The Difference Between Emos and Goths

Due to their similar fashion styles, emos and goths are often confused with one another. Some emos may or may not claim to be gothic, while a goth may be offended when mistaken to be emo. To ease confusion and curiosity, here are a few distinctions.

Just for background, the history of the gothic subculture dates back to the medieval period when gothic art and architecture became a widespread trend in Europe. However, the subculture as we know it today is more frequently associated with gothic literature, which emerged in the late 1700s from romanticism. Gothic literature is marked by themes of social decay, including poverty and insanity; supernatural elements typically include the presence of ghosts, vampires, werewolves and other such monsters. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1817) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) are just two of the genre’s most iconic works.

Both the emo and gothic subcultures are offshoots of punk, which is decidedly counter-culture. Members of both subcultures tend to wear black clothing, black paint for their nails, and dye their hair black. However, this is usually where similarities end.

Contrary to popular belief, goths have a love for life. They like to be happy. Their appearance and taste for morbid imagery is usually a matter of aesthetics rather than an emotional problem to be concerned with. Goths, however, enjoy dark humor and gothic literature (usually about vampires). Some of them go out wearing neo-Victorian fashions, so when a lady with dark makeup wearing a [not necessarily] black dress with a corset and combat boots is seen in outlet malls florida, she is probably a goth chick.

Goths are also believed to engage in self-harm from severe depression, but this trait tends to be more applicable to emos. Although themes of melancholy and despair appears in gothic literature, modern goths prefer to leave it within the pages of their favorite novels and then go ahead to have fun with their friends in an outlet mall florida. Amateurish melodramatic poetry posted in Internet sites like LiveJournal is associated with emo; aware of this, goths make an effort to avoid attracting such negative attention.

Notice that the difference mainly lies in attitude and worldview. Goths may pour fake blood on themselves and gasp for air among tombstones outside outlet malls florida for artistic expression. An emo may do the same while claiming that life is not worth living.