#gothiccharmschool

[netherworldpost]

Hello (pours a glass of root beer) I am feeling things. And writing this post in a method I used to use frequently about

(vague gesture)

Many years ago. Moving on.

Let’s talk about @gothiccharmschool . Do you know about Jillian?

Do you know Jillian?

(sotto voce) If so you are a damn lucky person who has had an illuminating force in your life.

I first stumbled into the orbit of Jillian Venters maybe a decade ago or longer. It’s been an experience, these years, and the number doesn’t matter. The point I want to make is Jillian Venters has helped me and countless others through so much and asked for absolutely nothing in return.

I have asked her so many questions at random times in varying states, personal and professional, and lately I have been going through archives to prepare for larger projects. So many memories.

(why are larger projects always so dependent on archives IT TAKES SO MUCH FEEELING TO GO THROUGH THEM)

And have come across old posts of Jillian offering advice — to myself, to young goths younger than myself, to everyone and anyone with Questions and Confusion and Needing A Map to place they don’t know if it actually exists but by the moon they pray it does because only there can ever be found

Answers.

Here is a convenient archive of hers on her website.

Here is her full post and here is the link

And here is the Mamushka!

Jillian Venters: you are moonlight lace and midnight grace and you so often remind vampires to use napkins (they have blood on their face). Of all the wonders in this world, you are of royal, vampiric, witchcraft designation of the highest, pinkest and blackest, fluffiest throne.

May your tomorrows be better than todays.

You deserve every pleasant thing and joy in this world.

Cheers my fellows.

Tonight we toast Jillian Venters of Gothic Charm School.

[dysphoric-bitch-boy]

super late emo big brother advice

-take your meds if you have to and for the love of satan drink some water

-remember that today can be for any type of love, and you don’t need a romantic relationship to be happy

-be gentle with yourself, it’s okay to cry and it isn’t pathetic or weak, you persisting through everything makes you stronger, even if you need a break to cry

@gothiccharmschool

[skeletalroses]

YOU ARE CORRECT! “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” by MCR *IS* a goth song, and I will join you in fighting those who say otherwise!

MCR's music in general isn't goth (it's some nebulous kind of horror punk/post-punk), but anyone who denies the goth cred of VWNHY either hasn't seen the video or is just being stubborn

[icarus-suraki]

IDK why everyone’s all excited about a fictional vampire rock star when Mana-sama is right there.

[thelatestininsomniacs]

[plebeiangoth]

Okay down a rabbit hole. Like I don't get Enigma???? It sounds like a motivational cassette set to Cirque du Soleil music. Like if it were instrumental/chants I'd probably like it a whole lot, but the lyrics vibe like a song from a Disney sequel. Granted the absolute most I have heard of them was JoJo's Bizarre Adventure lol. Point being that ya that's some good 90's shit, that trance music with the Gregorian chants (Vision/The Music of Hildegard Gon Bingen is a big mood).

EDIT should point out that I didn't just now learn of Enigma. I learned of it when Spotify made me a playlist of music because I was listening to Cirque du Soleil music. It also had Dengue Dengue Dengue.

[nogling]

Threat Level: Pumpkin at JOANN Fabric.

@gothiccharmschool

They had a tiny display of suitably spooky things, including the mug pictured below, which needed to come home with me.

And when I checked out, the cashier let me know that they’d gotten a truck that morning with 300 boxes of Halloween merch.

[shatar-aethelwynn]

Inspired by the excellent advice of the dearly beloved @gothiccharmschool

And because I will never turn down an opportunity to make a project more painful for myself than it needs to be, I did this in DMC glow-in-the-dark thread. Because, while it's not as hellish as their metallic thread it is still Effect thread and is painful to deal with because of how it unravels.

The font is from MENonWOOLx on etsy. The bones were adapted from the SkellyAlphabet from HappySlothPatterns on etsy.

[knitmeapony]

You ever see a post and you suddenly know that someone needs to see it for at least three different separate and completely unrelated reasons? Anyway, @gothiccharmschool , I bet you have seen it before but this one's for you

[theinternetisaweboflies]

It was my first time performing The Ceremony of the Fangs, so they turned out a little crooked, but I think they still look very nice. I painted one of them gold to match her nose and the gold flecks in her fur. Thank you for the tutorial, Auntie! @gothiccharmschool

[dysphoric-bitch-boy]

emo big brother advice

-just because everyone else is doing something doesn’t mean you should, especially when it makes you uncomfortable

-if it’s night time plz go to sleep if you can

-if you have any projects you’re stalling with, get back to it

-also help my and my roommate tried to summon the dark lord but instead they got a small, white dog that won’t leave us alone

@gothiccharmschool

[xena-wolfgang]

@gothiccharmschool i’m at michaels crafts…..

[smithbrainz]

I have performed my annual devotion as an Eldergoth with a trip to Michael’s. I took home a thicket of purple/black silk flowers and a disembodied black velvet hand, now happily curating several necklaces. I told the rather young, sunny cashier of my obligation and, bless her sunshiny heart, she went right along with a smile.

@gothiccharmschool, even the sunshiny ones respect the importance of spooky. 🖤

[nudityandnerdery]

What is the book with the goth dances in it!!? I gotta know man

That would be "What is Goth?" by Voltaire.

The book is, unfortunately, sold out and out of print so it's only available from resellers on Amazon.

But, if you're looking for books of good goth guidance, might I recommend Gothic Charm School by the wonderful @gothiccharmschool?

I'm pretty sure I got my copies of both of these books from Hot Topic in the late 2000s. Good times.

[dee-the-red-witch]

Gahhhh. Not that I have the headspace or spoons for it, but I so wish we had a decent zine/site for the alt scene stuff in tmgeneral again. Decently searchable, feed in all sorts of stuff like my media columns, @gothiccharmschool 's fashion and scene/lifestyle columns, get someone on music reviews, etc, etc. I swear @netherworldpost infected my brain with the zine factor on things, but I miss decent aggregation of stuff from multiple sources.

[gothhabiba]

najia do you know of anything I could read about being goth and stuff? I've always loved the way you dress but I know goth isn't just fashion however a part of me is so intimidated by it cause I didn't have an interest as a child and it feels like a thing you're assigned at birth almost lol. still would really like to look into it more!

you can dress however you want regardless of how much you know about whatever subculture or when you first started wanting to dress that way. as a very wise woman once said, "right to wear clothes despite etc."

I got started as a baby bat literally reading the wikipedia pages for "goth" and "goth rock" and checking out what seemed to be the most influential bands listed and listening to more of what I liked. I got DIY ideas from Emilie Autumn and sewed things in just sort of whatever way they would stay together.

you might also look into the various oral histories (compiled from interviews or personal memories) available online ("What We Do in the Shadows") or in books (Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace; The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth by The Membranes' John Robb; Goth, A History by The Cure's Lol Tolhurst).

also of interest may be Jillian Venters' book Gothic Charm School, blog archives, or tumblr @gothiccharmschool. you can probably find a lot of people talking about their personal histories with the subculture & what Goth means to them on YouTube.