Watch Those Shoes, Young Man!
By Glinda
I found this list of etiquette rules on Oprah.com the other day, and I was fine until I got to number five. Polite on the phone? Check. Thank-you notes? Check. Working outside-in at a fancy dinner set up? Check.
But number five is a bit of a puzzler.
5. Shoes Are Important
When getting dressed each day, be sure that your shoes are well-maintained. People associate the way you take care of your shoes with the way you handle detail in the rest of your life.
Now here in the Manolosphere, I am not about to suggest that shoes are unimportant. I think I might be fired or something. But is the state of a teenager’s shoes considered a breach of etiquette? For many teenagers, wearing funky and possibly worn shoes is a badge of honor. It’s a tiny form of rebellion, and I’m not sure that if I were an “expert” making a list to be featured on Oprah.com for millions of people to see, that I would choose that particular fight.
She must have a young person in her life that has shoes she disapproves of. Actually, I can’t remember the last time I saw a young person with old, torn shoes. These days they tend to have nicer shoes than I do.
But something I do see all the time?
I think my number five rule would have been:
5. Belts Are Important
When getting dressed each day, be sure that your pants don’t find their way to your ankles. People associate being able to see your underwear with the way you handle detail in the rest of your life.
What would have been your number five?
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I think your number five is pretty good.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:31 am
I’m with Oprah, actually. Although I see shoes primarily as a means of transportation and not an item of clothing, the fact is, people do look at your shoes as part of your clothes. If you wouldn’t wear a ratty, filthy sweater, you shouldn’t wear ratty, filthy shoes. Anyone in good shoes, or even cheap but clean and attractive shoes, outranks anyone in dirty or run-down shoes.
Remember, lots of things are signs of teenage rebellion; what makes them rebellious is, they’re against the “rules”. And etiquette IS “the rules”.
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:26 am
I think the President agrees with you, Glinda. Remember him saying “Brothers should pull up their pants!” not too long ago? It’s a presidential edict!
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:37 am
Mine would be: Make eye contact with someone when you speak to them.
Or: Quit looking at your cell phone every fifteen seconds.
Or : Put down that damn Nintendo DS when your server is trying to take your order.
April 5th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I agree with you. I don’t really care about your shoes, but I do not want to see your undies (male or female).