I Might Be Wrong

Sartorial Reconsiderations

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If you write about clothes long enough then you’ll embrace certain strong opinions. You’re not going to be that interesting if you just reinforce conventional wisdom. The irony is that sartorial conventional wisdom is usually pretty good.

Over time you develop preferences (suede shoes year-round, an affinity for knit ties, strong partisanship toward neutral colors and brown in particular). But sometimes you change your stripes. Maybe you’re jarred by something you never considered and suddenly it feels surprisingly correct. Other times you’re just worn down and finally you give in to a new way of thinking.

Now I still stand by some hard and fast rules—no T-shirt has ever been funny, no Windsor Knots if your family doesn’t have a crest, no dress shoes with those awful white soles. But here are some rules and decisions that I’ve reconsidered over the years.