For most, October signals the official start of sweater weather and walks with crunchy leaves underfoot while sipping on pumpkin spice lattes. But for others—or even more accurately, outliers—it’s the proper start of witchy season. It’s a time when all that is gloomy and grisly is celebrated and seen as normal and not at all melancholy. If you have any goth leanings, now is your time.

Apocalyptic Candle, Byredo

Price: $27

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We’re not saying we ever really want to know what the end of the world smells like, but if we are feeling slightly sinister and morbid, lighting this might help us imagine. It opens with black raspberry and white hot iron and over time develops into dark woods and smoked birch. Strike a match to it the next time you watch a zombie movie.

Buckled Lug Sole Mary Jane, Zara

Price: $60

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You already know the Mary Jane has returned to be one of the shoes of the season, but to take it from dainty to dark angel, opt for chunky lug soles.

Goth: A History by Lol Tolhurst

Price: $37

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One of the founding members of The Cure, Lol Tolhurst shares personal anecdotes as well as explores goth’s origins from music to literature in this historical memoir. It’s proof that though the subculture originated in England, goth is indeed global and remains timeless, finding followers among every new generation.

Goswell Necklace, Larissa Loden

gothic necklace

Price: $133

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Slowdive guitarist and vocalist Rachel Goswell designed a collection of mourning jewelry– which she looked into after her mother passed away in 2020–for a collaboration with this Saint Paul, Minnesota brand. The concept harkens back to Victorian times when it was customary to wear a token to the deceased, such as lockets with photos or even pieces of hair. This black enamel one can hold either, should you choose.

Salem Gothic Perfume, DS & Durga

gothic fragrance

Price: $340 (150 mL)

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Inspired by Salem, the spooky Massachusetts city known for its witch trials of 1692, this fragrance has notes of cold ocean, calla lily (popular in funeral arrangements) and sandalwood (frequently used in witch spells) and is designed for the purple hair “freaks” who gather in cemeteries.

Black Label Nero Di Seppia Spaghetti, President’s Choice

squid ink spaghetti

Price: $5

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This spaghetti is darkened with the ink of cuttlefish, which gives it a slightly salty flavour. Make sure you’re listening to Bauhaus or Siouxsie and the Banshees as you drop it in the boiling pot of water–it elevates the whole experience. Pair with pesto sauce, salmon, plenty of parm and thank us later.

All Day Dual Ended Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, Stila

Price: $44

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The six different graphic eye liner eyeliner worn by goth fairies in Rodarte’s Fall 2023 show are proof that to create the sharpest curves and flicks imaginable, you need a pen that’s up for the job. We’ve always loved Stila’s classic, but the addition of a micro tip at the other end means the possibilities seem endless.

Tarantulash Mascara, Bakeup

Price: $35

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Celebrity makeup artist Jo Baker is known for creating the most spidery of lashes on her clients like Lucy Boynton and Vanessa Kirby. She’s now come out with her own mascara, which of course nods to arachnids and delivers lashes for those who don’t fear a little clumpy drama.

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