Dressing Up
I have a nice pair of dress shoes. Bostonian by brand. I like wearing them. Unfortunately, the frequency of wear is a lot less than it used to be. And for the last several years every time I pulled them out, I realized the heels were slightly worn. It was a reminder of the daily drive when I sat for hours coming and going with my heels on the mat and my feet on the pedals. Pretty predictable wear.
Every time I pulled them out after my retirement, I thought, “I need to get those heels repaired.” It was a carry-over from my corporate days, before the onslaught of casual, when you wanted your shirts, suits, ties, and shoes to look sharp. But every time I got home, I’d put them up and then forget about them. Until the next time. Then I got the invitation to my brother-in-law’s wedding for this weekend, and I thought, “Now’s the time. A wedding deserves sharp shoes.” So, I took them to a shoe hospital and now they’re all well.
I’m ready to look sharp. The suit and shirt still fit, and my ties look nice as well. Of course, I should probably take a quick gander at the current width style because nothing will date you quicker than a tie. But then again, I’m old, and maybe I’ll just wear what I want to wear because it feels good, and lordy, I do have some nice ties based on patterns from Tiffany, William Morris, and a host of other designers. They’re the sort of ties that make people look twice. And I’m just vain enough to enjoy people looking at me twice even if it is just for a tie.
John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver’s Tale