Category: Fashion

What to talk about today?

• I saw a young man on the bus yesterday wearing flip-flops with the dirtiest toes I have ever seen. The rest of him was clean. In fact, he looked quite nicely attired in casual city fashions. But the toes — why were his toes so very dirty? It was not a muddy day. He did not look unkempt otherwise. He looked quite nice, actually. It was a very odd juxtaposition. Unlike the fridge-man, he did not see my sneaking peeks at his digits.

• Yesterday I also saw that young woman walking around campus in the mystery blue/silver Puma running shoes. I now suspect they are from Europe or perhaps Asia as they are nowhere to be found on the American Puma website. I did not ask her about them but I should have.

• There was a young man wearing a toque today on Yonge Street. That confuses me almost as much as the big-baggy-falling-down-pants look. I hope the skinny pants catch on so this look will finally go the way of acid wash. Toques in summer and baggy pants are over — I beseech you to share the news with any teens or twenty-somethings you may know. Please tell them about the joys of skinny pants and hair products.

• I also saw Uggs and capri pants today on a fashion-forward young woman. I actually thought it was a rather interesting look. Not something I’d do but fun nonetheless.

• That’s it. I have not been doing too much lately except looking at people on my commute.

Today I was on Queen St. West for dinner. And everywhere I looked there were men and women in skinny pants. Skinny people in skinny pants.

1. A guy was in line at the bank machine. He had on a studded belt and pants so tight around the ankles I thought it was 1982 all over again. He probably was not born in 1982 but I am getting off topic — and if I get any more off topic my attention will turn to shoes — so I will get back to it. His girlfriend had dyed black hair and too much eyeshadow happening — I thought I was back in high school for a moment.
2. Then in the shoe store (ahem) there was a young man in the tightest jeans I have ever seen. But oddly he seemed to have very little in the fridge (I made that expression up, but I think my meaning is clear). He saw me looking at him — I was in awe of the pants and concerned about his circulation — and then he pulled down his t-shirt to the mid-thigh region. That was quite weird. I think it was a fridge issue but I am not sure. Maybe it’s some new young person signal that I am not aware of.
3. A woman walking down the street chatting very loudly on her phone had on an interesting low-rise/skinny pant combo. It was not that flattering but who am I to judge. She seemed very happy.

I consider my friend K. a fashion authority. (Sometimes I worry I am too matchy-matchy but she says my belt can match my running shoes and I trust her). K. says that skinny jeans are back and I believe her, but it was not until today that I saw some in rotation.

You know, I feel like I just got rid of my tapered pants and now I’m out of style all over again. I know, of course, that skinny jeans are different than tapered jeans. Skinny jeans are tight all the way down. I had several pairs when Joe Jackson asked if “she was really going out with him”.

But it does not matter, I can’t wear skinny jeans again. Too much in the crisper.