I always feel like...somebody's watching me...

Bill's mood today: [No response; we think he seemed cheery yet pensive.]
Weather: Cold. It's winter.
Pairs he tried on before this one: None.
Reason he picked this one: They are almost slipper like.
Likelihood he'll wear them again: Excellent. I sometimes wear them as slippers.
Comfort Factor: Slipper-comfortable.
Stares in the building: A few.
After wearing these today, Bill will: See if his bass clarinet bell came back from Vancouver.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: I got these during a rare trip to LaLa Land.
And the socks? They are French cats, staring at the peacock eyes on the kicks. Maybe they're hungry.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: Reading a Dan Brown novel. (John says that the all seeing eye plays a big part in his latest novel. Anjali doesn't read Dan Brown novels so is just agreeing with him.)


If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: Sauron.
Likelihood to get Bill fired: He is wearing a shirt threatening to kill people if they touch his bass clarinet. So we would say high.


Additional Commentary: This is a picture of Bill's daughter attempting to play the bass clarinet. It appears to be bigger than she is. But isn't she a cutie?

Another post.

Another song to read along to...in honor of our visitor.

Bill's mood today: Shitty.
Weather: Cold.
Pairs he tried on before this one: None.
Reason he picked this one: They are the last of the Luche Libre that we haven't done.
Likelihood he'll wear them again: Good.
Comfort Factor: Good, they are a comfortable shoe.
Stares in the building: None, people were looking at my "I heart my bass clarinet" hoodie instead.
After wearing these today, Bill will: Pick Yonah up. He's sick. Again.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: They are Nike Cortez and are the fourth in the series Nike did on wrestlers.
And the socks? Blackish purplish. I wanted to have some interest in it.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: We don't know. Honestly, we are just not feeling creative today. And our moods fit the simplicity of Bill's shoes.
If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: No idea.
Likelihood to get Bill fired: Well, he is in a shit mood today. That combined with the wrestling theme of his shoes could prove a problematic combination. But then again, he is wearing a shirt about bass clarinets. So perhaps that takes the edge off.
Additional Commentary: We had a special guest in our office today, Nick Ashton-Hart, who is a friend of Bill's and used to be James Brown's manager. How fricking cool is that? Anjali hearts James Brown, despite his checkered past. Anjali is a forgiving soul.

I like to move it. Move it.

Another song to read along to...we like to provide a multi-media experience here at Bill's Sneakers.



Bill's mood today: Good. Now that I have my Android SIM card and new VPN I am in good shape.
Weather: A bit overcast, but not bitterly cold.
Pairs he tried on before this one: None.
Reason he picked this one: Hmmm....I was feeling like an animal today. But I couldn't figure out if I was white with black stripes or black with white stripes.
Likelihood he'll wear them again: Excellent.
Comfort Factor: Uh, not too bad. They are Converse All Star so there isn't a lot of support. If you look back, I don't know how those guys played basketball in these. They must have all had flat feet.
Stares in the building: I had a number of them.
After wearing these today, Bill will: What will I do? Take Yonah to karate.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: They are Chuck Taylor All Stars. They are slip ons that look like they have laces. (Bill and Annabelle have been having a whole conversation about basketball players and tattoos and Larry David's mom having had a tattoo and she couldn't be buried in a Jewish cemetery.)
And the socks? Black. Which is maybe my answer about whether zebras are white with black stripes or black with white stripes. It is a great debate.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: Escaping the zoo. Or getting back there if it's a sequel.
If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: Marty!

Likelihood to get Bill fired: He is feeling like an animal today. We would say it is a strong possibility.

Additional Commentary: We missed you Bill! Happy New Year!

With a taste of poison paradise

Another song to accompany this post.

Apologies for the smudgy pictures. John says Anjali's phone has mac and cheese on the lens. Which, for the record, isn't true. Anjali thinks it gives the photos a romantic feel.

Bill's mood today: Um...good with room for improvement.

Weather: Overcast, but mixed. A bit like my mood.

Pairs he tried on before this one: None.
Reason he picked this one: The last installment of the Luche Libre series.
Likelihood he'll wear them again: Good.
Comfort Factor: Good. They are Air Force Ones.
Stares in the building: I think a few. Yes, definitely a few. Because of the neon green.
After wearing these today, Bill will: (Sigh) Practice clarinet with his daughter.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: They are Air Force One. They are the fourth in the Nike series of Luche Libre wrestlers. They are black with a velvet front top and lots of great detail work around the toe. With side pictures in neon green of Luche Libre wrestlers.
And the socks? Black to go with the black in the shoes.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: Knocking around Tromaville.
If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: The Toxic Avenger.

Likelihood to get Bill fired: Only if he jumps into a vat of toxic waste. And starts picking on people.

Additional Commentary: Bill has good Pilates stance.

Bill in "Pilates stance"

Viva Mexico!

Here is a song for your listening pleasure as you read this post. (It has nothing to do with Bill's sneakers today, but it does have to do with his shirt. See below.)



Bill's mood today: Good.

Weather: Cold.

Pairs he tried on before this one: I looked at two. It was between this one and a different Luche Libre.
Reason he picked this one: They are whimsical.
Likelihood he'll wear them again: Good.
Comfort Factor: Quite comfortable.
Stares in the building: Hmmm.....I don't know that I have had any. I am very disappointed.
After wearing these today, Bill will: Go get a basset horn.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: Shoes are a series of four Luche Libre that Nike did. There are two hightops, and these are one of the two. This one is a vandal, which you can tell from the strap on the top.
And the socks? So the socks are wild and crazy socks. They are black striped ones that were intended to go with the black on the wrestler's boots, and the green is on the mask and velcro strap.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: Wrestling with a taco.
If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: Jack Black in Nacho Libre. (Although we don't know if he plays bass clarinet.)

This is not Jack Black. It is, however, hilarious.

Likelihood to get Bill fired: Possibly. He might try to wrestle John later.
Additional Commentary: Bill's sweatshirt is great today. Skull and crossbones with bass clarinets as the bones.

Bill says "Bass clarinet players are the bikers of the clarinet world."

Who knew bass clarinet players were so tough? (Apparently Bill, and these guys.)

The members of Edmund Welles. Tough guys play bass clarinet.

What's a four letter word for trainers?

Bill's mood today: Good but tired. I'm tired because I did a video conference at 2.30 in the morning.

Weather: A bit overcast.

Pairs he tried on before this one: None.
Reason he picked this one: I thought they would be amusing. And I thought they would show my sophistication. That I'm plugged into the NY fashion world. And, I thought people would find them puzzling. (Bill laughs.)
Likelihood he'll wear them again: Excellent. Especially if I ever see Marc.
Comfort Factor: Excellent. They are Vans.
Stares in the building: Maybe one or two. It is hard to tell why people are staring at me.
After wearing these today, Bill will: Have lunch with two friends from Israel.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: So Marc Jacobs has done a series of shoes for Vans over the years. These were, I believe, the first. I have another pair that were test runs. So there were some he did that weren't released. I probably have 6 or 7 Marc Jacobs Vans. They are very clever.
And the socks? Oh well the socks are British.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: Fun wordplay.
If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: Will Shortz.

Who doesn't love a little wordplay?

Likelihood to get Bill fired: Unlikely.
Additional Commentary: Bill first referred to Marc Jacobs as Marc Jacobson. Bill is so hip. Also, we are amazed at how perfectly Bill's socks match his shoes this week. And that the reason he chose to wear them had nothing to do with them being a perfect match, but because they are British. We don't always understand how Bill's mind works. But he is brilliant so we are going with it.

Fancy dress

Bill's mood today: Good.

Weather: Weather is pleasant but cloudy.

Pairs he tried on before this one: None.
Reason he picked this one: They are most appropriate for an Upper East Side event.
Likelihood he'll wear them again: 100%.
Comfort Factor: Good.
Stares in the building: NONE.
After wearing these today, Bill will: Go to the Carnegie Council on the Upper East Side.
Tell us about the shoes Bill: They are classic loafers with tassles. My usual size 10 and a half. Allegedly handmade. I have worn them so much that I can't make out who made them. One of the tassles is gone from the left side.
And the socks? Socks are gray, like the weather.

Anjali and John think....
These shoes would be most appropriate for: Making an impression on the Upper East Side. They may not appreciate gold gym shoes up there in the same way we do.
If someone famous wore these shoes, they would be: Someone fancy. Like Mayor Bloomberg.


Or Chuck Bass.


Likelihood to get Bill fired: Impossible. Bill looks fancy. And important. We wouldn't mess with him when he is in a suit.


Additional Commentary: This is the first time we have seen Bill in something other than sneakers. We don't quite know how to process this.