When I was a little kid of about age 6 or 7 years old, much too young for it to have been important to me, other kids at school used to make fun of me because I wore colors that didn’t match. I didn’t know or care a thing about how colors were supposed to match, but I won’t lie and say the ridicule meant nothing to me. In response to it (and my response took at least a couple more years to solidify), I converted or evolved from being the kid who dressed funny to being one of the best-dressed kids around. Not fancy or flashy or even top-of-the-line brand name clothing, just nicely dressed.
Fast forward to my adult years. The early years obviously made an impression in my brain that carried through to today. When I left the Marine Corps over 20 years ago, I had the first opportunity as an adult to be in civilian (everyday) clothing full time. I adopted a style of dress that resembled something straight out of the pages of GQ Magazine. Still not flashy nor expensive, but stylish and dapper. No disparagement to those who choose it for themselves, but the jeans and t-shirt scene is not for me. Even in casual wear, I’ve had people ask me if I was departing for a Caribbean vacation or a trip aboard a luxury yacht. I simply will not be caught dead in ratty threads.
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