Friday, May 1, 2009

The Elegance of Sockettes


I'm just dying to mention Susan Boyle. But I'm Almost, but Not Quite too scared to because I might say something that someone might reprimand me for & I'm particularly Thin Skinned.

I hadn't heard of Susan until MBF Marge mentioned her, urging me to watch her singing performance on uTube  in front of Nasty Judges  Simon Cowell & a Token Blonde Stick Insect, & some other Smarmy 44 year old Male. 
Like many others, I nearly choked when I saw her. It's not that I'm not used to seeing people with grey hair & muppet eyebrows. I mingle with them all day. But I'm not used to seeing them on TV. See, I'm just as Shallow & Brainwashed as everyone else. 
Apart from having to endure endless closeups of Simon's changing facial expressions that went from eye-rolling to ecstatic like he'd just seen a Miracle Unfolding, I found the whole thing rather exciting. You see, when I was twelve, I became obsessed with Barbra Streisand in 'Funny Girl'. I got the Soundtrack for Christmas & spent literally Years & Years of my life on the floor of my bedroom playing it on my Stereogram. Or maybe I just called it a Record Player. My favourite part was when as the Ugly & Rejected Fanny Brice, Barbra came out on stage in an empty theatre & belted out 'I'm The Greatest Star'. I'm not ashamed to admit that I still know all the words. 
'I'm the Greatest Star, I am by Far, but No one knows it'. 
So I see Susan as kind of like Barbra. Or Fanny. 
Which of course, brings it all Back to Me. If you look closely at my feet in the photo you May Notice that I'm wearing Sockettes. And they're Not Matching. I know in the US they're called another name which sounds nothing like what they are. Something like Lupins or Toddies . Obviously, sockettes are a far more Sensible & Appropriate Name. Anyway, I'm wearing them. Nasty colleagues have made disparaging comments about them. Peter, the owner of 'Zinc', my local cafe, sniffed at them this morning. But I absolutely love wearing them. They protect my poor little feet which incidentally were v. cold this morning. I had to have them that way because the shoes which are genuine vintage probably from the late sixties from 'Saks Fifth Avenue' bought at the Salvation Army for four bucks, are so narrow that I can't wear them when my feet are hot & puffed up. I can only wear them when my feet are cold.
Anyway, I'm sure Susan would wear sockettes & wouldn't worry either.

3 comments:

rabespierre said...

i am a huge fan of sockettes --i even think they look nice. i call them 'footies' but sometimes the especially small, meant not to be seen (how?) ones are called 'peds' or 'steps' --weird.
anyway i love those shoes! and i am still reading your blog and following your flickr though as i now have to finish my dissertation by june 10th, i'm not really commenting on anything. oh, except for now!
xx hilary

Della Street Dreaming said...

Oh Hilary - it is so nice to hear from you. thank you so much!
I was wondering about your dissertation & when it was due.

janavi said...

We call them peds here. I have worked at Fashion Shows where they used them, and the were very obvious, and meant to be so.
As far as Susan, I just hope they don't go too far with the makeover.