Beauty bites back this year.
As the days get shorter, the nights grow darker and the cool winds of autumn approach, there is a change coming. The time of pastels and soft aesthetics is over. Now is the time for jet black nails, smudged and smoky kohl eyes, untamed windswept hair and hints of glossy red. It’s time for the haunting and heartbroken, vampire Carmilla aesthetic.
Carmilla is a gothic novella by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu, published in 1872, a full 25 years before Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It’s often credited as one of the earliest true works of vampire fiction. Stoker himself is believed have been inspired by the setting and the slow, creeping dread of the story.
The story follows Laura, a lonely young woman living in an isolated castle with her father. She forms an intense, magnetic attachment to the charming, affectionate and mysterious houseguest named Carmilla.
As the two women get closer, Laura discovers that Carmilla is actually an undead countess who lives under a rotating cast of anagram aliases. Laura’s attraction and her fear of what Carmilla is has kept readers unsettled for over 150 years.
The Carmilla Aesthetic
This year Carmilla is finally having her moment in the spotlight, or, well, candlelight. The romance and macabre vibe of the novella weaves through the fashion and beauty trends of fall 2026.
Moody Color Story
Think deep blacks, bruised plums, oxblood red and the pale, moonlit ivory of someone who has never once seen direct sunlight. If the shade makes you think of cloudy days, old castles and seductive creatures of the night, it belongs in the palette.
Smudged, Not Sharp
The Carmilla eye is a soft kohl smoky eye that looks like it’s been slept in paired with a stained, just-bitten lip. Skin stays luminous with a glassy, almost damp-looking highlight instead of matte contour. The overall effect should read as swooning, not polished.
Undone on Purpose
Romantic goth hair is loose, wavy and a little undone, like it just came free from a hairpin. Flowing waves, face-framing and volume that looks accidental all belong here. It’s less “done up for the party” and more “just woke up from a very strange dream.”
Carmilla Aesthetic Essentials
Nails
- Glossy jet black almond or coffin-shaped
- Wine-dark red, like juice from a pomegranate
- Deep plum or purple that could look black in low light
- Subtle chrome or wet-look topcoat for extra shine
Photo by julia kadel on Unsplash
Makeup
- Soft, smudged kohl eyeliner
- Warm-toned bronze or plum eyeshadow, blended and low-lidded
- Stained, “just-bitten” lip in berry or oxblood
- Glassy, dewy highlight over pale, luminous skin
Hair & Attire
- Loose waves with a deep part – aim for theatrical and romantic
- High-collared blouses and lace trim
- Velvet, dark florals and worn leather
- Loose flowing elements like sleeves, skirts or dresses under more structured pieces
- Anything that could belong to a woman who receives mysterious houseguests in the middle of the night
Where to Find Inspiration
Film & Television
Carmilla has been haunting screens for almost a century, and revisiting her old (and new) haunts is one of the best ways to soak up the mood.
- Nosferatu (2024), an American gothic film by Robert Eggers
- Blood and Roses (1960), Roger Vadim’s glamorous take
- The Vampire Lovers (1970), Hammer’s iconic version starring Ingrid Pitt
- Carmilla (2019), a moody, atmospheric feature adaptation directed by Emily Harris
Literature
Once you’ve read the original, the rabbit hole only gets deeper.
- Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu (1872), the original novella
- Hungerstone by Kat Dunn (2026), Carmilla transplanted into a Victorian marriage gone deliciously wrong
- A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson (2023), a lush, sapphic reimagining of Dracula’s brides
Social Media
As with the poetcore trend, Pinterest and TikTok are already full of mood boards built around the literary-inspired Carmilla aesthetic. Here are a few of our favorite boards, then let the algorithm take you the rest of the way.
- Carmilla Aesthetic — a great jumping-off point for the overall mood: gothic portraits, moody color palettes and Carmilla-and-Laura fan art
- Vampire / Gothic Aesthetic by Marie — a sprawling 200-pin board focused on wardrobe elements such as blood-red gowns, dark jewelry, and Victorian silhouettes
- Carmilla Aesthetic — perfect place for inspiration from art, film, television, and photography.
Carmilla is trending, but she has embodied brooding, beautiful vampires for over a century. This year, it’s time to embrace her. Curl up with the original novella, pick up one of its modern descendants and maybe do your eyeliner a little smudgy tonight.
