How do you feel when strangers stare ? - questionaire

[Fewormany]

I don't need sunglasses or headphones to be oblivious. I honestly don't notice people staring 9 out of 10 times. And if I do see them I wonder for a second why they're staring and then move on. Or raise an eyebrow at them or just smirk/smile, most of the times that's enough to make them feel caught and make them look away.

And in some rare cases, I just stare back..

 

[MulletProof]

^^ that's so creepy.

I agree earphones + sunglasses are the way to go. And one can stare too and no one will notice.

So funny this thread is revived because a few weeks ago, I was on a red light, about to cross a street, and there was an old-ish couple with kids in a car doing the red light too, the man looks at me and immediately cracks up, and then says something to the woman and she moved all the way to the front to look at me and starts laughing, and then the kids were all in the window trying to see.. they were having so much fun even I couldn't help smiling. I figured my skirt must've gotten stuck from one side (as in stuck in my underwear ), but I have pride so I was not going to check it, I crossed the street, saw my reflection in a building and.. nothing, just my regular old self, I met up with a friend and asked him if I looked funny, as in dressed funny or proportion funny (head too big vs. small body or tiny head vs. huge body, I have an obsession with that ) and he's like 'funny how? no, why?', and I told him there was a family cracking up at me (as in the man couldn't even breath!), he said they were probably laughing at something behind me, which is so not the case..

Anyway, it was odd, but funny nonetheless.. I guess like adorefaith said, people have like a hundred reasons to stare. Glad one can provide free entertainment with no effort.

 

[softgrey]

MP-
one of these days you have GOT to post a pic of what you are wearing!!!...
i cannot even imagine what made those people go that wild over your look...

...

have i ever told you guys the vampire story?...
...

that's a good one...i'll have to post about it one of these days...

 

[MulletProof]

It's crazy how I've never posted a picture here (or anywhere!), I doubt I ever will though! it's too late/crowded.

I was wearing the most random thing that day, it was super hot outside and just grabbed a black tee tucked it in a gray A-line skirt, black bag.. hot pink sandals. Sure it was not an impeccable combination but the family looked quite.. rural, certainly not the Roitfelds , so I don't know.. I also thought it could've been something along the lines of 'that's how your niece will look like in a few years'.. family joke, you know, hence the comfort of laughing at someone's face .. I can only guess, forever a mystery!.

 

[models_vlada]

people have like a hundred reasons to stare. Glad one can provide free entertainment with no effort.

Wish i could see it that way, but that's a funny way to put an awkward situation for anyone into a joke with no matter. If i had been you, i would've totally freak out. ahahaha

Softgrey, the story of the gape was extremely funny, you share me a laugh.

 

[William_St_Girl]

I simply just dont give a sh!t!!! Stare it they like... I do enough staring at people back!

 

[MissKateCherie]

I have these bright orange Lacoste sneakers and whenever I 'm wearing them people will automatically turn their heads and just stare at my shoes! They usually seem pretty surprised that someone is wearing shoes like that. I even noticed that some of my friends just stare at my shoes while we're talking! But, whatever...everytime someone stares at my sneakers -stranger or friend- I'm just thinking that they would never have the guts to wear orange shoes and they know nothing about style and fashion.

 

[Vega Magnus]

The only time people stare at me is when I'm wearing these:

I pretend not to notice, but I kind of enjoy it. Other than the gaudy shoes though, there isn't really any reason for someone to stare at me unless they think I'm attractive. I dress in either a grey or black t-shirt and jeans all the time, (I mean it. I don't wear anything else.) so it certainly isn't my clothing that stands out.

 

[Petit Lucille]

To have people stare at my shoes, is the only bareable staring. At least you know what they are looking at. And the possibilities aren't as many: either they like it or not, or they could be intrigued. My icky feeling comes when they stare at my face, or when they look all over but don't stop. Can't just a quick look be enough? Don't they realise they are making you uncomfortable? Or they do and enjoy it??

 

[gimmethatbag]

In my native city, Portland, it's hard to get stared at because people walk around with gauges, brightly colored Mohawks, men dressed as women....it's hard to get noticed there. But in high school people stared at me quite a bit and I loved it. I feel like I've been successful when people stare at me unless they give me dirty looks. Yesterday a bunch of girls were giving me dirty looks because my top was a little skanky, but they were looking at me like I was walking around in bondage gear. So I stopped back in between classes and changed. And then I got compliments and looks on that outfit all day, so it worked out well. It was way cuter anyway. Worked out for the best.

 

[softgrey]

I thought I'd gotten expert at ignoring the stares I've gotten all my life, but my new neighborhood has proven me wrong. I'm not stared at, but gaped at daily like there's no tomorrow. Heads turning en masse and mouths literally hanging open. It's so distressing that I never enter restaurants and cafes in this area anymore, or even stand in line at delis.

Fortunately, a Brazilian male model/designer also living in the area found and befriended me and now we feel a lot better. He had felt the same; two eccentrics is better than one.

But I'm sooo moving out.

melisande...
you are beautiful and have great style...
maybe that is all they were staring at...>>>

anyway- i hope you are in a much better place now!...

 

[YoninahAliza]

Well, seeing as I live in between rural and suburbia, I sometimes get people looking at me. Not a ton mind you because my style isn't crazy eccentric but whenever I do wear a piece that's a little bit more "out there" you bet people stare! It's like their mothers never taught them manners!
But I suppose we wear fashion so people will notice us. Even if we say we don't, we totally do. Although, that doesn't make me feel any less self-concious when people stare. Mainly the only times I really notice it is when I'm wearing something new or something I haven't worn a lot. Like earlier this summer I bought a pair of heart shaped sunnies (which wouldn't be a big deal if I was in a city or whatever) but the first time I wore them I felt like all eyes were on me. And I won't lie, I did catch a few people do a once over. But after wearing the sunnies for a few days I stopped caring or noticing people giving me looks. Now I can't imagine not wearing these sunnies because they are my absolute favorite! So sometimes the looks that we are judged most critically for become our staples and favorite pieces.
Also, I found that at my old college people often stared at my outfits, especially if they were dresses! Granted it was a techie school... but still... it was like they had never seen a girl in a dress before! I always took care to dress nicely, not over the top mind you, but I probably just stood out because everyone else was in sweats and t-shirts. I didn't really mind anyways people began to know me as the girl who was always dressed "fancy" or wearing scarves! Quite proud of that I suppose!

 

[ediewho]

my reaction can go from being totally cheeky to totally awkward

 

[Petit Lucille]

But I suppose we wear fashion so people will notice us. Even if we say we don't, we totally do.

That's not for ALL of us. Not everyone is the same, the human mind is not math, it varies with PERSONALITY.
Socially there's a concept everybody likes to hold on to, and that is the reason behind dressing as you do. Some say they dress for their love interests, or for other people. Some of us just dress to be comfortable, "for ourselves" and I mean being comfortable with oneself. If I am to dress so that others accept me as one of them and get less stares, then I would not be truthful to myself, and therefore be incredibly uncomfortable.
I hate being stared at in every circumstance, I am not looking to be stared when I wear a loud colour, but to dress as I like and please.
There are people that dresses taking into consideration what others wear and think, but that's not the case of everyone, certainly not mine.

 

[The_Ida]

People stare a lot when I wear glasses. Probably because I look awesome.

 

[ChrissyM]

I have conflicted feelings about being stared at...

on the one hand, i'd rather draw some eyes than never be looked at at all

but, the reaction to the staring varies greatly depending on whose looking and how obvious it is

i remember an "incident" where i was wearing a cute little dress this summer that admittedly came from the juniors section (it had a whimsical print - cream background with grey birds perched on branches, some of which had on little glasses and top-hats - cuter than it sounds i promise)
so the dress was a little on the short side - and i'm 5' 5" so i'm not super tall or anything, but still i was conscious that the dress was shorter than what i usually would go for.

i saw multiple people staring (maybe not staring but at least looking) as i walked to a restaurant to meet up with friends but it was the exaggerated reactions that bothered me. one guy called out to tell me that i looked great in the dress which i laughed off, but then another guy honked his horn as he drove alongside me and stared. THAT was what really creeped me out.
especially since i had to pass him again once or twice since traffic was stop and go when he got caught at a light and i then had to cross the street

that was one of those thank god for my sunglasses moments but you can't really fully ignore someone after they've honked at you and you distractedly acknowledged that they exist

did he think i was just going to take a look at him and hop in the car??

that was definitely my most recent uncomfortable stare moment. i don't think i looked like a prostitute by any means but the guy in the car sort of made me feel like it.

and of course my friends (who i trust to be honest) told me there was nothing wrong with the dress when i told them what happened on my way to meet them

 

[Lanbim Cord]

*do you hope to get stared at..?
well,it depends on the people.i hope i get stared by my friends.

*do you love the attention..??
not really

*do you think that everyone who is looking at you probably thinks you're 'hot'...or 'cool' or whatever?
i guess it depends on the people's reaction.if i see a nice smile,or waving i think so.but sometimes i just got those 'wtf are you wearing' looks ,which pisses me off!

*do you strut down the street acting like it's a runway?
naah,not my style.

*do you look people in the eye andd check out what they are wearing to?
sometimes.i'm quite a shy person so i don't really look in people's eyes,which makes them think i'm probably lying(during a conversation),but i just usually check their outfit out in "secret". like if i'm wearing sunglasses and i know they can't see my eyes.

*do you just strut and ignore everyone because it's all about YOU?
i always try to do that,but it never works.i got so uncomfortable.

*do you hate people looking at you?
only,if it's the 'wtf-looks'

*do you wish you could just be invisible?
sometimes.

*do you love checking out other people but wish no one would look at you?
yeah!

*do you rush quickly from destination to destination to escape those prying eyes of strangers?
funny question.i usually take those streets which are not really full of people.so i guess yes.

*do you feel self-conscious-unsure of why people are staring?
yep!

*does it make you mad-*you lookin' at me...?...
no,it doesn't make me feel mad,i just don't know what's the purpose of their looking.if i can feel that they like me / my outfit i actually enjoy it.

*does it annoy you...*what?..what are you staring at?
yup,i wish i could read their mind!it'd be so much easier =)


btw,great thread softgrey congratulations!

 

[blackkohl]

do you hope to get stared at..?
No. And if I'm going to get stared at, I sincerely hope that my clothes, not me, are being stared at... if that makes sense?

do you love the attention..??
No. I like getting compliments and admiring glances because of my clothes but being looked at by other people, sometimes even by my nearest and dearest, makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm terribly self-conscious and crippled by my insecurities.

do you think that everyone who is looking at you probably thinks you're 'hot'...or 'cool' or whatever?
No way! They're probably thinking how bad I look!

do you strut down the street acting like it's a runway?
No, that's not my style.

do you look people in the eye andd check out what they are wearing to?
Sometimes, yes.

do you just strut and ignore everyone because it's all about YOU?
No. I'm not stupid.

do you hate people looking at you?
Yes.

do you wish you could just be invisible?
Definitely. Though I do like dressing up to impress people and show my style off...

do you love checking out other people but wish no one would look at you?
YES

do you rush quickly from destination to destination to escape those prying eyes of strangers?
Not really...

do you feel self-conscious-unsure of why people are staring?
Yes. I always think that they're staring for the worst reasons. I never consider the fact that they might just think I'm attractive/well-dressed, but there you go.

does it make you mad-*you lookin' at me...?...
If I'm being stared at for a long time.

does it annoy you...*what?..what are you staring at?
Ditto the above

 

[Vladita]

I feel flirty! Hahaha!

 

[softgrey]

thx dsoma...
so glad you did it like a quiz with the original questions...
you too blackkohl...

i love this thread and reading all the different reactions that people have...

so many different personalities!!!...

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