There are days when you are in a clog-wearing kind of mood, when you know that a nice pair of clogs, will be the cherry on top of what you have in mind to wear. When I open my closet in the morning, I like to think to myself, “Ok, what kind of woman do I want to be today?” From Beyonce fierce to Carly Rae Jepson sweet as candy kind of thing, it’s totally up to you. What you wear is a reflection of the type of person you are, or at least the type of person you are trying to create. Are you the crumpled shirt wearing I just got out of bed, but I don’t care what anyone thinks because I just had a big night dude or the more proper Ralph Lauren wearing ironed tucked in button-up shirt guy that you would see in a typical episode of Gossip Girl? For the ladies, perhaps you like classic vintage knee-length pleated floral dresses and neutral-toned A-line skirts? Or are you more of what I like to call a quirky hipster gal who feels herself when wearing more modern designs and prints like those made by Marrimekko or Gorman? The list goes on, but the point is, what you choose to wear is a form of self-expression.
Clogs, whether they be simple flat clogs, high-fashion clogs, or clog boots, offer an alternative to heals. Most importantly, they are equally just as stylish as heals, without the pain and limping we suffer as women when wanting to look nicely put together. Clogs are versatile in the sense that they add oomph to an outfit that is either casual, smart casual, semi-formal or formal, making them a versatile statement piece for the modern woman. Back in the days, clogs (klompen) were often worn in heavy labour as safety shoes. Traditionally, skilled artisans hand-crafted these clogs to withstand sharp and heavy objects and concentrated acids. But because we live in the 21st Century, I would suggest that if you’re out clubbing on a Saturday and you want to unleash your moves like Jagger, you could try hot clogging or tapping (which looks a little like this – watch this Youtube vid. This girl can move! Someone please teach me). Traditional clogging is a type of folk dance, originating from the Netherlands. The party pooper (i.e. the dancer) wears clogs and strikes their heels, toes, or both against each other or a hard floor to create audible percussive rhythms to flow with the music. Be a rebel, and start a dance trend.
It was two weeks ago on a Tuesday, when I wore clogs, along with a splashed white lace dress, a mocha leather backpack and pretty pink beads with a cute little yellow parrot. It was the night I did my very first open mic poetry reading. I’ve always written since I was a kid, from journals with messy primary school handwriting to letters that were never given to those that they were intended for, but are still kept in a small box. Sometimes you just need to let it all out. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Once in a while, it’s important to put yourself out there, be adventurous, and try new things. Challenge yourself, for that’s when you truly learn about yourself as a person – your strengths and your weaknesses; your loves and your hates. So there I sat in a bookstore named Sappho, waiting for my 2 minutes on stage. Sappho Books & Cafe is a cosy little second-hand bookstore on Glebe Point Road, with a plethora of different book categories, ranging from Romance to Murder and Crime; to English Literature and Foreign Language. If you’ve got a pile of unwanted books accumulating dust on your bookshelf at home, then do know that Sappho not only sells books, but also buys them. If you look hard enough, rare finds such as out of print books are lingering Sappho. For example, I picked up a vintage softcover paperback about Vogue written in French. Where in Sydney would you find something like that? I thought it was pretty cool, despite being unable to read it with my limited French. Bonjour; je m’apelle Donna; merci; au revoir. That’s my entire French encyclopaedia for you. Sappho has two levels overflowing with books, and a relaxed courtyard with real plants, featuring interesting street art and a generation of graffiti – a mark of its former life as a youth centre.
I didn’t really prepare for my little get-up, I sort of just printed out the closest poem to my heart – the one with lots of soul and meaning, and told myself YOLO! The scariest part was when the host announced, “In no particular order, I’ll call your name, and up you come.” I went up second, gave a little cute intro, and background to the speech, read the damn thing, and thanked the audience. It was nice to have like-minded people listen to you, and appreciate your words. I even had my first fan boy come up to me after, and tell me my poem was great. I was immensely flattered. It put a smile on my face, what can I say? I guess I’m officially a poet now.
If you write a little poetry yourself and would like to share what you have to say, Poetry Nights at Sappho are held every second Tuesday of each month (7pm-9.30pm). You get 2 minutes, which is usually enough for 1 poem. Spots fill up fast, so get in early and get your name on that sign up sheet. The open mic section happens at the very end (around 9ish when I went). If you don’t think you have the courage to do public speaking, just do it. Chances are there will be one person who’ll be more nervous than you, with hands that shake like they’ve been possessed. There was a warm, energetic vibe in the air, and I assure you, you won’t be thrown tomatoes at, for the crowd seemed supportive and eager to listen to you with a good amount of enthusiasm. So go get ’em tiger!
Yours truly,
from a 22-year-old girl who says, “It’s the things that challenge you in life, that allow you to see the potential you have hidden within”.
Quirky Diaries 