Gothic Renaissance

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Whether you’re searching for a Halloween costume or an everyday outfit that merely looks like one, Gothic Renaissance has packed its racks with patterned black T-shirts, zipper-lined pants, and vinyl and tulle skirts of varying lengths. (The lingerie and fetish wear is tucked in a back corner.) If Goth’s not your style, the shop also stocks a large selection of Renaissance-inspired attire such as velvet gowns, embroidered cloaks, and body-morphing corsets. Amid some frightening miniature marionettes and intricately designed masks, a lengthy glass counter showcases jewelry—spike bracelets and lace chokers—alongside hair and makeup accessories. More spiritually inclined shoppers can sift through decks of Kabbalah and tarot cards or page through books on the supernatural. True believers, however, may want to look away from the register, where dental-fit fangs suggest that this is one subculture that would like you to join … FOREVER. — Lauren Berger