I was looking for a practical and concise page on ‘how to dress like a goth’ to help all those hipsters out there, when I discovered: a) there are no how-to pages out there that fit my requirements that don’t make me want to stab myself in eye repeatedly, and b) this young goth having a nap on a tree (from 2009, so it’s not my fault).
This goth is clearly unconcerned about the potential for painful armpit sunburn as we can see her armpit is definitely in the sun. The tree appears to be dead and fallen but it’s up off the ground, so our goth is a reasonable height up the tree. She’s not smiling and she’s doing the best ‘I’m so comfortable in this very awkward position that I fell asleep, how very seductive of me’ look that I’ve seen in a long time.
4.6 out of 5 - Keeping your ‘pits au naturale will reduce the potential for sunburn while you’re napping up trees.
sky-cowgirl submitted this photo with no comment.
This lady is looking quite majestic perched upon her up-tree throne. She’s managed the lack of smile well by adopting an interested yet commanding look. This is what I would like to look like when I’m up a tree, rather than just crabby and slightly uncomfortable (or a bit droopy if I’ve had too much absinthe), but that’s just the way my face falls.
They’ve attempted to thwart potential point deductions for colour and excessive sunlight by making the photo grey-scale, but I see through their editing! She’s high in the tree. Bonus points for the corset, lacy skirt (whatever colour it is), and excellent tree selection.
4.6 out of 5 - It’s the majesty of goth, the fantasy of roll, the ticking of the clock, the wailing of the soul </spinal tap reference>
demons-with-pretty-faces submitted this photo with the comment “A photoshoot i did a few weeks ago with my best goth friend ever”
I love to see goths working together to create something great. When my goth friends and I work together we usually produce hangovers, minor bruising and photos that you wouldn’t dare allow to appear on your faceboob time-line.
I’m particularly fond of the look on this goth’s face as there’s just the subtlest hint of disdain. She and the photographer look quite high up in the tree. She’s out in daylight but she’s in the shade. Bonus points for the maxinet fishnets; you just don’t see enough people wearing maxinets these days. They’re great for summer (ahahh suck it, Northern Hemispherians, it’s summer here in Australia)!
4.6 out of 5 - I didn’t realise there was such a thing as “best” goth friends. I just classify them by diminishing levels of hatred.
catacomb-kids submitted this photo with no comment.
I like this photo because this is the view you’d see if you were on the ground searching for sneaky goths up trees. You’d get to see the sky through the branches with added extra goth under-chins and goth nasal passages.
This goth is high up the tree and she’s not smiling. I can’t really get a good idea of her facial expression but she looks like she’s waiting for something. Perhaps someone to bring her a hanky? Bonus points for excellent hair, uber outfit including corset, and the wintry setting. Points deducted for daylight.
4.6 out of 5 - If you’re going goth-spotting in a woodland setting, it is important to be able to identify goths from this angle.
Annabelle submitted this photo with the comment “I was just going through some old photos, and I found a series of shots I once did up a tree. And well, I thought of you…”
I love it when people think of me. I’d prefer that they thought of me when they were eating a delicious shepherds pie or playing a rollicking game of lawn bowls instead of going through photos of themselves, but you take what you can get.
This is a great down-the-trunk shot of a goth up a tree (in more ways than one - ha!) Our goth here is doing her best wide-eyed ‘I will steal your soul’ look which could easily be mistaken for a wide-eyed ‘innocently apprehensive’ look. She’s high up the tree and she’s not smiling. It’s day time, unfortunately, but she’s in the shade.
4.6 out of 5 - Bonus points for the unusual trunk-cam shot
hayleyspazz submitted this photo with no comment.
It can take years for some people to train their faces to get to this particular look of disapproval but this goth has got it down pat. Her crossed legs and posture tell us that she’s pretty relaxed about the whole thing despite the fact she snagged her stockings on the way up. She’s high up the tree, there’s no smiling and it’s an overcast looking day. I’m intrigued about why she decided to keep her coloured hair-band around her wrist for the photo, unless it’s some sort of religious thingy, in which case she can carry on wearing her religious hair-band and I’ll say no more about it.
4.6 out of 5 - Bonus points for extreme disapproval
askproxytaker submitted this photo with the comment “My goth friend up in a tree :I”
Put your hand up if you don’t appreciate boys in eyeliner! Oh, look at that, no one put their hand up (at least in my field of vision). Yes that’s right, friends, it’s a scientific fact* that the world would be a better place if more boys wore eyeliner. This goth here is doing his bit for world betterment and he’s doing it up a tree. Saying that, the hoodie is not my preferred accompaniment to eyeliner. However, I understand its usefulness in providing shade, so it’s forgiven seeing as it’s a sunny day. He’s not smiling and he’s a good height up the tree.
4.6 out of 5 - Three cheers for eyeliner!
* In a survey of goths and goth compatible types aged 21-33 within a 10 metre radius of me at a party a couple of weeks ago, 100% of respondents would have answered ‘yes’ had I asked them “should more boys wear eyeliner?” (which I didn’t because I already knew what they would respond with).
Mariah submitted this photo with the comment “Wearing a Ouiji Board shirt to a grave yard may be brilliant or stupid, it’s a toss up really.”
I don’t know about the brilliant or stupid bit, Mariah. I think wearing a Ouija board shirt to a graveyard just suggests that you really love board games and aren’t afraid to show it to grieving people.
I’m very glad this goth brought her toy owl along with her because it definitely adds a certain owly je ne sais quoi (or, as the locals around here say it “jer-na-says-kwar”). There are some interesting headstones there; I particularly like the black pyramid. She’s a medium height up the tree, she’s not smiling and she’s added some darkened edges to make the whole thing more spooky. Bonus points for the owly friend and graveyard.
4.6 out of 5 - Points deducted for the parked cars. It would have been nice to see a hearse instead.
Mike Cudahy submitted this photo with the comment: “My friend Julia, up a tree, in Leipzig, at the Wave Gotik Treffen Festival, not smiling. Best part is she did not know Goths Up Trees when she made it her profile picture. There is some daylight, but hello, it’s German Goth Festival daylight!”
Well, that’s just not fair. I’ve been wanting to go to Wave Gotik Treffen FOR YEARS and here we have a goth up a tree at that very festival, looking nonchalant, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting festival goers! That was supposed to be MY job, I tell you. I was planning to go to WGT next year for this very purpose (and to see 5000000 awesome bands). FOILED AGAIN.
She’s looking comfortable in her casual-goth festival attire. She’s high up the tree and isn’t smiling. It’s daylight but she must have excellent balance for that cat-like pose.
4.6 out of 5 - Why is she sitting up a tree, waiting to pounce, when she could be seeing goth-tastic bands? I suppose it’s the best place to rest between bands.
mi-lo-do submitted this photo and one other with the comment: “This is Conor Foy. He’s been living in a treehouse listening to Wolves In The Throne Room since he fell out with his mother in 2011. He still uses the shower and sink in the house but has survived on a diet of berries and buckfast since then. He has a girlfriend he met on vampirefreaks.com who he hasn’t met yet.”
This goth is living the high life! *everyone groan….. now* I think we can all agree that living in a tree house, listening to atmospheric black metal, drinking fortified wine and eating berries while chatting to the Love Of Your Life™ on your goffick social networking sites sounds like the ideal way of life when you’re 17. I’m concerned about his toileting and cleansing arrangements, naturally.
In the primary photo he appears to be smiling a bit, which is disappointing. In the second photo there’s no smiling and an appropriate amount of horn displaying. There’s no denying he’s very high in the tree. It’s daylight but he’s shielded from the light. Bonus points for the tree-house, spikes and make-up attempt.
4.6 out of 5 - Let’s all live in tree houses. I bags this one.
inkwellinkingwell submitted this photo with the comment: “This is an illusive treegoth found on a serene Washington state island. The lady pictured is call Jules.”
Up a tree and in the shade is the most sensible place for a goth to be on a beach. I like that this goth hasn’t succumbed to the temptation to lower her gothness levels by wearing thongs (or flip flops as you crazy non-Australians like to call them) or going barefoot. It takes a lot of willpower for me to wear boots the beach because I really hate getting sand in my New Rocks. *sigh*
This goth looks very comfortable on her perch. I would gladly swap places with her right now as that spot looks warm and inviting in contrast to the dull office I’m in where I just spent 20 minutes reading about the history of sheep (true story). She’s not smiling and she’s a medium-low height in the tree. It’s daylight but she’s in the shade. Bonus points for boots at the beach.
4.6 out of 5 - Did you know that primitive sheep could not be shorn and had to have their wool plucked out by hand? No? YOU DO NOW.
Varick submitted this photo with no comment.
Goth boys seem to enjoy taking swords with them up trees. You can’t blame them, really, because you never know when you’re going to be attacked by a low flying bird of prey or a large bee. This goth looks ready to defend his trunk and I respect him for it.
I like that this goth is sporting a hat and is mostly covered from the sun. He’s high up a dead tree. He’s not smiling but it is daylight.
4.6 out of 5 - You should always be ready to defend your trunk.
thecuriousmagpie submitted this photo with the comment “On a visit to Harcourt Arboretum I found this awesome tree that had fallen over but was still growing. You could walk up the trunk so I’m about 6 or 7 meters off the ground here! I have plenty of other ‘up tree’ pictures from that day, because the great thing about arboretums is ALL THE TREES!! (Sorry about the daylight, but unfortunately it’s shut at night!)”
Cripes! This goth is very high off the ground and I am afraid for her safety. In fact, I’m getting the sweaty palms fear thing (but that could be related to the energy drink I’m drinking). It sounds like the tree she’s up is pretty spectacular as it’s growing horizontally, sort of. I was just about to whinge about the lack of arboretums where I live when I discovered one about 5 hours’ drive away. How exciting! I might visit it when I feel like driving for 5 hours into the middle of nowhere for the sake of a photo (so, don’t hold your breath for that one).
Our goth is very high off the ground and I assume she’s not smiling. It’s daytime but she’s given a decent law-abiding-goth excuse for that. I think she has a bit of skin showing there and she’s blonde so I hope her sunscreen has been applied generously.
4.6 out of 5 - I hope there aren’t rules prohibiting tree climbing in arboretums.
Arwyn submitted this photo with the comment “Here’s my friend Lindsey up a tree on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Her slight smile is just a facade to hide the despair and darkness in her soul - she had to hang out with a bunch of giggly non-goths for three days straight and she was probably trying not to frighten us too much.”
Your goth friend is very considerate if she tries not to frighten her non-goth friends. However, did you try not to freak HER out as well? In my experience, it’s usually the non-goths that unintentionally frighten goths out by saying things like “I really enjoyed the plot of 50 Shades of Grey” or “did you see X Factor/Survivor/Masterchef/<any reality tv show> last night?” or “I can’t wear black because it makes me look pale and people ask me who died”. Consideration works both ways, friends.
The goth here is showing a lot of affection for this impressively shaped tree. She’s multi-tasking by straddling and hugging the trunk at the same time. There is a suggestion of a smile on her face but I can’t work out whether there’s a hint of malice or amusement (or a bit of both). She’s dressed appropriately for an up-tree adventure. She’s high up the tree but it’s daylight. Bonus points for purple hair, tattoo, Docs, the multi-tasking pose and the interestingly shaped tree.
4.6 out of 5 - Try not to frighten your goth friends and they will try not to frighten you back.
albinokrow submitted this photo with the comment “My name is Mao. It’s dusk and I’m sitting in a cherry tree. Most of the cherries are dried and shriveled though due to the drought.”
I think our pretty friend Mao here may be stretching the truth with whole ‘dusk’ business as it looks quite sunny where she is. I wonder what else she’s lying about? Sitting in a cherry tree? Shrivelled cherries? Drought? BEING A GOTH? We will never know… but we can suspect (I see no cherries).
I very much like her ombre effect stockings. They make it look like she had to stomp through a muddy puddle before scaling the tree. She’s not smiling, she’s high up the tree but it’s daylight (dusk? yeah, right).
4.6 out of 5 - Stretching the truth is like stretching your earlobes; it makes you smell funny.
Please note: I’m having quite a few problems with Tumblr messages at the moment and I can’t retrieve my backlog of submissions past the last 10 (not very helpful). Please bear with my sporadic posts until this issue is resolved.
Also, if you wish to submit a link to a photo that you have on facebook, please make sure it is available to the public, otherwise I can’t see it.
