u/Candlelit_Writer

Hello, I recently picked up these Mariela boots, they aren’t tabis but they’ve got a tabi styling on the sole.

I usually put sole protectors on my leathers boots/shoes, and I’d like to put some on these.

Would putting sole protectors on these ruin them? And would the cobbler be able to account for the tabi styling? Ideally I want to show off the tabi detailing.

Or should I just wear them as is with no protectors?

I enjoyed the post yesterday so I thought I’d make my own. Apologies if this is annoying or corny (can’t be much worse than the EK meme spam). 

Let me know if you remember any of these trends or pieces I mention, and if you also had similar steps in your fashion journey! You may roast me, I’ll try not take it to heart.

I loved dressing in sweaters, cardigans, scarves, and chinos in my early teens. Kinda hilarious but kinda cute. The execution isn’t great, but I felt awesome in the moment. I think as we grow older, it’s really useful looking back to the things we were into as children, there’s a lot of truth and authenticity there. And it’s good to retrieve some of those ideas you may have lost through the years. These pics show me I’ve always been attracted to a more “preppy” or “smart” style. 

2014-2016, really leaning into “streetwear”, whatever that means. These are certainly more of the hilarious pics. Bomber jackets and joggers were huge at this time; that Alpha Industries Flight Jacket was a grail! Zara and H&M were the mainstays. I also had an undercut and a man bun at this time, and it was super cool. In my school, we all let our selected university lanyard hang out of our pocket.

2016-2017, finally making real style decisions. I was really into Sangiev at the time, so I was experimenting a ton with this oversized top, skinny jean bottom silhouette. Still all in on Fast Fashion stores, although, I did have a nice pair of AllSaints jeans, which I felt was a cheaper analogue of YSL. I think in another life where I’m much taller and can handle ball busting discomfort, I would’ve been a Hedi boy. This era really turned me off of jeans because they were so tight. 

2018-2019, such a fun time for fashion trends. Wide ass trousers and dad shoes were reintroduced, and they’re still around! Probably above my pay grade to correctly analyze this, but, this feels like the moment where fashion shifted into what it is today. Also, I discovered Uniqlo, which essentially consumed my entire wardrobe. Although I’ve graduated from them now, the Uniqlo Smart Ankle Pants became my most worn piece of clothing. And I picked up one of my grails, the Common Projects Shine, which I was so afraid to wear for a few years, but now, I wear them every other day. 

2019-2020, more Uniqlo fits. Seems to be a maturation of all the clothing I had been wearing for the last few years. The outfit at the Berlin Wall is still one I’m really proud of.

2021-2022, trying to be very simple and just wear “essentials”. Seems kinda boring now. Also, a look at my patented allin.supply sneakers, I think I’ve been through like 5 at this point and if they ever go out of business, I will stock up on a 100 of them. They’re low quality and wrecked easily, but I love them.

2023-2024, I’ve committed to the tote bag bit. Loving my Roots sweatpants, I wear these with any and every footwear. Finally feeling comfortable enough to wear denim on denim and my Wyatt boot dupes (and finally got sole protectors on them so I’m not slipping and sliding everywhere).

2025-2026, kinda where I’m at now. Trying to spend a lot more time understanding how to take care of my clothing. And building a reverence and relationship with my wardrobe. I’ve learned to sew and material is really important to me now. First time I’ve felt really comfortable wearing t shirts and showing my skinny arms. I finally fell in love with jeans again, with these looser Tuff Tony’s from Nudie. I’m currently in an awkward stage where I’m wearing button down shirts and ties, but I haven’t become fully comfortable in them yet. Yeah, still figuring stuff out. 

Looking back at all this, so much time has passed! What strikes me is that, in the moment, I thought all of this was peak, and that I had “found my personal style” that I’d wear for the rest of my life. Now I know that it never really ends. I’m still learning and making a ton of mistakes, sometimes I step out of my apartment and just feel like I’m dressed like a clown. But I also feel kinda experienced and confident. I’m excited to see where I go from here. 

Trends get a bad rep, but imo they’re essential to figuring out what you like and don’t like. You get to try out new ideas and metabolize what works, and discard what doesn’t. And after a few cycles, you have a unique set of fashion ideas that you enjoy. I’m so grateful for the chunky shoe wide trouser trend, because it broke me out of a stupor in which I believed clothing like that was off-limits and uncool. 

TLDR: fun, embarrassing, and cheerful look back at what I thought was peak. the world is always changing and so are we, and that’s part of what makes dressing so fun. still learning and making mistakes!