Chirps: Verb. To chat up, to pursue, to flirt with.
E.g. “I had a great night on the chirps, I got with two different girls” [London use]
What with visiting a big group of Chicago friends and spending way too much time on chictopia and US fashion blogs, I feel I’ve really unleashed my inner American. I swear I’m developing a peculiarly transatlantic turn of phrase.
So, in a bid to get back to my British roots, I’ve titled this post using a distinctively London term that no-one outside of the capital is likely to understand. In the US you’d probably say ‘How not to get hit on’. Just think of it as a little lesson on English youth culture.
I don’t want this post to come across all ‘look at me, I’m so hot, men love me’, but there are always going to be certain bars or nightclubs which are frequented by some slightly shady characters and where anyone in a skirt is going to attract some unsavoury advances.
I’ve noticed that the attention I attract in general is inversely proportional to my skirt length – men really are that simple – and I went to one of these afformentioned clubs last night. Since there’s no way I want to go out in jeans and trainers, this is what I wore.
Black – I honestly think that some men are so basic they are like magpies. Wearing bright colours and prints means you’re more likely to attract them.
Tights – Some guys are confused by tights. Again, covering your legs means they’ll attract much less attention and opaques mean you can get away with a much shorter dress without giving the wrong message, Which is useful if, like me, you only own short dresses.
Sensible-ish Shoes – Although this outfit would have hugely benefited from any one of my strappy studded pairs of heels, a lace-up shoe lends a more reserved tone. They’re also easier to walk in – nothing attracts unsavoury characters like the sight of a slightly drunk girl stumbling around in a nightclub.
Of course, avoiding anything low-cut is a given, but you could even take it a step further and stick a studded waistcoat on over your chest area. Fashion body-armour, sort of.
NB, There will be no post on ‘How to attract the chirps’, but if there were it would probably involve this outfit.
mmmm redstripe