Interview to BallerinaDark

Last week Amy of The Ultimate Goth Guide (now known as Stripy Tights and Dark Delights) was so kind to interview me! Well, here's the interview for those who want to read it:

"BallerinaDark is the mastermind behind blogazine Gothic Divine, which has been running since 2009 and whose motley crew of spooky staff post on just about every Goth-related topic you can think of. This gorgeous Goth of colour was kind enough to chat to me about everything from fashion, to blogging, to the dark alternative scene in her home, Italy.

(c) BallerinaDark

What inspired you to create Gothic Divine Magazine? Have you learned anything from the experience? 

Well, a bit embarassed here but, yeah, everything started from a doll dress-up game site! It's very famous now and it's called Stardoll.com . I know, it seems childish at first but when you start playing and create your doll-self with you own style it becomes quite addictive. I happened to meet a lot of people there of all ages... and a lot of goths! In that site, beside playing there's the chance to create forums where you can chat with the other players and I created GothicDivine. From there, the idea of gathering all of that we've been talking about in a blog. It wasn't supposed to be a Magazine... I just loved how the name sounded. In fact as you can see it's not structured at all as a magazine. Writing for the blog is a beautiful experience! I learned a lot of interesting stuff I didn't know either of goth culture! Anything I see or hear that's even slightly goth related, I write about and make little researches over the topics. It's fun and it is also a proof that goth culture is more than meets the eye.

Would you describe yourself as a net.Goth? What do you think of the Goth community online (e.g. is it friendly, elitist, etc)? 

Yes I think I can be considered a net.Goth. as I spend a lot of time on the internet! I love reading other fellow goths' blogs and take inspiration from them. All the other net.Goths I've "met" are all friendly. I don't think there's a serious elitism problem on-line as it would be pretty pathetic... you know... from behind a screen...

In your blogazine you give advice and information on all Goth-related topics from music to art and everything in between, but one of your most-discussed subjects is, of course, fashion and beauty! What are your top tips on style and make-up for other Goths? 

Yes that's definitely the most loved subject. One of the things I like most about gothic culture is that there's no limit to creativity in both the clothing and the make-up! The only tip I can give then is: keep exploring for new looks! There are so many, why stopping at one? ;) More specific tips on make-up, hair and everything else can be found in GD Magazine, of course! :P

Who or what inspires you (in fashion or otherwise)?

I actually get inspired by anything and anyone that surrounds me. I always try to find the positive side of all things and people, and try to add them to my style!

How would you describe your personal style? 

I think RANDOM is the right word to describe my style. I don't really force myself to fit into a certain style, wheter it's Victorian or gothabilly. I just find myself in it. That's why I never look the same.

(c) BallerinaDark

What sort of responses does your look receive from friends and family? 

My family is fully supportive! They taught to be myself all the time and not to let people change who I am in anyway. For instance, my grandmother LOVES my gothic looks! She's always there pushing me to wear my gothiest clothes even in occasions when it's definitely not a good idea to be dressed gothic..! My friends are ok with the style too.

What sort of experiences have you had with strangers based on your style/appearance?

Mostly good experiences! I always receive compliments for my gothic looks. I remember for example once I was taking the bus to get back from work and I was wearing my lovely Alice Coat by Poizen Industries which is definitely in gothic lolita style, and there was this lady who said "Oh! I wish I could wear that too!" with her eyes looking like this --> *-* and other people got along and started asking me where I bought it and they wanted to see it closer! I can say it's even nicer when it's non-goth people appreciating you!

How did you discover Goth culture? 

Through music. I was a metalhead/rocker before becoming goth. So while exploring all the sub-genres of metal and rock I ended up listening to gothic rock and from there I started to get interested in the culture and began looking for info about it.

What is the Goth scene like in your area? What are the best and worst things about it and are there any events you recommend? 

Italy in general is not very supportive of alternative cultures which is very bad because in the other European countries like neighbour Germany the situation is very different. Not many big gothic events to attend. When I was younger (I'm 23 now so I'm talking about late 90s) to see goths around was pretty sporadic. Now, I noticed there's way more around! Probably thanks to the internet which made it easier to get in touch with the culture, also the people are more open-minded nowadays and you are not necessarily pointed out as "the devil" just because of your different looks. Lately a lot more goth-friendly clubs opened in my area and I'm very happy about it, of course. There's definitely a spark of hope for goth culture in Italy.

What does 'Goth' mean to you? 

eheh I expected this question! I don't really have words to explain what goth means to me. Just... MUCH. ^^

What bands are you into at the moment? Any new discoveries or little-known acts that you recommend? 

At the moment I'm listening to 80s bands mostly. I'm getting more and more nostalgic about that good 80s music and so I got back to listen to Duran Duran and Depeche Mode. A band I recently discovered and deeply recommend is Ladytron. I'm in love with their songs "Black Cat" and "Ghosts". A little known act I recommend is the band Witching Hour UK which I also mentioned in Gothic Divine Magazine recently. I like their 80s trad goth sound.

Other than Goth culture, what are your greatest passions and interests? 

(c) BallerinaDark

I love singing and bass playing. Music has always been a big part of my life! Then Ancient Egypt has always been among my interests too. I like reading books about it! I also have a thing for the 40s and 50s..the fashion and the music from those years are just amazing. I'm also very interested in art! My favourite artist is Salvador Dalì! And another thing I'm definitely into is ghosts and other paranormal phenomenas!

What is your 'goal' in life? Where do you see yourself in five or ten years' time?

Goal... I don't really have a goal yet. I'm not sure of what's going to be of me in the future. I just hope I'll be proud of me when I'll look back in the days.

Anything else you'd like to add? 

Maybe a little shoutout to all people reading. I know it sounds always the same boring statement but BE YOURSELVES, don't do things just because someone tells you to or because society imposes so. Think with your own minds ;) And also a big thank you to all Gothic Divine Magazine supporters! and to you Amy for this interview! ♥

Interview with the "Ultimate Goth"

This is our first interview and I chose Amy, writer of The Ultimate Goth Guide as first victim. :P I'm sure you stepped at least once in her blog, looking for make-up or clothing tips or because you had a doubt on something regarding the goth world! If you are a goth that site will become your bible! :P

♥ So why and when did you start writing The Ultimate Goth Guide?

I started the Ultimate Goth Guide on Piczo when I was a sixteen-year-old babybat (almost four years ago!)... I had just segued from my mallgoth stage and as a know-it-all Gothling I felt inclined to impart my knowledge to others... *sigh*

The whole idea stemmed from meeting a girl slightly younger than me at a party... she was just getting into Goth and had LOADS of questions so I ended up coming home and typing up all my answers to give to her. While I was at it I added a bunch of photos, a title and such. I have attached the 'front cover' of this very first format of the Guide for you to giggle at! I stole the image from Gloomth...

When I was discussing the idea with Dan, he suggested that I make it into a book or website. Being a raging egomaniac, I couldn't resist!

♥Would you call yourself a goth? Do you like labels in general?

I would indeed. Goth and proud! ^^ Whether other people would agree with that is entirely up to them.

'Like' isn't the right word... I feel that they are a harmless form of social shorthand that it's impossible to escape from and don't mind them being applied to me as long as they're reasonably accurate. I don't feel that belonging to a subculture is the same as being 'labelled'. Actually it annoys me when people refer to Goth as a 'label' because there is a lot more to it than just a tag to slap on people!

The only time I really have a problem with labels is when people start to think that a label should define their behaviour - "I can't do X thing because it isn't Goth." Or when someone else says, "she probably does X thing because she's a Goth." There's a lot more to a person than anything a single term can convey!

♥What kind of goth are you? Do you follow a style in particular?

I usually refer to myself as a perkygoth because I'm quite an upbeat person, probably verging on annoyingly smiley. :-P

I have never been able to stick to one style! Although I guess I will be a Victorian Goth next year for Kitty's (Bloggery of a Gothcat) Filthy Victorians 2012... On the whole I love so many styles - Neo-Victorian, Glitter Goth, Ice Goth, old-school, cyber, deathrock... heh, I love everything!

I'm also inspired by vintage fashion, Lolita, steampunk, and other alternative styles such as Visual Kei, cyberpop, faerie, decora and probably a few more. That has to be the best thing about Goth, for me - it's so open to experimentation. I rarely wear the same style from day-to-day, although poofy skirts and sparkly things feature heavily in my wardrobe!

♥How long have you been a goth?

The short answer is 'about five years'. I had brief attempts to experiment with Goth aged eight and ten, and have always been fascinated with the subculture. But just after my fourteenth birthday I decided I was 'going Goth', for good, and did! I haven't looked back since. ;-)

♥Who inspires you? Who are your idols?

My two biggest idols are definitely Adora BatBrat and Jillian Venters - I love their personal style and the fact they are both irrepressibly cheerful and fun (not usually something that people associate with Goth culture!). I also adore the model Wednesday Mourning.

Since joining Blogger I have found many of my fellow bloggoths inspiring - Sary of The Walrus Room, Kitty of Bloggery of a Gothcat, Steph of If I Only Were A Goth and VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noir to name but a few.

I also can't ever flick through Gothic Beauty Magazine without wanting to go shopping and put on more make-up, and I read the Gothic and Lolita English Bibles obsessively, although I find them difficult to get hold of. I love seeing what different people wear day-to-day! I also love looking at image galleries from big Goth festivals, the outfits that people create and the make-up designs that they come up with are amazing!

♥Is there anything you dislike about the goth culture?

I wish people would stop snarking at others for how much or little they dress up! Some of us are casual, some of us more dressy - get over it!

Also, a pet peeve of mine is something you recently mentioned on Gothic Divine - how Goths react to each other when they meet in the street. I'm on a bit of a personal campaign to bring back what Gothic Charm School refers to as 'the mutual freak nod', or y'know, just a smile, or a compliment... If you see another Goth in the street, there's no point sneakily checking out each other's outfits ad trying to work out which of you is higher up in the Gothy hierarchy - just smile and say hello, for goodness' sake! This person obviously has some similar interests to you so why glower or ignore them? Honestly...

♥Are you the first goth in your family?

Well, my cousin had a Goth phase in her late teens... My mum is a bit of a closet Goth, I often come home and find her listening to The Cruxshadows and there are definitely a few things in her wardrobe I want to steal.

I have two primary-school-age second cousins whom I've seen once in my life, and my aunt (their grandmother) recently commented, completely out of the blue, that I shouldn't encourage them to wear black nail varnish (I never have!). "I think they're a little young for that, Amy," she said in her most concerned, disapproving tones. I'm now keeping my fingers crossed that one or both of them will discover Goth in their teens... yes it's petty, but never mind...

♥Do you parents suppport your being a goth?

My mum does, and always has. At the beginning my dad wasn't impressed and often made snarky comments, but over the last few years he's come round and started keeping an eye out for clothes, records and other bits and bobs for me, and this year, having seen the success of my blog, he often e-mails or rings me with a snippet of info or a website link that he thinks I could use. Once I was having coffee with a friend and Dad rang me up to ask if I knew that Dracula was written in Whitby! <3

My family was concerned after the murder of Sophie Lancaster and I think they feel I would be safer if I wasn't a Goth, but they have never been unsupportive.

♥Did you ever have any particular trouble for being a goth?

Thankfully, no. I have had stones thrown at me by some young boys and that was about the worst of it. I was bullied badly in school for being well-read, but that was before I discovered the Goth scene. I live in a small town and people often stare or make comments, even in my workplace, but I'm getting used to it.

♥Is there anything in particular that you like collecting?

I collect Gothy vinyl records (my dad found me an Alien Sex Fiend double-disc album in mint condition last month, yay!), fluffy toy monsters and bats, vampire and faerie books, and *ahem* My Little Pony. I have over 400 My Little Pony figurines which I have collected ever since I was a little girl. Ssh!

It could also be said that I collect clothing as I have too many clothes to physically fit in my (five) wardrobes.

♥About music, what are your favourite bands? and who are your favourite female and male singers? 

All-time favourite song?

Oh god, I hope you weren't expecting a short answer! My favourite bands include but are not limited to The Cruxshadows, The Birthday Massacre, Johnny Hollow, The Cure, Fields of the Nephilim, Abney Park, Wolfsheim, The Sisters of Mercy, Alice Moving Under Skies, Dreams Divide, Crazy Town (ssh! ;-) ), Bak XIII, Ashbury Heights, Mind.In.A.Box, The Candy Spooky Theater, Evanescence, Diva Destruction, Inkubus Sukkubus, Enigma, Faith and the Muse, Sopor Aeturnus, HIM, Roxy Music, Alice Cooper, I:Scintilla, Iron Maiden, In Flames, Kissing Violet, L'Ame Immortelle, Qntal, Linkin Park, Mindless Self Indulgence, Carfax Abbey, Fear Cult, Rasputina, Poets of the Fall, Raggedy Angry, Purple Fog Side, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Rammstein, The Rasmus, RazorBladeKisses, Rising Shadows, Scary Bitches, Cinema Strange, Seraphim Shock, Sex Gang Children, Skeletal Family (with Anne-Marie Hurst), Unter Null, Pretentious,Moi?, Dyonisis...

My favourite male singers are Dr Steel, Rogue (The Cruxshadows), Robert Smith, Faderhead, Ville Valo, Marilyn Manson, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Bryan Ferry, Voltaire, Gerard Way, Kurt Cobain, Brian Molko, Dave Gahan and the chappie from The Faces of Sarah.

My favourite female singers are Emilie Autumn, Chibi (TBM), Penny Dreadful (Alice Moving Under Skies), Amy Lee, Hannah Fury, Amanda Palmer, Anna-Varney Cantodea, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Katy Perry, Loreena McKennitt, Melora Creager, Tarja Turunen (although I don't like her solo stuff), Floor Jensen, Siouxsie Sioux, Dolly Parton and Lady GaGa.

Um, sorry for this huge list! :-P

All time favourite song is definitely Winter Born by The Cruxshadows, although I will always have a secret soft spot for Butterfly by Crazy Town...

♥Do you believe in paranormal things like aliens, ghosts or demons?

Sure! I definitely believe in aliens - my friends and I spent last summer UFO-watching, it took us several months to realise that we were actually filming and enthusing about sky lanterns... d'oh. Not sure about demons but I believe in ghosts. And fairies. People think I'm joking when I say that, but sadly I'm not. The only time I'll stop believing in, well, anything, is when I'm shown solid proof that it doesn't exist. Other than that I try to keep an open mind.

♥Thank you for letting me interview you! You are very kind :) anything else you'd like to say to your fans? 

You're welcome, it's been fun! :-D

 Heh... I have fans? Thanks everyone for your support and for checking out the Goth Guide, I love getting all your comments and feedback. Stay spooky! ;-D