SWINGING 60S
‘I LOVE THE ERA’S SENSE OF FUN’
Jocelyn Gough, 45, lives in Ayrshire with her three children, aged 16, 13 and 11.
I was a teenager during the Britpop era and that music was influenced by 1960s bands. When I started listening to these bands, I completely fell in love with the decade and its style. I loved the colour and sense of fun: everything was embraced, and boundaries were broken. Young people were dressing differently from their parents for the first time, and there was an optimism and sense of adventure that I think we’ve lost. I wanted to bring some of that back. The music drew me in, but the fashion is now a huge part of me too.
Most of my wardrobe is secondhand, consisting of either original 1960s pieces or replicas. Looking after the original pieces is a bit hair-raising, as
I’m scared of damaging them in the wash. I treasure my Mary Quant vintage scarves, as I’ve loved her since I was a teen at art school. When she died last April, it felt like the right time to get a Mary Quant tattoo. One day, my dream is to have an original Mary Quant dress.
I dress in a 1960s style unless I’m running or working – I haven’t gone as far as 1960s exercise gear just yet! Otherwise, I’m always dressed in my favourite era. I’ll happily go shopping in my white tights, but will choose darker tights if I want to tone it down. My kids used to ask me why I don’t dress like all the other mums, but now they pick things out for me that they think I’ll like. They’re far more embarrassed if I arrive at the school gates in my running gear! When I go to Mod Weekender events and soul nights, where I enjoy listening to 60s bands with fellow fans,
I’ll ramp up the bold, colourful make-up and plastic jewellery. I live in one of the windiest places in Europe, so it’s not easy to keep my hair in place, but a birdcage umbrella helps.
I’m actually quite a shy person. I can show who I am through my clothes, which often prompts a conversation that I might not have had otherwise. When you present yourself the way you feel your best, you have better interactions with people, feel more confident and have a better day.
✢ Check out more of Jocelyn’s 60s style at instagram.com/modernist_magpie_
‘I’m actually quite a shy person’