I first sensed the shift when last year’s Brat Summer gave way to Nosferatu Fall. Stormy romantasy reads started trending on BookTok, and my Instagram algorithm suddenly showed a renewed interest in witchy, whimsigoth looks. This year, Lady Gaga returned to her edgy avant-garde roots with her new album and subsequent Mayhem Ball tour, while Jenna Ortega kicked off an epic gothic-glam red carpet run to ring in season two of Wednesday.
So what would you call this all-encompassing Morticia-meets-Gaga-meets-sexy-faerie aesthetic? Dark Romance—moody, gothic and almost threateningly feminine. It was only a matter of time before it started creeping into our closets.
As a lifelong goth at heart—yes, I skulk around cemeteries on vacation and yes, Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow is my comfort film—I was thrilled to see designers like Alexander McQueen, Zimmermann and Chloé lean into the dark romance aesthetic on the runway, with billowy shapes, layers of lace and opulent ruffles dominating their Fall/Winter 2025 collections. During Fashion Month, the style set hit the streets in floaty frills that would feel right at home paired with a candelabra, wandering through a haunted castle in the dead of night.
Now, Victorian silhouettes, silky slip dresses and lavish lace accents have gone mainstream, popping up at retailers from Gap to Zara. As for me? I’ve been eyeing pieces like this dreamy Dôen frock and this lacey top from Sézane, both of which channel the ghostly vibes of the moment, but still feel totally wearable out in the real world.
