Saturday, May 5, 2012

BELGIAN BATTLE

I THOUGHT I COULD PULL THEM OFF. (I WAS CERTAIN ACTUALLY.) I'D GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO GET BEAT UP AND LOOKING GOOD AND TATTERED, AND THEN PAIR THEM WITH AN EQUALLY WEATHERED PAIR OF DENIM. I CHOSE THE COGNAC BROWN BELOW—THEY WERE INCREDIBLY COMFORTABLE, AND I IMAGINED LIVING IN THEM ALL SUMMER IN THE CITY. WELL, THAT THOUGHT WAS SHORT LIVED. THOUGH MANY FRIENDS THOUGHT THE BELGIAN LOAFER WAS A CLASSIC AND A WORTHY INVESTMENT, MOST WERE JUST APPALLED (INCLUDING MY WIFE) THAT I BOUGHT A PAIR. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE FLOOD OF NEGATIVE OPINION TOWARDS MY THOUGHTFUL PURCHASE (AND THE PERSONAL JUDGMENTS MADE ABOUT MY TASTE). I KEPT GOING AN ABOUT HOW THEY ARE ALL HAND MADE IN BELGIUM BY THE SAME FAMILY BLAH , BLAH, BLAH. NO DICE. NO ONE BOUGHT IT, AND HONESTLY I COULDN'T TAKE ALL THE ABUSE (FROM MY WIFE BASICALLY) SO THEY WENT BACK TO 55TH ST. TOO BAD, I DUG EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PLACE AND I PROMISED THE HELPFUL STAFF THAT I WILL REVISIT THESE AGAIN.



11 comments:

PA2Florida said...

When I came home with my first pair of Belgians, my wife looked at me laughing and said, "You're not planning to wear those God awful shoes outside are you? You look like ******". (****** was our gay decorator friend) Besides a lashing from her, I got the occasional "Dude, WTF is on your feet!?, *chuckle, *chuckle" or "I didn't know you and your wife had the same shoe size?"... So Matt, I feel ya Brother!

Anonymous said...

I fully understand making a fashion purchase you're just positive will be a success, only to have those closest to you absolutely shatter the hopes that flew so high at first. *sigh* Wives... :)

Anonymous said...

I fully understand the feeling of making a purchase you're just positive will be a smashing success, only to have those closest to you shatter the hopes that once flew so high! *sigh* Wives... :)

Anonymous said...

It appears I've been leaving the same comment multiple times. My apologies! I thought I was continually doing something wrong. Didn't realize it was being posted repeatedly.

randall said...

Maybe some things just don't translate well into other cultures. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Why don't you go to Pomme Frites and get some belgian style french fries instead? That's always a sound investment.

Anonymous said...

I think Yolanda was correct - Those shoes are, what's the right word, ... Pretty friggin' uh ..... twee.

bob said...

Ignore the haters. Just agree to not wear them in a duck blind or when you're offroading in the Willy.

Jason Everts said...

Waffles, yes. Shoes, no.

Jason Everts said...

Waffles, yes. Shoes, no.

Anonymous said...

Confidence is action in the face of contrary opinions, wives included.
Conformity is greatly overrated.

Ian said...

I wish I could say I'm with you... but I'm with them.