I went shopping today. Yes, shopping for clothes and shoes. It’s something I am forced to do almost every year whether I think I need to or not. That’s because I’m meeting my sister soon for a trip and I’m afraid to have her see me in my last year’s summer clothes.
I managed to score capri pants, long pants and a couple of tops as well as a pair of brown sandals. I felt very proud. I was even getting the pants professionally hemmed. For me, that’s the equivalent of winning the Triple Crown in one day.
So I was very proud to tell my sister that the only thing I still needed was black sandals to go with the black pants. She informed me that I didn’t need black sandals. The brown sandals would work for everything. I could feel the world shifting under my feet as she said these words.
I may not know much about clothes and fashion but my one touchstone of faith was that you wore black shoes with blue and black pants and brown shoes with brown or tan pants. That statement, in fact, encapsulates my entire fashion philosophy. Simple, clean, clear, understandable… and I only ever have to deal with three color groups. So for years I have only bought brown or blue or black pants and always had a shoe to go with them. Now, Judy casually drops this bomb on me and I no longer know what to think. Brown sandals with blue capri pants? You might as well as me to wear a dress with pantyhose.
I think perhaps the time has come to once again evaluate the advantages of nude living. Then there are no colors to match up. I can understand that.