Witch Girls Image, What's the allure?! Options

I never understood my preoccupation with the image of the "Witch Girl." Think Patricia Morrison during her Sisters of Mercy years.

The whole image seems alluring. But why?

(IMG:http://www.quizlaw.com/blog/images/goth-girl.jpg)

Can someone give me some info leads as to why some people have a rise for the "Witch Girl" image?

Info I am looking for:

Freudian/pseudo-Freudian interpretation of why there is an allure to that aesthetic
The marketing of that image throughout history
Why the "Witch Girl" is considered a sex symbol
What the psychological implications of being attracted to this image are
Goddesses that have a vibe/aura that seem to fit this aesthetic (Please speak from experience!)

EDIT: After some sleuthing on the Series of Tubes, I came to find that some people say that "A woman who has a self-esteem high enough to not care about public opinion will dress the way she wants. This shows a strong mind." Definitely alluring. From one perspective, a strong mind can mean rebellious, and possibly unfaithful. On the other hand, it could mean genuine harmoniousness, coming from willful choice (which, in my opinion, makes for the best types of relationships). I may be reading into this too much, but I really like to dig deep with things! More information is needed! Post away!

This post has been edited by Xenomancer: Apr 20 2010, 08:59 PM

The Morticia Addams look. I have no clue. I'm not in the least bit attracted to it...poor thing, needs a good meal and some sunlight. IMHO, of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
But, maybe that's it...the need to be fed and nurtured...?

>>needs a good meal and some sunlight

ewww go wash your mouth out! - i resemble that remark lol - make the picture that of a old hag in that getup, and you've pretty much described me

i hate the sun (the lord) as i am of the moon (the lady), and the moon's attractiveness for all humankind is a known fact

simple as that really imo, that and the attractiveness of mystery

inside all that candy coating they're still pink and squishy

and physical-world


edit: aha yet another lesson in balance...thanks...howdy lord

This post has been edited by esoterica: Apr 21 2010, 09:04 AM

LOL! Thanks "Mim" for that apt description! I had a friend once, many years back that resembled Morticia there, and she undertook this arduous journey back to the old country with her grandmama (Baba Yaga)
and was surprised, once she reached her destination, that all the other women had gathered around her and were pinching her and shaking their heads..."Why are they doing this?" wailed Morticia..."Why, child, they are in mourning!" replied Baba Yaga, "They are amazed that such a frail slip of a girl, as yourself, had the strength to fly all the way home to the old country to DIE!" Despiote your aversion to sunlight, that and good nutrition are necessary to live. Then, of course, she could merely be caught in the sunlight whilst posing for this picture...creatures of the night don't normally allow such things to happen... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

There's a long standing classical connotation between 'dark' and 'mystery.' In the Baroque art style the background and frame was always black because it's said to promote a sense of 'drama.'

Just as people have always feared the unknown, they've also been intrigued by what they fear, otherwise haunted houses wouldn't be such big attractions and nobody would celebrate Halloween. This is part of why I think the whole 'Witch Girl' image is popular.

Also, in more recent decades, 'goth' and 'punk' have brought this type of fashion close to the mainstream, where it's now associated (however deservedly or not) with power and originality.

All of this adds up to the 'Witch Girl' becoming a representative for an 'alternative' lifestyle. Granted, in today's times it's a cliche, but the idea's still alive.

Freudian/pseudo-Freudian interpretation of why there is an allure to that aesthetic

Well, one could say the negative space in the dress (the eye looks around black, and focuses upon color) is highly similar to the nature of female anatomy; you know. Her dress reminds men of vaginas, and it makes all our loins burn like candles.

In all seriousness. The psychological appeal is in the visual aspects. The woman (I think) is slathered in makeup if you don't look carefully. Her skin appears perfect. Her features (beyond the fact she has lips and eyes and hair) are amibguous, and therefore the mind makes up for the lack of material to look at, therefore most of us make her beautiful. It's like how 5 O'clock shadow lighting, or rarely dutch angle filiming can make somebody pretty normal absoulutely seductive.

The marketing of that image throughout history

We men, or at least, me like my women empowered, and the general ambiguity of what we see is fairly rare compared to females peacocking and showing plenty of themselves (You know, when you can see ankles and wrists and such.)

To be honest, I find her revolting for a few reasons here. I generally attribute buckets of makeup as a self conscious human being. Same with the negative spacing, and the dress. I literally cannot see anything. Everything is distorted, hidden, and kept away from view. Perhaps out of shame.

But, I find her pose very, very, very attractive. Though, that would perhaps just the the primal urge because I can see upper body curves there.

Why the "Witch Girl" is considered a sex symbol

I have no F***cking clue. The black eye makeup, black lipstick, as much foundation as possible, and black hair look hides everything about anybody and makes them somewhat attractive no matter who the individual is. Its probably a sex symbol because of the whole dark-perfect face-perfect body under a hoop skirt thing.

What the psychological implications of being attracted to this image are

Your loins are functioning. Your horomones are running properly. Your mind is filling in the space you can't fathom what's under the dress. I have a few male friends who crossdress. They work with the the illusion of dark space constantly. In fact, one of them's done this look and ruined plenty of heterosexual men's days.

Goddesses that have a vibe/aura that seem to fit this aesthetic (Please speak from experience!)

My mentor has the vibe that this picture is attempting to depict. Though it lacks the dark, morbidness. Think this picture. But literally perfect. She/he/it/ claims to be perfect. Vain. Melodramatic. Almost like Lady Gaga. In fact, this woman reminds me of Lady Gaga, in the sense that they're both overdone.

She tends to be haughty, arrogant, patronizing. Imagine a gorgeous woman. In a red dress. Who happens to be an international arms dealer. Who has a 9 inch cigarette holder. Exactly.

I have allways been attracted to women with a strong will. Witch ot not. I think alot of other men feel the same. I don't know anyone who wants a wife or GF who will allways say "Whatever you like dear" or "You decide for me". AGGGH! Any woman in y life needs to have an X-ray first to prove she has a SPINE.

I have allways been attracted to women with a strong will. Witch ot not. I think alot of other men feel the same. I don't know anyone who wants a wife or GF who will allways say "Whatever you like dear" or "You decide for me". AGGGH! Any woman in y life needs to have an X-ray first to prove she has a SPINE.

A woman with a strong will is attractive because:

• If she loves you, it's because she chooses to.
• Love out of choice is an indication of true love, rather than out of a power differential.
• Willful women KNOW how to seduce a man.
• If they love you, they tackle you and milk you dry.
• If they hate you, they divorce you and milk you dry.
• Low tolerance for BS.
• If they love you, they will gladly mammaslap anyone who disses you behind your back.
• They know what they want already. They want to share their completeness with -you-.

Just hard to find a woman who fits this profile that's not anti-man. Too bad. Lysistrata, anyone? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

In my opinion the attraction is not at all that complicated. The allure I believe is more than animal magnetism level, the person's sexual attractiveness or raw charisma. There are stories from fairy tales to movies of the "wall flower" or "nerd", ending up with an attractive person. Sometimes the attraction is shown from the attractive person well before the person's" transformation".

In my opinion the attraction is not at all that complicated. The allure I believe is more than animal magnetism level, the person's sexual attractiveness or raw charisma. There are stories from fairy tales to movies of the "wall flower" or "nerd", ending up with an attractive person. Sometimes the attraction is shown from the attractive person well before the person's" transformation".

That usually occurs when you can actually discern the features of said animal. Slathering a baby in oil make it difficult to discern whether its a dying baby or a moneky.

That usually occurs when you can actually discern the features of said animal. Slathering a baby in oil make it difficult to discern whether its a dying baby or a moneky.

Not necessarily. Some models that are by the industry standard beautiful but don't do a thing for me. As they say beautiy is in the eye of the beholder.

All I have to say is: Not enough piercings; and I have been trying to figure it out for quite some time myself. I just stopped caring awhile ago.

The Morticia Addams look. I have no clue. I'm not in the least bit attracted to it...poor thing, needs a good meal and some sunlight. IMHO, of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
But, maybe that's it...the need to be fed and nurtured...?

she can snack on me anytime (where's a batting eyelashes smiley when you need one?)

...To be honest, I find her revolting for a few reasons here. I generally attribute buckets of makeup as a self conscious human being. Same with the negative spacing, and the dress. I literally cannot see anything. Everything is distorted, hidden, and kept away from view. Perhaps out of shame. ...

wow, not like you're presumptuous or anything...

its the same effect as wearing sunglasses, people can't make eye contact and you are distanced from them, aloof in a way.
But to take wild guesses as to her reasons, and then dislike her based on that? psychLOLogy 101

You should talk to goth girls more, like before the judging. despite the monochrome appearance, they're not carbon copies (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

(actually the rest of the post, that i didn't quote, I think is really well thought out and observant IMO)

This post has been edited by Kath: May 31 2010, 04:37 PM

its the same effect as wearing sunglasses, people can't make eye contact and you are distanced from them, aloof in a way.

I'm really really off put by this picture from just the intense lack of anything there. I've met a few girls from the goth subculture and I find them to be incredibly gorgeous and people I deeply respect. One of them does wear full length dresses, but there just isn't that lack of space that I see from this picture. Its still entirely possible to still have form in black clothes. I didn't mean that post to be as broad as I wrote it as claiming the entire subculture is insecure, but it was specific to this specific picture: I don't know what it is, but some part of me sees the combination of the black and the pose and just something about the way she's holding herself that struck me when I saw this first as insecure.

I'm fine with makeup, or sunglasses, hell, even high heels on females. I don't really have a problem with the small things we do to make ourselves attractive, but the sheer amount here, or maybe just the way its presented seems so off-putting that she honestly feels more like a canvas with so many things placed upon it that it distorts what's naturally beautiful.

I'm really really off put by this picture from just the intense lack of anything there. I've met a few girls from the goth subculture and I find them to be incredibly gorgeous and people I deeply respect. One of them does wear full length dresses, but there just isn't that lack of space that I see from this picture. Its still entirely possible to still have form in black clothes. I didn't mean that post to be as broad as I wrote it as claiming the entire subculture is insecure, but it was specific to this specific picture: I don't know what it is, but some part of me sees the combination of the black and the pose and just something about the way she's holding herself that struck me when I saw this first as insecure.

I'm fine with makeup, or sunglasses, hell, even high heels on females. I don't really have a problem with the small things we do to make ourselves attractive, but the sheer amount here, or maybe just the way its presented seems so off-putting that she honestly feels more like a canvas with so many things placed upon it that it distorts what's naturally beautiful.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
can't argue with any of that. I think it's really well put.

I guess i find it kinda 'interesting', specifically because of that hidden-reality aspect. there's an appeal to it which reminds me vaguely of harlequin eroticism.
also, there are other statements made i think. for example I see
"i'm dark, i don't buy into your pixie dust and happy endings Disney BS. I kinda enjoy being scary, it can be fun. I don't have to be a raging feminist to get people to NOT buy me an apron as a gift. I don't want you to know me, I am not on display, I keep you at arms length. But then again I am on display aren't I? but what is the message? am I copying my BFF who went goth last year? or is this more my own statement? Maybe I'm just saying a great big screaming F$@K OFF to all the people who want to judge me, rate me, label me, and expect me to toe the line. Maybe because of the social circles I hang in, I have just come to find this attractive in my own personal sense of style."

I am of course just speculating. I just think the possible range of mentalities and meanings is pretty vast. if you don't like it, that's cool (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I think she'd think that's cool too. Perhaps it's even about just actively filtering out people from her social life who would take exception to it?

I don't dress that way. I have a slightly odd sense of style, there's some definite touches of victorian taste in there, and i'm fond of leather, and black. but i've never owned black lipstick, piercings, etc. and when i was younger and hung out at denny's all night, my goths friends felt i looked normal enough to make me their 'honorary goth girl' in their little clique. As in i didn't quite look the part, but they liked me anyway, one of them even said he thought it was like an extra level of nonconforming coolness hehe.

anyways (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) to each their own

This post has been edited by Kath: May 31 2010, 07:29 PM

The Morticia Addams look. I have no clue. I'm not in the least bit attracted to it...poor thing, needs a good meal and some sunlight. IMHO, of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
But, maybe that's it...the need to be fed and nurtured...?

Agreed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CtDErVTsoA
Still doesn't defeat the fact that gothchicks are hot. I was just wondering why.

EDIT:

333rd post! HAHA! I'm only HALF evil!! MWAHAHAH--*hacking cough*

This post has been edited by Xenomancer: Jun 2 2010, 09:37 PM