Eccentric or Attention Whore?

[Mordor's Missionary]

So every day, I dress in some elaborate outfit, ranging from anything from full Pirate regalia to 19th century gentleman, complete with silk top hat, sword cane and woolen cloak to a 1950's businessman sort of suit with bad tie and polyester. Does this make me an attention whore or just eccentric? I do it for just enjoying how it looks and to try and be something completely different from the standard jeans+shirt+hoodie combo everyone wears.

I got called out by a random person today for being an "attention whore," and wanted to know the general consensus on going against the norm, especially in the school setting. I'm not offended, and honestly it didn't even bother me at the time, as I expect it sort of with how I dress, but it got me thinking and I wanted other people's opinions.

 

[icame]

Its about why your doing it. As you said, your partially doing it just to be 'different' which is another issue entirely, but that's beside the point. If you were doing it for attention then I think the answer would be obvious.

In conclusion: No I don't think your an attention whore.

 

[Simalacrum]

I dunno, that sounds pretty damnably cool to me XD

I'd say that, considering the whole "want to be different" thing, you could theoretically be called what is known as an 'attention whore'. However, I always argue that being an attention whore isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that its a subtle art (strangely), and it can go very wrong very easily.

For example, if you were getting attention to yourself by being suicidal or something, thats doing it wrong - essentially, if your negatively affecting the mood of other's around you, thats when your a bad attention whore.
However, if your being happy and going "hey look at me!" and doing something cool (such as wearing elaborate outfits ;P), then that can definitely be classified as a good attention whore - if your entertaining those around you and making people's heads turn in a good way, your doing it right!

I like to think of myself as a bit of an attention whore (in the latter category of course ), I love getting people gawking at my circus tricks XD

Nothing wrong with being an entertainer my friend! Even if that isn't your intention with your elaborate clothing, its still not a bad thing to show off if you have something worthwhile to show off

TL;DR - yeah I'd say you sound like an attention whore, but you sound like a good attention whore, which an awesome thing, not a bad thing!

 

[drisky]

I think both, you like how it looks and you like that it doesn't make blend with the crowd. Nothing wrong with it but part of your motivation is bringing attention to yourself. Honestly I've often considered dressing like David Bowie on a regular basis but never really went out and did it, more power to you for going for it.

 

[inquisiti0n]

well if everyone around you started wearing the eccentric stuff you normally wear, would you switch back to jeans/hoodie/shirt?

if yes, then that would be attention whore-ish. otherwise, it's cool that you wear that stuff.

 

[dmase]

I think appearance is a shitty way of evaluating someone. Why post on the advice board for someones opinion? Could be an honest mistake happens all the time. How many people have you asked online or otherwise about whether or not your an attention whore?

 

[Erana]

If its who you are and what you do, then you're just eccentric. Its like how my being coated in paint and reeking of flammable substances was just a part of what I do.

Part of me wants to ask about how much effort you're putting into this look. If a guy looked better in Victorian clothing than modern clothes and was willing to do the look justice, more power to him. Its a matter of eccentric fashion.
If you're wearing the $20 pirate Halloween costume from Kmart, I would feel a need to dissuade such behavior.

Of course, grooming is always a good thing, so...

 

[Nova Helix]

Whatever floats your boat. If you like the cloths good for you, to hell what other people think.

 

[SiskoBlue]

Only you will figure out why you want to do it. Wanting to be different is understandable and I commend you for actually being different as opposed to all the people who choose to be "alternative" in the exact same way... That's weird.

But you will always have people calling you an attention-whore. Because a) some people are xenophobic and treat anything out of the norm as a potential threat or challenge to their world view. b) They wish they could express their individualty as well but out of fear of mocking, choose not to, and out of jealousy resent you for being able to.

There's also the theory of "deviant" behaviour. Deviant is usually associated with bad things but it just means deviating from the norm. Here's a question, a man wears a skirt. Is that deviant? It is in western culture UNLESS you go to Scotland and it's a kilt. OR go to Fiji where it's a norm. So it's not what you wear but the choice in a context. And you do choose to be different and deviate from the norm of "jeans+shirt hoodie combo". There's a reason for that but who is to judge if it's healthy or unhealthy.

Here's a question. If you had the same wardrobe and lived on a desert island. Would you still wear the same stuff. In other words, if no one else was going to see you in it, would you still dress strangely?

 

[tharglet]

Well, some are always gonna call you out on it... because it's far out of their concept of "normal" and they can only seeing someone doing it for attention, and not just because it feels right to you.

I see attention whores as people who would do things, even against their own personal tastes, just to get attention.

I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be noticed - vast majority of people like it when people are interested in them, and will do things to get noticed, but there's definitely a line.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

If you're doing it purely for attention, then yes, you are an attention whore. If not, then no.

At least, that's my understanding of 'attention whore'.

 

[UnusualStranger]

In a form, you might be according to other people.

However, personally you are not attention whoring, because you are simply doing it because you prefer to dress differently. They are just unhappy because the persons around you might notice a lot more how you dress than anything, and seeing that alone they quickly assume you are just out for attention, when you are really just dressing up because you like to do so.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

So every day, I dress in some elaborate outfit, ranging from anything from full Pirate regalia to 19th century gentleman, complete with silk top hat, sword cane and woolen cloak to a 1950's businessman sort of suit with bad tie and polyester. Does this make me an attention whore or just eccentric? I do it for just enjoying how it looks and to try and be something completely different from the standard jeans+shirt+hoodie combo everyone wears.

I got called out by a random person today for being an "attention whore," and wanted to know the general consensus on going against the norm, especially in the school setting. I'm not offended, and honestly it didn't even bother me at the time, as I expect it sort of with how I dress, but it got me thinking and I wanted other people's opinions.

You aren't being an attention whore. If you like dressing like that then go wild. You sound like a fun person to be around.

 

[SilentCom]

Some of those outfits are pretty awesome. I think you're just eccentric, it seems that you're just concerned about being called an attention whore. One way of looking at it is that if you're dressed differently even when people aren't around then you're not doing it for attention but because you like the difference in style.

 

[TonyVonTonyus]

As long as the attention isn't the goal but a result of doing this your not an attention whore.

 

[theevilsanta]

Meh, what you wear is as important as how loud and annoying you make your voice when you speak. Someone that speaks loudly and obnoxiously is going to be just as annoying as someone that dresses loudly and obnoxiously or farts loudly and obnoxiously. As human we receive and transmit information through our senses. Sight is one of those. Consideration of those around us is not a radical thing to expect.