Romantic Goth is a substyle of the Goth subculture that draws its primary aesthetic inspiration from the 19th-century Romantic movement, particularly the dark and melancholic themes of Gothic literature from authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley.

Originating in the 1990s, the style is defined by its focus on tragic beauty, dark passion, and individualism. The fashion is characterized by long, flowing garments such as velvet gowns, lace dresses, and "poet shirts" with ruffled cuffs, often incorporating corsetry and elegant, historically-inspired details. Unlike the more rigid and austere look of Victorian Goth , Romantic Goth favors softer silhouettes and a mood of dark, dramatic elegance rather than strict historical recreation. The aesthetic is closely linked to the music genres of ethereal wave and neoclassical dark wave.

Romantic Goth was born out of the 90s ethereal wave and second wave of gothic rock scenes, particularly the medieval/victorian dress and Celtic vocals displayed by bands like Requiem in White and Miranda Sex Garden.

During 90s Romantic Goth style sometimes became mainstream fashion. Unlike Mallgoth style, which was mainly worn by teenagers, this style was worn by adult women outside of subcultures.

Despite it wasn't mainstream anymore, in 00s Romantic Goth peaked in popularity to the point many people started to think this is a Trad Goth style.

According to the Goth Types Wiki , here are some visual aspects to Romantic Goth:

Fashion under Romantic Goth may include:

Popular hairstyles under this aesthetic can contain:

Romantic Goths usually tend to listen to neoclassical darkwave, dark cabaret , or operatic influenced ethereal wave with a brooding or passionate mood. Since it came out of the 90s scene, they may prefer music from this decade. Some Romantic Goth bands include:

Some Romantic Goth activities can include: