Matzo Ball Billiards

In my previous post, I opened by touching upon the business of trends in fashion and menswear, and how we interact with them. I made the point that trends should be used as a way for us to find the things we really like on a personal level. That it’s okay to interact and experiment with them, not necessarily for the sake of keeping up with the crowd, per se, but rather to help you find your own personal style.

Try new things. By all means! But if you like something, stick with it!

One area of fashion in which trends seem to always be moving too quickly for me to keep up – is shoes. I admit, the footwear arena is something I have less experience in than I’d like to. I only just discovered the benefits of full-grain leather and what the hell a goodyear welt even is (spoiler: it’s got nothing to do with tires, apparently?).

But I digress, shoes have always been more challenging for me. I own my fair share, and probably keep about eight or so pairs in my constant rotation. This is mostly a mix of Converse Chuck Taylor High-Tops, Doc Martens, and a couple of pairs of derbies in shades of tan and brown – made from cheap leather and just-ok suede.

Nothing too impressive. One of my goals this year is to upgrade my shoe game, for sure. But even though it’s not where I want it to be just yet, I still know what I like, and I’m getting better at identifying those features.

For example: from roughly 2017 – present, the chunky sneaker has seen a healthy revival. Brands like New Balance, ASICS, and others have seen a massive resurgence and tons of people have reembraced “dad sneakers” for their comfortable and expressive appeal.

I am one of these people. I don’t own anything too extreme, but I’ve been a loyal New Balance boy since college. I like chunkier sneakers! They’re tons of fun and I enjoy the visual weight they lend to a casual fit. A pair I’d really like to get my hands on are the ASICS Gell 1130s, particularly the “Canyon” colorway.

Dorky? Hell yeah. I love ’em, though. I also dig these green New Balance 990v4s.

Unfortunately for me, all the sneakers I want right now are sold out. I may never get them, but I’m sure some others will come along that I dig enough and manage to snatch up.

The point is, I’ve been into the chunky sneaker trends since it took off. Only, arguably the biggest sneaker trend of the last year or two has been markedly slimmer.

Behold, the Adidas Samba, and the grip it has on everyone in the world, for some reason.

In 2023, these things were everywhere. The sleeker, slimmer sneaker probably accounts for about 20% of the shoes I see out and about and on TikTok. But…they’re just not my thing. I don’t hate them by any means, but they’re just not my taste. My go-to Converse Chucks aside, I’ve decided that I prefer chunkier sneakers. Even if the trend fully dies out. It’s just something I like!

Another popular fashion move today is wearing a formal suit and dress shirt sans tie. This isn’t really new. The necktie has been on life support for 25 years, at least. That’s as long as I’ve been alive.

Even though I’ve participated in this style in the past, today, I nearly always refuse to. It’s not that I’m a trad – I just think that trying to casualize a formal suit/shirt combo by removing the tie is ill-informed.

Look, I loved Succession as much as the next guy. And Kendall will always be the #1 boy. But, intentionally so with the hat aside, the rest of this still just looks wrong.

What I think a lot of people missed with the costuming on Succession is that Kendall Roy’s typical drip is just a reflection of current style trends in the business world, rather than an informing force. I suppose that, due to the show and character’s popularity, it does inevitably influence style taste, but that doesn’t mean it looks good – in my opinion, that is. Kendall wears top brands like Loro Piana, but that doesn’t always mean he wears everything well.

CEOs across America and much of the western world have abandoned ties altogether. Kendall is just like the rest of them, though he does attempt some rather bold style choices outside of this uniform during pivotal moments in the show.

The thing is, if you’re trying to casualize this type of outfit, you’re better off swapping out the dress shirt for a sweater. Or wearing a more casual suit (and complementary shirt) altogether.

But me? I love my ties. I take every opportunity I have to wear one, which granted, is usually just a couple of times a week, on Shabbat. And like I wrote in an earlier piece, while most people at my synagogue don’t sport ties, I almost always will.

What’s funny is, the suit I’m wearing above, a J. Crew Kenmare double-breasted option in olive corduroy – is essentially a casual suit. It’s not made from worsted wool and green is a less conventional color. Yet even so, I paired it with a dress shirt (button-down collar, though), and a big old vintage tie. Current common fashion, be damned.

I think it’s important to stay true to what you like. That doesn’t mean you can’t try new things (you should!) or that you shouldn’t continue to develop your personally style taste (you also should!). However, when we move too willingly with the tide of what is popular and refuse to hold onto anything of our own, we lose our agency, sense of self, and the opportunity to claim moral superiority because our fit is a proper reflection of our style journey.