wellwornwornwell:

As often as I think about clothes, most of the time I don’t think there’s much to them. In these parts we often lament the death of uniforms, of pomp and circumstance, of cultural signifiers. There was a time when getting dressed meant something, dammit! Put on a tie so I can quietly laugh at how bad your tie looks! We spend so much time worrying that the good old days are gone that we don’t appreciate how much freedom and nuance contemporary norms of dress allow.

Are you wearing clothes sincerely? Are you wearing them ironically? Are you rich but dressing like a slob? Are you down on your luck but still spit shining your shoes? Frankly, these days, it’s impossible to say. And that means it’s impossible to put any weight behind our assessments of the people we pass on the street. Sure, it’s easier to think someone’s more important because they’re wearing a nice suit, but anyone can hit a thrift store on the right day.

To discover personal style is to revel in nuance. Most people will never be able to put their finger on what makes someone stylish; what leaves an impression. And while that may seem bothersome to those desperate to shore up status and signal belonging, the abstractions are where freedom lives. If you let your intentions, your presence, your impulse do the talking, then the clothes will always feel right.

You should never let the outside chance of judgement impact your decisions. The only way to cultivate a sense of taste is to make mistakes and learn. When I get dressed in the morning I’m not expecting to defend myself, and neither should you.

Enjoy the Birks, brother.