The Eternal Fashion of The Vampyre

Sep 8

13 min read

The Adversary of Society

Vampires have always been painted as the antagonist or the rival of someone’s story. Whether it was a villain from a film, a book, the 1700s vampire scare, or even a current term to describe someone we don't like. Throughout history and across cultures, the image of the vampire has served as a powerful metaphor for the outsider, the social adversary, or anyone who does not fit within the accepted boundaries of society. My central argument is that vampires act as symbols for those marginalized or othered by society, embodying our collective anxieties about difference and the unknown and is often embodied through fashion or the aesthetics. The vampire was something of myth and legend and has arisen from the dead to become a metaphor for all things that fear and take. If you see where I am going with this, then you must know that this section here will go into some politics without naming political figures. (I am currently writing a vamp political paper that goes more in-depth into this section).

The vampire has not just been a label that has been slapped onto the elites but also on those who oppose “societal norms”. In fiction, John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), Lord Ruthven was wealthy and had an abundance of power that was within the ruling class that leached onto anyone beneath. While the gothic subculture was considered an adversary to society, as they challenged societal norms. From the two examples I have listed, it may seem they greatly contradict themselves, but this isn't quite the case. Society created the vampire as the villain because the vampire represents the outsider in EVERYONE'S story, regardless of which side you reside in, in your beliefs. This is much like how the etymology of the word cult has evolved to be a derogatory term to represent something to be an adversary to one's beliefs.

You must be asking, Lady Nova, what does politics have to do with the vampire aesthetics and fashion? Everything. The Vampire has always been the adversary in every culture, and to many is a representation of their outside/outcast beliefs and tendencies. The vampire in history was used to fear-monger the transition from life to death and now, more currently, of ways in which people identify within their gender, sexuality, religion, political alignment, etc. What better way to become an embodiment of these representations? Fashion. But before we get into the fashion, we must understand how vampires were considered the Adversary in society; what influenced this belief?

Depictions of the Vampire in Folklore

A cursed soul intertwined between the state of the dead and the living, forced to rot and to feast among the living, is what the vampire was often described as; if you go back further, you may even see them closely resembling ghosts or astral specters, as stated in one of my podcast episodes.

“All these are indications that our problem has to deal not with a dead, but with a half-dead, person: in short, that the defunct is in catalepsy or some other form of suspended animation. The phantom which sucks the blood of the living appears to the eye, creates noisy and other phenomena in and about houses, and disappears when the corpse is burnt, is an astral, not a physical shape, a body of sublimated, not one of concrete, matter: in short, D'Assier's posthumous phantom, the survivor of the living phantom, or "double," "doppelganger" or "perisprit," as you like to call it. The vampire, then, is divisible into two factors, the inert corpse and the projectible double, or astral body: it is, therefore, a proper subject of scientific enquiry.” [Theosophist 1891 reprint by H. S. Olcott]

Vampire folklore has inspired much literature and beliefs in every era of culture; you will see many callbacks to vampire folklore as I discuss each era.

The Middle Age Vampire

Have we considered that the tales of the vampire are the projection of one's fear of what comes after death? The transition from life to death is different across cultures, and depending on the era, the weirder it got, cough cough. Victorian era, cough. In middle age europe christian beliefs are not far from what they are now. They believed your soul does not just stay with your body but transitions to heaven or hell. Hell was a new concept in the Middle Ages, as debate over purgatory was actually foundational to what happens to your soul after death. Aristotelian philosophy made the concept of hell become further deeply rooted in the European Middle Ages, as Thomas Aquinas argued that hell was not just a place but a being, a mindset that opposes the christian god. I would say this caused anxiety within many, as people became unsure of what happens to you when you die. Do you go to hell? Is there punishment? Is there salvation? Or do you rise once again and become something monstrous and cursed because someone did not properly bury you?

"Our fears can make fantastic stories seem true. Humanity has often believed that we share our world with good or evil spirits, fabulous beings and strange creatures, sometimes helpful, sometimes menacing and vengeful. For centuries, pain and illness were thought to be caused by evil spirits, which could be summoned by a witch or wizard (beliefs that still exist in some parts of the world). Fear of death, and of the souls of the departed being 'trapped' on earth, was at the origin of burial rituals. When these were not respected, and something went wrong, the dead would not find peace and would come back to punish the living" [Wayne Bartlett and Flavia Idriceanu, Legends of Blood: The Vampire in History and Myth]

Speaking of Burial Rituals, there is a tale of the Vampire of Alnwick (Alnwick, Northumberland, 1200s) of a man who used to work for the owner of the castle, Lord de Vesci, in which this worker suspected his wife of having an affair, so he hid in the ceiling beams of their chamber, waiting to catch the afair. Upon his investigation, he fell from the ceiling beams, and his wife assumed he was sick, causing these hallucinations and thoughts of her cheating, so what better way to cure these hallucinations? She got a priest to bless him, of course, and religion has always influenced the medical field! He, of course, succumbed to his injuries and died later in the night. Everyone thought he was gone forever until he was seen walking the grounds, and animals going missing or found dead. A sudden plague besieged Alnwick, and the townspeople blamed the man who was rumored to be among the dead walking. So they gathered around to unbury him but found him with fresh blood smearing his mouth and face. I find this interesting, as there was no word for vampire at this time, yet it heavily follows the characteristics of a vampire within medieval times. European medieval times, Christians believed vampires to be closely associated with witchcraft, as it was in league with the devil. So this was a time when Christians used the tales of vampire folklore to fear-monger people into staying away from sin.

The Gothic Romanticism Vampire Era

Vampire Folklore becomes a European pop culture as there become numerous scares much like the Middle Ages in the 1700s, but within the Empire / Regency era (approx. 1795-1820) the vampire becomes less gory with blood and guts and more about beauty and imagery of the vampire classics. Vampires become less monstrous and more aristocratic and dark romantic, as seen in 1819 John Polidori's The Vampyre, where Lord Ruthven is a wealthy class man who was described to have worn tailored coats, formal evening wear, aristocratic clothing, deathly pale skin and grey eyes, the book was based in the 1810 regency era that was heavily inpsired by greek-roman styles.

“The "Empire" waistline (stress French: „om-peer“) received its name from the first French Empire under Napoleon I. The "Regency" era in the United Kingdom encompasses the period of time when George IV ruled from 1811 to 1820 as Prince Regent for his incapacitated father George III, thus marking the latter part of the time referred to as Georgian era. In the German-speaking lands, the late Regency overlaps with the Biedermeier style period. Empire and Regency style is also referred to as Neoclassicism when referencing Ancient Rome and Greece. Overall, this dress style follows on from the extravagant 18th century styles with wide skirts and powdered wigs and remained until the Victorian era saw the rise of corsets and the cage crinoline hoop-skirt.” [Epochs of Fashion]

The Victorian Vampire

The Big three vampires enter the scene: Varney the Vampyre (1847), Carmilla (1872), and Dracula (1897). These three vampires are pivotal when looking at all things Victorian-era vampire literature. You would consider this the vampire classical era. Carmilla was pushing boundaries when it came to not only femininity but also sexuality. While Dracula more so imposed more masculine energies and the taboo relationship with death, hence why the original hardcover book was printed in yellow for French erotic novels to convey that this work was taboo/explicit. While Dracula was written to depict a vampire, it was also Stoker commenting on the political climate of the Victorian era when it came to the way death, medicine, and scientific discovery were handled. But what is the fashion of the Victorian Era? The Victorian Era is often sandwiched between the Regency era and the Edwardian era. Edwardian era only lasted about 10 years but is slightly different from the icon of the Victorian era. The Victorian era had such a mannerism that matched the times of the people; every outfit had a purpose per the event. There were black mourning dresses that would be worn months on end, much like Queen Victoria did when her husband died. She wore black for 40 years straight; this became a trend for the fashionably wealthy as they followed the footsteps of Queen Victoria when it came to processing their own mourning. As stated before, black mourning attire was not strictly for the victorian era but the victorian era had specific etiquette as to how long you were to wear the attire.

The 1820's and 30's are a fascinating time, sandwiched between the Regency and the onset of Victorian fashion. In Germany, this era is called Biedermeier.

Towards the end of the Regency/Empire epoch, the high empire waistline of gowns began slipping downwards by about an inch every year. By the mid-twenties, the waistline reached its natural position on the body again and an hourglass figure came back into fashion. Consequently, corsetry changed from the softer stays of the Regency era to feature a more defined waist and hip curve. The wasp-waist effect was strengthened by the contrast with the full skirts and big “leg-o-mutton” sleeves. The skirts were not yet shaped by hoop-skirts, but by layers of starched petticoats and underskirts, sometimes padded with horsehair. The voluminous sleeves were shaped by padding, corset bone inserts and stiff canvas. [Epochs of Fashion]

The Classic Film Vampires

Vampires hit the cinema starting with the 1922 Nosferatu, being the unauthorized adaptation of the Bram Stoker Novel, Dracula. Dracula eventually got an official adaptation a few years after Nosferatu in 1931 staring Bela Lugosi. These two vampires presented opposite aesthetics; Nosferatu was monstrous, with elongated teeth, nails, and fingers. While the original Dracula was more sophisticated and aristocratic. He wore a cape, slicked-back hair, a tuxedo, and a pale face. Both vampires become the most iconic classics, sporting their black-and-white age.

Do vampires become sexy?

I would say this is the turning point where vampires no longer just become associated with death; now they are drop-dead gorgeous, and we get visuals of vampire women. Hammer Horror's Dracula (1958), starring Christopher Lee. The main female, played by Valerie Gaunt, is described as wearing a low-cut, flowing white/light-colored period gown with a plunging neckline that reveals prominent cleavage.

The Rise of the Goth Subculture

Oftentimes, when you hear of the Goth Subculture, many just believe it is an offshoot of the punk era in the 70s. This is not quite the case, as the goth subculture is pretty much a music genere based, with its more notable bands in the 80s such as Bauhaus, Banshees, and The Cure. Goth is also a political movement, often represented in their rebellious fashion that shows it's okay to be authentic to yourself even if it does go against societal norms. Not all goths have to dye their hair black with splat, have a black cat, and have their faces painted white. While these are staple pieces, this is not the only thing that makes you goth.

“Goth is not just about the music or the fashion. It is and has always been an intentional movement that challenges the status quo— anti-racist, very pro-queer and pro-inclusivity, anti-consumerist, class-conscious, sex-positive, all of it. At the heart of goth culture, the ethos is to be authentic to yourself and live in a way that is for the good of all people, for that is what gives life a deeper significance.” [Yes, Goth is Political; V4MPIREBAIT]

The characteristic of Goth has a lot of vampire imagery but often times ties back to the Victorian-era style clothing such as black mourning dresses, corsets, and even lace accents. You will also find that the goth subculture represents various religious/spiritual jewelry, as they may wear rosaries, crosses, pentagrams, and ankhs. The Goth Subculture and the Vampyre Community share a lot of values when it comes to the ankh, being the duality of life and death. This does not mean people of the vampyre community are all goths. According to Suscitatio Enterprises LLC, 64.43% of vampires do not consider themselves goths.

The Love Sick Vampire (Romantic vampire aesthetic)

The Anne Rice Chronicles and the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire become a staple piece in vampire media. These vampires were not just beautiful, but they were complicated in their love; their attire heavily referenced the late 1700s to the Victorian era, with their intricate designs showcasing French court attire.

“Outfits from "Interview with the Vampire" have left a lasting mark on both fashion and pop culture, shaping how gothic and vampire aesthetics are perceived today. Sandy Powell's opulent costumes, rich in historical accuracy and luxurious fabrics, sparked a conversation about the intersection of fashion and identity within the vampire genre. Each costume isn't just fabric; it's a narrative device that visually represents character development and emotional states, making the film's storytelling even more compelling. The attention to detail in these costumes mirrors the evolution of Harley Davidson clothing, showcasing how fashion can embody a lifestyle and community spirit.” [Interview With the Vampire Movie Outfits by Lara West]

The early 2000s vampire

This is where we start to see the vampire having less of a stagnant theme and starts to separate off into their own unique aesthetics. In 2003, Underworld takes on a more futuristic gothic look, as the clothing consists mostly of leather and latex that was skin-tight fitting and not as dainty as compared to the other aesthetics I have covered. These vampires were more action-packed and full of badassery, and then… there is Twilight. Twilight became a starting point of the early 2000s modern minimalistic look with skinny jeans, Converse, and the iconic 2000s henleys. We will often see this look become copied and pasted throughout all supernatural franchises such as The Vampire Diaries. Funnily enough, this 2000s look becomes a seasonal wardrobe around fall, as many, including myself, chase the nostalgia of this iconic 2000s teen supernatural fashion.

Vampirecore

This is the current aesthetic we have now today, and what is that, you ask? Everything you can think of; vampirecore is considered under the alternative fashion umbrella and encompasses anything that you think is vampire-related. You will often see the Victorian era heavily referenced, but you may see 80s goth be introduced into this aesthetic. I guess you should ask yourself what YOU think a vampire is? What makes you feel like a vampire? As you can imagine, this aesthetic is a lot more customizable to you, as it's not exclusively based on a film or folklore. The possibilities are endless! I believe old-gen VC members will often find themselves in the 80s gothic, while newer gen tend to lean toward vampirecore. This is because aesthetics and the term “core” became extremely popular in 2020 during the pandemic era, when many Gen Z had plenty of time to kill, so they did so by learning more about their identity. What they like, what they didn't like. “Core” is defined as an aesthetic category that you vibe with. There are many types of cores, and vampire core is one of them.

The "-core" trend represents how digital natives create identity and community through aesthetic categorization. Instead of just saying "I like this style," people are creating entire philosophical and lifestyle frameworks around their preferences. It's a way to signal belonging to specific communities while also allowing for incredible personalization and creativity. [What does ‘Core’ mean? by Kor]

The Pandemic was a scary time for everyone and stifled Gen Z’s social life and some development, as their life was put on pause. They would check the news to see news about various people dying and that they weren't allowed to be out in the world. Some didn't get to go to prom; some didn't have a graduation ceremony. A pandemic such as this, as you can imagine, can cause someone to reevaluate their life, their beliefs even. I saw many people find religion, community, a movement to be a part of. This was a form of escapism from the troubling times of uncertainty.

Conclusion

If you trace the story of the vampire through history from cursed monsters of medieval folklore, to the seducers of the Victorian era, to the brooding sparkly icons of modern film, you can see exactly how these images seeped into today’s vampire fashion and identity scenes. Each era left its fang mark. The medieval vampire was all about fear, curses, and the unknown, while the Victorians turned the undead into mysterious aristocrats, draped in luxury and danger as they were constantly surrounded by deaths from various plagues and medical malpractice. By the time we hit the 1980s, goth kids were raiding thrift stores for velvet, lace, and black lipstick to become the next Elvira. The vampire’s story is still being written, and subcultures like goth and vampirecore are proof that the vampire finds new ways to live and breathe.

This is what I would say if I had a very positive mindset of how the vampire has become this empowering figure when it came to coping with hard times. I present to you my alternative conclusion.

In conclusion, we are not much different from the people of the Middle Ages; the concept of life and death is much like that of the Vampyre: it is eternal. The fear of what comes next will never die, as such of the Vampyre. The Vampyre subculture is the product of the fear of the unknown. The unknown of whether we are sick, crazy, even. The human brain is capable of many things, but I am led to believe the way we process the unknown has not changed and never will. Instead, we will wear black mourning dresses, create burial rituals, create whole religions, ideologies, to comfort our fears. But instead of finding comfort, we find conflict with those we oppose, simply for not believing in the same thing. We shame, fear-monger the unknown, get into debates, start wars among nations.

The Vampire is a metaphor for the beast called humanity; it is our projection of how we view the human race. Monstrous, drainers of life, cursed to make the same mistake over and over, despite how many times we fall and rise. But we will burn the image of the vampire and embody it. After all, we live in a society.