I’ve blogged about it before but I’m gonna blog about it again. Why do people think dressing alternatively is dressing like a teenager? I realize it’s more common for teenagers to dress more extravagant and that it’s a phase for many. I can’t say that that’s not the case with me because no one can be sure of how they’ll dress in twenty years. If it is a phase it’s one that’s lasted for a very long time though.

It annoys me. That people think I should “grow up” because I have a different taste than they have. Shouldn’t I as everyone else be able to wear what I like and feel comfortable in? If I dressed differently I wouldn’t be myself. Sure I don’t sport skull patterned skirts every day. It’s not odd seeing me in light blue jeans and a pink top. And when I dress more alternatively I don’t think I look that weird. I buy most of my clothes at regular shops, not in punk stores (Hello! I live in a small town!) and when I wear an all black outfit I stick out more than others wearing the same outfit because of my black hair and piercings. Much of my clothes could be worn by anyone really. It’s all in the details and how I combine things.

Like I’ve told you before my dad doesn’t like the way I dress. I however think he should be proud of the fact that I don’t let what others think affect me. It takes guts to stick out. Especially since I hate attention. And really, I could do so much worse things than dress a bit odd. I won’t change because my dad doesn’t approve of my style but of course it bothers me, a bit. Those times when he comments on the way I look negatively. Who wants to hear that from their father?

Something else that annoys me is the prejudices people have against everything different from the norm. How it’s assumed that goths and punks must be bad people because of the way they dress. I find that alternative people often are much nicer and more importantly have less prejudices than mainstream people. For example I’ve so far never met someone alternative who’s homophobic. If you differ from the norm of course you’re more likely to accept others who also differ from the norm. Still many people think people like my friends (and me) must be bad people. Rude, into drugs, violent.

Then there’s of course the lovely prejudice that people belonging to a “darker” subculture (goths for example) are suicidal basket cases. Just because you’re fascinated with graveyards it doesn’t mean you want to die. That’s like saying just because you’re into horror movies you want to kill people.

It’s also funny when articles are posted online about the “dangers” of different subcultures. Because oh dear god some emo chick committed suicide so obviously the music she listen to is to blame! And two goth girls killed someone and obviously music is to blame in that case as well! So what about all the people who doesn’t belong to a subculture and still kill themselves or others?
A funny fact is that a Beatles song actually inspired Charles Manson to make his followers commit multiple murders. Do people blame The Beatles for that? Of course not. That only happens when the music isn’t mainstream. Like the witch hunt of Marilyn Manson after Columbine. Which the killers didn’t even listen to by the way.

I’m not saying I don’t have prejudices as well. I have lots of them and like everyone else I’m more inclined to assume that people who reminds me of myself are smarter and more interesting than others. I’ve been proven wrong many, many times though so I always give everyone a chance. Unless they’re mean or rude that is. I think the world would be a much better place if everyone did so.

And to finish this I’ll leave you with a funny conversation from www.tjuvlyssnat.se which is a Swedish site where people post funny things they’ve overheard. I’ve translated it.

(Woman 45+ in pink dress passes by a guy 18+ wearing a Metallica t-shirt)
Woman: Fucking devil worshipper! God will send you to hell fucking satanist!
Guy (Calmly turns around): Are you a Christian?
Woman: Yes!
Guy: Then you know that god don’t judge people based on how they look and what music they listen to but on what they do and what you’re doing is a bigger sin than what I’m wearing and what I’m listening to. So it’s you that’s going to hell. Have a nice day!

Yeah, the satanist thing. I’ve been called a satanist as well. Because if you wear black you obviously must be a satanist. Which isn’t even the same thing as a devil worshipper by the way. Well I’m neither.

Anyway, I’ll stop here. Peace out.

Teenagers get away with a lot of crazy stuff which someone older don’t. But as long as you’re ready to take the conflicts which may arise because of the way you dress shouldn’t that be OK? Who’s to decide what’s appropriate and not for a certain age anyway?

My personal experience is that if you’re friendly and polite people will like you no matter how you dress. Some of the nicest people I’ve met have been some of the freakiest looking. Just as some of the rudest people I’ve met have been some of the most well dressed.

What’s your opinions on this?

If someone was denied entry to a club because their sex, the colour of their skin or just the fact that they’re conscidered ugly people would think it’s horrible. To deny people because of tattoos, piercings and the way they dress is acceptable though. Because the horror, the horror if some punk with a tattoo and god forbid a hole in his pants wanted to dine at your fancy restaurant.

It’s not just the owners of establishments fault. To appeal to a certain clientel they deny another clientel entry. Because the posh 70 year old lady probably wouldn’t want the people dining next to her to have pink mohawks and wear bondage pants.  And that’s almost always the case, people outside the norm are the ones affected by these kinds of rules. I mean, have you heard about a goth club who actually denies those who aren’t goths entry?

Like I said, it’s not nescessarily the owner’s fault that things work this way. It’s society in itself that’s fucked up. We’re so good at judging eachother and so good at looking down on those who aren’t like us. I do it too but I keep my prejudices to myself and treat others the way they treat me.

And for the record, no I don’t have any tattoos myself. I still find this is upsetting.

Speaking of subcultures. It seems every teen nowday is emo, scene or whatever you want to call it. Where’s the individuality in that? They may call it whatever they want but for 90% of those kids it’s all about fashion. They’d deny it of course but that’s the truth. Trust me, I know. I was a identity seeking teen myself once upon a time. And oh how I denied that anything I wore was worn because of some kind of fashion. Fashion was like a cursing word. Some terrible, terrible sin. But really, what in this world is not some kind of fashion? Wether you’re a slave to it or try your best to avoid it you’re still affected by trends because trends are everywhere. And fashion isn’t just what you see in mainstream stores. There’s also punk fashion, goth fashion and hippie fashion. Of course you might say that you dress the way you do because you just happens to like those clothes but in 99% of the case you did get inspired by someone or something and pretty often that inspiration was something you’ve seen several times = a trend. My point is that you just shouldn’t care. Haute cotoure or scene? Who cares, wear whatever the hell you want and be happy.