There’s a guy from Croydon who dresses as a wizard and has embedded the chip from his oyster card into a wand.

Imagine him, fully robed, passing through the barriers at London Bridge and with a swish of his wand the gates obediently open.

I’d describe him as oddorable.

A bit odd… but also adorable.

 

As a teenager, I was quite the spectacle. I dyed my hair, squeezed into spay-on black jeans, donned a tailcoat, rocked red winkle pickers and applied a lot of make-up.

The more sideways looks, comments and aggro I created the more I loved it.

Always the exhibitionist.

I thought I was oddorable. My dad thought something else.

 

Is getting that balance right an art or lucky?

 

We’re told that to be noticed we must stand out. Be unique! Distinctive! Cut through the noise!  
 
Ironically, in doing so, most social media ‘influencers’ look the same.

In the next breath, the message is; blend in, don’t rock the boat, keep your head down.

 

What’s best?

 

Authenticity.

 

Take a clove of goths (I love that the collective noun for goths is a ‘clove’, but think it should be an ‘angst’) there’s always one; the one that despite the deathly dark dress and morose make-up, they just don’t fit.

Authentic goths are goth-like from the heart. Their pallid paint and black-on-black clothing is there to magnify their inner gothicness.

Fake stands out. 

I’m sure the Croydon wizard believes he is a sorcerer in robes.

The question is, who’s your authentic self?

Bet you’re oddorable.

Please leave a comment below, I read them all and love to know what you think.

Be Brilliant!

Michael

comments

  1. May 16th 2024 by james

    100% agreed Michael. I always wear loud shirts and always get comments. i dont care i prefer to be transparent and open with the majority 😂

  2. May 16th 2024 by simon lowe

    Brilliant post, Michael
    One has to conform a lot in life
    I’ve always regarded myself as a bit different & I buy your books too!

  3. May 16th 2024 by David Palmer

    I’ve always wondered why anarchists all dress alike.

  4. May 16th 2024 by Gary

    I have been told for years I am authentic because I just say what comes into my head and truly mean it, I never intentionally try to make anyone feel uncomfortable or awkward but always say it in a well mannered way, therefore I believe I am true to myself others might think I am embarrassing but at the end of the day if we were all the same what a boring world we would live in, rare characters are what required in sll shapes and sizes as llng as your not being deliberately nasty then say what you feel it is what it is and stay true to yourself, clothes are just what you feel defines you or how you look, who says what you wear is wrong or right, it doesn’t matter be your best self then surely that’s what matters, we only get one chance on this wonderful planet so enjoy it snd be who and whatever you want to be that’s what I think.

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