Dress for Success - Part Two - Footwear

I'm bigger than average.  Shopping for me is less a matter of fashion and more a search for size.  Recently I shopped for shoes at Academy Sports and Outdoors.  My approach is to look for bigger shoe boxes and then plain looking shoes inside.  Not gaudy.  Not in my shoe size.  Large gaudy is worse than regular gaudy and I don't like regular gaudy. 

My shopping trip was a success.  I found a pair of plain white walking shoes that fit.  I bought them and brought them home.  And my wife - who has a very hard life living with me - gently told me the Velcro ties are really not something I want to wear at this stage of life.  "They are intended for the elderly, folks who have trouble tying laces."  Now some, including the calendar, may suggest I fit in that elderly class.  But I don't need to advertise it.  And I don't have difficulty tying laces. 

I immediately sought a second opinion.  Actually a lot of second opinions.  I  posted the issue on Facebook.  And the reply was unanimous.  If I like the shoes, don't worry about whether they are stylish.  And I like them.  Because they fit and aren't gaudy.

A couple posts back addressed the way Outlaws dress for practice.  I admitted to not being fashion minded but having noticed interesting practice attire, I suggested the topic of football fashion calls for our attention with more posts.  I'm beginning to have second thoughts about that "more" idea.

Notice the black pair with white stripes.  I refer
back to them in the text that follows.

But here we go. (This may be the last on the subject of football fashion.)

Today is about socks.  Some of you may recall a posting I did some time back about socks.  I had a lot of fun with it.  I figured maybe there is more fun to be had so I assembled a small collection of socks photos. 


I guess I should comment on the socks pictured here in terms of fashion statements.  I will try.  But it would be better  if you helped me out.  This blog does permit visitors to comment.  I'd love to hear (read) your comments. 

These socks interested me.  Do you notice anything?   Right.  They don't really match.  Kinda sorta but not really.  I suspect the player has another pair just like them at home.

I wondered if this is the same player as in the picture above.  If so, did she change during practice?  Or did I take these photos on different practice days?  We'll never know.

These socks match.  Even I can tell.  Well, I haven't counted diamonds to be sure both socks have the same number of black and white. I don't think that is necessary for a match.

I can't tell whether these match or not. 

As a fashion comment, I don't think I like the grays and blacks.  Whether they match or not.  Give me some color.

Like red!  That's better.  Don't you think?  And notice they match.  Not only do the socks match each other, they also match the gloves.  Knowing nothing about fashion I still feel safe saying this ensemble is an example of high fashion.

Paying attention to the way socks match each other and then also match other fashion accessories got me noticing shoes.  These socks didn't qualify for commentary but the shoes certainly do.  Most shoes aren't interesting but some are rather colorful, don't you think?   What do you call this color?  Kind of a fluorescent yellow.  Chartreuse?  Do you think they might influence the outcome in a game?  Maybe the defender will be so fixated on the shoes she'll forget to make the tackle?  Are they bright enough to temporarily blind opponents?  Are they legal?

Red and white make for nice colors.  I don't think this player is wearing socks, do you?  Looks like maybe leggings?  Is that what those things are called that are like pants but go all the way down to the feet?   Isn't it neat the way there is a Velcro flap over the laces.  The laces prove this is not an elderly player in spite of the Velcro.  The Velcro is intended to keep the laces in place so they don't come untied and trip the player in the middle of a game.  Very fashionable.

While I'm reluctant to make a judgement regarding the fashion represented by footwear pictured here, I do feel comfortable saying every player should wear something on her feet.

 Something more substantial than just socks. With everyone else wearing cleats, going unshod risks injury to toes.


When I started following the Outlaws, I fancied myself a sports photographer and commentator.  A lover of football.  I had visions of a business card with fancy words like "Official" and "Expert" and I dreamed of a career with the Outlaws being comparable to being an official photographer for the Dallas Cowboys.

What might have been.

Look at me.  I'm taking pictures of socks.  Shoes.  Commenting on fashion. 

Maybe it is time to sell my camera, put on my Velcro-tie shoes, and retire to a rocking chair.  What do you think?