Gothic, as refers to the musical style and culture, has its roots in the punk scene of the late 70's/early 80's in both the UK and in America. The latter saw the rise of West Coast "death rock" acts such as 45 Grave and Christian Death, fronted by the late Rozz Williams and largely considered to be one of the founding fathers of the Gothic movement, along with UK bands such as the Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus. The mid-80's saw the Second Wave of Goth, led by acts such as Rosetta Stone in an electronic direction, Fields of the Nephilim and Nosferatu in a more organic, but almost theatrically morbid direction, and bands like the Mission (later the Mission UK) in an organic, but less spooky direction, often penning lyrics about lost love or transcendence of spirit. From the early 90's onward the Gothic music has taken on so many different forms that the sound of the music is as diverse as the people who listen to it.
Theatricality was always a big part of the Gothic movement, giving rise to the dark colors and ornate trim which evolved into Gothic fashion as we know it today. Many people dress in elaborate outfits and use lace, velvet and other classical materials, and employ corsets and old-fashioned items like that.
Boots are often very popular with both sexes.
The clubs are a big part of the Gothic scene, providing an opportunity for like-minded souls to network among people they might never meet in "real" life, as well as providing a venue for local and big-name bands to perform in an intimate setting for their fans.
The setting usually is pretty intimate, being usually very dim with occasional accent lights thrown on for effect, often with fireplaces, candelabra, or smoke machines. often there will be a cage for a leather-clad fetish girl to entertain onlookers.
The Gothic scene shares its borders with those of the Industrial scene, in terms of adherents, fashions and venues, and there is often some degree of overlap. This is commonly referred to by the generic tag, the "dark underground."

Ok, so...
Alot of people are getting the wrong idea about what being gothic really means.
There are many ways to describe it.
1. It's a type of music. Gothic rock usually contains a dark, yet somehow sweet sound. And, most goths I know (including myself) listen to all types of music. But, also like me prefer to listen to metal.

2. I just have to point this out: Goth is NOT a religion.
Just because you're gothic, it doesn't mean you worship Satan and blah blah blah.
Even though most people involved in gothic culture are not believers of God, I do know Christian goths.

3. There is also a style of dress that comes with gothic lifestyle. Yes, most goths do wear black. (Personally, I'm a HUGE fan of corsets and such...) But we do wear color too. Take cybergoths for examlpe. ^.^ You can catch them wearing the coolest outfits that include many neon colors and such. Different shades of purples, reds, blues, and even greens are popular among goths.
There is much more to be said...but I know some are probably bored at this moment...
Thanks, and enjoy.

"Not Gothic" is what actual Goths call "Hot Topic". No self respecting Goth owns anything from or ever sets foot in Hot Topic for any reason. Also referred to as "Lukewarm Discussion".

There is something horribly wrong with the way people view "goths". "Goths" are not always doom and gloom. They are not always listening to screaming, miserable music. And, oh, did you know, some "Goths" even wear different colors other than black? Ever heard of Bauhaus or Siouxsie and the Banshees? They're considered "goth" bands.

The culture is so much different from what people make it out to be. Being "goth" is a way of expressing yourself to your liking. Just as some might wear letterman jackets and other clothes. They're normal people with different views. You can't lump them into some little group because a bunch of teenyboppers decided they were going to slit their wrists and write horrible poetry. That's just the same as saying all "preps" worship their boyfriends and say 'like' all of the time. It's stupid and it's full of prejudice. Granted, prejudice is what seems to make the world go around lately.. Doesn't mean you have to give in to that trend of throwing out vile and disgusting words at something you don't understand.

Since this is urban dictionary, I'll give the more modern definition:
Of or relating to a subculture which developed in the late 70's as an offshoot of punk, characterized by unconventional hairstyles and clothing. Originates from a musical style which is still alive to a certain extent, gothic rock artists include Bauhaus, She Wants Revenge (more recent), and Sisters of Mercy. The term gothic comes from a 19th century literary style, which is the basis of horror fiction. As a general term, gothic means dark.
Stereotypes surround the gothic subculture, like any other subculture, including an association with Satanism (coming from a false connection between atheism and Satanism), a belief that goths (or gothics, to distinguish them from the Germanic tribe) dress unconventionally to attract attention from mainstream culture, and an association with depression and evil. Dark themes are what characterize gothic music and literature (also film and television), and these fictional themes are often misapplied to people. However, some of the negative stereotypes surrounding gothic culture are a result of (excuse my bias here) assholes who pretend to be vampires, cut Marilyn Manson into their backs with knives before going to a concert, and other attention-seeking shock artists who give the impression that gothic culture is about celebrating all things gruesome and barbaric. (Not that I have anything against a little violence in entertainment)
This is very cliche on urbandictionary, but here are some things that are not gothic"
Marilyn Manson
Self-harm or suicide (although depression is a common trait in youth regardless of subcultural orientation, and the lead singer of the early gothic music group Joy Division committed suicide)
Pretending to be a vampire.....outside of Halloween, that's just ridiculous

1)Art of the middle-ages. Dark art.

2)Of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of architecture developed in northern France and spreading through western Europe from the middle of the 12th century to the early 16th century that is characterized by the converging of weights and strains at isolated points upon slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by pointed arches and vaulting

3)Referal to the middle-ages.

4)Literature style mostly using dark, remote settings.

5)A genre of music steming from punk rock and became popular in the mid 1980's. Korn, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson and Tool are not gothic bands.

6)The language of the Goths.

Note: people cannot be gothic, gothic is not a state of mind, it is not a life style, it is not clothing.

There is something horribly wrong with the way people view "goths". "Goths" are not always doom and gloom. They are not always listening to screaming, miserable music. And, oh, did you know, some "Goths" even wear different colors other than black? Ever heard of Bauhaus or Siouxsie and the Banshees? They're considered "goth" bands.

The culture is so much different from what people make it out to be. Being "goth" is a way of expressing yourself to your liking. Just as some might wear letterman jackets and other clothes. They're normal people with different views. You can't lump them into some little group because a bunch of teenyboppers decided they were going to slit their wrists and write horrible poetry. That's just the same as saying all "preps" worship their boyfriends and say 'like' all of the time. It's stupid and it's full of prejudice. Granted, prejudice is what seems to make the world go around lately.. Doesn't mean you have to give in to that trend of throwing out vile and disgusting words at something you don't understand.

Pertaining not to devil-worship, but to a way of thinking before the "Age of Reason" that stressed emotion (as opposed to rationality), preoccupation with mortality (and immortality), and sensuality.

(n.) 1. A word generally used in relation the the macabre or other darker elements.
2. A movement in literature that branched off of the individualist movement of the 1700's, usually revolving around the darker elements of human nature.
3. Jagged and spaciouis architecture, usually referenced by gothic cathedrals, in which vast open areas invoke feelings of belittlement.
4. A stereotype encompassing whiny, pissant teenagers craving attention. Usually identified by an immense use of black, vampires, blood, and anarchy symbols.