Here’s wishing all my gloomy gothic friends in black all the very best for World Goth Day.. with the help of the patron saints of goth.

This is my favourite Bauhaus song. I used to go and see them a lot but I was never a goth. It seemed to require a dedication beyond me – more of a lifestyle than a fashion trend and a musical genre.

I often passed a couple on the Seven Sisters Road, sweltering on summer days in their skintight black rubber and PVC, and admired their determination not to compromise even on the hottest days.