7 favorite shops for dark and elegant gothic fashion
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The other day on Instagram, I asked if it would be helpful for me to share a quick list of my favorite places to shop for clothing and accessories. While I frequently share where I get my specific pieces in my Instagram posts, having store recommendations listed in one place can be helpful too. The poll results were overwhelmingly positive, so 1) thank you to everyone who voted and 2) consider this your short and sweet guide to places where you can shop for dark and elegant style fashion.
Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive and only covers my top favorite shops that I regularly buy from. In fact, one of my hobbies is constantly searching for new stores that sell unique and beautiful things, so I could go on forever and write a giant list of all the places I've found and love. However, in order to keep this simple, this are just my top favorite shops that I buy from frequently. These are not just shops that I've seen online and think are cute. These are all reputable brands that I have been buying from repeatedly for several years, and they continue to deliver unique, beautiful, and high-quality products that help me express my most authentic self.
Clothes
Foxblood
Foxblood is an alternative clothing store that excels in quality, minimalism, and comfort. 99% of their clothes and accessories are black, making it the perfect place to shop for a little black dress, either casual or formal. However, they also offer a variety of other amazing styles to choose from, such as loungewear, hoodies, jackets, cardigans, and more. Their signature fabric is incredibly soft, comfortable, and stretchy, which is why I purchase all my wardrobe staples from them.
Their styles are simple yet unique, making them easy to mix and match a thousand ways, either dressing up with accessories like belts, collars, or sweaters, or leaving them more casual. Although the price might seem a bit high for what it looks like you are getting, I promise that the quality and comfort are absolutely worth it.
La Femme en Noir
If I had to describe my style with just one store, it would be La Femme en Noir. They offer vintage-inspired, glamorous goth clothing (think old Hollywood and Vampira) with a bit of fandom, including officially licensed collections like Alien, Sleepy Hollow, and Beetlejuice. The quality of their fabrics and the fit of their clothes are absolutely incredible, and well worth the prices. I always get so many compliments when I wear their pieces, and I always feel amazing and comfortable in them too.
Accessories
Lively Ghosts
Lively Ghosts, self described as “a shop for the macabre”, carries everything from spooky home decor, horror inspired art, jack-o’-lantern mugs and spoons, and even a clothing line. I have ordered a variety of things from them over the years, but their accessories are particularly amazing. I absolutely love their harnesses, but my favorite accessory is their reversible and detachable collars. Each collar is cute and subtly spooky. Not only do you get two styles per collar, but they are also such an easy and inexpensive way to drastically change up the look of a shirt, sweater, or dress. My pro tip is to mix and match the collars with pieces from Foxblood.
Jewelry
RegalRose
RegalRose is a UK-based jewelry company that specializes in dark, dreamy, and magical designs. Their collections draw inspiration from various sources, including gothic architecture, overgrown gardens, and alternative punk vibes. One of the standout features of RegalRose is their ability to maintain a cohesive aesthetic across a wide variety of styles and seasonal themed collections. This makes it incredibly easy to mix and match or layer pieces.
Although their prices are on the higher end, I find the quality of their pieces to be worth it. Over the years, I've slowly collected several pieces from Regal Rose and continue to be impressed with their unique designs and quality craftsmanship.
Petals and Poison
Petals and Poison is a Gothic Victorian inspired shop that sells everything from tea, heirloom quality tea sets, candles, perfumes, jewelry, and more. I’ve talked about them before and how their tea blends are some of my absolute favorite. But now I want to focus on their jewelry because I am in love with it as much as the tea. Their necklaces and rings are gorgeous and brimming with detail, and the quality is fantastic. I currently own a few of their rings and necklaces, and I can't wait to purchase more because I'm completely obsessed.
Equinox Art
Equinox Art is the brainchild of Camille, who handcrafts all her gorgeous pieces with the goal of “empowering you through adornment.” Each of her collections is themed, whether it be 90s nostalgia, art nouveau, or vampiric, and every piece showcases a gothic or alternative elegance. It feels so special wearing a piece that was handmade with so much love and care, and I absolutely feel empowered when I wear the necklaces or earrings of hers that I own.
Shoes
Birdies
Admittedly, since I started working from home, I don't own as many shoes as I used to because I don't wear them as often. However, I have found one shoe brand that I love more than any other. Birdies shoes are cute, classy, and the most comfortable shoes I have EVER worn. When I first heard the hype about how comfortable they were, I was skeptical. But back in 2019, I decided to try just one pair of their Heron flats to see for myself, and my life was seriously changed. Not only are these shoes as comfortable as slippers, but I can wear them for hours without getting blisters or experiencing any foot pain.
Don't believe me? I now own three pairs of Birdies flats, and I have worn them non-stop for days while walking through NYC, Disneyland, and conventions, but I've never had a blister or any foot pain. Aesthetically, I love the simple elegance of their Heron style, and I also appreciate that they offer velvet options. I'm a total sucker for velvet shoes.
Alyssa Bradley
I’m a professional fangirl with over 10 years experience creating visual art. I create content around all things fandom, fashion, and lifestyle with my unique eye for the dark, romantic, and spooky. For more outfit inspiration and shopping recommendations, check out my Instagram or TikTok.
