When you think about it, there are million different ways people can be categorised. Some are morning people, and some night. Some like mayonnaise on their sandwich, while the rest avoid it like the plague. Some people prefer having a bath to a shower (or if you're a Pom, neither). Some say tomayto and some say tomarto. And there are those who wear chinos, and those who don't.
I'm very much a non-chino wearer. There is something about the very existence of them that gets on my goat (to use a phrase I've never quite understood). Chinos are the very embodiment of bland mediocrity, neither casual or formal, nor indeed fashionable, they are worn by those with limited imaginations and neat hair. It is that aspect that most riles me. Why, oh why do people strive so for relaxed and comfortable nothingness? I find it hard to believe I have much in common with serial chino wearers, no matter how pleasant they are. It's a look: chinos with a neatly pressed polo tucked into them, boat shoes perhaps, and a glib, superficial smile as if the shares are doing nicely.
And yet I have a chino dilemma.
It's unusual that chinos would ever really figure in my thoughts. Ever since this Brisbane thing has come up though I've found many odd trains of thought passing through my mind. This one is apt though, something I must ponder. I am now a consultant and about to move to Brisbane. Brisbane is a city with a less formal fashion culture than Melbourne; and consulting often goes hand in hand with a more relaxed attitude to dress. The reality of this is that I've now got to create a 'smart casual' wardrobe.
Smart casual is a concept I've always struggled with a little bit. Maybe that's because of my personality. Like my driving, which is either flat-out or cruising, my fashion sense has always been high end or bum. Anything in between has always seemed a bit of a waste of time.
And so I have about three active suits in my wardrobe, which I am very fond of. I have about twenty shirts to got with them. And I have nearly thirty silk ties, all of which I am unnaturally attached to. Eyes may be the window to the soul, but ties are an expression of personality - and mine, I hope, express style and flair. I have a pair of shiny black brogues, and a gorgeous pair of chocolate brown lace-ups with a blunt toe. When I dress I do so thoughtfully, putting together the ensemble with care. By the time I walk out the door I feel almost as if I have donned a suit of armour, so impregnable do I feel.
That's the high-end. The bum is the rest of the time - jeans, t-shirts, favourite jackets, maybe a favourite pair of Merrells, very casual with maybe a very subtle hint of style. And though sometimes I may dress it up a little, the focus is always comfort (though I love clothes).
Now, though, I must find something in between. Something stylish in that bland middle-ground, something individual. I don't know exactly how I'm going to do that, but I know I won't be buying any chinos.
