9
Don’t wear running shoes unless you’re running.Don’t wear Crocs unless you’re working in the garden, don’t wear Tevas unless you’re whitewater rafting, and don’t wear flip-flops unless you’re…well, just don’t wear flip-flops. You are living in a golden age for casual footwear. Whether it is the Y-3 Yamamoto for Adidas, driving moccasins from Tod’s, or a pair of Prada sneakers, there are plenty of options that offer both comfort and style.
10
Respect rites of passage. My grandfather was, without a doubt, the most stylish man I’ve ever known. He was a craftsman, an artist, and a deadly dresser. I was always amazed by how impeccable he looked, even when he had come straight from his work studio. He always made it a point to involve me and expose me to stylish and artistic things. He was very matter-of-fact with me: “This is how you tie a tie,” and “When you wear a dress shirt, it is French cuff.” As if to say wearing cufflinks was just something you did, just like shaving. Anytime he came through the door, he would hand me his overcoat and fedora, and I would take pride in hanging them neatly in the closet. It was a subtle way of teaching me to respect things and take care of them. In the end, it seems learning to attend to the finer points of style can actually teach the finer points of life.
