Regarding shoes, after I bought my first pair of Allen Edmonds in 1994 I have not been able to buy any other brand of dress shoe. I had some Johnston Murphys but there is no comparison. The Cole Hahns and Italian shoes have such a thin sole it is bad on uneven ground or long walks. When they recraft them they look and feel like new, only better since the insole is broken-in. My oldest pair has been "recrafted" three times but the leather is cracked and when they wear out they go to the trash. Those shoes were worn three times a week for years on end. I used to travel a lot for business and until you spend 20 hours in your shoes you will never know how uncomfortable shoes can be. Also, do not wear your shoes two days in a row because feet sweat up to a quart a day and the shoes need to dry completely so they don't get skanky. Use cedar shoe trees and rotate them. They will look, smell and feel new for years. MHO

I don't claim to be an expert on these things but a guy once suggested that you can look at the nose instead of the eye to avoid a stare down. Good luck!

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Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si