Shifting perception

Taking inspiration from Mandie and suffering from sock envy, today I decided to hunt down some funky socks of my own, to brighten up my sock wardrobe some. I have been meaning to do it a while, the funkiest socks I own are the orange and brown striped ones pictured on Postcards From Nowhere; and to be honest they're not overly exciting. 

So after a brief search around the mens clothing retailers in Stockport I found them in good old Topman. I appreciate they're not on the same par as the socks Mandie was sporting, but I think they will suit me very well; and they're a whole lot funkier than anything else I own. And at 3 pairs for £7.00 a bargain to boot. 

I'm well aware my nail varnish foray has caused some bizarre reaction from friends and colleagues, so guess what happened when I proudly showed off my new socks? Same story, seriously - most of my friends and colleagues could not understand why I have purchased such socks. They're not everybody's idea of cool admittedly, and the colours are a bit garish - a bit pink, but come on - they are just socks. I like them and any subversive messages they may portray, that's why I purchased them. Where is the problem in that? It's not an open question because I think I know the answer.

The problem lies in the fact that the majority of my friends and colleagues at work only know me from work; they do not see me away from work. They see this guy at work day in, day out living within the boundaries that work subjects us all to; I just fit into the niche that is expected of me. So, I guess when I'm going purchasing nail varnish and garish pink socks for the times I spend outside of work I imagine it is a shock. 

Not that I turn myself into a raging transvestite or anything but outside of the boundaries of work I live how I want to, without the boundaries. I am happy with my sexuality and comfortable with myself so I choose to express this occasionally. I do not see any issues in relation to this; but I can understand how people at work who have known me for however many years may be unnerved by it. I guess they had some perception of me in mind and I have just shattered it; that's good, I like the mystery of shifting perceptions, even if it does come from a pair of socks.