09 July 2007

Let's buh-bye all versions of the Adilette, shall we?


In my now second piece in just as many weeks harkening back to my days as a top-to-bottom white-mesh-clad Lady Chieftain, let me introduce to you all a "shoe" with which I'm sure, if you're between the ages of 8 and 50 and at least attempted or attended an athletic endeavor of some sort, you're all quite familiar.

Yes, I'm talking about your old favorite and mine, the ubiquitous two-toned, single wide-strapped, 100% synthetic, molds-to-your-arches-in-under-a-day Adidas Adilette sandal.

Good for lounging between sessions at Summer basketball clinics, strolling into your local mall for the one-two-three casual-chic shopping punch that is American Eagle followed by Abercrombie followed by Hollister and making quick trips to Target for cheap pregnancy tests DVDs, the Adilette, I remember thinking at 14 years old, offered a versatility with which few other footwear alternatives could compete.

Sometimes I wore them without socks, sometimes I wore them with anklet, mid-calf, or on game days - in an homage to my then-boyfriend who did the same during his games (altogether now, "Awwww...") - with knee-high socks. I wore them with purple-and-teal Umbros, with ass-tight stonewashed GAP jeans, with too-short bone-colored khakis, with too-long, rip-away track pants, and I'm sure if you rifled through my yearbooks meticulously enough, you might even find my beloved Adilettes paired with a truly fabulous oversized-flannel-shirt-and-denim-skirt ensemble.

As I've said here before, what you do on your own time inside and around your home, after work and on the weekends is your business. If you want to wear tie-dyed Crocs and a denim-on-denim-(on-denim) outfit while preparing dinner, or slap on a pair of pleated, cuffed khakis and leave your face a blotchy, foundation-free mess while catching up on your Tivo log, heck, even if you want to wear a "Vote for Hillary in '08" sweatshirt belted at the waist with Tevas while homeschooling your poor children, that's completely your prerogative. It's an objectively unsightly prerogative, but as long as you're not subjecting anyone who doesn't love you for who you are (blah blah blah) to its hideousness, who am I - someone who spent her entire weekend in a bathing suit and youth-size-S "M is for Milkshake" message tee - to pooh-pooh your comfort-first wardrobe choices?

Point is, what we did when we were young and what we do in non-professional settings is all water under the 14th St. bridge. Free passes granted all around.

What is not permissible, however, is the long-standing trend I've noticed where DC women have brought the thwack-thwack-thwacking Adilette - or the "grown up" version thereof - into the workplace.

Here below, just one example of this needs-to-go-buh-bye footwear tragedy:

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahahahahah! Those are so hideous! I know exactly what you're talking about with the "thwacking." God, how can some women be so incredibly style-retarded? I mean, honestly.

Anonymous said...

so now you're against people who vote democrat and homeschool their children? get a life, girl. seriously.

Anonymous said...

First you came for my suede pants, and I only protested a little... but now I have to stand up for comfort.

I cried when my adilette sandals finally broke after ten comfy years of accompanying me to and from soccer practice. And when I 'retired' from collegiate athletics I knew I would never have an excuse to wear the outside my house. On a side note, if you go after dansko clogs as comfort shoes, we'll have trouble little lady.

And, secondly I am homeschooling my children through a co-op (I'll teach math and science if someone else teaches them how to write) but that's because I convinced that public schools generally fail and disappointed with other options- give me my vouchers!

That said, they are hideously ugly and I promise never to wear my newer adidas sandals in public (with you) again.

Miss you!

Anonymous said...

Ew ew ew to those bottom shoes. I see women tromping around NW in those all the time. Strangely enough, here in dorky 'ol Bethesda, you don't see very many. Warum?

I can't even beging to imagine you at a basketball clinic...you're such an oddity. In a good, beautiful way, of course :)

Anonymous said...

begin, not beging. sorry, I'm a perfectionist, too!

Anonymous said...

My Mom wears those to water the plants in our yard, and only when she can't find her cute gardening clogs. Women actually wear those in office buildings? SHUT UP.

Anonymous said...

I see a lot of Moms wear these, but not a lot of career women. But then again, that could be a Connecticut thing.

The thought of these monstrosities with a beautifully tailored skirt/pant suit is too much for me to bear. I have to go look at my heels now...

Anonymous said...

DANSKO CLOGS FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111