Happy Shirt Day

Every morning I face the arduous task of choosing which shirt to wear.  As I gaze into my closet, I ponder my decision.

What to wear?  What to wear?

I like variety, but I’m far too impatient to tolerate shopping for new shirts.  In fact, I last bought new shirts about three years ago when Daveen and I visited a tailor. He took my measurements and sent them to Hong Kong for production.

I need custom shirts that have two pockets — one for my iPhone, and the second for a pen, notes, and whatever. Especially whatever.

Deciding what to wear is one of many choices I make throughout the day.  Each decision is influenced by a variety of factors.  I am conscious of some, but others maybe not. Who knows why I like a particular color, or find a certain fabric more pleasing than others?  Several months ago, a waitress at Art’s deli paused after refilling my water glass to tell me how much she liked my shirt. I rarely receive a compliment on my clothing, and must admit that, since then, I have worn that shirt more often than I otherwise might.

When deciding what to wear, do we dress for ourselves, or for the approval of others?  For me, it’s a combination of both. I want to be socially acceptable, but I also want to express my own taste. Even so, every morning I have the same dilemma — shall I wear my favorite shirt today or save it for tomorrow?

This is why I seldom wear my very best (and by far my most expensive) shirt. It hangs in my closet, saying to me — “Save me for a really important occasion. Today just isn’t important enough.”

When I was young, I remember that a friend’s mother used to serve a mélange of different melons cut into little balls. Some of the melons were sweet, some were not. But I noticed that everyone at the dinner table always saved the sweetest melon balls for last.

So, as we start a new day, the question always is — shall I save my best until … forever? Or should I choose to make today my very best shirt day. And that begins with a choice…

But today, I’ve already decided. Today I’m going to wear my second-best shirt. I’ll save my very best for tomorrow.  And my best shirt is amazing –- it always looks brand new.  Both times I’ve worn it.

Alan