When I was a kid, my elderly auntie would give my sister and I horrible Christmas sweaters, with googly eyes and shih tzu’s wearing santa hats. My sister, being more diplomatic than I, at that age, would calmly reply, “Oh, that’s cute,” while imperceptibly rolling her eyes, which was shorthand for, “This is going in the corner, or to clean the cat box.”
Now THAT’S horror.
This year, why not consider giving some REALLY horrible clothes to the appreciators of the morbid and the macabre in your life, that they will ACTUALLY love, and wear year round?
As I stated in the last gift guide I wrote, sometimes horror fanatics aren’t the easiest people to shop for. We tend to be highly introverted, with very specific (and very good) taste, that can baffle the daywalkers.
I’ve compiled a list of some various dark fashion gifts, for the ladies as well as the gentlemen.
Shirts
The most basic item in the horror wardrobe is the cool t-shirt, so it’s a good place to start. T-shirts have the advantage of being able to sport any design; they’re durable and easy to clean, and can be worn every day, for any number of occasions, to metal shows to art gallery openings.
This year, avoid the kitschy, shoddily made mallwear, with some of the internet’s finest.
Camp Crystal Lake Ringspun Tee (Etsy)
Party like it’s 1983, with this soft baby blue ringspun tee, with the camp logo from Friday The 13th!
This super high quality tee, from the seller Shirtmandude on Etsy, comes in a full range of sizes, and would be suitable for either sex. The only downside is, it only comes in powder blue, with navy print.
Make your horror lover feel like a Camp Crystal Lake counselor, this season. Just remember to tell them to not do anything they shouldn’t be doing in the woods.
The most basic currency in the horror lover’s wardrobe is their favorite movie t-shirt. Here’s a brief starter guide.
Poltergeist (Amazon)
+Full Range Of Sizes -No women’s cut
+well made -Only black
+Only black
+Full range of sizes and colors
+Unisex
+Available on sweatshirts, hoodies, long-sleeves and tank tops
+Cost effective
+Handmade
+Independently owned
+Full range of sizes and colors
+Men And Women’s Cuts
+Super comfy
+Super durable
+Highest possible quality
In case you can’t tell, I buy a lot of t-shirts. I stumbled upon Night Channels the last time I was making a regular substantial paycheck, and have been staring dreamily at their website ever since, like a poor child at a candy store window.
As I also mentioned last time, horror lovers don’t ONLY love horror (although mostly), so don’t be afraid to step outside the stereotypes. Look at Night Channel’s uber-classy collection of obscure film and occultism t-shirts, for inspiration. A lot of these designs are solely artistic, with no words or logos, and tend to be a bit more fashionable, and appeal to a wider age range then your typical band or movie tee.
All of their stuff is reasonably priced. It says on their website it may take one to two weeks to ship, so you might want to expedite shipping, to make sure your stuff gets there on time.
Alice: Through The Looking Glass
The Holy Mountain (Jodorowsky)
Francis Bacon Pope Innocent X painting
Bruce Haack The Electric Lucifer
Skirts And Dresses
These range from elegant and chic to kitschy flair. Why not consider a cute flaired skirt or gown, for the Morticia or Betty in your life?
Sourpuss Black Widow Spider Swing Skirt
This flaired skirt from Sourpuss features a charmingly macabre black widow spider print, and comes with a detachable bow. The spider skirt is available in a full range of sizes, and is 5% spandex, which makes it a little bit stretchy, which can be handy if you’re not 100% sure about size.
Sourpuss Clothing
Universal Monsters Dress (etsy)
With the classic Golden Age Universal monster movies set for a reboot, possibly as action movies (*gag), the time is rife for re-appreciation of the Silver Screen.
This dress from VintageGaleria on Etsy features a swing skirt, perfect for swirling and twirling. They advise adding a pair of red pumps or a petticoat, to make this suitable date wear.
Vintage horror is ever popular with the spookabilly set, making this a no-brainer for the rockabilly ghoul in your afterlife.
Alice Cosplay
We’re nerds; we admit it. We even relish in it! Or maybe we’re just highly devoted to our interests.
And nothing says devotion like an exact, to-the-detail recreation of your favorite.
This highly elaborate replica is an exact duplicate of the popular video game Alice: Return To Madness, down to the apron. It’s expensive, but it’s worth it.
Leggings
Phases Of The Moon Lunatic Leggings (Actual Pain)
Actual Pain are another of the finest purveyors of dark fashion on the internet. Their owner even plays in an occult-tinged folk band.
The Lunatic Leggings feature waterbased ink prints of the waxing and waning of the moon, and comes in a full range of sizes. Everything Actual Pain makes is super soft and super durable.
Leggings are awesome. They look great under dresses, and keep your legs warm, without having to wear jeans. My girlfriend is obsessed with leggings. I’m obsessed with leggings. Sometimes we fight.
These are expensive, but it’s worth it.
Accessories
Accessories make the outfit. Here’s a few.
Freddy Krueger Glove Pendant (etsy)
The only way you can safely have the Dream Master’s razored mitt close to your neck. For those of us who keep A Nightmare On Elm Street close to our hearts. Zantijewelry also make Jason and Alien pendants, so pick your favorite franchise!
Mermaid Cameo (Etsy)
Now this is just lovely, and oozes class. The mermaid cameo is made out of resin, and comes with a brass chain. A great deal, that is sure to win you favor.
Black Cemetery Choker
This choker shows a cemetery skyline, and is made of rubber, to be durable and comfortable, as well as fitting a variety of sizes. For the deadheads out there.
Romany Designs Tree Of Life Pendants
Shoutout to my girl Angela Rashida, who’s been making these gorgeous semi-precious gems for over a decade. Heck, I’ve even helped her sell them a few times, at desert craft fairs, and dressed as a demented doll at music festivals. Her wraps are super tight, and these pendants come in copper, as well as fancier varieties, like sterling silver and 12k gold. You can select from a wide variety of semi-precious gemstones; peridot, serpentine, and hematite are some of my favorites. She also makes one-of-a-kind wire sculptures.
Angela is a singla mama, so she greatly appreciates any support. Every piece she makes is positively imbued with quality, care, craft, and love. For the spiritualists in your life.
Inverted Cross Striped Knee High Socks (Customized Girl)
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without socks. Why not give something a little better than polyester tube socks?
Anatomical Skull Umbrella (Sourpuss)
Where I live, in the Pacific Northwest, we don’t get a white Christmas, so much as months and months of relentless gray skies and daily drizzles. For misty climes, why not give a cool dark umbrella?
Batwing Bikini
This is simply stunning! The top is shaped to look like batwings, and both pieces are made out of lycra, to give a leathery effect. My girlfriend freaked out when she saw this. They’re expensive, but it’s worth it. The seller has a bunch of other pretty, morbid underthings, as well.
*a note, on giving underthings/swimwear: make sure that this is an appropriate gift.
That concludes the fashion segment of Haunted Holidays. You can find more ideas at my Dark Fashion Pinterest board, if you’re looking for more pinspiration.
I will be doing one more gift guide over at my Forestpunk blog, in the next couple of days, for music lovers, so you’re welcome to tune in over there if you like.
And follow along on Twitter, for more dark holiday cheer!
*a note, on Amazon and Night Channel links. I am an affiliate of Amazon and Night Channels, which means I get a small commission on each sale through my links. I’m not affiliated with any of the sellers. Nor would I mislead you, I genuinely like everything I’ve featured, and feel like other horror fans will, also. All proceeds go towards growing good, imaginative, dark art.
Happy Hauntings!
