GlassJAw: a gig, a girl and what it is to be a spectator in a room of introverted exhibitionists...

Last week my boyfriend and I went to see GlassJAw in Nottingham. It was really interesting to see how people dress depending on where they are going - I mean, there are those of course who wore exactly what they would wear on a normal day to the gig, but then there were the guys and girls dressed up for a night out. Not heels and sparkly tops, like you might see on your average night out on the town; this was completely different. One girl I took a particular interest in had clearly spent a lot of time thinking about what she was going to look like that night. She managed to fit in with her (all of them male) friends, whilst retaining her femininity. She wore baggy jeans, low slung, with a red gingham shirt tied in a knot to show off her tiny waist. Her hair was a mass of bleach-blonde dreadlocks up in a bun, but she had wrapped a floral scarf around her head, which framed her petite face. I couldn't see her shoes, but no doubt they were trainers - perfect for dancing. I suppose you would describe her style as a kind of modern rockabilly.
Meanwhile, I felt oddly different and slightly alienated. I usually dress slightly differently to my peers; I like to be noticed, even if it's because people think I look weird! It's nice how in my normal day-t0-day setting I can be appreciated for taking fashion into my own hands, even if it's not others' style. However, at the gig I felt judged for being a 'conformist' despite the fact that I was dressed differently from everybody in the room! "Fashion" to a lot of the people there, goes hand in hand with being "shallow". Little do they know that they themselves conform to their own fashion, and aspire to 'fit in' with their own peers.
It's interesting to see how there are trends within trends, and how style is affected by so much more than just what's "in fashion".