Weird Clothes are OK

[dea3369]

Coming toward me was a fellow dressed in western slacks, boots with silver tips, western embroidered coat, shirt with silver collar tabs, ten gallon hat...

I used to think that the cowboy outfit -- hat, boots, hubcap-sized buckle, etc. -- was eternally unfit for anything but herding cattle until I realized that (1) a fully dressed cowboy probably had close to $1500 worth of stuff on him and (2) one wouldn't wear his "good clothes" just to rope calves.

When my kids were younger, we used to go camping in Minnesota and we somehow ended up always going during Sturgis week...thus whole lotta bikers on the road, in gas stations, the motels, the restaurants. The kids were petrified....but these folks looked just like all of the people that I grew up with so I had to just shake my head and tell the kids that most of them were probably all right. Best part was catching my son oogling a biker chick in leather chaps fueling up her bike at the pump next to us at the gas station...if my wife hadn't been there I would have had to say, "Hot, huh? Still think bikers are all some lower form of life?"

LOL. At our motorcycle meeting during lunch today, I caught myself wondering how I'd get away wearing my kilt at our next group ride. Sadly, I had to shake off the thought since our group advocates proper use of personal protective equipment. Oh well...

[ohiopiper]

I've got a 1985 Yamaha 650 that's seen better days. Most of my friends that are "bikers" ride either older bikes or new ones with little extras. Like you mentioned, most people can't afford a new bike AND all the extra bling. When you see one, it's usually what we call a R.U.B. Rich Urban Biker.

As far as the clothes, it's just one of those things, I guess. What people wear isn't usually a concern to me, unless it's something like a winter coat in the summertime. And that's only because it's a tip-off they're trying to hide something. Or are the neighborhood crazy cat-lady.

The wife and I went to some event a few years ago, I forget exactly what. What does stick with me, though, was that the nicest people we encountered during the day were a young couple all decked out in leather, studs and chains.

[cruiser348]

This thread came up at a great time for me. Just today on my way home from work I spotted an old lady that is, shall we say, rather well known in my area. She walks to the store a couple of times per week and is easily spotted by her headgear. Her choice of "hats" is various stuffed "things" animals etc that she has sliced a hole in the bottom of. Today she was sporting a rather lovely plush potted plant which I can only assume was chosen because of the start of spring. I've seen her wearing a pink bunny close to Easter, a plush hot dog at the start of summer, a star for July 4th, a turkey close to Thanksgiving, and at Christmas she switches between a plush tree and Santa (rather disturbing to see a lady with her head shoved up Santa's keester).
I've talked to her a couple of times at the store and she is a very nice lady. I think most folks assume she has a couple of screws loose. However, I think she is no more off her rocker than 90% of the people walking around at 4pm in stained pajama pants.

[Woodsman]

Yes, I agree, I am much more accepting of others after I have started wearing a kilt. Do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt others. If we all dressed the same, the world would be a dull, boring place.

[GrainReaper]

Yes, I agree, I am much more accepting of others after I have started wearing a kilt. Do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt others. If we all dressed the same, the world would be a dull, boring place.

I couldn't have said it better, I try to look beyond the garb and see if there is a burner lit under the boiler.... Those are the people who dance to the beat of their own drum and who just might turn out to be genuine people, not followers.

[James Hood]

Some time ago, the idea crossed this mind (and demi-persists) for a "festival" of sort...could be local, municipal, private land...

...of "optional, everyone welcome" theme; food vendors, crafters...

...and attire. See how folks would show up and what a delightful mix there would be. Imagine steampunkers and kilties and American Revolution and Civil War and greasers and Sherlock Holmes-ers and rennies with Star Trek and mountain men reenactors, hippies and various "famous personality" look alikes...

...and the 50s tribute band being followed by an 18th cen. chamber orchestra being followed by a a steel drum band followed by an oompah band being followed by a heavy metal trio followed by pipes and drums until a surf quintet closed the festivities...

...pizza and scones and Polish sausage and cotton candy and tacos and sushi and hot dogs and...how would Darth Vader eat a sno-cone?

Imagine the photographic and social opportunities...

[KenB]

Very interesting thread!
I split my time between Presqu'ile and Toronto - rural/urban.
Toronto is probably one of the world's most multi-cultural cities with persons wearing as previously detailed, punk, goth,etc and people wearing national garb, sari, burkkah etc.
I'm never surprised by what people wear; amused, maybe at times impressed but not surprised.

[Lyle1]

Very interesting thread!
I split my time between Presqu'ile and Toronto - rural/urban.
Toronto is probably one of the world's most multi-cultural cities with persons wearing as previously detailed, punk, goth,etc and people wearing national garb, sari, burkkah etc.
I'm never surprised by what people wear; amused, maybe at times impressed but not surprised.

I've pretty much seen it all. too. As the result of an early stint working in a neuro-psychiatric hospital and living most of my life in large urban areas, I am very aware of what is happening around me; even if I don't care or react, I notice. I don't normally get very excited about what other people wear.

However, I was reading an article once about one of the dime-a-dozen motivational speakers/how-to-live-you-life gurus, who was big on telling business people how stupid and meaningless they were for wearing expensive suites for work. In one photo his pant leg was ridding up displaying a cowboy boot with a distinctive design that someone had pointed out to me in a magazine. This jerk was criticizing people for wearing suites in the $500 range while he was wearing boots that cost over $1,000.

[CMcG]

I realized long ago that social conventions are mere constructs; they are completely dependent on time, place, and the people inhabiting the first two. Clothing is a near perfect example of this.

Weird clothes are just ones that don't fit the social situation a person is wearing them in. Some times, places, and groups are either open to, or indifferent towards various styles of clothing. Under loose or unspecified sartorial circumstances, I thoroughly enjoy seeing people wear anything from simple to outlandish; I like variety!

Over time, I have learned the value of working within both written and generally understood (but unwritten) dress codes. I like to find ways of dressing that are both individual and yet sufficiently conventional for wherever, whenever, and with whomever I find myself. I applaud people who exercise their freedom to dress however they please, but I don't personally like to draw undue attention to myself in my everyday life.

To that end, I tend to reserve my kilt wearing for particular occasions. I don't think the kilt is intrinsically weird, but rather a special, noble, and stylish type of clothing, not to mention Scotland's national attire. There are, however, more times than not where I wouldn't choose to wear the kilt...

[Bugbear]

I realized long ago that social conventions are mere constructs; they are completely dependent on time, place, and the people inhabiting the first two. Clothing is a near perfect example of this.

Weird clothes are just ones that don't fit the social situation a person is wearing them in. Some times, places, and groups are either open to, or indifferent towards various styles of clothing. Under loose or unspecified sartorial circumstances, I thoroughly enjoy seeing people wear anything from simple to outlandish; I like variety!

Over time, I have learned the value of working within both written and generally understood (but unwritten) dress codes. I like to find ways of dressing that are both individual and yet sufficiently conventional for wherever, whenever, and with whomever I find myself. I applaud people who exercise their freedom to dress however they please, but I don't personally like to draw undue attention to myself in my everyday life.

To that end, I tend to reserve my kilt wearing for particular occasions. I don't think the kilt is intrinsically weird, but rather a special, noble, and stylish type of clothing, not to mention Scotland's national attire. There are, however, more times than not where I wouldn't choose to wear the kilt...

I suppose I can relate to that, CMcG, though much of my time and place is related to toiling in dirt and compost.

To me, the Highland attire, particularly the black tie and formal attire, has too much flashiness for my tastes; for example, the silver buttons and cantle that are very nearly required.