I have mentioned on this blog that I was promoted recently. In the nature of my new job, I represent my division at meetings of agency management on a regular basis now. The men at these meetings always, always wear a tie.

How has this guy who has resisted wearing ties for decades responded?

…ugh… bucked up and put on the dress shirt and tie. I have always worn a dress shirt, but kept it open collar, even in the winter. I felt that I had a reputation to protect! That is, being a guy more focused on the trenches, rolling up his sleeves and not being afraid to get dirty.

My spouse realizes how I have felt about wearing ties. He said, though, “come on, at your age and stature in your field, you’ll just have to accept that you are management now, and go with the style of dress your peers wear.”

I know he was right, though I am loathe to conform to unstated dress codes. I also hate the feeling of having my neck restricted with a “noose.” Honestly, that feeling of something strangling one’s neck has bothered me since I was a tyke.

Fortunately once again, my spouse knows me well. He bought me five new dress shirts which he was going to give me for Christmas. He gave them to me last week instead. These new shirts have a bigger neck, so even when I button the top button, my neck fits the shirt and doesn’t strangle me. I can then wear a tie and not feel its restricting feeling. It just hangs on the neck of the shirt whose neck size is large enough to leave me plenty of breathing room.

Man, who woulda thunk, having a shirt actually be fitted to a guy’s neck?

But where I absolutely, positively, REFUSE to succumb to unstated dress code conformity is my footwear.

Boots. Boots forever.

And I have a great selection of dressy cowboy boots (and some motorcycle boots) to choose from.

Trust me … never in a zillion years will you catch me in dress shoes. Never. Bleccchh!

Life is short: maintain some semblance of personal dress standards!