Happy New Year! We all want to crack on with 2025 and the fresh slate that the new year provides. But, before we completely slam the door, we want to fondly look back on some of the highlights of 2024. A lot went on last year, but we want to review how the Goth subculture has taken a step into the spotlight, through runways and movie magic; the best new alternative albums that hit the tops of the charts; and our highs here at Blue Banana!
Jenna Ortega has become something of a star in the horror genre, starring in slasher films and psychological thrillers and dubbed the 21st Century’s Scream Queen. Following her role as the titular character in Wednesday (2022), her style has become darker. Vogue described her newer style as goth glam, which could be seen during the press tour for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice this year with beautiful gothic-inspired looks worn on red carpets and during interviews.
It’s not all doom and gloom; Goth also focuses on the romantic, such as withering roses, misty grounds, ruffles and lace and a haunting beauty. Recently, we’ve also seen Emma Chamberlain embrace a more gothic influence in her styling, with her dress and make-up for the Met Gala feeling Burton-esque.
The revival of Beetlejuice and the Tim Burton aesthetic, as well as the tense political, economic and environmental status of the world, leaves us unsurprised that an increasing number of people are turning towards alternative and gothic aesthetics to express themselves and their rebellion against the status quo.
We have seen a nostalgic lens fall over our media this year - and who can be blamed for wanting to return to the easier years of childhood when so much is going on? Emphasised by remakes and sequels of blasts from the past (such as the aforementioned long-awaited Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), we have also seen a rise in retro-inspired dressing in general, stretching from Regency styles influenced by Bridgerton to late 20th century and early 2000s dressing. Vintage cuts, styles and prints have been at the forefront of fashion this year, with suggestions of boho revival becoming a key trend for 2025. We expect to see soft goth and witchy fashion becoming a popular alternative interpretation of the Boho revival.
We’ve seen trends from our teen years resurface as well, such as a renewed interest in Twilight bringing it back into the spotlight, just in time for moody autumn movie marathons.
Dr Martens never really fell out of fashion after the 90s, what with their durable nature and reputation for being a top-quality high-street shoe brand, however, the resurgence of 90s fashion has also seen an increase in the popularity of Doc’s as a basic shoe that everyone should own. With so many styles available, it's not difficult to find the perfect pair for you. Our most-sold shoe this year was our Dr Martens Pascal 1460 Boots (Black).
For Autumn Winter 2024, we saw many designers taking inspiration from gothic elements, with darkly coloured architectural pieces being layered, and lace and ruffles being utilised to bring some delicacy to strong or heavy elements of a design. We saw many looks incorporating leather, typically in black but occasionally including deep burgundy or dark green. Marilyn Manson became the face of Enfants Riches Déprimés A/W 2024-25 campaign, embracing a more rock-glam style of goth with chains, studs, platform boots and plenty of leather.
Valentino presented a runway full of black, taking steps away from their bright and colourful campaigns of the past and reflecting the moods of the time. Of course, black doesn’t automatically equal goth - however, some items from Valentino’s collection stand out for their structured shoulders, full sleeves, delicate sheer and lacy elements or bouncing ruffles.
The runway also took place in a gilded hall, with large mirrors and multiple chandeliers, the iron wrought guardrails of the marble staircase featuring prominently.
We know that goth won’t be going out of style any time soon, but it’s been nice to see it being appreciated in the spotlight, bringing some fresh designs and inspirations to the subgenre of fashion.
The Cure also released a brand new gothic rock album, Songs of a Lost World, described by critics as introspective but not monotonous or overtly navel-gazing. In the UK, the album topped the charts, the Cure’s first album to do so since 1992.
Fontaines DC released a fantastic rock album Romance, their single 'Starbuster' reaching new highs at number 2 in the UK charts, and breaking into the US Billboard Top 100 for the first time. Romance saw the band stepping outside of their typical post-punk and indie-rock sounds, seeking new inspiration outside of their homeland Ireland and taking the band in an exciting new direction. Romance took elements of multiple music genres, and created a blended album that was new and exciting.
Our most popular selling official band merch of 2024 was our Official Slipknot Band Frame T-Shirt (Black). They kicked off their World Tour (in honour of the 25th anniversary of their debut album) in late 2024, with more dates planned for 2025.
Slipknot rose to fame mostly due to word-of-mouth and through touring, later becoming known for their chaotic and heavily involved stage performances. They became an influence to many artists such as Sleep Token (also currently touring), Asking Alexandria, Bad Omens, Deafheaven and other familiar names.
Thanks for joining us to reminisce on the crazy year that was 2024, and stay tuned for all our upcoming news in 2025!
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