The (not so) White Shoes

Ah yes, the good old white bucks. Seems this Summer they're quite the rage. Here's my pair:

Made in the U.S.A. by Worthmore, which my homework tells me was a second label of Florsheim back in the old days. Sort of like shoes for college kids made by the company that also makes dad's double soled wing-tips.

Not a bad pair of shoes for $1.99. If you don't believe that, the price is still written on the bottom in grease pencil and won't wear off:I love white bucks, but they do present a bit of a dilemma. This pair is pretty clean, and these shoes do look good clean, with seersucker, blazers, white pants and the like. But they also look good beat to all hell. I seem to remember that being particularly stylish when I was in the eighth grade. The dilemma lies in the deciding which way to wear them.

I've had these shoes for a long time, but as much as I do like them, every Summer I wind up wearing them only once or twice. I can't shake the fear of dirtying them irrevocably. But truthfully, occasions requiring clean white shoes present them selves rarely in my life. So today I decided to take the plunge and wear the hell out of mine this year, to the playground , in the back yard, the rain, everywhere, with the most casual of clothes. I'm pretty sure I'll like them better once they're a bit destroyed. Besides, for two bucks, (har, har) what's to lose?

Here they are today with my favorite somewhat-too-frayed khakis, and some bright striped socks:and an un-ironed pink J.Press oxford, button down collar unbuttoned:
A friend put it quite well today. His advice was to wear the damn things to death. Five years from now, when someone gets married outside in the summer, use it as an excuse to by a new pair. Keep them clean for the wedding, then proceed to wear that pair to death.

Sounds like a plan to me.