11 classic goth band shirts you should own

Wanna get the goth look, re-live a misspent youth or even just look like Simon Pegg in The World's End? Here are the best and coolest goth band t-shirts around right now…

The Classic Bauhaus design

The Classic Bauhaus design

A goth classic, featuring the Bauhaus face-logo originally designed by Oskar Schlemmer in 1922 for the Bauhaus school in Germany and was allegedly nicked by bassist David J for his band of the same name. It's like a face made out of a building and Bauhaus literally means ‘building house’ in German. Clever.

Classic Sisters of Mercy 

Classic Sisters of Mercy 

Another nicked logo, the classic Sisters tee has a logo originally drawn by Henry Gray in 1858 for his Gray's Anatomy medical journal and nicked by Andrew Eldritch in 1980. Smart move: the Sisters have probably sold as many tees as records. This one is called 'The World's End' Sisters of Mercy tee after Simon Pegg's character wore it in the film of the same name.

Not THAT Joy Division t-shirt

Not THAT Joy Division t-shirt

Sure, you can get the Unknown Pleasures shirt like everyone else, but this Ian Curtis-in-action shirt is much cooler. Let the "Are Joy Division goth?" argument rage (but, for the record, Tony Wilson describing Joy Division's music as "sinister and gothic" on TV is one of the earliest occasions the word was used to describe music).

The Mission God's Own Medicine tee

The Mission God's Own Medicine tee

For their first album, God's Own Medicine, The Mission delivered a grandiose and more accessible take on the Sisters of Mercy's death disco. This tee uses elements of the album art for a classic design.

Siouxise & The Banshees Dreamhouse tee

Siouxise & The Banshees Dreamhouse tee

A classic Siouxsie shirt featuring the logo first used on 1982's A Kiss In The Dreamhouse album and a timeless Siouxsie headshot with some golden filigree. Also available, this Star of David Siouxsie T-Shirt, as worn by Siouxsie at the time.

The Cure Boys Don't Cry tee

The Cure Boys Don't Cry tee

With an image first taken used on the remix/reissue in 1986, this has become THE classic Cure shirt. 

The Cult classic Love tee

The Cult classic Love tee

The Love album saw The Cult go mainstream for the first time with breakthrough single, She Sells Sanctuary. This tee has the timeless 'Native America totem' album design.

The Damned 'All Is Vanity' skull design

The Damned 'All Is Vanity' skull design

Based on a drawing by American illustrator Charles Allan Gilbert called All Is Vanity, this classic design from the Damned features the visual pun of a woman looking in the mirror of her vanity table, forming the shape of a skull. It was first published in 1902. That's classic.


Misfits Fiend/Skull tee

Misfits Fiend/Skull tee

Another band logo with an interesting bit of heritage, the Misfits skull design is based on a character from the 1940 movie The Crimson Ghost. It's also behind Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only's falling out after a dispute over who owns the Misfits name and IP. The Misfits have definitely sold more tees than records, so you can imagine why.

Fields of the Nephilim Classic tee

Fields of the Nephilim Classic tee

A classic Neph design. Wear it, put on a black cowboy hat and throw a bag of flour all over yourself for that timeless 'look'. 

Goth heroes tee: Robert Smith and Siouxsie Sioux

Goth heroes tee: Robert Smith and Siouxsie Sioux

Part of the 'Don't Talk To Me About Heroes' range, Tom Sheehan's shot of Robert Smith and Siouxsie Sioux – back when Bob was a part of the Banshees is a unique design worth snapping up. Also available as a cool baseball top.


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