Hall of Famer
Monday, August 31st, 2009Once you reach a certain age, if you were ever, on occasion, wise or lucky or brave in your younger years, then certain selections in your wardrobe end up older than you maybe care to admit. For many of us bopping around these blogs, however, a decade(s) old, well-worn wardrobe winner is something to be cherished, to be celebrated, I would think.
Today, on this last day of August, 2009 I’m proudly founding a personal Wardrobe Hall of Fame whose members have proven over the many years, in the face of changing trends, through risk of shrinkage, loss, fading and fraying, to possess enduring style and unrivaled wearability.
The first inductee is a beat-up black Orlando T-shirt. Already vintage when purchased pre-fall of 1996 for six or eight bucks, this shirt pre-dates the official vintage/graphic T trend that launched soon-after and to this day has not ceased.
This was the shirt I’d wear in my youth on rare visits to clubs where everyone watches each other, meat-market style. It’s cool, it’s authentic, but it’s quiet and helps to hide that I try so hard.
Admittedly, I haven’t worn it often in the past few years. The collar’s disintegrating, there’s holes in both armpits, the black has bleached to brown in spots on the front, and the lettering reads ORL only, instead of ORLANDO.
I don’t usually dress so distressed and a mess and I didn’t want to damage the piece irreparably through further wear, but unless I’m gonna turn my Hall of Fame into an open to the public museum (which I’m not), I might as well just wear the thing until it or I entirely die.
Closer, clearer look at the first inductee, after the rare jump.
