So a lady called me a Pimp today....

[bowlerman]

HT, I gotta admit it would bother me too, but better to act the wiser and not let any insecurities show, especially in front of her kids. You did the right thing. I'm enjoying all the humor in this thread, as well as the wisdom, especially from tonyb!

While all of us here love hats and are totally committed in exercising our rights to dress both practically and aesthetically as we please, it can still be a blow to the gut when someone goes out of their way to insult us. I deleted part of a post a week ago because of its non-relevance (some of you may already have read it) but I'm going to reiterate it here:

I was at a watering hole, where almost all attendees were in Halloween costume. There were some very outlandish outfits. Coming straight from work (a kind of silly display of my orchestra backing up Three Dog Night), I was wearing my concert clothes, black overcoat, and a fedora (which one? I can't even recall). Certainly not the most flamboyantly dressed appearance in the room, to say the least.
After awhile, Pocahontas and another girl asked me to take their picture. Sure, here ya go. But then I noticed a pair of eyes attached to a kid in a white baseball cap burning a hole through me.

"What's with the hat, f****tt?" he asked.

"Excuse me, but it seems like my hat really bothers you."

"Yeah you look like a [same word here]."

"Oh, I'm sorry you feel that way, because I spent all evening dressing so that I could impress you."

And then he started making no sense.

"I mean, it would be okay if you were a [blank]. That wouldn't bother me."

I said "yeah, you bet it would be okay if I were a [blank], but I'm not. So the hat bothers you that much, eh?"

"Stay away from my girl."

Oooooh, I see. You're with Pocahontas..."Dude, she asked me to take a picture of her with her friend. I wonder why she didn't ask you."

"I'll knock you on the floor."

I laughed out loud and said "Oh. Okay then," gave his squaw one quizzical arched eyebrow, and went back to nursing my beer.

Sometimes I really don't understand why folks get so high strung over harmless things. Anyway, I just want to come clean that sometimes I have trouble just letting these insults run off me, too. You're not the only one.

 

[G MAN]

I would have said that the hat came with my PHD,(Pimpin hoes degree) and then asked her if she was looking for work.

 

[danofarlington]

I'm from the Midwest. Where I grew up, style seemed to be dictated by a few jocks who felt threatened by anything besides what they wore. Where I grew up, local toughs beat up the Rolling Stones in 1965, calling them f****tts, and the Stones vowed never to play Minnesota again. They did, but I'm just saying.

 

[Hoyt Clagwell]

I might have been temped to just rattle the change in my pocket and move on

Ya know, since I hit 50 year mark, I am finally realizing that is the right answer so many times!

Now I have to quit calling every guy I see with a boat Gilligan.

 

[Captain Lex]

I actually tend to deliberately dress the stereotype, at least to a degree - in the fall I'm a British academic from the '30s, in the summer a bowling rockabilly from the '50s, etc - but what bother me is when people just flat-out don't recognize the kind of hat. I was wearing a black Scala something-or-other fedora that multiple people on one day mysteriously referred to as a cowboy hat. It boggles the mind.

Oh, once I was wearing the same hat and my standard trench and smoking a black synthetic pipe - and was told I look like Sherlock Holmes.

That said, I tend not to worry if people make assumptions about me that cast me in a bad light. I simply know them to be false.

 

[Historyteach24]

I'm confident in myself and my choice of hats just annoying

 

[bowlerman]

I know. Me too, man, but it still sucks.
I get it more from my wife than anyone else... "Sherlock Holmes," "banker," "creepy old man," you name it.

 

[hatophile]

Yeah, my wife calls me a creepy old man too. Funny, she's older than me.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

"Pimp" = Just a meme. No big deal.

 

[Edward]

"Pimp" = Just a meme. No big deal.

My take on it too. Honestly, if you really care that much what passers-by on the street think, why bother standing out at all?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

How dare you accuse me of trying to stand out. I dress "normal", I'll have you know! For myself, not to get noticed!!

It's everyone else that looks like [insert pejorative here]

 

[danofarlington]

 

[Shangas]

If she asked you if you were a pimp, you should've asked her if she was lookin' for a new one...

That wouldn't affect her kids and it would give her somethin' to think about the next time she opens her mouth.

 

[alanfgag]

Forgive me for not rereading the entire thread, but did you tell us which hat you were wearing?

 

[Historyteach24]

I don't care what they think I care that she called me that in public. I could give a damn what people think I love of style and hats just commenting about how rude she is

 

[Historyteach24]

Alan the one in my avatar my falcon park whippet clone

 

[nice hat dude!]

Could have told him that you were a homosexual and that you were looking for a hottie in a baseball cap.There are always going to be #@!holes in this world no matter what you do or say.I've always been fortunate enough that I'm big enough and old enough that they generally leave me alone I feel sorry for some of you smaller gents,
"walk softly and carry a big stick"

In reply to Bowlerman's post

 

[Walt]

We live in the reality that the fashions and hats we like declined in popularity in part as a result of both a move to extreme and constant casualness in attire and a rejection of contemporary adult or parental dress.

To wear the vintage fashions and/or hats today means we are now the non-conformists and social rebels.

Fun and ironic isn't it!

 

[Historyteach24]

I love me some social rebellion! Lol

 

[O2BSwank]

People can be ignorant, rude, and offensive- often times all at once. You took the high road and came out looking like a gentleman, even though she probably didn't realize it. You could have cussed her out in front of her kids and I know you have seen that happen. All you can do is laugh and move on.