Me....Cool?

The other day I wore a hand-me over shirt and used odd earrings to pin the collar in a more flattering way. The girls I had just done dance class with told me that I looked really cool (I also had my rockstar boots on) and one of them complemented me that I often look cool.

I was as equally shocked and stoked about this just the same as how I am equally in love with avocado and marshmallows. (Separately)

The reason being because I was not really expecting me being a little crafty and adjusting my clothing in such a way would earn me the "cool" status.

Quirky* maybe

But not cool.

And it got me thinking- firstly, the title of cool is subjective and ever changing. Remember when bell-bottom jeans and snap pants were cool? And your idea of cool could be different to mine, just like people's idea of funny and dull conflict.



But more poignantly I realised that some of the coolest people I know are this way because they do not try and conform to any kind of label (and yes I mean label as in Gucci and also label as in 'indie' 'preppy' 'boho' etc)
And reflecting on myself and what these comrades of mine said, I've come to realise that when I'm me I'm probably the coolest I can be.

"Maybe some of the coolest people are the ones who don't care about being cool" - Steve Carell

Nice one Steve.

The weird thing is is that so many people try to be cool when the essence of being cool itself means not trying, so really what they are doing is probably producing the opposite of their desired effect. 

 Two pivotal moments when I learnt that the version of myself that is trying to conform to some cosmopolitan-Hollywood-Made in Chelsea-So You Think You Can Dance version of cool is actually not as endearing, fearless, hearty and alluring as the bike riding-second-hand-odd earring-scneans-fannypack-smoothie in a jar version of myself were:

1.  When I first visited NZ after living in Melbourne and was trying to prove that I had changed and was now all city slicker and dance industry sticker when it turned out all I did was bicker than thank god for my sister who told me that she remembered the 'old me' and really did miss her and that this new clone isn't as employable as the old me. I cannot thank her enough for that, think of it often and attribute that conversation as a catalyst to the development of my personality (and subsequently this blog)

2. When we were discussing who would be the next host of an Urban Dance Industry Night in Melbourne ( www.undergroundmelbourne.com ) I jokingly said "Ha I'm not cool enough to do that"

And a girl who is pretty awesome and has like 900 instagram followers said "Yeah but that's the best thing about you; that you're not cool. And you don't care."

"I am so cool" I said in my asics and Nike t-shirt that belonged to my housemate's dad

"You're not, but that's what is great"

.....I was unsure whether to be embarrassed or enlivened, but I guess this anti-complement has stuck with me and made me brave enough or not care enough whether you are going to think this is cool or not.

Because your opinion is yours. You are you, I am me, and whether you think it's cool or not, I am learning it's cooler and easier for me to be.....me.

Jj

*quirky is one of those compliments I struggle to figure out if it's positive or not.... it's like when the first thing you say about someone's haircut is- "it sure is DIFFERENT"