Punk Clothing, Punk Rocker Fashion, Punk Dress

Punk clothing can curiously be the dress of choice for some very unsuspecting people.  I say this because I sat on a train last week with a guy dressed in… punk clothing. It was the only spare seat on the train and I was so tired that I didn’t think to be weary of plonking myself down next to such a shady looking character.  Are Punks shady?  Should I have been more concerned?  At the time it never crossed my mind he was a Punk and I didn’t realise, until I had landed next to him, just what… or who… I was sitting next to.  He did though!  One of my less graceful moves I have to say… as I scrambled for the seat, the strap of my handbag managed to snag itself in Punk-boy’s hair.  One of those typical punk style hair-do’s with the severely gelled-up spikes… bloody hell, it also nearly took my eye out!  So after we straightened ourselves out and I apologised profusely, we ended up chatting.  Punk-boy’s name was Jim and yes, he confirmed… he was wearing punk clothing. 
 
Punk clothing that had travelled a long road to make him what he was today, he informed me.  And what are you? I asked, worried I may have missed something.  I work for the Tax Department, he went on.  But you wouldn’t think that to look at me.  I asked if perhaps they had a dress-up day at the office… that would explain his outrageous punk clothing surely. No, he said, this is me!  Although I didn’t always dress like this at the office.  I certainly didn’t wear Punk clothing to the job interview that’s for sure!  But I got sick of hiding who I was and after a couple of years in a suit and tie I decided to ease my Punk clothing self into the Tax Department and see if they noticed.
 
Punk clothing?  But how can anyone miss that? He was a really interesting guy I’d decided at this stage and after listening to him speak I noticed what a lovely smile he had.  He then proceeded to tell me how every six months or so, he would integrate a piece of Punk clothing into his work attire.  He conquered the footwear issue first, seeing as that was the least obvious: black steel-capped combat boots (one of his many pairs, he said proudly).  Then I dyed my hair and slowly started spiking it up – just a little to start with.  Having the staff fancy dress Christmas party helped things along a bit – I actually went as a Punk Rocker just to see the reaction.  And you know what?  There wasn’t one!  In fact most of them wondered why I wasn’t wearing a costume!! 
 
That sealed the Punk clothing dilemma for me pretty much.  The next day I just changed my boring old white shirt to a loud-arse purple one… stuck a safety pin in each ear lobe (mini safety pins that is… I am at work after all) and wore my extra skinny black pants.  I save the ripped Anarchy t-shirts for the weekend.  Want me to spike up your hair sometime?