I used to wear “funny clothes”?

At a school reunion, someone asked me if I still wear funny clothes. I naively let out a slight laugh and answered yes. But in my mind I was taken aback. Funny clothes? What did she mean. Was that how fellow 6th formers saw me as someone with funny clothes? Well, so what? My main reaction was more of disappointment that a women, now in her early thirties had not grasped the concept of individuality and ones own style. Maybe I should have asked what she meant by funny clothes. I was just someone, who in 6th form when you could wear your own clothes instead of uniform, embraced this and took this time to develop and experiment with styles. However, my clothes were not that eccentric, not that I recall. It was a mixture of tunics over jeans, band t-shirts, pencil skirts and doc marten boots or army shirts with black corduroy flares. I was like pretty much all indie-rock kids in the late 90's. I’m sure there were a few of us about town.

Funny clothes, sounds like clown costumes or fancy dress. I’m not sure how flares and skinny fit band tshirts and buffalo boots were ever funny clothes. Were they?

I felt that this person, many years on, still saw fashion as a mainstream style and those who did not conform to were wrong. They were the ones wearing funny clothes. It was clear, as our conversation continued that there was little acceptance of individual style or open mindedness. And that made me frustrated.

This is something I’d like to explore. This attitude still exists as a cultural paradigm. Why do people find it difficult to accept what other people choose to wear?