Black Lace is very important to goths, even if it started out as white
lace or a normal piece of black cloth which has been worn a lot.
Lace has many advantages for the goth, it's hard to tell if it's meant
to be ripped or not, it allows some degree of cooling for a body
otherwise swathed in leather pvc or velvet and it quickly creates the
impression of something older and more romantic than it really is. For
less detail on this subject have a look elsewhere