Could this character pass as realistic in a book?

[Bane Rie]

I'm writing a series of mystery novels and one of the main characters identifies herself with the gothic culture, though she rarely says it out loud.

Most of the stuff I have for her fits for real life goths I know personally or online, but I have a problem with her clothing. I personally don't dress very much like a goth since I don't have much money to buy much clothing, so I'll need advice.

You see, this character is first and foremost 1/2 Japanese, just thought I'd throw that out to ya. She was raised in America and went to a Japanese college when her father was transfered. She's been into goth since she started middle school.

She works for the main character's mother at an antique shop, and while there she typically wears simple Elegant Gothic Lolita as a uniform and to attract customers. She also dresses like this for parties and official functions.

While anywhere else, though, she dresses in tee-shirts or at least any kind of black shirt, and she generally wears black jeans or a skort when she's not wearing her usual pants. A pair of thin black pants that fan out near her feet and have large pockets on the sides of the pants with small silver skulls sewn on top of them, and detachable silver chains than cross behind her legs. ((I have a pair like this)) Or at least variations of these.

She is generally happy and full of life, but loves to tell scary stories. She also has a side job taking crime scene pictures for the MC. She also alters her clothing.  

[GilAskan]

Sounds pretty reasonable. A few possible notations-

1) Dressing in EGL while working at an antiques store doesn't seem all too reasonable. Antique stores' patrons tends to be older and are often conservative. EGL may work for a music store, or a fashion store, or a thrift shop. But if it's a fine antique store, the customers may find that style of dress out of place. Unless it's heavy on historical accuracy and light on the goth incluences.

2) The bondage pants described (while somewhat popular in the goth culture, to a small degree) are often associated with "Mallgoth" culture.  

[Bane Rie]

GilAskan

Sounds pretty reasonable. A few possible notations-

1) Dressing in EGL while working at an antiques store doesn't seem all too reasonable. Antique stores' patrons tends to be older and are often conservative. EGL may work for a music store, or a fashion store, or a thrift shop. But if it's a fine antique store, the customers may find that style of dress out of place. Unless it's heavy on historical accuracy and light on the goth incluences.

2) The bondage pants described (while somewhat popular in the goth culture, to a small degree) are often associated with "Mallgoth" culture.

For the first one (sorry, I should have mentioned this!), the woman she works with has a large collection of very old items for England's Victorian age, including bisque dolls (very fragile, very RARE dolls that look like they could be real). She loves how she looks like a living doll dressed like that and requests her to wear the fashion as often as possible. Her employer is actually based on my own mother, who has tried to find me inexpensive ways to dress like this, and is very open minded, though old. And the story is set in a not so distant future so...

As for the second. I know. But this character is based on two of my friends. One is goth, pure and simple lifestyle goth. One is not, simply likes the appeal of being mysterious. They both like the pants because of the chains and the fact that they can hide huge amounts of stuff in their pants without having to carry a purse. And each owns a pair (irony, huh?).  

[SC_Anubis]

I like it. However, I do agree about the EGL dress. If it was just black and white or red than that could work depending on what victorian era you could reference it with. Of course, this type of thing could also work for the business and you could use it as a selling point. Seeing as how most people I know who are into antiques are old men, and we all know what old men are into *hint *hint

I say roll with it.  

[Bane Rie]

Vincent Anubis

I like it. However, I do agree about the EGL dress. If it was just black and white or red than that could work depending on what victorian era you could reference it with. Of course, this type of thing could also work for the business and you could use it as a selling point. Seeing as how most people I know who are into antiques are old men, and we all know what old men are into *hint *hint

I say roll with it.

Haha! I' glad you made the old man reference. That brightened my day! I'm going to use that as a plot point eventually.

And if things go my way, this character is going to meet her boyfriend because of her EGL dresses, as he is attracted to women who have no fear in doing what they want without caring what others think.  

[vincejustvince]

I think the character would be better if she was a starship captain who travels to the galactic core and reaches infinity. Also she has to fight against the guardians, the guardians are self replicating machines who have long outlived their masters and now protect the galactic core.