Do people give you weird looks in public?

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  • FearAnLoathingJ
    FearAnLoathingJ Posts: 337 Member
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    My husband and I attend a lot of Ren faires/reenactments, so it's not uncommon for either of us to get odd looks and/or outright staring when seen in our garb outside of an event. I find it rather amusing, actually. Last summer, I was in the ladies' room at a rest stop on the interstate, dressed in full pirate regalia, when a little girl (3, maybe 4 years old?) turned to her mother and said "Mommy - is that lady a princess?" The mother looked me up and down, and replied "No honey, she's just... weird." (said with a smirk)

    I turned to the little girl, and told her "I'm not a princess, I'm a pirate. And your mommy? Well, she's just an old lady with no imagination who has forgotten how to play make-believe. Remember that growing up doesn't mean that you're not allowed to have any fun." I then handed her a string of beads from my belt pouch, stuck my tongue out at her mother, then strolled out. :laugh:

    :laugh: awesome
  • salladeve
    salladeve Posts: 1,053 Member
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    Be it for any reason, mostly for you being you? I've had people give me the strangest looks. Keep in mind, most of these people are in their 60's+.

    If you go to my pictures, it's quite obvious why these people would look at me as some sort of alien.
    It's funny to me when they're giving me these looks, then witness me committing an act of kindness.

    It goes to show, judgement will always start on the cover of the book.

    I'm just curious, has anyone given you strange looks in public, be it the way you were acting, your weight, your appearance, etc.?


    You are really generalizing here, and being a little judgmental yourself. I've been through some very different phases in my life where I've been looked at oddly myself, for many different reasons.

    I am now 61, and I make it a point to smile and be friendly to any person I come in contact with no matter how they look.

    BTW, I love to ask people about their tattoos. I find the stories behind a persons tattoos fascinating, and they usually are very willing to tell me what they mean. I love that.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    As a morbidly obese middle aged man who recently started running I often get some strange looks by people out or about as I slowly pass by. You can’t help but wonder what they are thinking – do they laugh as you go buy, or silently appreciate what you are doing?

    I ALWAYS appreciate the courage and motivation it takes for someone to work out in public with a less-than-perfect body. You gotta start somewhere.
  • nyboer
    nyboer Posts: 346 Member
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    My husband and I attend a lot of Ren faires/reenactments, so it's not uncommon for either of us to get odd looks and/or outright staring when seen in our garb outside of an event. I find it rather amusing, actually. Last summer, I was in the ladies' room at a rest stop on the interstate, dressed in full pirate regalia, when a little girl (3, maybe 4 years old?) turned to her mother and said "Mommy - is that lady a princess?" The mother looked me up and down, and replied "No honey, she's just... weird." (said with a smirk)

    I turned to the little girl, and told her "I'm not a princess, I'm a pirate. And your mommy? Well, she's just an old lady with no imagination who has forgotten how to play make-believe. Remember that growing up doesn't mean that you're not allowed to have any fun." I then handed her a string of beads from my belt pouch, stuck my tongue out at her mother, then strolled out. :laugh:

    :laugh: awesome

    I LOVE it!
  • nyboer
    nyboer Posts: 346 Member
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    As a morbidly obese middle aged man who recently started running I often get some strange looks by people out or about as I slowly pass by. You can’t help but wonder what they are thinking – do they laugh as you go buy, or silently appreciate what you are doing?

    I ALWAYS appreciate the courage and motivation it takes for someone to work out in public with a less-than-perfect body. You gotta start somewhere.

    NOT laughing - super impressed by the fact that you're getting out there and doing it. No matter WHO I see out there exercising and trying their hardest I am always so proud & impressed of them for doing.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,677 Member
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    My husband and I attend a lot of Ren faires/reenactments, so it's not uncommon for either of us to get odd looks and/or outright staring when seen in our garb outside of an event. I find it rather amusing, actually. Last summer, I was in the ladies' room at a rest stop on the interstate, dressed in full pirate regalia, when a little girl (3, maybe 4 years old?) turned to her mother and said "Mommy - is that lady a princess?" The mother looked me up and down, and replied "No honey, she's just... weird." (said with a smirk)

    I turned to the little girl, and told her "I'm not a princess, I'm a pirate. And your mommy? Well, she's just an old lady with no imagination who has forgotten how to play make-believe. Remember that growing up doesn't mean that you're not allowed to have any fun." I then handed her a string of beads from my belt pouch, stuck my tongue out at her mother, then strolled out. :laugh:

    You, ma'am, win at life.

    Good game. We can all go home now.
  • bamabutterfly83
    bamabutterfly83 Posts: 73 Member
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    My husband and I attend a lot of Ren faires/reenactments, so it's not uncommon for either of us to get odd looks and/or outright staring when seen in our garb outside of an event. I find it rather amusing, actually. Last summer, I was in the ladies' room at a rest stop on the interstate, dressed in full pirate regalia, when a little girl (3, maybe 4 years old?) turned to her mother and said "Mommy - is that lady a princess?" The mother looked me up and down, and replied "No honey, she's just... weird." (said with a smirk)

    I turned to the little girl, and told her "I'm not a princess, I'm a pirate. And your mommy? Well, she's just an old lady with no imagination who has forgotten how to play make-believe. Remember that growing up doesn't mean that you're not allowed to have any fun." I then handed her a string of beads from my belt pouch, stuck my tongue out at her mother, then strolled out. :laugh:

    This is AWESOME!

    To the OP,
    I used to get lots of looks but I've stopped paying attention to them. I am me and I am proud of my weirdness. Purple hair streaks, tattoos and all.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    My husband and I attend a lot of Ren faires/reenactments, so it's not uncommon for either of us to get odd looks and/or outright staring when seen in our garb outside of an event. I find it rather amusing, actually. Last summer, I was in the ladies' room at a rest stop on the interstate, dressed in full pirate regalia, when a little girl (3, maybe 4 years old?) turned to her mother and said "Mommy - is that lady a princess?" The mother looked me up and down, and replied "No honey, she's just... weird." (said with a smirk)

    I turned to the little girl, and told her "I'm not a princess, I'm a pirate. And your mommy? Well, she's just an old lady with no imagination who has forgotten how to play make-believe. Remember that growing up doesn't mean that you're not allowed to have any fun." I then handed her a string of beads from my belt pouch, stuck my tongue out at her mother, then strolled out. :laugh:

    Stooping the level of the mother. Great reaction.
  • tjsoccermom
    tjsoccermom Posts: 500 Member
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    If I were to give you a look it'd be out of admiration. I appreciate seeing anyone that is out of shape working out (including myself).
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    My daughter has a lot of tats, and used to dye her hair crayon colors. She'd complain when we were out about people staring. I'd just tell her "If you weren't looking at them, you wouldn't know they were looking at you."

    When she would mention some outlandish outfit an old person was wearing, I'd just say 'Remember that when you complain about people staring at you."

    Everyone is weird to someone else.
  • Gearjammer71
    Gearjammer71 Posts: 151 Member
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    I'm sure I do, but I don't pay enough attention to anyone to notice. Unless they are approaching me, I just keep moving.
  • creech6317
    creech6317 Posts: 869 Member
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    My husband and I attend a lot of Ren faires/reenactments, so it's not uncommon for either of us to get odd looks and/or outright staring when seen in our garb outside of an event. I find it rather amusing, actually. Last summer, I was in the ladies' room at a rest stop on the interstate, dressed in full pirate regalia, when a little girl (3, maybe 4 years old?) turned to her mother and said "Mommy - is that lady a princess?" The mother looked me up and down, and replied "No honey, she's just... weird." (said with a smirk)

    I turned to the little girl, and told her "I'm not a princess, I'm a pirate. And your mommy? Well, she's just an old lady with no imagination who has forgotten how to play make-believe. Remember that growing up doesn't mean that you're not allowed to have any fun." I then handed her a string of beads from my belt pouch, stuck my tongue out at her mother, then strolled out. :laugh:

    And in my opinion, being a pirate is WAY better than being a princess. :drinker: :flowerforyou: :drinker:
  • msaprilm1
    msaprilm1 Posts: 47
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    My spouse and I are tall people (I'm 5'10, he is 6'4)unless we move to the land of giants we will probably never blend in and I am cool with that, be unique and let your your freak flag fly I say!
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    I totally get weird looks, because I am kind of massive. It's not like it's easy to miss me, and apparently some of these people have never seen a fat chick before.

    7396232.png
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    My spouse and I are tall people (I'm 5'10, he is 6'4)unless we move to the land of giants we will probably never blend in and I am cool with that, be unique and let your your freak flag fly I say!

    This made me think of my aunt and uncle. She's 5'1" and he was 6'5". That got a few glances. :laugh:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Sometimes when I'm dressed in my motorcycle gear. I think most people are just thinking "I wish" ;)

    But this thread has given me the compulsion to profile creep. LOL!
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    I always get strange looks and even more so I get approached by random people that want to talk to me about things I really don't care about...

    Very odd.
  • Cindy873
    Cindy873 Posts: 1,165
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    I tend to avoid eye contact, so I have no idea if I'm getting weird looks. I probably am.
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    I always get strange looks and even more so I get approached by random people that want to talk to me about things I really don't care about...

    Very odd.

    OK seriously I thought it was just me! Strangers seem to like to talk to me. I have no idea why.

    7396232.png
  • KokowithaK
    KokowithaK Posts: 88 Member
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    My daughter has a lot of tats, and used to dye her hair crayon colors. She'd complain when we were out about people staring. I'd just tell her "If you weren't looking at them, you wouldn't know they were looking at you."

    When she would mention some outlandish outfit an old person was wearing, I'd just say 'Remember that when you complain about people staring at you."

    Everyone is weird to someone else.

    This right here. It's easy to feel like others are staring, but we're not all innocent either. I get stared at because I'm a heavily tattooed minority in an otherwise all-white community. People are attracted to looking at things they aren't used to. It's not necessarily a negative thing all of the time; I enjoy it when people have the courage to come up to me and ask me questions about the art I have on my body. They're genuinely interested and leave with a good impression of me. I think it's important that if you do excessive body art, you still act like a good person because we have enough bad stereotyping. Changing those perceptions is important.

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