Men really are from Mars
and have a hard time getting used to the dress code
on Venus.

M

y shopping services commute contemplating what to
were recently request- wear on a date the next night.
ed by a friend on a fran- They have no knowledge of the
tic search for the perfect way we discuss the approaching
black shoes.
date over lunch, and how no one
Clarification: the perfect black mocks the perhaps trivial debate.
shoes with a heel
I'll never forget how
chunky enough to be
many times I changed out-
hip, but subtle enough
fits before my first date
to qualify as sophisti-
with my current boyfriend.
cated for an upscale
Seven.
dinner. (Mind you, her
Nor will I forget the
collection already in-
fight we had before the
cludes four other pairs
date could technically be-
of perfect black shoes,
gin. It was about how he
each with its own char-
didn't see why shorts and
acter and purpose.)
a T-shirt were inappropri-
Fine by me. I deeply ALLISON K APLAN ate attire for dinner at a
SPECIAL T 0 THE
understand the com-
cozy Italian restaurant.
JEWISH NEWS
plexities of a wardrobe
At least we got the first
void. Unlike men, who
fight out of the way. That's
can exist with one pair of shoes always a lot of pressure.
— maybe two for the loafer-de-
Now that we've settled into a
pendent professional type who more comfortable routine, my
occasionally works out — I know boyfriend doesn't even attempt
that the right shoe can make or to look good on his own. He no
break an outfit.
longer touches the garments in
As we circled the mall, how- his wardrobe purchased before
ever, it became clear that this we started dating, unless he
black shoe we knew we would knows I won't be around. And,
know as soon as we spotted it when it comes time to venture
was not needed to match a cer- out in public, he just waits for in-
tain style of pants, but a partic- structions on what to wear.
ularpair of pants. And this pair
He's really blown my whole
of pants, it seems, my friend just theory about Jewish guys
happened to purchase the previ- dressing better because of their
ous day — coincidentally, hours early experiences with suits
after being asked on a second and sweaters at all those bar
date by a man who has been call- mitzvahs we attended growing
ing her regularly for the past two up.
weeks.
rm not complaining, mind you
New pants, new shoes — quite — this guy cleans up exception-
a show of effort for a second date.
ally well. And watching him pick
She balked at my intimation, out clothes without concerns
but had to concede that what be- about flattering colors or waist-
gan as a basic desire to look pre- accentuating stripes is truly a joy.
sentable had escalated into an It is amazing, however, to real-
extravagant pain.
ize the full extent to which he and
Along with buying new clothes
so many men just don't care
for a date comes the comfort of about their appearance. They
knowing that, even if the second aren't faking.
night out doesn't lead to a third,
Let's face it, we shop and pam-
my friend will still have a great per under the guise of pleasing
new pair of pants.
men, but really, it makes us feel
But, what really struck me good. Nothing wrong with that.
about this painstaking produc- Especially when my friend and I
tion so essential to womanhood, did manage to find her the per-
is how precious little of it men fect pair of black shoes. Such a
understand.
good deal too — buy one pair on
They know we fuss, blow dry sale, and get another for half the
and highlight. What they miss is already-reduced price.
the mind set. The don't realize
Naturally, I had to buy the sec-
we can spend the entire morning ond pair to help her out. Then, I
had to find the perfect pants to
go with my new shoes. And then,
Allison Kaplan is a columnist for
of course, I arranged a dinner
the Chicago Jewish Star whose
date for the occasion to show off
mother only lets her date
my new ensemble. 111
Jewish guys.

JXTH E More famtly fun for everyone_
APPLE Sprouilng every FrIcfac
TREE star Eing September 19,1997_

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