Will you be disappointed if I tell you that I have not been wearing patent leather tux shoes? I have not been wearing patent leather tux shoes. Well, I wore them to the funeral. But otherwise I’ve worn the pair of black Reeboks (provided by Reebok) that you see in this photo. This exception was negotiated before the Great Tuxedo Challenge of 2012, brought to you by Patron XO Cafe, with special help from Al’s Formal Wear, began. If you must know, I’ve got a condition called plantar fibromatosis, which, in turn, is exacerbated by a case of tarsal tunnel syndrome. Bottom line: my right foot isn’t right. Zac gave me permission to go with more comfortable kicks. If my feet, in your eyes, diminish the feat, then so be it.
Which brings me to the shirt. In an effort to NASCAR up this thing as much as possible, we landed a shirt sponsor, too. Kevin Lavelle hooked me up with one of his new Mizzen+Main numbers. Raya wrote about them on ShopTalk awhile back. Think about your favorite moisture-wicking golf shirt. Now imagine if someone turned that golf shirt into a button-down dress shirt. That’s what we’re talking about here. Pretty genius. And perfect for playing TopGolf. (Note: Rule No. 15, Subsection B, stipulates that while swinging a club, the tuxedo jacket need not be worn. Rest assured that when it wasn’t my turn, I was fully dressed.) On a number of occasions when I have gone with the purple vest and tie option, I have worn under that vest the Mizzen+Main shirt. Highly recommended. Not the vest, the shirt.
Eight days, dear friends. Eight.
