Everyday brogues

I’ve just celebrated a birthday. It’s not such a significant one but each year I feel that I should grow up a little perhaps. Each year I make an effort to smarten up, read more, stop going to Glastonbury (still working on that one). This year I decided that grown ups don’t wear trainers to work every day.
I have worked in the world of digital for over 15 years and have revelled in the fact that, unlike the majority of my friend in professional business, I dress informally, or to be more accurate, comfortably for work. I work in Shoreditch and while I’m no Hipster I certainly don’t got to work in a suit (I’d get pitched at within minutes of leaving Old St station), or even a jacket, unless I have a client meeting or something important is happening. When I was a producer /senior producer this was all easy; jeans and t-shirts, shorts in summer, trainers, sandals, you get the idea. Now I’m making an effort to change and try and be a bit more like a 43 year old with a proper job.
I’d decided to buy myself a pair of everyday shoes. Shoes that command respect, even when you wear them with jeans. I am a fan of the brogue, I have a few pairs at home. One for best and the others are just too awesome to be worn for work. My latest purchase are a tan pair of semi-brogues bought purposely to be worn for work in place of my Nikes or my Merrells. This might not sound like a big change but it is. It feels different. It’s like dressing for work, but only up to the ankle. I’m prepared for the day and stride down Moorgate with purpose every morning. I no longer sneak in sneakers, you can hear my clicky heals from 40 paces.

Today is day two (yes it’s only been two days) but I’ve noticed a physical change, possibly a challenge. Wearing trainers seems to make the muscles around your lower leg, ankles and feet lazy. Waking around in brogues regularly seems to require some training and I intend to see that training out until my everyday brogues and me are one.
As I headed back to the station today I saw one of the Shoreditch natives. He was wearing red skinny knee length shorts with mustard socks pulled up to his shins, complemented by a pair of well worn tan wing-tip brogues. It’s going to be 30 degrees tomorrow. Do you think I can carry off my grown up shoes with a pair of shorts?