I suspect it's a hopeless cause...

I have zero sense of fashion--except for cycling togs and dress-up (suits, things like that). My weekend wear is all out of date and getting threadbare and my "business casual" for work isn't much better. The work togs also have the drawback of needing ironing, so I skip wearing the better shirts in favor of polos that don't need said pressing.

At the same time, I've been setting aside $25 for clothing every paycheck for quite a while. How much have I spent? Oh, about $22 on some sandals at Sears when I forgot shoes on a trip to Pocatello--last August! I now have over $800 for clothes shopping and so far, I've made one serious attempt. Mostly, I walked around Nordstrom and panicked about what to buy. Of course, at those prices, it seemed like a reasonable reaction.

I need help dressing myself, there's no question. The question is, where to turn? I don't trust friends, family, lovers. On this subject I fear they will either advise me to dress like the person they think I am or advise me to dress like the person they want me to be. Those relationships are fraught with so much baggage that I can't imagine putting myself in their hands like that. I don't want to be defined in a way that says more about the relationship than my goal: to dress like a prosperous, approachable, cool guy.

I've even searched a bit on the web for a professional fashion consultant, but I suspect that's a New York/LA thing. Still, the idea appeals to me, to have someone who would come to me without the expectations or agendas that real relationships create and simply tell me what to wear!

Maybe somebody needs to send Stacy and Clinton from TV's "What Not To Wear" after me...

CDs listened to today:

• Oasis: Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants
• Deerhoof: The Runners Four
• David Maslanka: A Child's Garden Of Dreams
• Red Hot Chili Peppers: Mother's Milk
• Paula Diehl: Right Of Way
• Krzysztof Penderecki: Concerto For Viola And Chamber Orchestra
• Squirrel Nut Zippers: Hot