"You shouldn't be doing that at your age."

[Vako]

"You are too old to look like that. Cut your hair. You'd look so good with a normal haircut. You're doing things that you shouldn't be doing at your age. You are dressing like a teenager dresses. You are interested in things that you should have grown out of long ago. When people get older they let these things go, you know. You'll never be successful unless you give up this juvenile fashion sense and assimilate with the real world. Get real!"

The above quote is an example of a mentality that I despise.
So when I'm 36 I shouldn't go see bands? So when I'm 40 I shouldn't go to nightclubs? So when I'm 50 I shouldn't play sports or be athletic? So when I'm 60 I shouldn't play golf? So when I'm 70 I shouldn't write a story or paint a picture?

Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions?

[Kraven de Sade]

If someone tells you that, respond with "Tell that to Snoop Dogg."

[Renatus]

If anything the baby boomer generation is revolutionizing the social norms for their ages. Most of those old standards are set back when the average retirement age was 55.

[mrs.wes straker]

I'm told that moms should be conservative. My sons are probably going to think it's great that I'm so awesome (ha, ha). Or be embarrassed. Whatever the case, I DO WHAT I WANT!!!! I always will. Whoever doesn't like it can look away.

[eternalcrimson]

I had somebody at college recently tell me "Why don't you have a career and a family yet?" in a scolding tone and I said, "Listen! I do life at my own rate not yours."

[mrs.wes straker]

I don't understand why it's mandatory to have a family nowadays. The world is more than populated. OK, back on topic.

[Vako]

Originally Posted by eternalcrimson

I had somebody at college recently tell me "Why don't you have a career and a family yet?" in a scolding tone and I said, "Listen! I do life at my own rate not yours."

Sounds like the person was trying to do one of those passive, round-about ways of figuring out if out are gay or not.

[Valerius]

I think that's a bunch of hogwash. My PDS prof once asked me why I don't dress 'normally' like the preps at college, or why I like making myself look like I'm 'masochistic'. It gets annoying when these people feel that they have the self-appointed right to correct what they see is wrong in other people.

[Kraven de Sade]

Originally Posted by Valerius

I think that's a bunch of hogwash. My PDS prof once asked me why I don't dress 'normally' like the preps at college, or why I like making myself look like I'm 'masochistic'. It gets annoying when these people feel that they have the self-appointed right to correct what they see is wrong in other people.

Yeah. When I was a sophomore in High School, one of my teachers told me that I should dress like "a normal Christian." I had to inform him that school dress codes didn't allow for kinky role-playing costumes.

[killer_asian_Dax]

That's almost like when my dad used to tell me to act my age. I told him that this was my first time.

As far as dressing like a teenager- I'm still in my very early 20s (22) so I guess I can still get away with it. That, and I used to work with teenagers (coach), and my career doesn't exactly demand any type of conservative dress from me. Just my skills.

Guess I lucked out!

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

My response to them would be something like..."And your point??? My life, not yours."

[Kraven de Sade]

You know, someone should point out that people in their 20s (even 30s) don't dress like teen-agers... teen-agers dress like people in their 20s (even 30s).

[killer_asian_Dax]

Originally Posted by Kraven de Sade

You know, someone should point out that people in their 20s (even 30s) don't dress like teen-agers... teen-agers dress like people in their 20s (even 30s).

Ya. It's actually kind of scary to walk onto a high school campus and see most of the girls dressed like 20/30 something year old nightclub hookers in training.

[Edward]

Can't say that I have run into this trouble yet, still being a minor, at the annoying age of 17 (counting the seconds to being able to go to bars), but I've been told by people older than me that that's the hardest part, trying to function in the "Adult World" wearing the ruffled shirts and dark/pale makeup. I know enough that are succeeding to not be worrying myself.

[killer_asian_Dax]

Then rock on Edward! Rock on wit yo Goth self! *throws up the horns*





Damn! 1 piece of candy and I'm already wired.

[Edward]

Don't diss the sugery... suguree... sugerie... uhm, suger filled goodness that comes from eating candy! That and red bull...

[HumanePain]

Originally Posted by Renatus

If anything the baby boomer generation is revolutionizing the social norms for their ages.

Well said Renatus.


"Rage, RAGE against the dying of the light."
-Dylan Thomas

::goes and watches Danny Phantom on Nick::

[Minyaliel]

Originally Posted by Vako

"You are too old to look like that. Cut your hair. You'd look so good with a normal haircut. You're doing things that you shouldn't be doing at your age. You are dressing like a teenager dresses. You are interested in things that you should have grown out of long ago. When people get older they let these things go, you know. You'll never be successful unless you give up this juvenile fashion sense and assimilate with the real world. Get real!"

There's three ways I'd deal with people saying such things to me;
- "Fuck off!" (if I'm in a bad mood)
- "Pardonnez moi, I believe you're standing in my way. If you would please move, I have to get on with my life."
- Ignore.

Originally Posted by Vako

The above quote is an example of a mentality that I despise.
So when I'm 36 I shouldn't go see bands? So when I'm 40 I shouldn't go to nightclubs? So when I'm 50 I shouldn't play sports or be athletic? So when I'm 60 I shouldn't play golf? So when I'm 70 I shouldn't write a story or paint a picture?

Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions?

I agree with you. No one should ever tell you what to do, how to dress or what's appropriate. These norms and unwritten rules are bullshit and suppression of the individual in its purest form.

[KontanKarite]

I get this from family. They think it's pretty much the source of all my problems.

Silly gooses. If I had such bad fashion sense, why do they come to me for advice?

[Don't Look Behind You]

lol. It's the one thing that always makes me wonder: most of my friends condemn me for my way of dress and yet I am the one they ALWAYS ask for advice when it comes to clothing.

As to the topic of this thread, those that give up all their "subcultural" habits as they grow up and excuse it as having "grown out of that" are simply people that were never that what they acted like they were. They used to listen to a certain music and dress in a certain fashion becuase that was popular and not becuase they were thus living out what they really were. Giving up a style has nothing to do with growing up but more with realising it's not you. For most subcultural styles symbolise the search for oneslef just becuase that's what they were going through when they acted that way. They don't take the time to think that for some being subcultural is what they are.
So just ignore the comments. be what you are. It sucks of course that you will always have people forming false opinions about you but there#s nothing you can do about it.

[DarkHeartedDemoness]

Originally Posted by Don't Look Behind You

Giving up a style has nothing to do with growing up but more with realising it's not you.

I do have to take issue with this statement.

When I was 4 years old, my favorite color was pink and I liked to wear tutus on my head. I liked to wear leggings under my dresses, too, and I liked skirts that spun straight out at my waist.

When I was 11, I liked overalls. My favorite color was blue. I liked wearing my hair in a headband, and I liked my big blue plaid glasses. I wore skinny jeans that were tight at my ankle, and I sometimes wore leggings with a t-shirt.

At 16, I liked big baggy jeans. My favorite color was black. I was the first one in my school to wear black lipstick, and I thought it was the shit. I liked to wear bandanas, and I thought silver eyeshadow was GORGEOUS.

Now I'm 20. I like t-shirts that cling to me but don't show my midriff, and my favorite color is peacock blue. Or maybe olive green. I wear canvas shoes every day, and I own 3 pair. I no longer wear makeup.

That had less to do with me trying to follow trends and more to do with me growing and changing. At 4, I really loved tutus. That wasn't a trend. That was part of me. I don't like tutus anymore, at least not on my head, because I'm 20 and I've grown out of that.


---


I guess what I would look at is, why do people see wearing all black as juvenile? Why do people look at your actions and think you're not acting your age? The answer is not because you're immature, but I would argue that it's also not because they're stupid and ignorant. It's just that this is something a lot of teens like, and you happen to like it as well. They're just misunderstanding you.

[mrs.wes straker]

I don't think I've ever made a concious decision to give up a style, if not found something else that now catches my eye, and gradually changed my wardrobe. I no longer throw clothes out unless they're gross and stained, because I have found use too many times of stuff that I haven't worn in years, no matter what I'm into. Especially the way I dress now, which is rather helter skelter, mixing and matching is awesome. Then some days, I'm completely preppy. It's not me choosing to change, just going with how I feel.

[Mir]

As I watch myself slowly die.

[killer_asian_Dax]

Originally Posted by KontanKarite

I get this from family. They think it's pretty much the source of all my problems.

Silly gooses. If I had such bad fashion sense, why do they come to me for advice?

They're just jealous of your supreme dressing skillz!

(That's right! I spelled it with a "Z"!)

[mrs.wes straker]

Originally Posted by Mir

As I watch myself slowly die.

Huh, what?