Fashion Flutter or Clutter?

I'm in Victoria for a few days of relaxation. And shopping. Even though I had a talk with myself about restraint and responsible spending on the ferry ride over, I went berserk today. I'd held out for two days, but this being my final full day in an urban environment, I caved.

I needed a new Speedo for my length swimming in the community pool back home. They do not sell Speedos in my area. Frankly, I was worried that my old suit was perhaps a little too faded from all the chlorine. Had the locals been talking? I bought two new swimsuits instead of one--a minor extravagance.

I also wanted to buy a new pair of casual shoes for weekend walks. I narrowed it down to three styles. That's where the narrowing process stopped. I bought all three pairs. Lucky they had my size in each!

Multiple fever also hit when I bought a new dress shirt and decided to buy several matching ties. No one but me would ever notice, but it always feels good to mix things up with my work attire.

The stumbling block came when I searched for a few casual tees to freshen up my spring wardrobe. Here's the thing: when did scribbles on fabric become a fashion forward men's t-shirt?! Yeah, the scribbles may actually be some vague message in cursive or a three-line word (e.g., Un--spok--en), but I'm not all that comfortable with strangers staring at my chest and abs long enough to crack the code. (Face it,...it's never the right strangers who stare!) Apparently, butterflies and leaves are trendy too. Whether it's scribbles, flying insects or tree discards, it all amounts to a cluttered mess. Today, I also bought a box of thank you cards with a leafy pattern on the front cover. Maybe I should tape one to a Hanes undershirt and prepare to walk the runways of Paris. Sure, I know I don't have the ridiculously high cheekbones or the heroin addict body, but JUST LOOK AT THOSE LEAVES! Aren't they falling artfully?

I bought a solid black and a solid brown tee and locked up my credit card in the glove compartment. Neither I nor my rural environs are ready for Paris yet.