You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve
As I mentioned a while ago here, I bought some of Dr Geof's embroidered badges of the First Tea Company, in the blind faith that a military-ish jacket would show up to sew them on. Six months later it did, in my local charity shop (the label proudly says it is made by NafNaf, who apparently are still going - in my head they're synonymous with the 80s).
I sewed up the rips in its lining, fixed its fastenings, and attached my badges. What surprises me is the extent to which it draws comments.
One of the first times I wore it out, a stranger pointed me out to his partner. "Hey look, isn't that brilliant? When someone asks how you want your tea, you can just show them your arm![*]"
(Not actually true, of course - people offer to make you tea, when you've still got your coat on, surprisingly infrequently.)
At the Barbican a few months ago, a gentleman with most resplendent facial hair flung out a dramatic arm to point at the badges, saying "they're Dr Geof's". (Answer: no, they're not! They're mine! I paid for them and everything!) We had a nice chat about steampunk in general, and the exhibition in Greenwich in particular.
The first time I wore it to work, someone described it as "very cool". More recently, as I was leaving the office, someone demanded "What's going on with that jacket, Liz?"
I answered that a friend of mine[**] made regimental badges for a mythical regiment, the First Tea Company, and that I liked them. A volley of questions followed: Did I buy the whole jacket, or just the badges? (Just the badges.) Did I sew them on myself? (I did.) By hand or with a sewing machine? (By hand, I'm not sure you could do it with a machine without sewing the arm shut.) Do I actually like my tea weak? (Yes, ish.) What if I didn't? (Other strengths, and indeed other teas, are available.)
Eventually, I suggested he Google for the Island of Dr Geof. He obviously did, because he was next heard saying "A place for obtaining comics, posters," before continuing in hushed tones "fetishman stuffs..."[***].
"Well, that's not quirky at all" said a second colleague, scathingly, as I turned to go. On the tube, a stranger read my badges and grinned at me.
[*] My badges say "Brew Weak" and "Milk No Sugar".
[**] Though on reflection, this is quite untrue as I don't actually know Geof. I've yattered at him a few times, but when on his stall I think he's obliged to tolerate the public.
[***] The colleague in question is a recent Oxford graduate, a rowing blue, and is called Jasper. If you now have a mental image of him, it's probably completely accurate :)
I sewed up the rips in its lining, fixed its fastenings, and attached my badges. What surprises me is the extent to which it draws comments.
One of the first times I wore it out, a stranger pointed me out to his partner. "Hey look, isn't that brilliant? When someone asks how you want your tea, you can just show them your arm![*]"
(Not actually true, of course - people offer to make you tea, when you've still got your coat on, surprisingly infrequently.)
At the Barbican a few months ago, a gentleman with most resplendent facial hair flung out a dramatic arm to point at the badges, saying "they're Dr Geof's". (Answer: no, they're not! They're mine! I paid for them and everything!) We had a nice chat about steampunk in general, and the exhibition in Greenwich in particular.
The first time I wore it to work, someone described it as "very cool". More recently, as I was leaving the office, someone demanded "What's going on with that jacket, Liz?"
I answered that a friend of mine[**] made regimental badges for a mythical regiment, the First Tea Company, and that I liked them. A volley of questions followed: Did I buy the whole jacket, or just the badges? (Just the badges.) Did I sew them on myself? (I did.) By hand or with a sewing machine? (By hand, I'm not sure you could do it with a machine without sewing the arm shut.) Do I actually like my tea weak? (Yes, ish.) What if I didn't? (Other strengths, and indeed other teas, are available.)
Eventually, I suggested he Google for the Island of Dr Geof. He obviously did, because he was next heard saying "A place for obtaining comics, posters," before continuing in hushed tones "fetishman stuffs..."[***].
"Well, that's not quirky at all" said a second colleague, scathingly, as I turned to go. On the tube, a stranger read my badges and grinned at me.
[*] My badges say "Brew Weak" and "Milk No Sugar".
[**] Though on reflection, this is quite untrue as I don't actually know Geof. I've yattered at him a few times, but when on his stall I think he's obliged to tolerate the public.
[***] The colleague in question is a recent Oxford graduate, a rowing blue, and is called Jasper. If you now have a mental image of him, it's probably completely accurate :)