodoo, and the Mardi Gras-like afterlife in Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Colors might be glowing reds and purples, murky yellows, goopy greens, and brilliant orange. Symbols might be skulls, poison, dice, bugs, ... well, you get the idea.
 

There are no rules, which is part of the point of goth to begin with. If it works for you, then it works, period.

Jennifer

Image Credit:
Goth People - MarcUndRegina, Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons CC 2.5
Pink Scarf Goth - 74/365, Constantinb on Flikr, Creative Commons CC 2.0
Spider Web Agate Necklace - Lunar Blue Designs, Listed in our Esty store with matching earrings, Sept 2010

Goth Jewelry - Part 1: Definitions and Vision

Greetings Design Fans:

October seems to be the perfect time to highlight the design of goth (gothic) jewelry. "Goth" is sometimes used (confusingly and often improperly) to denote a range of fashions adopted by many subcultures including: emo, victorian, punk, romantic, vampire, fantasy, biker, industrial, lolita, horror, steampunk, etc. If you are a part of any of these sub-cultures, you probably know the differences between them instantly and easily, and are perhaps affronted that anyone could mix them up. And more affronted when people try to mainstream your sub-culture, like what happened with steampunk. Disney, egads.

"Goth" was originally the word used to refer to those who preferred a certain type of music. However, in the late 80's and 90's "goth" came to mean those who followed a certain aesthetic, not just in music, but fashion, art, and much more. Still, as with any sensibility, there are as many motivations and variations as there are people who follow it. Part of the modern goth aesthetic is a wide tolerance for different fashions and music, with an emphasis on personal expression.

You can get an overview of the subject very rapidly by searching on 'gothic fashion' or 'alternative fashion' and browsing the images. There are blogs entirely dedicated to the subject of goth fashion and lifestyle. As usual with the internet, there is no lack of information or of inspiration, the trick, as always, is actually finding what you are looking for.

So when I started creating gothic jewelry and accessories, I looked for a focus to help me narrow in on the styles and specific variations that resonated with me; a way to pick through the inspirations and create something new, something actually different and unique. That focus turned out to be the advice of my own personal, internal goth.

My inner goth does not come out often, and is shy, but when she does speak, she has definite ideas about what quality goth jewelry looks like, feels like, and most importantly, what it represents. It is what the jewelry symbolizes, the message, the emotion, that makes up the core of my vision for gothic jewelry.

If you look inside yourself, you will probably find an "elder goth" or "baby bat" just waiting provide you your own unique fashion vision. Give that person some inspiration and images (to bite on) and see what catches your attention.

Jennifer

Image Credits:
Gothic Anachronism by Paul Stephenson, and Emilie Autumn by Murdoch666 via Creative Commons CC 2.0
Volcanic Glass Cross, Hand Gilded Silver Leaf - Lunar Blue Designs, posted in our Etsy Store September 2010