A Parts List Is NOT Instructions...

...or, Why I Am Taking This Shirt Back.

Now, I'm not the snazziest dresser in the world. But I do consider myself to be in the top 30% of my somewhat clueless gender. Said clues being specific to the idea of what looks good. Not the other side of clothing, the one most men get and many women don't. See, you don't need to explain to a man that you can't wear a Red Sox hat with a Yankee jersey, even though they are both baseball things...

No, I'm talking about colors and patterns, and more importantly how colors and patterns relate to the person wearing them. Because my biggest challenge in the fashion area is one of knowing the difference between "That shirt looks good" and "That shirt makes ME look good."

Now I have done some research. That is where the title of this post originates. For example, I have listened when a girlfriend/wife/female friend has made certain comments in the past about what colors or patterns look good on me. And I have noticed certain female reactions to certain garments and tried to then take the next step and extrapolate the characteristics of those garments to other purchases.

But sometimes I put them together in the wrong way. For example, this shirt I need to take back. It's blue... okay, I have been told multiple times that blue brings out my eyes and is a good color for me. It's a lighter blue, and this played a part because I know I have plenty of dark blue things so I don't need more dark shirts. It's a dress-style shirt, and I have received plenty of feedback that lets me know I look good in those. But here's where I made the disconnect and didn't realize that putting together a list of parts didn't equal instructions. It's plaid.

Now,I have green plaid and even a red/blue plaid shirt that I have gotten compliments on, I always get complimented on my kilt, and I remember that girlfriends always used to be fond of my flannel shirts.

So, I buy the plaid in varying shades of blue and bring it home. Along with a few other shirts, because I'm at a place where some old favorites have acquired a coffee stain or the collar is fraying, etc. And because I don't have a woman here locally, I get out the camera and snap some mirror photos to send to Alessia. Because one lesson that HAS stuck is that it is always good to get a female nod of approval.

And in this case, it's a good thing. Everything else I bought, she liked. Grey striped dress shirt, tan polo, blue polo... all good. But the blue plaid that I thought I did so well matching to the parts list? Not so much. Thankfully, I am getting better even at this part. Because when I put the shirt on to photograph it, I kinda went "blah."

Now, if only I could learn to make that jump without buying it first, then I might have something.