Erin has lived and breathed the Gothic aesthetic since her teenage years, embracing a look so deeply ingrained that she can no longer imagine herself any other way. For her, blending in has always been unthinkable. Dressing “normally” feels boring, and her appearance is a core part of her identity. Every day, she devotes around two and a half hours to perfecting her dramatic hair and makeup, a ritual she never skips—not even for family holidays. While her bold style occasionally unsettles her mother, Erin has always remained unapologetically committed to the look that makes her feel most like herself.
But curiosity eventually led Erin to try something completely out of character. Wanting to see how the people closest to her would respond, she agreed to a temporary transformation—an experiment designed to shock. Her goal was to surprise her boyfriend and sister by becoming the total opposite of her usual self: what she jokingly called a “typical Instagram girl.” To pull it off, she enlisted the help of professional makeup artist Melanie.
The transformation began by stripping away every trace of Erin’s signature Gothic makeup. From there, the makeover was total and meticulous. A fake tan altered her pale complexion, heavy contouring reshaped her facial features, and perfectly sculpted brows and dramatic false lashes created a polished, glamorous look. Each step pushed her further from the dark aesthetic she’d spent years perfecting.
To complete the illusion, Erin was given a light-colored wig and dressed in a bright pink, ultra-feminine dress. With blonde hair, glowing skin, and glossy makeup, there was no trace of the Gothic girl she’d always been. She looked like a completely different person—straight out of a social media feed.
The result was intentionally shocking. The contrast between Erin’s everyday, labor-intensive Gothic image and this hyper-glamorous persona couldn’t have been more extreme. The experiment wasn’t about abandoning who she is, but about testing perception—seeing how her boyfriend and sister would react when faced with a version of Erin they never expected.