Shoe Style

While people-watching, I noticed a young woman, perhaps a teenager, cursing loudly into a cell phone. After a heated exchange on the call, she and the female with her summoned a young boy nearby and announced they all needed to go. As they walked away, I noticed one girl was wearing one white sneaker and one black one. Her companion, possibly a sister, was also wearing the exact same footgear. I assume they share the same shoe size, bought one white pair and one black one, and traded one shoe. I was impressed with the clever style statement if that was the purpose. I began plotting to borrow the idea. When I buy running shoes, I usually purchase two at a time but get different brands to superstitiously pamper my feet with a subtle variety of stress points on alternate days. My shoe size (10.5) is relatively common. But I would have difficulty finding someone willing to attend functions with me, let alone while wearing different colored shoes on each foot. I have accidentally worn mismatched shoes by hurriedly dressing in the dark. I once made the same mistake with a pair of pants that in light of day clearly clashed with my already too flashy sport coat. A big unscheduled formal meeting was called on short notice and became one of my most embarrassing moments. Luckily my inappropriate garb did not derail my career; other more substantive fatal flaws did that. I am not color blind so I have no excuse for all the times I mismatch socks. I often do not even wear socks. Occasionally I get caught wearing just one sock, apparently another sign of not completing a task after getting interrupted.

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