Midwestern Gothic: How Ethel Cain Reinvented Regional Aesthetics
Written & Creative Directed by Anna Berkheimer
Photography & Styling by Mavis Parks
Makeup by Hattie Gray
Modeled by Anna Berkheimer, Hadley Berry, Vyda Frisby, Reyna Meyer, Skye Holland, & Olivia Shipley
The Midwest has accumulated many aesthetics over the past decades — midwest emo, modernism, rurality, prairie style, etc. However, the most conspicuous style that has stayed prevalent in the past century is Midwest Gothic. This aesthetic is closely related to Southern Gothic, and the two often intertwine. As of late, the concepts of region-based aesthetics have become boosted through music, literature, film, and fashion. Most notably, Ethel Cain has reinvented the culture surrounding Midwestern Gothic.
Midwestern Gothic started as a literary genre that featured themes such as isolation, the tension between traditional versus modern, rurality, and economic hardships. Midwestern gothic — in the literary scene — takes inspiration from Edgar Allen Poe’s Southern gothic text. Pieces such as “The Black Cat,” “The Tell-Tale Heart”, and “Annabel Lee”, have all helped shape early American literature and contributed to the establishment of American arts and nationality. This genre stems from internal struggles such as loss of identity, religious corruption, and the moral agency of the supernatural being.
This genre started expanding beyond literature and dove into new territories such as music and film in the early 20th century. Movies such as “Fargo”(1996), “Paper Moon”(1973), and “The Virgin Suicides”(1999), all contribute to the eerie midwestern aesthetics that stem from Gothic literature. These major influences created a style of fashion — plaid, denim, overalls, etc.
Starting in the 21st century, Midwestern Gothic started to decrease in popularity with new trends arising. However, with the rise of Midwestern Gothic music artists — such as Ethel Cain — the genre and aesthetic have become popularized and ultimately revived. Due to this, contemporized fashion pulled from past influences, but became something of its own, featuring lacy prairie dresses, maxi skirts, denim, and chunky jewelry.
Ethel Cain started her music career in 2019 with her extended play “Carpet Bed.” Then, just a couple of months later, released her second extended play “Golden Years.” The two EPs were praised by the artist Wicca Phase Springs Eternal–a musician who specializes in experimental and indie-style music–which boosted her popularity in the indie community. Her first breakthrough was in 2021 with the lead singles off her third EP “Inbred”: “Michelle Pfeiffer” and “Crush.” This EP was described by Billboard as alternative rock, folk, and even country. This new, inventive music style captured her fan's attention, as well as her fashion choices. Cain was often seen in jeans, graphic tees, flowy skirts, and — her most recognizable quality — her face tattoo. Her tattoo consists of Hebrew letting that annotate as the divine. This tattoo alludes to her overall religious aesthetic.
In 2022, Cain released her first album “Preacher’s Daughter.” This album skyrocketed in popularity due to its impressive storytelling and overall gothic/eerie aesthetic. Her album photos feature her in long white nightgowns, prairie dresses, and denim. With this release, she reinvents what Southern and Midwestern Gothic music and fashion are. The media started labeling her as a “Southern Gothic fantasy.” “Preacher's Daughter” tells the story of a young woman — in both the Midwest and South — struggling with her religion, family, and sexuality. The girl slowly resorts to violence to escape her suffocating life. This violence includes parallels to The Bible and Dante's Inferno. Most notably, the song “Ptolemaea” represents the climax of the album where she is eventually killed. Cain intertwines her aesthetic and musical storytelling to create a meaningful piece that reflects the reality of many young individuals in the Midwest.
Ethel Cain reinvented the Midwestern and Southern aesthetic into a meaningful statement about self-expression, freedom, and morality. Her music is personable because it builds a foundation of relatability with its audience. Ethel Cain's vulnerability and authenticity in her artistry push forth against the trend which undoubtedly establishes her as an artist on the rise.
