Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The shoes make the man... a Grosse Pointer.
Tydwbleach, commenting on a recent photo, noticed my LL Bean boat-mocs. More than anything, this is because she is from Grosse Pointe, and recognizes the importance of the boat-moc to the bizarre culture within which we grew up. The boat-moc is ideally adapted to part of the lifestyle there-- perfectly suited for wooden boat decks, generally worn without socks, well matched to our native dress of khakis, a blue blazer, and a doofy repp tie swiped from dad's closet. They slip on without fuss and can stand up to snow in a pinch.
Not that the love of the boat-moc is limited to Michiganians. The ties on mine were secured, in fact, by native Wacoan Celebrity Luvr, who knew a neat trick to keep them in place for good. Still... there is a special connection. Years ago I was walking down the street in NYC, headed for breakfast at Sarabeth's Kitchen. I ran into an old friend and her fiance. Introducing myself, he rolled his eyes and said "Great... another Grosse Pointer in New York!" I asked how he knew, and he simply pointed to my shoes.
They're not cool, but they're mine.
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If you had been wearing those in 1981, we would have sent you packing off to the Sigma Chi or Lambda Chi house and made sure you never set foot at Theta Delt again
# posted by 
: 12:36 AM
: 12:36 AM 
HAHAHAHAHA!!! I love it. Wearing those in in 1981, STILL wearing them. I even had a pair of BLUE ones. You know they are WAAAAAY out of style but of course I still have a couple of pairs. How scary is this?
We grew up in a weird wild wacky little town. Did you mention it was a requirement to NOT wear any socks? They got realllllly stinky by the end of the summer, but then, in the winter its cold and wet so when you wear them outside they get kind of "washed." Gross, huh? SO then by the following spring they were "kind of clean" again.
Then came the battle with your mom - she would insist you throw them away, just when they were all "broken in." You'd fish them out of the trash a few times and then finally give in.
GAWD when I think of what passed for "style" back then... Bermuda bags, and those "bass" shoes that wrote the word "BASS" with every step, monogrammed EVERYTHING, those dumb belts with the animals on them... YIKES!!!!!
But then, you know I STILL dress like a dork. SO Osler's shoes? As they say during Fashion Week: "Fabulous!"
We grew up in a weird wild wacky little town. Did you mention it was a requirement to NOT wear any socks? They got realllllly stinky by the end of the summer, but then, in the winter its cold and wet so when you wear them outside they get kind of "washed." Gross, huh? SO then by the following spring they were "kind of clean" again.
Then came the battle with your mom - she would insist you throw them away, just when they were all "broken in." You'd fish them out of the trash a few times and then finally give in.
GAWD when I think of what passed for "style" back then... Bermuda bags, and those "bass" shoes that wrote the word "BASS" with every step, monogrammed EVERYTHING, those dumb belts with the animals on them... YIKES!!!!!
But then, you know I STILL dress like a dork. SO Osler's shoes? As they say during Fashion Week: "Fabulous!"
# posted by : 4:06 AM
: 4:06 AM
Best Quote of the Year:
"They're not cool, but they're mine."
This can be used in so many contexts, by so many people.
"They're not cool, but they're mine."
This can be used in so many contexts, by so many people.
# posted by : 10:28 AM
: 10:28 AM
Osler... one point: those are LLBean CAMP MOCS. Not Boat Mocs.
Mine are tied up where the laces are in triple knots and then the ends are tied into like this rolling knot thing.
Mine are also Sperry, because they last a little longer than the LL Bean ones. My Fave shoes right now are my Sperry Lakewood LOAFERS:
http://www.shop.com/op/~SPERRY_Lakewood_Beefroll-prod-23188221-31198119?sourceid=298
But then, I am an UBERNERD.
Mine are tied up where the laces are in triple knots and then the ends are tied into like this rolling knot thing.
Mine are also Sperry, because they last a little longer than the LL Bean ones. My Fave shoes right now are my Sperry Lakewood LOAFERS:
http://www.shop.com/op/~SPERRY_Lakewood_Beefroll-prod-23188221-31198119?sourceid=298
But then, I am an UBERNERD.
# posted by : 10:43 AM
: 10:43 AM
Oh, I thought that look originated at UVA: khaki trousers, blue blazer, rumpled repp tie swiped from somebody's closet, and mocs. That was the frat uniform, with the variation of khaki shorts if it was a hot day. Must have been part of the early 80s zeitgeist--but the scary thing at UVA is that they still dress that way!
# posted by : 12:16 PM
: 12:16 PM
I'm sorry, I thought this was Osler's Razor, not some tribute to the 1978 bestseller "The Preppy Handbook." Next we'll be discussing Izod/LaCoste shirts and button downs.
# posted by : 12:36 PM
: 12:36 PM
True, IPLG, but perhaps we could discuss the possible correlation between wearing the Grosse Pointe/ preppy /frat look (always WITHOUT socks, unless there's snow on the ground, as told me by a diehard wearer of such costume) and subsequent law-school attendance. Am I touting a stereotype too much here??!! (in good fun, of course.)
# posted by : 1:18 PM
: 1:18 PM
I get the post but not necessarily the picture. Did you go to the beach for the purpose of taking a picture of your shoes for the blog or did it just sort of happen?
Another explain the photo contest?
No, I think these are the shoes of a fellow preppy that Osler slew in a game of Taco Bueno.
As for preppy and preppy clothes wearing law students -- its true, the East Coast law schools are lousy with the type. I liked to wear my black "Blind Pig Records" t-shirt around the campus when I was in law school.
No, I think these are the shoes of a fellow preppy that Osler slew in a game of Taco Bueno.
As for preppy and preppy clothes wearing law students -- its true, the East Coast law schools are lousy with the type. I liked to wear my black "Blind Pig Records" t-shirt around the campus when I was in law school.
# posted by : 2:28 PM
: 2:28 PM
Love the shoes. I am so proud that the CL fixed your ties, his are like that too. I think Jeffy's boat shoes or whatever they are (I live in Texas, I know mainly cowboy boots or flip flops) are of the same vintage. They looked really good until last summer, when Jenny McCarthy (the dog) got hold of the liner thingy, but Jeff still wears them.
I still consult my Official Preppy Handbook on all matters pink & green, and I do love a monogram. Sad, pathetic, but true.
I still consult my Official Preppy Handbook on all matters pink & green, and I do love a monogram. Sad, pathetic, but true.
# posted by : 6:31 PM
: 6:31 PM
Mrs. CL-- you look much better in a monogram than I do.
As for the Preppy Handbook, I seem to remember that it listed things to do in Grosse Pointe for every night of the week. Weird.
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As for the Preppy Handbook, I seem to remember that it listed things to do in Grosse Pointe for every night of the week. Weird.
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