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

[deepfishy.livejournal.com]

Spats and makeup: two great tastes that go together!

If I'd seen that text, I'd have assumed they were pluralising deliberately. You know, you have the internets, you have makeups...

[mothos.livejournal.com]

Park Royal?

[wicked-warrior.livejournal.com]

Pity that spats have gone out of fashion. Strange adverts end up making no sense at all :P

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

It's kind of catchy, though. I'm going to pluralise everything from now on.

"I have a fanfics for you today! And maybe I have a recipes for you too!"

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

HA! That's priceless.It does sound very much like something from "Engrish.com"(and very much like a mistake I would make, only it wouldn't be as funny)!

[pyri-prongs.livejournal.com]

XD Hehehehehe! That is awesome. It would indeed be the shop that had everything if it had spats and makeup(s).
And I really like your spatsy shoes for some reason.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

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

[peacefuldragon.livejournal.com]

I uh.... I'll just say that it took me 5 minutes of hard thinking and re-reading your post over and over again to figure out what the other possible meaning of "you have spats and makeups" could be. Your fabulous spat drawing drove me to brain-distraction.

[rawrsie.livejournal.com]

i suppose if I were wearing spats nowdays it's conceivable that I would be wearing makeup too... haha, that mall has such stellar advertising

[angieweasley.livejournal.com]

Hah, it took me awhile to get the 'spats' reference. Silly posters.

Romantic illiteracy is what I do best!

[gabbysun.livejournal.com]

Spats = my true love.

After you, of course. :OO

Hee, random pluralization.

[okiwan.livejournal.com]

Wait, I still don't get it... what the heck do spats have to do with romance? Do guys wear them while courting or something??

[gabbysun.livejournal.com]

WAIT LOOK LOOK AT THIS.

I thought of YOU>

[ardys-the-ghoul.livejournal.com]

A "spat" is another word for an argument or fight.

*being an English major*

[ardys-the-ghoul.livejournal.com]

It probably would have confused me, too.

Romantic illiterates of the world, unite!

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

They should wear spats while courting! In my world, they would...

[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!)

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

Heh heh heh...

[noodledaddy.livejournal.com]

A man's speech should include his flags, 'else what's a semaphore?

[niteflite.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, I could figure it out from the url. How awesome.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Gabby! You're alive!

[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...

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

... should wear spats all the time ...

Definitely better

[(Anonymous)]

I like your version better...Much better. Much, much, better.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Why, thank you, mysterious stranger!

[okiwan.livejournal.com]

OOOhhhhh. That kind of spats.

Wow. That didn't even occur to me. I was thinking the shoe spats as well.

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

5 gold stars for you!

[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!

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

What else would men wear (in your world)? Vests with pocket watches? Top hats? Derbies? Fedoras? Caps? Monocles? Cravats? Twisty moustaches?

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

(eye roll):)

[viqii.livejournal.com]

oohhhhh.. NOW i get it...after re-reading you post for like... a thousand times.. and reading the comments..now i get it..

but..it's silly..

well.. art =) love your drawings..
kisses.

[azvolrien.livejournal.com]

I think I prefer your version. And I would wear spats with great enthusiasm if I owned any shoes that you could wear spats over.

I hereby confer on you the status of Honorary British Person.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

Wow really? I am not worthy! Really! I can't identify more than two regional accents and have never seen an episode of Postman Pat!

All the same, thanks. :D

[veronikamg.livejournal.com]

never seen an episode of Postman Pat!

That is so sad. Postman Pat was one of my all time favourite shows as a kid. Good thing you don't know what you missed out on.

[azvolrien.livejournal.com]

*sings* Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat and his black and white caaaat...

[gyllespi.livejournal.com]

That message has completely made my day. You know it took me a while (and reading your comments) to get the joke? However, it was vastly amusing. You rock my socks... as per usual. : D

- Gillespy, shameless flatterer

[neneuche.livejournal.com]

woh. You have many much readers...
Well, I like your drawings and sure hope you're making lots of $$ doing doodles.
i'm not gonna read everything 'cause I'm tired.
But again, nice drawings.
xD

[(Anonymous)]

Oooh! Now I'm MYSTERIOUS too! Like those tiny signs on ATMs that say 'audio assistance available for the vision impaired'!
I also once saw one on the back of a steamroller which said 'Other vehicles should be five hundred feet away at all times', also in small print, but I'm really just rambling now...

[(Anonymous)]

what does OTP stand for (sorry, i'm such a newbie!)

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

'One True Pairing' ... I had to be told too. It's practically impossible to figure out from context.

[tannhaeuser.livejournal.com]

[disneyboy.livejournal.com]

OK, I was freaking out a little before I realized you were quoting someone else - a "young man (circa 1905)...in my brother’s cast-off frock coat and trousers, neither of which fitted me, and a top hat"?? I knew you were a little old-fashioned, but...!
I thought that all of this actually was making a comeback of sorts when "Benny and Joon" came out, but I guess it was only among alternative-cinema art students. Oh well.