July 15, 2005

Only In NYT Fantasyland

I was pretty young, but recalling Miami Vice and the slightly unshaved, t-shirt and sportcoat look, I don't recall thinking it looked like "garish machismo" mentioned in an NYT article today. In fact, wearing colorful t-shirts and spending too much time working on the right amount of unshavedness, really starts looking effette. But not nearly as effette as what the gushing author of the NYT article was comparing the Miami Vice look to -- men wearing dress pants and shoes without socks.

I have no problem with men wearing shorts and masculine sandals, so I'm not opposed to seeing naked manly ankles, but there is a time and a place for such things and any time a man is wearing a suit is not the time to see naked hairy ankles. I just say, ew! Mostly, I think it's way too wussy looking and I don't like seeing hairy legs under a suit period. Extra length executive socks all the way, please!!! Big Arm Woman, from whom I found the article, also mentioned in the stench factor, which of course would be quite nasty.

But, says the article, "For a year or two men have been picking up white cotton no-show athletic socks, once the sole province of women's tennis, as a comfortable and stylish complement to athletic footwear." Women's socks. Women can pull off the sockless look. Men -- not so much. Men, put your socks back on when you got out in suits, anything else is just icky and girlish.

Comments

We have a couple of guys at church that will do this. Heck one is older than I am. It just ain’t right.

Posted by: jim at July 15, 2005 08:53 PM

It's just plain tacky.

Posted by: Sarah G. at July 15, 2005 09:46 PM

Re: showing hairy ankles...eh...honestly, I do not look at people's ankles so I shall not comment on this except to say: "we are primates and primates are hairy". Actually, looking at my own ankles right now, mine are not hairy, but then again, I am not a hairy person. Hmm. Sharing or scaring?

In other news:
1. Nice site design, a bit minimalist, which is my preference.

2. I read about your 'recent' trip to Pensacola, FL; I grew up in P'cola and my parents reside there even today. My wife and I bought some bluff acreage next to Sewanee a few years back for a vacation cabin. As soon as time and money permit such, we'll try buying to coastal property in P'cola for the development of the same.

Well, enough from my side. It was good to see you yesterday at Harris Teeter. Please give Justin my best.

Cheers,
DR

Posted by: David Royal at July 16, 2005 01:58 PM

"Ew" is right, Jordana. The suit and sockless look is dreadful -- so dreadful that I think I'd sooner see a man in bathing trunks with cowboy boots on! So how bad is that? ;)

Posted by: Roberta S at July 17, 2005 10:53 AM

Yup.

Course, out here in Colorado there's a fellow in Mr OotFP's office whom you can always hear coming because of his flip-flops. And these are right special flip-flops, dontcha know, because the sole hauls a BEER BOTTLE OPENER.

I am not making this up.

Posted by: Patricia at July 17, 2005 03:48 PM

What would the NY Times know? Real men wear sweat socks, that they buy in packs of six from Target, Costco, or (in my case in Manhattan) from guys on the street corners.

Wussy men buy "no-show" socks. What are you supposed to pull up to your knees while wearing shorts when you're 70? Blech.

Posted by: skinnydan at July 18, 2005 08:21 AM