Boots -- Fras, I'm looking at you

[Gribble]

So I'm thinking of picking up a pair of suede chukkas. Or, failing that, something casual that aren't tennis shoes. I'm tired of fretting on dates. I don't want to dress up. That isn't me, and unless we're going to the theater I'm not doing it. I'm also tired of looking like I just stepped out of high school. Once again I'm enlisting the aid of the forum to help compensate for my fashion disability.

I tend to dress in drab colors. I don't care if women like colorful shit or not. Drab. Brown, gray, black, olive. Earthy, neutral. Whatever you want to call it. That's how I dress. That's what my footwear needs to accompany. When I was a kid I always wore blond suede Timberlands. Apparently those have been taken over by the impoverished, completely monotonous "gangstah" crowd, so the tried and true Timmies of yesteryear are out of the question.

Ideally I'd like one pair of boots that can go with a brown or black jacket. I don't want to limit myself. I was thinking gray boots. Also, I mostly wear blue jeans. That's not changing any time soon. So blue jeans, gray shoes, brown or black jacket. Does this mean I have to wear something gray to match the shoes? Would I be considered crazily mismatched if my shirt turns out to be white or something?

I realize I'm shooting for convenience here. Something kind of casual but not too casual, something that goes with anything. By default I think fashion is never convenient. After all, if someone can convince you that you need a different pair of shoes or a different jacket for every outfit, someone stands to make a lot more money, right? And that's all fashion's really about. Making money for the people leading everyone else around by the short hairs. But what can a guy do? There's nothing gets you laid faster or more consistently than conformity.

So how are these for chic, non-conformist conformity?

P.S. Now that I think of it, what color belt do you wear with gray shoes?

[KingZ]

I wear these:

[url=http://www.eccousa.com/shoes/mens/dress/chicago-bicycle-toe-slip-on/2574/detail.aspx]http://www.eccousa.com/shoes/mens/dress/chicago-bicycle-toe-slip-on/2574/detail.aspx[/url]

They're extremely comfortable, easy to just slip on and off without worrying about laces, and they send the message I want to send. Plus, the quality is excellent. I've had them for about three years and they're not even close to being dead.

I don't know what I think of the picture you just posted. I wouldn't wear those, but not for any rational, explainable reason.

[edit] Oh, I should mention that I can pretty much wear those anywhere. I haven't owned another pair of shoes since I bought them. I use them when walking in snow, hiking on mountains, meeting with friends, and obviously business. They're flawless.

[Gribble]

I have an almost identical pair of shoes, actually. I like them but they're too dressy for my day-to-day tastes. Those are exactly what I had in mind when I mentioned the theater.

I like dive bars, motorcycles and manly grunting between spontaneous bouts of sophistication. I'm not sure the boots above fit your character, but maybe mine. I like to look faux rugged. Like I just stepped out of the mountains after a day of lumberjacking and cold cheap beer, yet somehow I'm clean, pleasant smelling and stylishly dressed for a night in the city.

I can understand not wanting to wear boots or leather jackets if you live in Texas, believe me.

[KingZ]

I have an almost identical pair of shoes, actually. They're too dressy for my tastes. Those are exactly what I had in mind when I mentioned the theater.

I hope you get cancer.

[Gribble]

I hope you get face-herpes from kissing your mother.

[Sonrisa]

wow, Grib, and i thought you were a natural.

[Gribble]

I'm a bullshitter.

So I take it that means you don't like them? Any suggestions?

[Sonrisa]

i'd take you shoe shopping. but it'd be hard if you are not open to dress as an adult

[Gribble]

An adult dresses how he pleases. A drone dresses how he's told.

Drones get laid more, so I'm willing to sacrifice some of my individuality, bot not all of it. Sorry.

[misombra]

if you wear a lot of earthy colored clothes gray shoes would probably be not very useful for you. maybe you can find those shoes in brown, they are nice.

the biggest problem i've known when guys dress themselves is their color blindness messes them up. brown with green is nice. green and black is not so good. red and black look nice. i see a lot of guys in gray shirts and khaki pants and blue buttom up shirts and black shoes. the colors are off.

[Sonrisa]

^^^ i have to disagree. kids dress comfortably.

[Sonrisa]

no gray shoes. black and brown is a must have.

[Gribble]

Dressing comfortably seems like a perfectly adult thing to do. I find it bizarre that people wear things that hurt their feet or chafe for the sake of aesthetic appeal. Being an adult is being comfortable in one's own skin, or in this case, one's clothing.

Childishness is desperately conforming to someone else's standards.

[Sonrisa]

not comfortably as far as being comfortable, but simple, without thinking, throwing some jeans and a t-shirt on.

[Gribble]

if you wear a lot of earthy colored clothes gray shoes would probably be not very useful for you. maybe you can find those shoes in brown, they are nice.

the biggest problem i've known when guys dress themselves is their color blindness messes them up. brown with green is nice. green and black is not so good. red and black look nice. i see a lot of guys in gray shirts and khaki pants and blue buttom up shirts and black shoes. the colors are off.

Thanks for being the first female with useful advice, babe. Out of curiosity, what does go with gray?

See, I have brown shoes. Really I want something to go with my black jacket. But I actually like my brown jacket way better, so it's difficult for me to justify something that I'll only wear with my crappier jacket. Yet I need the variety said crappier jacket provides. So I'm up shit creek.

And I freely admit I'm completely color blind. I haven't got even the faintest clue outside of the most garishly mismatched colors. I'm completely baffled when it comes to color matching.