Men's oxford shoes

I'm on the prowl for a pair.

I used to wear them in college, as part of an overall aesthetic: tee shirts, short shorts or skirts, and clunky shoes. It was partly coltish, partly androgynous, partly nerdy girl. I have a picture of me on the steps of the Arc de Triomphe, wearing just such an outfit. Perhaps in some way, it conveyed a sense of style. I remember being stopped 3 or 4 times during my visit to Paris by Parissiennes asking for directions.

Then I thought at some point that it was time for me to "grow up." And by grow up, I think I thought I needed to become more feminine. So away went the oxfords with no socks, and in came the ... Birkenstocks. Okay, so not much of a leap, but you have to remember I was a girl who wore overalls on a date.

Anyway, I want a pair again. I was inspired by the appearance of these old artifacts on the fashion runway (Karen Walker, top right, among others), worn in the way I used to. Kind of louche, defiant, and tomboyish.