Slob = success? Only in SF
Hillary is always laughing at me, for more than one reason, but almost daily because of my failure to comprehend that it’s okay to leave the house looking casual. “You’re so midwestern,” she says. “People in California will run out of the house wearing anything. You really don’t have to be in a pre-planned outfit and full makeup to go to the store, you know!”
Maybe if I start dressing like a total slob, people will mistake me for an online millionaire:
How many times have you read about startup founders who continued to live inexpensively as their companies took off? Who continued to dress in jeans and t-shirts, to drive the old car they had in grad school, and so on? If you did that in New York, people would treat you like shit. If you walk into a fancy restaurant in San Francisco wearing a jeans and a t-shirt, they’re nice to you; who knows who you might be? Not in New York.
One sign of a city’s potential as a technology center is the number of restaurants that still require jackets for men. According to Zagat’s there are none in San Francisco, LA, Boston, or Seattle, 4 in DC, 6 in Chicago, 8 in London, 13 in New York, and 20 in Paris.
(Zagat’s lists the Ritz Carlton Dining Room in SF as requiring jackets but I couldn’t believe it, so I called to check and in fact they don’t.)
Truth is, I can’t go out looking slobby because I don’t feel good at all unless I make a reasonable effort. Also, our friend Amy Alkon, who has railed against the failure to present oneself properly for years now, would have my hide.
Filed under: Life
These days I’ve realised that I look very smart nearly every weekday (working in the City in a formal office), but am totally casual in the weekends. There is no in-between with me now. I’m either in an ‘outfit’, nice accessorised and with a cute bag and blow-dried hair, or I’m in an old rugby jersey and some crapped out jeans.
Yes, but you’ve been married for years to a man who is completely in love with and devoted to you!
Single girls need to be more realistic about our individual market value. Unless you’re a natural stunner, effort is required!
Jack,
I remember when you would make fun of me in the past for doing this……seems tables have turned, I’ve gotten better with the situation and you’ve become……ME.
HAH! So very true. Very weird! Must think about why we’ve each gone in opposite directions on this. For me, I care a lot more about myself than I did when we were freshmen in high school (or college, for that matter)…You’re probably just more at ease now that you’ve got a hot husband!