You must have had a sheltered life Phil, coming from a pit town council estate, we swore a lot at school and even more after starting work at the pit aged 16, the girls/women didn't swear that much though and you restricted your language round them.
Tattoos - loads of my mates had them, starting from around the age of 15. I wanted to but wimped out (been glad I did ever since)
Ear piercing definitely as well, had mine done at 16/17 (left ear only)
I reckon the use of "cheers" is a more recent thing though