Life Stages of a Goth - Moving into Adulthood

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.