The Clothes Make the Man

My wardrobe hasn't changed much in the last 15 years. In fact, I'm still wearing clothes that I bought in 1999. Or from even earlier.

I'm an old fuddy-duddy that way.

This is me before I read at the Writers Festival,
but it could be me on any given day in 2000.

I like to wear clothes that make me comfortable. Which means that I'm generally dressed in a buttoned shirt, with a t-shirt underneath, jeans, and comfortable walking shoes. My shirt is never tucked in these days, but about 10 years ago, it was.

I keep up with trends in fashion, if not fashion itself.

My favourite shirt, a tan, faux-suede fabric, has been worn since the fall of 1999. I've worn it to job interviews, to work, to casual outings, to Toastmaster meetings. I tend to wear it less frequently in the summer, because it's just too darned hot, but I'll still put it on to make sure it doesn't feel neglected.

When it finally wears out—and I don't think it's showing any signs of doing that—it'll be a sad day, indeed.

But I'm growing tired of my look and am thinking of a change.

For our trip to France, I've purchased two pairs of light-weight, light-coloured travel pants. They pack really well, don't wrinkle, but best of all, they are super-light. I don't feel them when I wear them.

These pants are the only pants I have with me for our trip (I'm on my trip now, so unless I'm sleeping, I'm wearing them as you read this post). But if they hold up during my vacation, I'm going to seriously consider buying more when I get home.

But I don't know what to do about dressing my top half. In France, I have two short-sleeved button shirts and some sport t-shirts to keep the perspiration from affecting the outer layer. But I don't know if this is the style I want to keep when I get back.

We shall see. If the clothes make the man, then I have to think: do I like who I am? Or do I need to be a new me?