A Good Pair of Shoes
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.—Dr. Seuss
Fashion really is a big deal and for countries such as Italy and France, it contributes significantly to their national economy. Not that the average person in either country has a closet full of couture wear, but it employees thousands of people and the taxes fashion generates contribute heavily to the health of those nations. Yet, because both are so reliant on sales outside of their borders, when economies such as China’s suddenly stumble, the effect for fashion labels can be severe and we’re already seeing that, especially with Italian labels. More than a handful of large fashion houses have seen considerable declines the past few weeks. Some, such as Prada, are beginning to seriously struggle.
Okay, so we can’t exactly go naked all the time, even though some may want that. Street style tells us that most people would rather dress for comfort than style. Paying extra money just for a label is foolish and our heads know that. All we ever really need is a good pair of shoes; the rest can be off the rack from Goodwill and we’re happy with that. So why all this fuss? Maybe it’s the art. Maybe we’re dreaming. Maybe we want to stand out. Or maybe it’s just because you like my reviews, which you’ll find over on Pattern all month (shameless plug). You choose which way you’ll go. Choose carefully and wear good shoes.
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this week’s photographs are strictly those of the author: charles i. letbetter, and do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or opinions of the models involved in the pictures. If you don’t like what you see, don’t blame the model. Thank you.
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