Underdo
On this penultimate day of 2024, I felt like donning more than merely black. Might have gone a little overboard when I mixed paisley, tigers, blue eyes, and Laocoön and his sons into one outfit for walking around Haight. Still, better to overdo than underdo, right?
The N Train to Haight outfit
Sunflower paisley jacket
I’m not much for paisley, but I am very much for anything that looks like a rug or carpet sample as outwear. When I found this velvety guy while heartbroken and directionless in Toronto last year, it offered me a much-needed cozy hug. Literally. It’s easy to get hot in this thing if you naturally run hot
It gets a lot of name-calling, but whenever someone derides it for looking like something that belongs on the floor, it only makes me even more proud to be its owner.
Gucci horsebit tiger loafers
I’m not a Gucci Stan. I am, however, a lifelong devotee to mythology, the blurring of gender lines in clothing, nerds in glasses, and animal symbolism. In other words, I’m a fan of the Alessandro Michele epoch at Gucci, when he came to the fore after years in the background and turned the brand into his fully realized universe of geeks, clashing influences, and modern mysticism.
While the quality of Gucci leather goods pales in comparison to other houses (in my opinion, based on what I own), Michele turned me, for his brief period as Creative Director, into a true believer. Before he came into power, my wardrobe was bereft of wolves, bees, serpents, and green tigers with red eyes. I love these shoes but fuck do they scuff easily.
Loewe Puzzle bag
What a difference a strap makes. One of the earlier versions of the Puzzle bag (with D ring and white corner logo stamp), this beloved (and somewhat scuffed) buddy has since been taking a backseat to more camera bag styles in my closet over the past few years.
My criticism of the bag has always been the crossbody strap being a little too skinny. I finally bit the bullet this year while in Europe and bought a new strap (cheaper than if I had purchased in the US). Since swapping straps, I’ve been wearing this guy more and more. Call it a Puzzle renaissance.