Misperceptions

[tealin]

There's a local mall that runs advertising campaigns on bus ads. While I was stopped briefly at a bus shelter, I saw the text at the top of one ad that read 'You have spats, You have makeups, We Have Everything'. This puzzled me ... I knew what spats were (the coverings typically of men's shoes, popular in the nineteenth and early twentieth century) and I knew what makeup was, but why did they pluralise it? Seemed a weird or possibly ESL thing to do. It wasn't until the bus pulled further forward and I saw the picture on the ad, of a young couple apparently enjoying themselves, that it dawned on me I had gotten it all wrong. If I had gotten that advertising copy, I would have done a poster like the one you see above, clearly demonstrating my romantic illiteracy. (But it's a lot funnier ... especially because they probably don't have that kind of spats at the mall.)

I am a costuming geek. Or would be if I knew more about it.

Comments

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Because spats are so completely awesome? They're almost as sexy as glasses. ;)

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

Whoa - I don't know if I've ever heard you describe anything as "sexy" before - even in jest! But I would have to completely agree on both counts, although certain pairs of glasses (mine) are definitely more awesome than others (note to self: Must find spats and shoes to go in them - then I will have it all!)

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I was using it in an ironic sense, hence the little winky face at the end. Irony is so hard to convey in text...

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

Even without the winky face, I figured you must have intended a heaping scoop of irony (and/or sarcasm), knowing that YOU wear glasses. i just enjoy playing the fool and willfully misinterpreting people ("yeah, right - glasses are really sexy - eye roll."Oh yes - my glasses are irresistable, aren't they?") It's hard to convey irony in text, but maybe even harder to convey that you are merely playing dumb on purpose instead of just really being dumb (of course, I've made plenty of genuinely stupid comments before, so I can understand the confusion). Sigh...

I really do think spats are cool, though!