A blog or two ago I wrote about my young friend Aquamarine
when she was a Babybat. She’s 26 now and
she moved on from her Babybat stage quite a few years ago. She has a job,
friends and responsibilities, and during the week the only traces of her gothic life are a pentagram around her neck, (hidden under her top), and a blue tint in her dyed black
hair.
She constantly listens to gothic music, although now and
then a bit of nostalgic 90’s pop creeps in. Gothic literature and films adorn
her bookcases and her fascination with death and all things mystical has
endured.
She wears black tops and trousers to work and saves her
gothic dresses and corsets for the weekend. Her style combines romantic goth, a
bit of cyber goth and a touch of steampunk at the moment, but it is a constantly
evolving thing.
Aquamarine has never ‘grown out’ of her Gothic-ness.
So why is it that some people just dip their toes into
Gothdom as a teenager and then move onto the next thing, others stick with it
for a while until something else distracts them, while a percentage of people
embrace Gothdom as a permanent lifestyle?
An article by Dr Paul Hodgkinson sheds light on the
sociological reasons why some people continue to live life as a Goth, well
beyond what could be described as a ‘phase’. His study explains that Goths tend to have a
‘positive view’ of academic achievement and don’t require people to be
anti-education. This means that Gothdom doesn’t have to be sacrificed for a
career.
His study also concluded that being drawn to gothic music,
having an interest in the ‘dark side of life’ and having a personality predisposed
to ‘angst’, are characteristics that some people already have.
Does this make them more likely to become a Goth?
It’s the whole chicken and egg scenario. Which comes first,
being a Goth or being interested in gothic things?
I must admit that the time and effort it takes to become
knowledgeable about gothic literature and music, to build a fine gothicwardrobe and to learn about the different sub cultures, is not something to be
taken lightly.
In my opinion, Gothdom is so fascinating and there are so
many different elements to it, that it can take a lifetime to absorb it all.
I’ve turned my gothic lifestyle into a business and Aquamarine has found a way to balance being a goth and fitting in at work. How do you
incorporate your gothic interests into your adult life? Share your story by submitting a
comment.