does anyone wear a set item?...Frank Skinner once said he spent about an hour making it look like he,d spent 5 minutes to get ready!
Ian McMillan has the hawaian shirt ...Cooper Clarke the shades etc...
do people spend much time thinking about this side of things?
...Does it matter at all ?or do you think it makes a subliminal difference ?

"I am who I am."

Popeye the Sailor Man, date unknown.


'Nuff Said!

I think you'll find Jesus said that before Popeye..

Popeye said "I YAM I YAM WAT I YAM"

Jesus said "אהיה אשר אהיה" - Hebrew..

;)

I'm not sure if I'm really interpreting the question correctly but my mum always says 'Red shoes, no knickers...' so I guess you'd have to consider what message you were putting out before getting on stage - also the length of your hem and the height of the stage - other than that - I guess there can be no rules - whatever you feel comfortable in, I would have thought.

I made a bit of an effort to dress up snazzily for poetry in Wigan last night but the trouble is I got it all wrong. A bold burgundy and cream polka dot shirt (more of a blouse, really), and silly lapel badges on a hideous geography teacher cordoruy jacket.Altogether, not a great look on a middle aged fat guy! Plus, I wasn't in a very good mood either. Feel free to disagree with me!!

woops - can't seem to delete this

Sorry Steve - I didn't notice what you were wearing - by and large i don't unless someone has made a hideous mistake or is dressed in a very odd fashion. I didn't notice you being in a bad mood either - you must just have exposed your own table to it. Loved your poetry though and that's what it is all about - isn't it? Who really gives a monkey what anyone wears?

Oh good, I was trying hard not to let my rather subdued mood show. I'm over it now, anyway, after a pleasant day spent in Birkenhead and having a nice lunch out in Oxton Village.

Can't wait for you to come over to the Bards in New Brighton, Isobel, and bring your lovely sisters with you and all!

So that's what you and Ian were doing skulking about, accosting bookstores!

I look forward to swearing profusely at the next Bards Steve! Glad to hear you are feeling back on form. We all seem to be wandering a bit off task. What was the question? Oh yes - how a man should dress....Any more takers or are we done?

Surely we should dress for the task at hand and wear earthy,tactile clothes that are a little eccentric so that we stand out as people who apply our brains to deeper consideration than the average person.

We should look a little bedraggled or a little too flamboyant to show we haven't conformed to society's expectations of how we should dress.

If all else fails,just wear what feels comfortable.Lol!

Has this discussion run out of steam now?My comments were tongue in cheek by the way!

I generally wear what I would normally....black jeans/decent trousers and a decent shirt. However, there is one obvious sign of abnormality and it is the extremely long hair. Although after someone saying I look like a yuppie from 1986, I'm not quite sure it is that abnormal?!

i knew a guy in sheffield called simom eggleston who dressed entirely in green ...got him noticed and people would say..oh the green guy...this was in the 80s..sometimes its good to have a "look"

I wear whatever i feel most comfortable in to any event, performing or not.
I do think it's good to have a mode of dress for poets who perform on a professional basis though. It can enhance their style and where a poet has two or more ''characters'' an audience can differentiate between the kind of poetry they can expect based on how that poet is dressed. That is assuming the poet takes on a different persona for a different style.eg., one look for rants, another for romance/ serious stuff.
When someone has so much talent they can become someone else for their performance, the organizers of events can ask for the persona they prefer. It can open up a whole new world for a performer. That for me is what poetry performance is about and something i will probably never achieve to a high level but that doesn't mean i'll stop attending and reading my stuff when and where i feel like it.

Janet, isn't that a bit like dumbing down though?

I mean surely it distracts from the work itself.

Hi Martin,
i don't think it does detract from the work when done well.
It's only similar to the many comedians who have/had catch phrases and/or a particular mode of dress.
The beauty of poets in performance is the vast range of styles available to them, poetry and dress.
I'm sure there must be some venues where there might be a watershed for bad language. A true professional performance poet should have enough material to give a great performance and dress up accordingly for a twenty minute slot.
Heck, there might even be an opening for a poet like this for warm up purposes in a theatre before a pantomime or play.
I would hope if they don't have an image of their own they would at least make the effort to dress in something which enhances their general appearance. But hey, of course this is only my own opinion. Some poets like to perform a range of different poetry to show off their talent in a performance slot which negates the need for an image.

How about at the next 'Tudor' night, we all perform in the nude? I can hear it now...

"You know the one - the guy with the ridiculously lop-sided testicle thingies...?

"Oh her - yeah, she was good".

I'm all for naked poetry. It's the future.

Maybe,Darren, we could launch the nude poetry scene by doing a "Calendar Girls" style calendar,with photos taken of brave poets performing live with only their actual poem to cover their modesty?!...and if they're reading without a piece of paper,perhaps the microphone could be strategically placed?

Take it a step further maybe? How about having the poem written on your body - permanent or preferably temporary tattoos? From "The Illustrated Man" to "The Annotated Man." Reminds me of the story of the U.S Marine in hospital after an accident, and the two nurses . . . but I won't go there. Appropriate piercings might be needed for those who use Braille. Poetry? My a**e!

Regards,
A.E.

Love your thought processes Anthony - I think I'd have to put my own eyes out...Not so sure I could handle being the poet though. Who would have thought we could have wrung so much out of a relatively simple question? The idea of dressing in green was not unique in the 80's. Does anyone remember the Green Goddess otherwise known as Diana Geneen, a low impact aerobics instructor on breakfast T.V.? I guess having an image might seem like a good idea to start with and it worked for Harry Hill with his big collars - I see it more as a comedian, gimmicky thing though - don't see it really fits in with poetry - poetry is much more about being yourself.

Last night at the Tudor, Isobel wore tight black and red check pants and the highest pair of black high heels she could lay her hands on - in fact, the kind of clothes she should have worn in her younger youth - stuff purple, that girl is going down with a fight.

Tabatha wore a fur coat (sounds like the title of a good poem),which Pete knicked and wore for most of the night. Pete also wore a leapord print skirt, fish net tights and towards the end of the evening, a scowl - maybe he didn't look long enough upon Isobel's pants - Frank found them funny enough!

Darren wore a soft leather jacket and a pair of sunglasses on his head. Julian wore something nondescript - he's got so used to wearing nothing, clothes don't feature for him, maybe. Paul wore a Superman T shirt, which he hid underneath a jacket - very Clarke Kent. John Togher wore a white shirt and a long coat - or do I just remember that from a previous night? Dermot wore a shirt and tie with a jumper over it. Baz wore a T shirt and a plaid shirt over it. Everyone else wore grey - but it didn't affect their poetry which was brilliant.
Conclusion - clothes maketh not the man or woman - poetry does.

Isobel x

Hey there just a minute Izo with the super dooper legs right up to her armpits... I NOTICED... had to lie down for a while...

like I really wasted my time ...no mention of my gold leotard and sparkly panties... was I invisable... even played footsie with you ...to no avail... and I had painted my toes...

Everyone else was in grey!!!!!! I am devastated.. the swan song of a la mode...ahh well... back to Burtons.


Gus xx

Hi Isobel

I was a fan of your punk pants.

My scowel was to do with the alcohol and ibuprofen and the fact that someone lost most of the money I had, spent what was there without me knowing, annoyed the taxi driver by keeping him waiting, and various other problems that are plaguing me at moment

I tried to hide it but gave up
I am doing too much at the moment

clothes help you get into the zone, which in turn helps the poetry.

Hi Peter

Can't say as I noticed a long face Pete??? ...u were ok ...poetry was so brill I nearly kissed ya... and helping you 'out' in the loo was ...well was different but fun...

Should have said ...re taxi ...would have run ya home...

Keep mendin
Gus

Her pins are 2 tartan titans
black red check
Commanding power to the heavens
as she stood there
we gawped in appreciation
at legs eleven high heel heck
drainpipes not draped
but taught
who am I to look
where am I
why am I caught out
what am I-
but a drive by voyeur
seems to go on forever
like her legs.
I beg forgiveness from myself
for not doing more
with conversation possibilities
nothing pours out
but many thoughts rally
and the quite voices politely ask
if they can shout
seems they wish to escape the prison
of silent, internal dialogue.
They never do though
and I just stand there
almost awkward.

Gus
I didnt know that
It would have helped immense if you could have run me home.
I'm always struggling to get a lift.
I do like a few drinks to help me open up spiritually (no pun)

that said
Im suffering huge confidence crisis at moment and with the leg problem it triggered a mini bout of depression, also someone let me down last night.

RE clothes

I like to feel new, like to dress, it helps with the spirit again, which helps you read.

Skirts are very liberating - theres lots of psychology on clothes / state of mind.

I noticed that you also vary your styles and have noted that recenlty the 'rugged' look suits, a number of ladies have commented on the 'Gus' effect, rugged suave combo mash up
smashin
and thanks for your kind words as ever

Gus/Pete
I would love to have been a fly on the wall, or a fly on a fly, in the gents toilets last night - it sounded interesting - lots of gold panties and nail polish no doubt.
Thanks for your lovely comments about my doubtful pants - my legs don't go on for miles - just the illusion high heels give - that and a few pints of beer! Didn't notice you playing footsie Gus - my feet must be numb. So lovely to meet Ros - and Gus, you are never grey!
In a bad mood? No never, Pete! LOL - You should see me do a bad mood - I do it in style - normally when I'm obliged to do some housework though - or get some lazy lump of a teenager out of pyjamas.
I thought the quality of poetry last night was awesome - my only criticism - the amount of it - there was so much, it left little time to chat. I do hope to meet you before the next Tudor and set that to rights.
Isobel xx

ps Thanks for the poem Pete - I love it. 'Commanding Power to the Heavens' - I would wouldn't I?

Darren
I'll do it naked when I grow a bigger willy
PS Noticed the pants Izz
Just didn't like to say
Also... I can't believe you noticed what we were wearing.
Julian
Why does my picture in galleries appear to be in black and white?
I'm pink...like girls bottoms

Gus was totally on form at Jefferama's Busking for Beer night at in Bolton. Sporting Crimson trousers, white top, black dinner jacket and black patent shoes, there was no missing him tonight, or his brilliant poetry. I so wish I had an accent like that - you can get away with all kinds of filth and no one bats an eyelash.
Isobel was all brown and beige - we are out of step again Gus - should have worn my cheque pants and we could have danced a tango...
A great night - though I should probably be posting this on another discussion thread...