a kid with a infatuation? O no the horror. It's fucking fine. If people want to laugh about it later in good spirits, awesome. If it's not in good spirits, then congratulations you have identified a asshole. Someone not worth giving two shits about.

Also deadwood. That show is fucking awesome and I am not particularly fanatic about western or cowboy culture.

The real tragedy is that he didn't stick to it. People who stop being willing to stand out make the world a more boring place.

Real cringe is adult quasi strangers teasing someone for what they did as a teenager.

This is more fun if anon is in Italy or something.

IDK why but this just made me think of Dodgeball.

"Who's Steve the Pirate?"

"Literally the only player on the team that dresses up like a pirate?"

"We have a player that dresses up like a pirate?!"

You can do the cowboy look well. Ditch the long leather coat, the hat and the toothpick. Wear flannel button-ups and cowboy boots of a standard color with jeans of a standard color.

Don't copy phrases from movies, but speak slowly and politely. Don't do a strong accent, but it's ok to do a mild accent. Instead of tipping a hat, give a significant, thoughtful head nod as a greeting.

Check out Sam from TrueBlood as a good example.

Lean into it. And if all someone sees is something that happened years ago, fuck'em. They don't know you.

Best thing to do is to own it, accept it and laugh with them at how cringe it was.

Eh, kids will be kids. I remember when I was in the 6th grade there was a kid named Steven who only ever wore camo to school. Of course we all made fun of him. 😔 kids (and their adult versions) can be mean. I hope Steven turned out fine.

Fake.

No one remembers Anon years later.

When I was in highschooli n the late 2000s, country bars were all the rage so you would've fit right in

Probably should've hired on at a ranch and just kept going.

Just didn't own it. Anyone with confidence could have made it work just fine.

I got a cowboy hat once until my partner pointed out that men who wear cowboy hats always end up on the TV news with neighbours describing them as a “quiet man who kept himself to himself”, despite which “nobody saw this coming”.

Howdy partner!