Gothic romanticism: Expert advice on daily wear of A/W’s newest trend
“Embracing this trend doesn’t have to mean jumping straight in with a full black eye, the beauty of this trend is that you can take elements of it and make it work for you.
Think gently smudged eyeliner, diffused eyeshadow in deeper tones, and imperfect lines. This look removes the pressure of perfection, it is supposed to look a little lived-in and undone,” says Annabelle.
How to make the look wearable for everyday
A full red carpet look is rarely appropriate for everyday wear, however, there are many ways to lean into this trend without feeling like you’re heading off to a Halloween party.
Annabelle says, “I’d start with the eyes for an everyday take on the trend. Take a soft black kohl pencil and work it close to the lash line, then use a small brush, the end of a cotton bud or your finger to gently smudge it out. You’re not aiming for perfect lines, in fact, the more diffused and imperfect it looks, the better!
If black feels too heavy or intense, try a brown or deep plum instead. These will still give you that dark, romantic feel, but are much softer and more wearable for day-to-day. The same applies to eyeshadow, with these softer, yet still deep shades offering an easy way to tap into the trend without committing to a full black eye.
You want to keep the rest of your make-up simple and fresh. Sticking to a really natural-looking base, brushed, fluffy brows, and a soft nude lip will help to balance out the heavy eye and avoid the overall look from feeling theatrical.”
The trend isn’t just for women, men can embrace it too!
It’s not just women embracing this darker beauty aesthetic, as Google searches for ‘guyliner’ have increased by +24% in the last year.
Sombr was a clear example of this trend appealing to a male audience, as he donned a dark smudged eye at the VMAs, becoming one of the standout beauty moments of the evening.
“Guyliner is a really easy way for men to experiment with the gothic romanticism trend,” says Annabelle.
“For men who want to dip their toe into the trend, starting with a really simple tightline with a kohl pencil is a good place to start, before building the confidence to take it just below the lash line and gently smudging it out.
To keep it more subtle, focus the liner on the outer third of the eye, rather than taking it all the way across, and again, if black feels too heavy, a brown or even charcoal pencil could be a softer way to start.”
The key to making this trend work
“The most important thing to remember with this trend is that it doesn’t need to be perfect, you don’t need to overthink it. Gothic romanticism is all about the contrast of pairing something dark and dramatic with something soft and romantic. So think dark, heavy eye, set against a natural glowing complexion, keep it effortless over polished, as this imperfection is what gives this gothic trend a more modern feel,” says Annabelle.
