Sparkly shoes and purple suits: John's winter fashion show

A look back at colorful clothes that kept the blues away

If you wear a pair of sparkly shoes, get ready to be approached by strangers.

Colorful clothing draws interest from people on the street, at Walmart or the mall, in restaurants and church.

If you’re wearing a turquoise suit, tie and boots, you better not be shy. Because you’ll get a lot of compliments and questions.

These sparkly shoes have been the most-commented on item in my winter wardrobe. (Photo by John Naughton.)

One of the reasons I named this Substack “My Life, in Color” is that I wanted to share how bright colors and funky patterns can bring smiles to the faces of people I’ve never met.

The sparkly shoes, the cowboy hat with a turquoise hat band, suits and jackets in red, green, purple and orange. And of course, the holiday attire with Christmas lights and Santa hats.

It’s time for a few highlights from winter, which ran from Dec. 21 to March 20.

Outfits of Christmas Past

The holiday season is a fashion style unto itself. I entered (and won) one costume contest. In that case, I plopped a turkey hat on my head and built a dinner table with table settings for two, including plates, silverware and champagne flutes. (Photo courtesy of Amber Schmidt.)

My “costume season” usually runs from Thanksgiving to early January. Some suits are tacky (the “A Christmas Story” film inspired one comes to mind), others are more elegant. I found a green suit on sale at Backroom Clothing in Beaverdale that made a classy appearance. (And yes, I wore it for St. Patrick’s Day, too.)

I own a “heart suit” that is fun for Valentine’s Day. I wore it while speaking to a youth group about the value of kindess. It went over pretty well.

This heart-themed suit (jacket, pants, tie) is a hit. While it’s ideal for Valentine’s Day, I’ve worn it for other occasions, too. (Photo by John Naughton.)