Their example was followed elsewhere in the city and outlying areas, showing how popular the Gothic Revival movement had become. In England, the Church of England was undergoing a revival of Anglo-Catholic and ritualist ideology in the form of the Oxford Movement, and it became desirable to build large numbers of new churches to cater for the growing population, and cemeteries for their hygienic burials. Johnny Cash’s American Recordings series, produced by Rick Rubin, a producer best known for working with hip hop and heavy metal artists, was described as having a gothic country sound and image; amidst covers of songs by non-country artists such as Depeche Mode, Danzig and Nine Inch Nails, as well as traditional and World War II-era songs, Cash’s album series lyrically derived from haunting, despaired themes such as death, and recurring religious themes in the form of dark gospel recordings. It’s often dark or raining, and the reflections of the neon lights can often be seen on the rainwater accumulating on the streets or off the plastic, reflective surfaces throughout the mega-city. Above all, its practitioners feel it’s fun and quintessentially cool. Talk about your favorite bands, or just have fun chatting and flirting with your friends.

As I approached the diner, I unplugged my earphones, and noticed a bunch of people outside smoking and chatting. As I approached the train station, I noticed an aging woman from the distance. As she approached me, I realized that the winter air must be a little harsh on her. My watch read 5a, and I’d packed a book to read on the station and train, but she seemed to be a little distressed. I said, with a little sympathy. I then proceeded to offer her my coat, to which she shook her head and said, “It’s very kind of you, young man, but I don’t want you freezing.” “I thought the first train was at 5, but why are you here so early?”, she asked, after a brief pause. I said, ending the conversation with a wave. We then proceeded to make pleasant conversation about family, friends, and life in Massachusetts. I spotted few other people, who didn’t seem to be interested in picking up conversation. These gothic clothes pair well with that black eyeliner, some dark accessories and a few creepy (yet playful) spider accents. There were few homeless people in this part of the world, as the winters were so inhospitable.

As a major part of the Cyberpunk aesthetic, this is a lot harder to pinpoint. Also, a lot of them are black tees with emo, “screamo,” gothic rock, and grunge-y goth designs. A lot of things are clear in Cyberpunk: what started the genre, what the classic cyberpunk movies and books are, what makes a movie, tv show, or book more or less cyberpunk than something else. I went back to uni when I was 25. I went to fashion college first and then did some other bits but a lot of the reading and stuff that I was introduced to, was much more a cultural theory side. They had a lot of customers, and were constantly working. One governor of a famous boarding school told me that it was as serious a problem as binge drinking, but rarely discussed for fear of encouraging more girls to do it. I told her that the first Purple line train wouldn’t be for another thirty minutes. I was really enjoying the mix of the Mary and nicotine, as I noticed the first rays of light from dawn streaming into the streets.

The Bloody Mary had just the right amount of salt and celery, and I took my time to finish. Blade Runner 2049 is a great example of Cyberpunk clothing done right. She made a quick note, and concluded with a “Comin’ right up.” Although I visited this place a lot, I wasn’t acquainted with the waiters. After a quick visit to the washroom, black goth purse I took a seat beside the woman, and started reading Infinite Jest. I took a seat at the bar next to a goth girl, and started scanning the menu for items I’d not tried in the past. I’d ordered the usual, realizing that I’d tried everything on the menu already. It would be a long and satisfying walk, I thought to myself, as I took another swing of the Lagunitas. I’d make the most of my walk to the diner, I thought to myself, as I plugged into my earphones.