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They make look similar, but goths and emos have major differences. Knowing which is which can help you know how to approach them. You never know, you might stumble upon a neighbor that frequently wears a black dress and heavy makeup. At least, you’ll be able to ask them the right questions and you’ll be one less person they are going to hate.
Goth and emo stems from similar roots. Formed in the 70s and 80s, the two subcultures came out of punk culture. Goth immediately became widespread at the time while emo didn’t completely take off until the 90s with the introduction of more emo rock bands.
Since the two stems from the same culture, they have some similarities. They are founded from the concept of rebellion and stirring away from the normal culture. The two subcultures mainly adopt the color black in their daily fashion as a representation of their hate, struggle, and indifference.
While goth and emo both revolve around the concept of hate, each interprets it differently from the other. To put it simply, goth is about hating the world and everything in it. While emo is understanding that the world hates you. However, there is a lot more to it.
Goth is a theme which adopts dark and macabre culture from music, literature, and fashion. It concentrates on horror-related themes and seclusion. On the other hand, emos are about depression and personal confessions. It is usually associated with sadness and being a disappointment.
It is in the music that goths and emos are strongly different. The former is a composition of strong drums, guitar riffs, and deep baselines which emphasizes on anger. It is a release of strong emotion and hatred.
Emo is much more reserved with clearer and defined guitar lines and drum rhythm to emphasize on the emotion of sadness. The lyrics concentrates on personal confession, from love to being a disappointment.
When faced with the two subcultures with music blasting from their phones, you will be able to immediately identify which is which. There is a huge difference in music inclination that is going to be hard to miss.
While there are different variations to goth fashion, the common ground is the Victorian mourning cult. It composes of black long dresses, corsets, stilettos, and gloves. It also covers the face with black makeup along with hints of red, pink, green, and etc. It generally emphasizes on the idea of a funeral.
Emos also have a high affinity to associate themselves with the color black. However, it is less prominent compared to the goth culture. There is also a wide assortment of fashion elements in emo. It is riddled with skinny jeans, studded belts, and tight shirts. However, it is on their hair that emos can be easily defined. They usually have brightly colored dyed hair that are accompanied with long fringes.
While for the untrained eye, both emos and goths give off the same vibe of angst and anger. However, they are quite different at first glance. Emo is a exaggerated version of the general civilian attire while goths come in stronger with a completely different fashion from the rest of the population.
Most people who get into the emo culture are teens filled with angst. It is usually temporary stage and rarely turns into a complete lifestyle. However, goth is a much more renowned subculture that occurs throughout a wide range of age groups.
Goth is not so much a stage. People are more likely to stay with the culture long-term. The subculture is so strong that it has a global reach. As opposed to emo which is mostly in the USA but can also be traced to France and the UK.
Stemming from the same culture, emo and goth share similarities, from fashion to beliefs. However, there are major differences between the two which you are likely going to spot once you learn the characteristics of each of them.
In the event that you stumble upon a uniquely clothed person clad in black, you no longer have to wonder, are they emo or goth? Whether they may be your new roommate, neighbor, or colleague, you will be able to understand their culture and approach them the right way.
