Category Archives: Growing Pains

Hello, faithful readers, and welcome to May. The days are longer, it’s sunny and warm out, and the Lady of the Manners has been looking through her closet in vain for something that might be usable for gothic Victorian summer wear. But never fear, that overwhelming obsession has not distracted the Lady of the Manners from the pleasant task of answering your questions! This month’s query comes from reader Adrian Forte:

I’m curious, when do you reach the point in your life when you are too old to consider yourself Goth, especially if you’ve never really gotten into the Goth scene in real life. Continue reading →

Yes, Gothic Charm School is going to talk about goth life at school. The first thing to remember is that any adult who uses the quoted phrase above is lying. The same goes for any adult who tells you that their high school years were fun or great. Nobody, and the Lady of the Manners means nobody, has a wonderful time throughout adolescence. Sure, there are some bright spots, but for the most part, one’s teenage years are character-forming in the sense that if you can survive them, you’ll have a greater understanding of human misery and angst. Why do you think all the John Hughes movies of the ”˜80s were about the misfit teens? Because they struck a resonating chord in just about everyone. Besides, most people find the shy admission that your high school years were a trial to be charming once everyone has grown up. Continue reading →