AlanM1

Saturday morning I was waiting outside Harry’s Shoes, a venerable old shoe store on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, for the 10:00 AM opening along with about 15 other people. I was heading in to buy a pair of comfortable, and dare I say appropriate, walking shoes for my 10-day trip to Paris starting this Friday. I noticed a very attractive couple who appeared to be in their early thirties looking in the window along side of me. They were speaking French. Very good French. I thought, “jackpot!” a ready-made shoe critics and most probably from Paris. He was wearing light pink slacks. I guess he did not know that many New Yorkers might find these a bit daring, possibly even offensive, especially before Memorial Day and not at the beach Thank God I was not wearing shorts lest I offend him. He was very handsome, tall, and well built, so I let the slacks slide. Luckily when the store opened he took a seat one away from me. In the most polite and civilized (which is why I did not use my horrific French, I save that for the actual trip) manner I asked him if he was from Paris, on holiday, etc. He was charming and said that he and his wife were loving their first visit to New York City. I held up the Ecco beige, suede, waking shoe I was considering and asked if he thought it appropriate for my upcoming trip to Paris, he replied definitely not. I asked him what he would recommend and he held up his own suede moccasin, you know the type, toe a little square, no real sole, just those hard plastic bumps under the heal, absolutely no support. My partner took this opportunity to brazenly put his own suede-clad foot forward for approval, which he received. I was devastated as I thought the Ecco’s were the perfect choice, now I had to start a new search. While I was looking for a more acceptable pair of shoes I noticed my Frenchman trying on and purchasing a pair of light gray suede New Balance walking sneakers. What was going on? Well it turned out that with all the walking he and his wife were doing in Manhattan he just had to have something with more support than those cunning moccasins. Now I am totally confused….

sandi_travelnut

maybe I'm missing the joke of the story but why would you want to leave the choice up to a stranger, even though he as stylish and French? They're your feet and you should make the decision on what's best for them.

Iregeo

I think that's a great story! For your own trip, choose what you will feel most comfortable in, both comfort-wise and style-wise. If that turns out to be the Eccos that the pink pants man disliked, so be it. At least you won't be wearing grey New Balance!

degas

Think about your judgement. You asked a frenchman wearing pink pants for fashion advice? Stop agonizing - head over to Walmart and get you some white tennis shoes and be done with all this foo-foo stuff.

Scarlett

LOL, great story!
I miss Harrys shoes! I loved waiting while my husband agonised over his own choices before I headed over to the East side for mine
I kinda agree with degas, asking a guy in pink pants about fashion could have led you into a major FodorFashionFauxPas!
Those moccassins are great, for a stroll and driving..your Eccos were a much better idea

AlanM1

degas, we do not have Walmart in Manhattan!

I relayed my experience, which was true, but I meant it satirically. I am a New Yorker, I will buy whatever I like....just thought it was fun and I was poking fun at the other threads that are so over the top about what to wear in Paris. How could I not ask a man in pink pants fashion advice, it was just too irresistible. I had this site in mind the entire time.

degas

Alanm1, I liked your story.

"He was very handsome, tall, and well built, so I let the slacks slide.'

Great line!

Lady_Jag

Too funny! I'm getting a good laugh out of your comments everyone! A Parisian in pink pants! LOL

I was a bit worried about our upcoming trip to Paris. DH refuses to wear anything but long cordoroy shorts, t-shirts and tennis shoes during the day. Same with my sons. I explained to them that Parisians don't appreciate that kind of dress, even in summer, and that we'd stick out like a sore thumb. "Everyone will know we're Americans," I said. He replied, "Good! I'm proud to be an American and I don't care who knows it!" I was properly chastised.

Like someone said above, who cares what you wear as long as you're comfortable?

Seamus

Alan - Just out of curiosity, how did this sartorially challenged Frenchamn respond to his pants being slid?(-P))

AlanM1

Seamus,

He quite enjoyed it! Though I received a dirty look from his wife.....

LoveItaly

Hi Alan, I love your story!!! Too funny. Thanks for sharing it with us.
It is interesting is it not that fashion can go out the window when feet start hurting. Enjoy getting ready for your trip to Paris. I am sure your trip report will be a lot of fun to read.

elle

All that slack-sliding caught my attention, too.

I think it's a funny story. Oh, the irony.

Have a terrific trip, and please let us know if all the men in Paris are wearing pink pantaloons so that I can buy some for my husband before we go.

starrsville

Great story.

But, the answer is obvious. Instead of the Eccos, you should buy the light grey suede New Balance walking sneakers. That's what the stylish, pink-pant-wearing, Parisians are wearing!

And I mocked the hot pink Converse a few days ago!

SeaUrchin

Funny story! Especially here on Fodors with all of the hand wringing about shoes and pants!

Only a handsome and well-built man could pull off the pink pants (hmmm, I didn't mean it THAT way) and have the
confidence to go with it so I think he would be the perfect man to ask.

hopingtotravel

We were surprised to see a lot of men wearing something like a cross between Dockers and beachcombers. They couldn't ALL have been American.

Since I made my husband bring along a jacket for dinner, he kept pointing out to me all the Americans he saw in sweats.

Grandma

Alan... thanks for the tip on visiting Harry's. I always wait til mid day and find myself in the middle of a mad house. Wonder how the French people were so clever to appear early -

awbaker

Great story!

Ok, don't laugh, but after reading it, I went on the zappos.com website, searched for the grey suede New Balance shoes, found them, & purchased them for my husband!

He's been looking for some walking shoes for our trip to Paris next month. Soooo, since he's another man who isn't afraid to wear pink (although he has yet to experiment with pink trousers!), I thought, hey, these might be right up his alley!

Maybe you (or the handsome, pink-pant-wearing Frenchman) have started a trend!!

AlanM1

Just thought everyone would like to know that I purchased the Ecco shoes yesterday, in beige and black!

Kath

I can vouch for the gray New Balance walking sneakers. They are like walking on firm clouds, but they look absolutely atrocious. Ain't that always the way.