Don’t you love it when folk get all hot and bothered about the most trivial things.
The twittering classes were hard at it and headlines were being made over, of all things, leggings – an item of clothing to which I have never given a second thought.
Yet the humble garb so beloved of females the world over is now a hot topic of debate courtesy of United Airlines in the US.
The carrier came under a fierce onslaught after barring a couple of young female passengers from boarding a flight wearing leggings because it contravened their dress code.
A few things surprised me here.
Airlines have a dress code? Clearly not some of the budget flights I’ve been on, otherwise those folk in onesies and PJs wouldn’t have made it past security.
And don’t airline staff have better things to be checking for … you know, bombs and stuff?
And since when did leggings get classed as inappropriate clothing? If that’s the case, a huge chunk of the Scotland’s female population will need a change of wardrobe.
Sure, you see some folk on Union Street who might have wanted a second look in the mirror before venturing out in what is, to all intents and purposes, a thick pair of tights, but that’s up to them.
Besides, if you want to bring in the fashion police there are far worse transgressions.
This was proved beyond doubt at the weekend when it hit 13C and Scotland declared it was “taps aff” weather.
Some of those taps should have stayed firmly oan, given the pasty, wibbly folds of flesh on display in some quarters.
Although it did make it easier to spot the tourists at Stonehaven Harbour.
They were the ones in parkas, hats and gloves watching the locals paddling in their Bermuda shorts and sleeveless tops.
All of which underlines the fact that we should wear whatever we want – it’s a matter of personal choice and never mind what anyone else thinks.
My stylish look could well be your fashion faux pas, but that’s my choice (although I’m less convinced about my collarless striped shirt and waistcoast combo, since someone said I looked like Alf Garnett).
That said, no one should be belittled or victimised because some jobsworth doesn’t like the look of what they’ve got on.
I’m not yet ready to let the train take the strain
As I toy with the idea of taking the train rather than the car to work, I have stepped up my rail usage in the past couple of weeks.
And I have made a remarkable discovery. Services can be cancelled in a heartbeat, leaving you wondering exactly how you are going to get to work on time, or home at a decent hour. It happened twice in a week. The fact regular train commuters didn’t so much as bat an eyelid as it was announced makes me think this is not a rare occurrence. Hmm, might need to hang on to the car a bit longer, then.
Closure is no way for RBS to repay customers’ loyalty
I have been a customer of the Royal Bank Of Scotland for almost 40 years.
It was where I got my first current account, where my first pay went; who I got my first mortgage from. When I moved to Stonehaven 20 years ago, I transferred to the branch there, enjoying the convenience, wise financial advice and friendliness.
How has that four decades of loyalty been repaid? By shutting the RBS branch in my town. The one used by so many local businesses, so many local people, so many local pensioners.
I thought RBS was part of my community. Just a pity its bean-counters didn’t think the same.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.