These are my Allen Edmonds Liverpool chesleas.
I love them.
And I never wear them.
There is a strange phenomenon in the men’s style community (and beyond), which involves pining after and acquiring nice things, only so they can sit on a shelf unused. Why? Speaking for myself, patient zero for stupid-male-behavior, it seems to be because we don’t want to “waste” these things on regular old days. We’re saving them for a special occasion.
Mighty fine shoes. Too bad I never wear them.
But almost without fail, these mythical, anticipated special occasions worthy enough to wear these worshiped goods, rarely if ever actually materialize.
Does any of the following sound familiar?
…Can’t wear my favorite shirt, what if I want to wear it later this week and it’s dirty?
…That watch is too nice. Not gonna wear it on any ol’ Tuesday.
…I’m not feeling up to putting on my favorite jacket. Maybe tomorrow. I’ll wear this other old thing instead.
And then the days turn into weeks, the weeks into months, and one day while digging through your closet you realize you’ve only worn your Allen Edmonds Liverpools a handful of times… and you’ve owned them for almost half a decade.
What a waste of time.
They’re just things.
They are meant to be used. So use them. But don’t use them as a way to judge yourself as unworthy of their use. They don’t care. Because they can’t.
There’s also something bigger going on here.
Uh oh. Joe’s on The Jazz again.
Today is not just a good day to wear your good stuff, it is by definition, the best day.
Why? Because it’s the only day that exists. Today is perpetually your only option. While preparing for and respecting the future is honorable (save your money man / a raging hangover isn’t worth it), and being mindful of context is important (don’t wear a tux to your business-casual workplace), no one has ever experienced the future in advance. It always arrives and exists as the present.
So by default, today is the best day to wear your good stuff. To train your hardest. To level up your awareness. It is, by definition, the best day to try to be the best version of yourself, whatever that may entail.
“You look great. Special occasion?“
Today.
“Man, you’re getting after it. What are you training for?”
This.
“You’re up early. But it’s the weekend. Why?”
Because. I like it.
That’s all the reason you need. Today. This. Because.
All that waiting around for a better day only ensures it’ll never come. It’s an excuse for inaction and a recipe for waste.
Wear your good stuff. Today. For this. Because.
That’s all. Carry on.
