I just want to wear normal clothes

[FossaFerox]

People always think I'm an under cover cop.

I just don't get it!

Do you know what under cover means? At best you look like an off-duty cop. At worst you look like a cop who's uniform shirt got dirty so he had to wear his civvies on patrol.

[Eric]

Do you know what under cover means? At best you look like an off-duty cop. At worst you look like a cop who's uniform shirt got dirty so he had to wear his civvies on patrol.

You have obviously never been in a camp when someone who looks like jneilvindy walks in. I've heard plenty of people assume anyone who looks the least bit "military" or "cop" (whatever fits that stereotype in their head) is "undercover", even though they blatantly look like "a cop".

Do not give too much credit to the intelligence of the human race. No matter how many times people on this board warn newbies that the undercovers "have been going longer than you, have better costumes than you, and have a better art-car than you", people still assume they can spot them. If they were that easy to spot, no police department would use them.

[AntiM]

In high school, white socks meant narc. Ah, the 70s, what a time.

[jneilvindy]

What's really ironic about that pic of me is that I took it while sitting outside in my car waiting for the husband who was a parole officer and US marshall to come out from his office and meet me for lunch

Me I'm just a social worker who gives away people's hard-earned tax dollars!

[graywolfLover]

I attended in 2014. Yes, you can wear "normal" clothes, in my case that meant khaki or other shorts, t shirt, hiking boots, but you risk looking like a "tourist". By tourist, I mean someone who attends to watch or observe but in no way participates. In theory, burning man is meant to be "inclusive", but in reality it is if you dress like a flamboyant homosexual going to a mardi gras party -- if you are a guy, or a colorful prostitute if you are a woman. Most attending are not gay, it's probably about the same sexual preference as in SF, and most of the woman are not there to sell themselves -- it's just a look. The so called sparkle ponies are women who look like they stepped out of a yoga commercial and glue themselves with glitter and feathers. They are there to show the world how hot they are. The men appear to have walked from the pages of a fitness ad as well, super lean and ripped; they also walk around showing off their bodies and how they spent the last ten months of their lives in a gym. If you are 25-35 and super fit and enjoy showing off your body in fun, colorful, expressive clothing and decoration, then burning man is certainly inclusive. I'm not sure how well a 55 year old fits in, or a 65 year old. Or someone who is hopelessly out of shape. I'm not sure you will feel included if you are in that category.

The same sort of cliques that existed in high school exist here -- only the members have changed -- the concept of inclusion/exclusion has not.

In 2014 there were RVs that would form a circle and exclude anyone without a wrist band. These are the tech rich, Elon Musk types -- who drop molly and observe like a tourist watching goldfish in a bowl and then head back to their private VIP areas. I don't have an issue with RVs, but that year they were used often for private, non-inclusive events.

One concept behind burning man is gifting. Lots of "free" booze and what not handed out at the theme camps and villages. After my friends got their camping mugs filled I asked for some as well and the guy bartending there said "It's really great all the free stuff they give you here isn't it"? He said it in an extremely snarky, almost menacing way. This is the camp that looks like a big fortress and is there every year. Believe me, I didn't go for the cheap vodka/koolaid mix he was "gifting". I smiled and was friendly, but I think my tourist outfit sent him through a non-inclusive loop. I think I should have been wearing the black leather garb he was wearing.

If you don't mind not "fitting in" and are over 40 -- go -- it's a lot of fun despite the smug pricks, and there are a ton of really cool people. If you don't feel comfortable letting yourself get a bit more free with your clothing and want to observe burning man, I'd stay home. I think one should participate, whether that means wearing gold lame shorts or bringing watermelon to gift out or just lending a hand to someone who needs it... It's a lot more fun if you participate and you will have more fun if you play dress up as well.

[AntiM]

I'm 59, lumpy and lame, and I fit in just fine, thanks.

[lucky420]

The population is so diverse, I'm sorry you felt left out at times. Perhaps you're hanging at the wrong bar? There are people at BRC who are straight up assholes just as in the real world. If you can't thing of a witty retort, "fuck off" or more BM like, "fuck yer day" always works.

Brush it off and continue on

By the way, I'm no spring chicken, not a tight body but I know I'm really good at what I do

[Savannah]

I have actually received many compliments for wearing extremely flowing but relatively modest clothes out there. This was already my nature, but I now enjoy it so much that I am additionally emboldened to just be my goofy, non-naked self.

I would encourage anyone who doesn't want to be naked to be drapey, dramatic or eccentric and whatever you feel is You, and pile on the (well-made, non-shedding, non-moopy) accessories, if desired. My advice to both genders: wear whatever makes you feel beautiful or powerful. You don't have to be naked, fashionable or leather-clad. If you don't know what your comfort zone is: experiment. Bring comfortable stuff and a few things that scare you. If you want, visit the costume camps. If you don't want to be flashy, be comfortable. Revel in your moisturized feet and protected skin, and take Lucky420's advice: tell an idiot "Fuck yer day!" . . . It's tradition.

The rare people who openly pick apart others' clothes are idiots: they have no consciousness of the fact that half the volunteers in the city are--at any given time--wearing khaki, t-shirts, hoodies, boonie hats and practical footwear. The accessories: radios.

Your attitude, spirit, moxie and originality are a huge part of what makes others gravitate towards you. I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't care for the adoration of anyone too fluffy and stupid to think I might have hidden depths. RILLY DON'T CARE.

If you don't feel cool enough for bars, bring a few bottles and serve drinks to the 21+. Then you don't have to be cool enough to go with your hat in your hand to someone else's bar. You are instead in control of your experience: the shot-caller & the gifter.

[Simon of the Playa]

i wear the same exact clothing as i do in defaultia.

and i use my real name.

fuck anyone who has a problem with that.

wear what you wanna wear.

[DerbyDave 18]

If you are 25-35 and super fit and enjoy showing off your body in fun, colorful, expressive clothing and decoration, then burning man is certainly inclusive. I'm not sure how well a 55 year old fits in, or a 65 year old. Or someone who is hopelessly out of shape. I'm not sure you will feel included if you are in that category.

I think that statement is kind of short sighted and absolutely not true. I went last year for my first time at age 61 and I felt right at home and accepted by everyone. I wasn't ignored or shunned and I didn't feel like I was excluded from anything. I got the same hellos and hugs and I was included in things same as everyone else.

[Skuzzy61]

If you are 25-35 and super fit and enjoy showing off your body in fun, colorful, expressive clothing and decoration, then burning man is certainly inclusive. I'm not sure how well a 55 year old fits in, or a 65 year old. Or someone who is hopelessly out of shape. I'm not sure you will feel included if you are in that category.

I think that statement is kind of short sighted and absolutely not true. I went last year for my first time at age 61 and I felt right at home and accepted by everyone. I wasn't ignored or shunned and I didn't feel like I was excluded from anything. I got the same hellos and hugs and I was included in things same as everyone else.

I was taken aback a bit by the age referencing 55 as too old to be there. This will be our first BM (I have to giggle every time I use the acronym) and I will be 62 before we get there.

Good to hear us "old" people are still treated like people by some people. I do realize there is a cadre of young people who detest older people and want nothing to do with them. I have always hoped they were the exceptions and not the rule.

Isn't there something called "radical acceptance" or did I dream that?

[Aurelia]

This is our own "Theory of Relativity "

Good grief
Act your STYLE of LIVINg

that is your age

xoA.

[Elderberry]

67 and I'm not close to the oldest. (Well maybe in our camp.)

[trilobyte]

The experience is what you make of it.

If you come into the city feeling like you're the wrong shape, the wrong age, the wrong size, or the wrong anything else.... that's your baggage. Burning Man won't magically eradicate any of the hangups or self-image issues you have. It can be a great place for you to set that stuff aside or work on those things, and from my experience it's a far more accepting and less judgmental environment to do it in. I was going to say it was like a sandbox, but perhaps dustbox is the better description

[Dr. Pyro]

It can be a great place for you to set that stuff aside or work on those things

I guess that's true. But if you are yearning to be made fun of, feel free to drop by Barbie Death Camp.

[Captain Goddammit]

I can't believe some of the stuff I've just read. There's room for everyone out there, and a lot of the really big, really cool stuff is made to happen by the "old" people, including most of the event ownership and management. I would go as far as to say if this year absolutely no one 50 or older had anything to do with Burning Man, the event wouldn't even happen.
If you feel like you can't hang with the younger burners, then hang with older ones.

[FIGJAM]

lu160221.jpg

[BBadger]

I remember when a friend brought her 75-80 year old father to our camp at BRC all the way from Austria, where they live. After they arrived, we all went out to go biking during the day to see some of the sights. Once we hit the open playa the old-er man took off. He was upright on his pedals, not even sitting down, going back and forth in sweeping arcs across the open surface with a big smile on his face. It was just magical watching that show, and everyone was laughing from surprise and elation.

Later that week we celebrated his birthday in camp: a life well lived.

My friend's dad wasn't (isn't?) old. He just lived a lot of years.

You know who's old? A person at any age moping about their age.

"What? I'm 25 now! I was so damn anxious to turn 21 so I could buy alcohol (myself), but why was I so anxious to get OLD?! I don't even go to college anymore, so I don't get to meet anyone 'young' anymore! Radio stations are even calling the music that was playing when I was born 'oldies'!"

"Oh no! I turned 32 yesterday and I'm so old and unaccomplished now! All my friends inundate my Facebook feed with pictures of their (ugly) babies instead of pointless selfies at the club! I even fart when I pee!! I might even have to think about owning a home or something adult!"

"Where the hell did my youth go!?! I'm 55, and though I can't even cash in my IRA without penalties for another four (and a half) years, this withered husk is so out of shape and I even feel tired at 10PM! I could exercise or start a hobby, but I'm already old so why bother?"

"Now I'm 65 and what the hell am I going to do with all this free time?! I used to look forward to weekends, but now every day is a weekend. I heard about this festival in the desert, but it's full of young people who won't like old self-conscious people like me. Though maybe I could go around naked with a long shirt on... hmm..."

Then you go to a place like BM and age ain't no thang. So don't mope around about your age. It's like being a shirtcocker about being naked.

[lucky420]

I remember when a friend brought her 75-80 year old father to our camp at BRC all the way from Austria, where they live. After they arrived, we all went out to go biking during the day to see some of the sights. Once we hit the open playa the old-er man took off. He was upright on his pedals, not even sitting down, going back and forth in sweeping arcs across the open surface with a big smile on his face. It was just magical watching that show, and everyone was laughing from surprise and elation.

Later that week we celebrated his birthday in camp: a life well lived.

My friend's dad wasn't (isn't?) old. He just lived a lot of years.

You know who's old? A person at any age moping about their age.

"What? I'm 25 now! I was so damn anxious to turn 21 so I could buy alcohol (myself), but why was I so anxious to get OLD?! I don't even go to college anymore, so I don't get to meet anyone 'young' anymore! Radio stations are even calling the music that was playing when I was born 'oldies'!"

"Oh no! I turned 32 yesterday and I'm so old and unaccomplished now! All my friends inundate my Facebook feed with pictures of their (ugly) babies instead of pointless selfies at the club! I even fart when I pee!! I might even have to think about owning a home or something adult!"

"Where the hell did my youth go!?! I'm 55, and though I can't even cash in my IRA without penalties for another four (and a half) years, this withered husk is so out of shape and I even feel tired at 10PM! I could exercise or start a hobby, but I'm already old so why bother?"

"Now I'm 65 and what the hell am I going to do with all this free time?! I used to look forward to weekends, but now every day is a weekend. I heard about this festival in the desert, but it's full of young people who won't like old self-conscious people like me. Though maybe I could go around naked with a long shirt on... hmm..."

Then you go to a place like BM and age ain't no thang. So don't mope around about your age. It's like being a shirtcocker about being naked.

Word

[Savannah]

I remember when a friend brought her 75-80 year old father to our camp at BRC all the way from Austria, where they live. After they arrived, we all went out to go biking during the day to see some of the sights. Once we hit the open playa the old-er man took off. He was upright on his pedals, not even sitting down, going back and forth in sweeping arcs across the open surface with a big smile on his face. It was just magical watching that show, and everyone was laughing from surprise and elation.

Later that week we celebrated his birthday in camp: a life well lived.

My friend's dad wasn't (isn't?) old. He just lived a lot of years.

You know who's old? A person at any age moping about their age.

"What? I'm 25 now! I was so damn anxious to turn 21 so I could buy alcohol (myself), but why was I so anxious to get OLD?! I don't even go to college anymore, so I don't get to meet anyone 'young' anymore! Radio stations are even calling the music that was playing when I was born 'oldies'!"

"Oh no! I turned 32 yesterday and I'm so old and unaccomplished now! All my friends inundate my Facebook feed with pictures of their (ugly) babies instead of pointless selfies at the club! I even fart when I pee!! I might even have to think about owning a home or something adult!"

"Where the hell did my youth go!?! I'm 55, and though I can't even cash in my IRA without penalties for another four (and a half) years, this withered husk is so out of shape and I even feel tired at 10PM! I could exercise or start a hobby, but I'm already old so why bother?"

"Now I'm 65 and what the hell am I going to do with all this free time?! I used to look forward to weekends, but now every day is a weekend. I heard about this festival in the desert, but it's full of young people who won't like old self-conscious people like me. Though maybe I could go around naked with a long shirt on... hmm..."

Then you go to a place like BM and age ain't no thang. So don't mope around about your age. It's like being a shirtcocker about being naked.

Word

What she said . . .

[Chowski]

One night in 2012, approximately 2:00 in the morning mid-week, I was out in BRC with friends somewhere around A or B and 9:30, and we stumbled across a good-looking, young couple; obvious tourists. Both in matching khakis, hiking boots, microfiber sweatshirts and headlamps, staring at their What Where When and arguing about where they should go next. Around them swirled the most insane party that has ever existed in human history. In literally any direction were experiences that one could never have anyplace else. Throbbing music, insane conversations, art to be climbed, open desert to explore - literally thousands of things and people and places to be had merely by walking up and joining in, and there they stood arguing about the guidebook.

I think of them every single year now, not just about what they were wearing, but about HOW WRONG they were doing it. Approaching the end of the week, and they were still in their Young Republican REI gear. Even if that is all they brought, surely someone gave them something more interesting to wear - unless of course, their week was spent not engaging. After a whole week, they were still trying to make "find the thing that was happening" happen rather than being a part of what was actually happening around them.

My very first burn, I met a man from St. Croix who came in wearing only his khakis, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt, and a cape made from a bedsheet someone gifted him, and we are still friends all these years later. He became an honorary member of our camp, painted us a beautiful portrait of our tower, and spent nearly every afternoon at our wine bar.

So I suppose the moral is, it doesn't matter the clothes you bring, or your age to some extent (Hell, I'm almost 45 and I meet the best people every year). What matters is being open to the experience. Going out on a limb. Wearing the same old thing and ignoring what is all around you is just a waste of time and money, and Burning Man is nothing if not expensive. Who knows, maybe some new friend can convince you to swap out the khakis for a tutu one day. And maybe you'll like it!

[Captain Goddammit]

That's a perfect Burning Man story, and ironic the positive value you got from their negative ways.
However, I don't think the outfit someone wears matters at all, whether "normal" or costume. It's all about what you do.
Some of the "burniest" people I know wear nothing but regular clothes. Me included

[Aurelia]

and I don't think there is a "Wrong "

They will go home with what they got !

I always do , don't you ?

xoA.

[DerbyDave 18]

As far as the whole..being too old for Burning Man..bullcrap goes, watch the video I believe is on this site, if not it's on youtube titled 'Charlie Goes to Burning Man'. It's a video an 81 year old virgin made and most of it is about how wonderful a time he had. His age didn't matter to anyone. It is my favorite video. I think it shows very well the heart of B.M.

[Savannah]

That's a perfect Burning Man story, and ironic the positive value you got from their negative ways.
However, I don't think the outfit someone wears matters at all, whether "normal" or costume. It's all about what you do.
Some of the "burniest" people I know wear nothing but regular clothes. Me included

Goddamned right!

As far as the whole..being too old for Burning Man..bullcrap goes, watch the video I believe is on this site, if not it's on youtube titled 'Charlie Goes to Burning Man'. It's a video an 81 year old virgin made and most of it is about how wonderful a time he had. His age didn't matter to anyone. It is my favorite video. I think it shows very well the heart of B.M.

I am excited to watch it tomorrow.

[DerbyDave 18]

As far as the whole..being too old for Burning Man..bullcrap goes, watch the video I believe is on this site, if not it's on youtube titled 'Charlie Goes to Burning Man'. It's a video an 81 year old virgin made and most of it is about how wonderful a time he had. His age didn't matter to anyone. It is my favorite video. I think it shows very well the heart of B.M.

I am excited to watch it tomorrow.[/quote]

So did you watch it?

[WileE13]

In my experience, everyone dresses up for the first few days, but as the Burn goes on, you start to see more and more "street clothes." For me, this occurs for two reasons. First off, I only have so many costumes to wear. Second, after a week in the dustm constantly adjusting and repairing costumes, it is nice to just wear something comfortable.

[Luigi]

What is Normal? I like to costume, but it's gotta be comfortable.

"I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes." Henry David Thoreau

"I'm pretty normal, you know?" Britney Spears

What is Old? I just turned 60 and I am ready to rock & roll.

"I'm kind of comfortable with getting older because it's better than the other option, which is being dead. So I'll take getting older."
George Clooney

[Shoeshine]

too OLD???
HA

I'm middle aged ("Dad bod" paunch, getting hair in the ears and grey in the beard)
I've had a couple of lonely moments out on the playa, but they were entirely to do with my own mental state and insecurities.

NOTHING to do with being accepted by others. NOTHING