I make an effort to wear clothing appropriate to every occasion. Even in my excessively dark youth I always tried – even if my failures were spectacular.
There is an etiquette to uniforms, and while I remain true to my own aesthetic I believe that it is important to be respectful of whatever circumstance I need to deal with.
Recently I’ve gone out to dinner with proper adults several times and I made an honest attempt to dress like a grown-up. It is difficult for me to pull off respectable, but I do own a few variations of outfits that fit the description.
There was one particular evening when I congratulated myself not only on my clothing, but also on my behavior. I did not say anything scandalous, did not challenge anyone on the fundamental flaws of their world view, did not inform a famous person that they were wrong and should stop talking.
I was surprised to hear later that an eminent scientist noticed my presence at all, let alone that they had formed an impression of me as stylish and jaunty.
Andreas was the recipient of the description, and he was nonplussed. He said But my friends are afraid of her – one remarked she is the kind of person who could slit your throat without blinking!
The person who made the first assertion replied There are some types of people you’ll just never understand.
When Andres told me about exchange I thought about it for a minute and said I would blink.