Spotlight On Goth Fashion Blogger Stygian Siryn

Goth fashion blogger and model Stygian Siryn, aka Dawn, is setting the alternative scene ablaze with her chic and edgy style. Her blog site covers the latest trends available from lauded alternative apparel brands, such as Foxblood, Killstar and Regal Rose, to name a few, highlighting plus-size options. Her reviews are honest, informative and include fantastic detailed images of the fashion pieces.

I was fortunate to come across her page on Instagram months ago and was immediately taken in by the looks she creates. In this spotlight feature, Dawn opens up about what inspires her, her love of the macabre, her hopes for the future of alternative fashion and more! With impeccable taste in the world of dark lifestyle and a magical aesthetic, Stygian Siryn is an enchanting figure the goth scene needs.

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Q: When did you first get into the goth scene and what drew you to the subculture?

A: I want to say when I was in high school in the late 90s. That’s when I bought my first goth dress from Hot Topic (when they had super decent goth clothes). I’ve always had a love of dark things, vampires and witches (movie witches) in particular, and I’ve been a fan of goth music since I was a kid (Depeche Mode is my FAVORITE band, that I’ve been in love with since I was 11).

Q: The name Stygian Siryn sounds very enchanting and mysterious. What’s the story behind it?

A: Siryn is a nickname I’ve used online since I was about 18. She’s my favorite Marvel superheroine and so I decided that would be in my online handles. I’ve had a lot of rebrands over the years, but the only thing that stuck every time was Siryn. So this round, I decided I wanted to darken it up and went with a little Greek mythology and borrowed the word “stygian,” which root comes from the river Styx, which means very dark. I liked the word and alliteration, so I went with it. 

Q: Where do you derive your fashion inspiration? Your style is goth, but are there individuals or other elements that inspire you?

A: There are definitely some Instagram influencers who really inspire me like Olivia Emily, who really inspired me to get my Instagram “look” in order and cohesive. Fashion wise, I just pick out things I like or that really speak to me and go from there. I love couture fashion, but it’s not really built for my body type. Mugler is my favorite couture designer. 

Q: What are some of your favorite goth/alternative fashion brands?

A: Foxblood, Killstar, Black Milk (they aren’t goth, but they make goth pieces occasionally). I don’t really have a lot to choose from being a bigger plus size. I go where I can fit into the clothes. 

Q: In one of your blog posts, you mentioned having a makeup blog in the past called Makeup by Siryn, which doesn’t surprise me because your makeup always looks flawless in photographs! Can you tell me a little about how that got started?

A: Thank you! I had lost my job in my mid 20s and was bored and looking for something to do. People would always tell me they liked my makeup and so I wanted to combine that with my love of comic books, so I started a blog where I could do comic-book inspired makeup looks. That led into my career as a working freelance makeup artist and I did that for a few years until I decided it just wasn’t for me anymore.

The blog basically died because of Instagram (when it started getting really popular) because people were visiting my site less (people didn’t want to read blog posts, they wanted to just look at super photoshopped photos of model-looking influencers) and not really into what I was doing anymore and I wouldn’t get any notice from makeup brands or fans of makeup on Instagram, so it stopped being fun for me. The times had changed, and people had moved on. 

Q: So, besides the amazing outfits you showcase on Instagram, I must say your home décor in the background is beautiful. Did you already know what look you wanted your living space to have?

A: Thank you so much! Not really. I just pick out things I like and colors I like and just let things take me where they want to take me. I get layout inspiration from other’s homes on Instagram, but I try to make things mine. 

Q: When you’re not putting together fashion looks and blogging, what do you enjoy doing during your free time?

A: I play a lot of World of Warcraft!

Q: What changes would you like to see happen in the world of goth fashion?

A: MORE PLUS SIZES. And I mean sizes up to a US 26. A lot of brands like to use 4XL, but when you look at their sizing charts, that 4XL would barely fit a US 18, when a 4XL anywhere else would probably fit a US 24. It can be REALLY frustrating for a lot of people and this also extends to accessories that are usually designed for smaller people. A simple thing like a belt or a choker can make thicker people feel really alienated. If you’re going to give us clothes that we can possibly fit, please extend it to accessories as well! Also, better proportions on the plus sizes they offer. A lot of brands tend to take their straight size design and just size it up for plus, but they don’t re-adjust the bust or arms or even skirt length in a way that would fit a plus size properly. I’ve had to return so many things that didn’t fit my bust because of this. It would fit everywhere else BUT the bust or everywhere else BUT the sleeve circumference. 

Q: Would you like to drop any teasers to readers about future projects?

A: I have 0 future projects at the moment! Just the usual modeling for brands that I do occasionally! Keep an eye out for Cloak’s new collection! 🙂

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Check out Dawn’s work at Stygian Siryn and follow her on Instagram.