Black and Yellow

 

Never underestimate the power of a well selected wardrobe.

We are often judged by the clothing we wear and for a lot of people, aged 40 and over, not much thought goes into what we throw on. For me, it is often a choice of what is clean and what is comfy.

What happens when we don't put thought into what we are wearing could pose a bit of an inconvenience. For me, I have been known to wear t-shirts that feature my favorite band, The Beatles, from time to time. When I go to my local grocery store, I often encounter an employee who also likes that band, and we end up getting into a conversation about said group. If I am in a hurry, this can pose a challenge to keeping my trip short.

Some people welcome the conversation. My father for example is very proud of being from McKeesport. He has worn t-shirts featuring the town while we were away on various trips throughout the years. While some people would just say they are from outside of Pittsburgh, my dad goes through the entire story about McKeesport to whomever will listen. I have seen this happen in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. He is a one-man PR representative wherever he goes.

 This past weekend, my husband and I went on a trip to Cleveland. It was a last-minute trip that did not involve much planning or packing for that matter. It was only a short two-day adventure so not much prep was needed before we left. I did not inspect the items my husband threw in the suitcase or give much thought to it when were getting ready for a breakfast adventure in a new town. To be honest, I didn't really look at him before we arrived at our destination.

"Go Steelers," the greeter said when we walked into the restaurant. This was the first tip off that something might be amiss.

"I can say that because we have a bye week," she concluded.

Once we sat down, I realized my husband was wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers sweatshirt. We were in Cleveland for goodness' sake. The home of the Cleve Brownies!

I was instantly embarrassed. I knew he didn't realize what he had done but I did notice the stares from other diners checking out our non-grata attire. I wanted to sink under the table but then I witnessed my husband enjoying his breakfast like he was back in the 'Burgh. It just didn't matter. Once he was done eating, we were going to take in some sights, but I told him he needed to inside out his sweatshirt so not to draw attention to ourselves.

He said "No." He explained he would not be upset if he saw someone in Pittsburgh wearing a Browns sweatshirt so why should he expect anything different.

Fair enough, I thought.

We didn't have any problems during our sightseeing tour. The next comment we got about his attire was actually in the parking lot of our hotel - from a fellow Steelers fan.

"Pittsburgh!" He yelled from his car.

I explained that my husband picked the wrong clothing for our trip to Cleveland. This guy said, " No! He picked just the right type of clothing," and mentioned he was also from Pittsburgh. He said the team had a long way to go but they were going to get there.

It was nice to enjoy that type of camaraderie after the stink eyes we got back at the diner.

Just when we thought we were in the clear, back on the road to go home, we stopped at the final toll booth before re-entering Pennsylvania. The man at the toll booth was pretty animated and was very conversational. Just as my husband handed over our ticket and money he said, "Hey pal, is it laundry day?" Implying the only reason he was wearing a Pittsburgh sweatshirt is because he had nothing else to wear.

It was all good fun and we had quite the laugh as we drove away.

I don't think of it much when I pick out my clothes each day, but I can tell you for sure, the next time we go to Cleveland we won't be packing any Pittsburgh themed attire.

 

Clothing can help strike up a conversation when you least expect it so if you are going out and want to avoid the unexpected interaction - pick a plain t-shirt.

 

*My blog is featured each week as the 'On My Mind' column in The Valley Mirror newspaper. The publication serves the Steel Valley and Woodland Hills communities.*