The Witchy Whimsigoth Aesthetic

Conceived in the early 1980s by Stevie Nicks and Kate Bush, the whimsigoth aesthetic is marked by a palatable take on goth culture with flowy clothing, velvet textiles, tarot cards, and crystals. It is also here to stay.

Last year, the trend made a resurgence on TikTok, and #whimsigoth has over 253 million views on the platform. People using this hashtag made outfit videos wearing witchy purple dresses, long flowy skirts, celestial-themed accessories, and chunky-platform boots. To accompany their videos, they used songs such as “Season of the Witch” by Lana del Rey, “Crystal” by Stevie Nicks, “Duvet” by Bôa, and “Babooshka” by Kate Bush. Another important aspect of this aesthetic is one’s living space, filled with green foliage, cats, patterned tapestries, and warm-toned string lights.

My first introduction to the aesthetic was watching “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” as a child. I was fascinated by Sabrina’s witchy bedroom with a colorful glass mosaic, Victorian furniture, and celestial decor. Other forms of media that popularized the aesthetic are “Charmed,” “Practical Magic,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and “Twin Peaks.”

Why did this aesthetic from the 1980s and 1990s blow up again? There is a growth of feminism, environmentalism, interest in magical realism, and metaphysical beliefs and practices such as crystals and tarot cards. Wicca culture has a significant impact on the whimsigoth aesthetic; however, real young witches claim not to be affected by media and somewhat criticize the aesthetic, which was popularized through several forms of media.

Nonetheless, this mystical and spooky aesthetic remains in trend, with celebrities like Florence and the Machine, Caroline Polachek, Helena Bonham Carter, and FKA Twigs fashionably partaking in it. The aesthetic is achievable for people like you and me, especially with a trip to the thrift store. Make this fall season as whimsical and witchy as possible!

Sources

Smith, Jake. “Meet Whimsigoth, Tiktok’s Favorite Autumnal Aesthetic.” Glamour, Glamour, 13 Sept. 2022, www.glamour.com/story/whimsigoth-aesthetic-tiktok.

Stardust, Lisa. “The Whimsigoth Trend Taking over TikTok Is All about Energy.” Teen Vogue, Teen Vogue, 14 July 2022, www.teenvogue.com/story/the-whimsigoth-trend-taking-over-tiktok-is-all-about-energy.

Tobin, Katie. “Unpacking the Popularity of TikTok’s Whimsigoth Aesthetic.” I, i-d.vice.com/en/article/5dgv8z/whims. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

Wiki, Contributors to Aesthetics. “Whimsigothic.” Aesthetics Wiki, Fandom, Inc., aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Whimsigothic. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

Written by Sarah Punjani

Copyedited by Madeleine Douglass

Graphic by Camille Mosier