John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Plaid

I am 50 years old now and yes, I  will, on occassion, when my wardrode is limited and it is the weekend, throw on plaid shorts and a plaid short-sleeve button down shirt.

I am 50. And it just doesn’t matter that much.

OK. That’s not the truth. It is not my age and limited wardrobe thay is to blame.

I will admit it, a few years ago when I was in Hawaii I saw some young surfer dudes wearing plaid and plaid and it worked for them–even though I knew it wasn’t supposed to.

While in Hawaii I didn’t buy any of those plaid shirts or plaid shorts (I already had some at home),  but did buy the surfer dude casual shoes that looked ragged and pre-worn but seemed to help make the plaid on plaid scheme work.

And that is the real reason I have  recently tried  wearing this plaid ensemble.

I thought with the shoes and the right youthful attitude I could oull it off. But I got a good look at myself in the mirror over the weekend and relaized that instead of looking like a slightly aging former surfer dude I instead looked like a 50 year old guy with bad plaid clothes who went to Hawaii a few years ago and bought some surfer dude shoes because he thought he could wear them with his plaid clothes back home and look like a slightly aging former surfer dude.

And was sorely mistaken and no one has had the heart to tell him.