There's a man who lives nearby who always says hello to me; we see each other around fairly often and have slipped into the habit of exchanging a greeting, even though we don't know one another at all.
Today, we met on my street and he announced, that's a different look for you - very Rock Chick. I like it!
We had a bit of a laugh about that; he says he can spot me at a distance because I'm usually wearing something bright, colourful and floral.
Since he's always casually dressed, scruffy even, I wouldn't have had him down as someone who would notice what I (or anyone else) was wearing. Which just goes to prove you shouldn't make assumptions.
1970s lurex jumper, denim jacket, leather skirt, ankle boots, tights and bangles - charity shopped
1950-60s tapestry bag - gift from Emma Kate
1970s necklace - vintage market
I had an interesting conversation this week with one of the volunteers at my shop.
Up Where We Belong was playing on the radio, and she said that's my old friend singing. Given our location, it wasn't overly intuitive of me to guess that she was referring to Joe Cocker rather than Jennifer Warnes. We chatted about how she met Joe in the 1960s through her future husband, also a musician, and how they all became friends.
She recalled the release of Joe's first album With a Little Help from My Friends in 1969, and told me that she, her boyfriend and Joe stayed up all night playing it over and over again. And how that occasion was the first time Joe had heard the album played all the way through, start to finish - on my little record player! she laughed.
I like that story for all sorts of reasons. Decidedly Sheffield, down-to-earth and non-starry, it's an endearing snapshot of another time, and a brief, unexpected glimpse into someone's personal history.
People. They can surprise you, no? Sometimes by being utter arseholes, it's true, but just as often by sharing stories and observations which make you look at them again and think there's more to you than meets the eye.
Any claim to Rock Chick-ery I ever had is long gone, but perhaps the leather, denim and studs in this outfit are a little nod in that direction.
A grown-up Rock Chick? I'd settle for that.
Can't do the Big Hair anymore...
(Oops - I told you an inadvertent fib when I said I only have one jumper. I forgot about this sparkly Seventies one.
How could I?)
It's interesting to speculate about what our clothes tell others about us. Of course they say something - we're all visible, and we make choices about how we present ourselves. But everyone has a story, and appearance only tells part of it.
There's more to us than meets the eye.
PS. We're going away for a few days, but I'll look forward to catching up with you all when we get back.
xxxx
