There is an odd sticker on a signpost near my place. I see it every day on my way to work. I am not sure if “No Fun” is a comment on the affixer’s life or if it’s intended to be a directive for the passing pedestrians.
Well, not on this day, Mr. Affixer. Not for me.
That day – that bright and sunny day – was blue brogue day. A day filled with fun and frolic in the office. A day filled with skipping down the hall. (I do skip sometimes, and yeah, it is a bit incongruent.)
Brogue Backstory: I decided a few weeks ago that I needed a pair of brogues – or if push came to shove – a pair of saddle shoes. They’re in all the magazines. And on the feet of cool people everywhere – especially New York – where most of the cool people live. But most of the styles I saw online were too dainty. Too cutesy. Too delicate. Just not Christine.
I said hell no to the flowered ones, no to the patent ones with the silk ribbon lacing and nuh-uh to these babies.
Over the course of browsing during my lunch hour, I sent several shoe links (they were not all hell no’s) to my colleagues, J. and V. They’re young and stylish and I value their opinions on the hip, the cool and the now.
Oh sure, they liked some of the examples I sent, but nothing was doing it for them (or me) until I saw the shoe. Yes, I found the sexy shoe of smoldering delight.
I giddily sent them the link to my new beloved, which they disliked. (Actually I think the emotion was hatred but they struggled – oh, they struggled – to be polite with their comments.)
So I wore my shoes to work (after I brought them home and fondled them for a bit) and solicited opinions. (Which apparently is an odd thing to do about a fashion choice.) But I was so excited about them and I wanted to show them off.
They were not a hit with the under-40 crowd.
To wit:
- “They might look better with bootleg pantsâ€
- “They make your feet look smaller.â€
- “If you like them, that’s the important thing.â€
- “How many outfits do you have that would go with blue shoes?â€
- “Did they come in any other colours?â€
- “They look like short cowboy boots.â€
I though perhaps the shoe was just a tad mature for them and that my contemporaries would see the beauty of the shoe and, in fact, two did express a fondness for the shoe. But a third’s comment was…..”ummm….”
Oh, here’s the shoe, both on formal display and live and in a meeting…