In the meantime, I am becoming more eccentric. Starting with my appearance. Somewhat ahead of schedule, but I am happy with my mild lunacy. So, maybe the destination is the asylum?
I have just very recently taken to wearing scarves with colour. I am still wearing my western hats. However, I am looking for a new type of headdress. Something closer to a skullcap, but with style. I have always like the taqiyah, but I do not want to be accused of cultural appropriation.
two of the scarves entwined over my trucker's jacket
i have a third scarf that is mainly brown and sand
I have been tooling around looking at Polish historical and folk clothing. The area where my mother was from, the men wore/wear straw hats. Not interested. Where my father was from, is an entirely different issue. I can find nothing. Probably partly due to the fact that where he was born in Poland in 1932, became part of the Soviet Union in 1945. More specifically, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It still remains in modern Ukraine. That, and the fact that virtually every Pole in that region was sent to Siberia by Comrade Stalin during the Second World War and many died as a result. Of those that did not, most, possibly all, never returned. The Soviets being what they were, I am sure very few historical records remain, particularly of the local Polish culture. Anyway, I have yet to find any information along those lines.
So, knowing a bit about my genetic makeup, at least speculatively after having had several indepth conversations and superficial "examinations" with a anthropologist (with a dash of ethnic/genetic studies), I have some Tatar in my bloodline (well at least Mongol, but he was more certain it was Tatar). Something I suspected independently for quite some time. Which to me is cool. So, I am going with that.
To that end, I think I want to get a tubetei (aka tubeteika, qalpoq, doppa). I like the look and there is obviously some room for variation. I just need to find where I can get one.
a crimean tatar tubetei (courtesy Petar Milošević)
That all being said, I am veering to wearing browns and tans and khakis and the like. One day the family was going out somewhere and the wife looked at me and asked if I had fallen out of the tan denim tree? I was wearing faded brown denim pants, my sand coloured Levi's trucker's jacket, a mostly brown/tan plaid shirt, my brown felt western hat, and my brown Doc Martens shoe-boots. So, when I finally do find a source for my doppa, it will be in the brown range of colours, like the one above maybe.
So, my Texas Sesquicentennial belt buckle (I love that thing) has been part of my daily dress for a long time. Obviously, it will just add to the eccentricity anyway, so it stays.
the belt buckle on a pair of wrangler rigger pants in an olive/khaki colour
As you can see, I am well on my way to being one of the guys no one wants to be stuck with on a "let's get to know each other team building exercise" that they always do at training sessions. That works for me. The qalpoq is what is really going to tie it in though. That and some kind of satchel or old-timey pack. I have a leather Swiss medic bag (fully stocked) from the 1960's, but not sure if that works.
the swiss medic bag
whatcha think?
You are probably thinking: This guy is not eccentric, these are just affectations. You have read other posts here on the rooster, right? The ensemble is just the physical manifestation of the mania. I cannot always talk to myself as a form of warning to passing strangers, now can I?
Still do not believe me do you? Well, one of my retirement plans is to keep a bucket of walnuts (in their husks), and perhaps old vegetables and fruits, sit on my porch and chuck them at all the assclowns who keep driving through the stop sign on my street without even trying to pretend they are stopping. You know those knobs. Maybe you are one of them, if so, stay off my street when I am retired. I also plan to chuck them at kids who wear pants that are far too large and show off their underwear. Really? You look soooo stupid. At least if they are still around by then. If not, then I will just chuck stuff at the smartasses. blbbl
the bucket
i may need a bigger one?
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