Pedestrians' Platforms

New York City affects, distorts, and reshapes every fashion sense and sensibility, especially when it comes to shoes. These Harley-Davidson Biker boots bullied their way into my wardrobe some 15 years ago. The quick day-trip into the City from central Jersey had a purpose...to roam the stacks at Strand Bookstore, on the corner of 12th and Broadway, Greenwich Village's northeastern boundary. I spent some time wandering the maze of shoe shops in the adjacent East Village. These stores, magical alcoves where men continuously hurled shoe boxes onto the sales floor from portholes carved in the carpet, lured me in many times.

I saw this embroidered pair in the display window, and had to try them on, even though the blue jeans hid the magnificent stitching. Comfortable, impractical, but cool...these burly brogues were mine, and I wore them right away...scraping and scratching the streets...etching the Manhattan mystique deep into their soles. Hours later, I was a bad-ass nerdy anthropology graduate student thumping around Strand Bookstore, squinting through my wire-rim glasses at all those cool social science tomes. Years later, I look back and wonder..."What possessed me?! "I laugh.... Maybe I'll wear them tomorrow. Sure, why not?

Oh, before I forget, the reason I remembered the boots was a New York Times' media presentation that I saw online in Saturday's Fashion section. Photographer, Bill Cunningham muses over the Metropolis maidens and their high-heels...other egos enticed by genuine footwear ersatz. (Click here, for the link to the original media presentation on the web.)