Growing Up

So I'm sitting here listening to Jill Scott's beautiful music and reading up on some style notes...to be quite honest, I'm feeling real grown.

There was a time that I had no meaningful interaction with or knowledge of what was required in order to be socially mobile. I knew little about the necessity of muted suit colors. My father often said that your tie should be your fashion statement rather than the suit itself. As a brotha raised in the Church of Gawd in Christ, I was privy to sights like red suits, powder blue suits with overalls for pants, lime green walking suits, matching ties and shirts, cartoon characters on people's ties, and any number of other "interesting" sartorial choices. Because of these fairly regular models, I was soooo unaware that a simple black, navy, or tan suit was much more sensible and (in the circles that mattered most to me) eye-pleasing. I guess I'm playing catch-up now...learning new tie knots (in case I want to use something other than a Windsor), learning the best shoes to match certain color suits, learning the appropriate number of buttons for a suit, when French cuffs are/aren't appropriate, etc.

I guess I really am growing up. I don't think a 14 year old me would have ever guessed that he would end up like me. Then again, I was always bourgie. I just didn't quite know what changes/evolutions that would necessitate.