The mess of misanthropes was gathered to celebrate
Gothic Charm School, a guide for Goths and their fans, written by evil
etiquette doyenne Jillian Venters. Visiting from Seattle with husband Pete, the
book’s illustrator, Jillian rattled off the things she was excited to
do during her New York stay: visit The Cloisters, catch Wicked and, of
course, go shopping.
Summertime might seem tricky for those
who favor Victorian dress, but Jillian brushed the suggestion off.“Our
wardrobe is primarily black with multiple layers,” she said,“but you
can stick to ivory, gray or white and wear billowy clothes.
There are also single-use first aid ice packs—you can just put them down your corset.” Across the clearing, Aimee and Tom Harris of
Hoboken, looking more dashing than truly sinister, took in the
scene.“Our cabbie made the sign of the cross when we got in,” said
Aimee, who follows Venters on the website gothic-charm-school.com. Had
they thought of toning down their ensembles for the 81-degree day?
“It’s a cardinal sin,” said Tom. “But I have jean shorts at
home.They’re black, of course.”
On the way out, I ran into model August Wahnginger, a
Bensonhurst resident who could have been shipped in directly from Willy
Wonka’s factory. Resplendent in a top hat and “steampunk monocle,” he
was as happy as a Goth could be with the way the picnic had turned out.
“What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon,” he said, “having
a picnic with all of these dead people.”
