Category Archives: Elder Goths

Of Goths and Aging

Posted on January, 2025 by Lady of the Manners

Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat: there is no age limit to being a goth. Goth is an all-ages subculture, no matter what a lot of social media tends to focus on or present. One of the great joys of aging is that you become more comfortable with yourself, and (hopefully) care less and less about what others may think about you. Embrace and show your weirdness! Be comfortable in your spooky skin! Continue reading →

Posted in Elder Goths, Eldergoth Life, General, Growing Pains | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Of Goth Nostalgia

Posted on January, 2021 by Lady of the Manners

There are many, many things from Ye Olde Goth Days (Nights?) where the memories spring forth, flatteringly colored by the flickering candlelight of memory. And it takes a determined effort to also remember that the distance of time blunts the sharp, painful edges of those memories. Continue reading →

Posted in Amusements, Elder Goths, General, Stereotype Technology | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

The Never-Ending Goth Debate

Posted on November, 2018 by Lady of the Manners

It is time, Snarklings, for the Lady of the Manners to delve back into a topic that is resurrected wherever goths gather. Well, perhaps “resurrected” is the wrong term, because the Lady of the Manners is very aware that this topic has never died. Ever. This fight discussion probably lurched forward at the very instant the subculture coalesced out of the shadows: what is goth? Continue reading →

Posted in Elder Goths, Serious Matters | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Of “Rules”, and Questions from Different Ends of the Age Spectrum

Posted on May, 2018 by Lady of the Manners

The Lady of the Manners didn’t mean to hide and take a nap for a large portion of the spring, really she didn’t. But sometimes these things happen. However, a few bits of Goth Upkeep information that the Lady of the Manners feels you should know:

  • Crypts and haunted mansions, while lovely and gloomy, still won’t protect you from pollen-induced allergies.
  • MAC Liquidlast liner will stay on through allergy attacks, naps, showers, and possibly anything else.
  • Milani Cosmetics Infinite Liquid Eyeliner is a perfect duplicate of Liquidlast, and is available in drugstores.
  • If you use either of those liquid liners, you will need to use an oil-based remover to get them off your face. (The Lady of the Manners uses jojoba oil and baby wipes.)

And before the Lady of the Manners gets on to answering some questions, she has one other thing to tell you about! She and Rhias Hall are the hosts of a new podcast about horror novels from the 70s, 80s, and 90s: The Night Library! This podcast is inspired by the delightful book Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix. Your two hosts realized they had both read a vast number of the books in that tome, and the podcast is an excuse to reread and discuss them. Continue reading →

Posted in Being Mannerly, Being Social, Elder Goths, Growing Pains, Love & Romance | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A Selection of Questions and Answers

Posted on March, 2017 by Lady of the Manners

Hello Snarklings! Please accept the Lady of the Manners’ heartfelt apologies for the lack of posts the past few months; while she’s been relatively active over on Tumblr and Instagram, the ongoing chaos of daily life has meant there’s been precious little time for sitting down and answering letters. But! Gothic Charm School has returned, and will (one hopes) settle back into a routine of regular posts. However, enough with the explanations and apologies, it’s time for letters! Continue reading →

Posted in Elder Goths, Fashion, General, Growing Pains, Serious Matters | 12 Comments

Eldergoths vs. Apathy

Posted on September, 2016 by Lady of the Manners

It’s time, Snarklings, for the Lady of the Manners to write (again) about a subject that is very dear to her. A particularly heartfelt letter from a fellow Eldergoth landed in the Gothic Charm School mailbox, which sent the Lady of the Manners down into the depths of some murky nostalgia. Continue reading →

Posted in Elder Goths | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Returning to the Spooky Life (Back to the Crypt)

Posted on February, 2014 by Lady of the Manners

Every now and then, Snarklings, the Gothic Charm School mailbox sees a gently flurry of correspondence from older readers asking about returning to their gothy roots. How should they dress? Where can they find other older Goths? Are they too old to seek out the dark forces and join their hellish crusade return to the velvet-shrouded gloom? Continue reading →

Posted in Elder Goths, Growing Pains | 16 Comments