Thanks to the miracle of vaccines we were able to enjoy some drinks on a patio this evening with our board members for the first time in over a year. I got on some nice slacks, a good shirt, and some dress shoes! 👞

It was great to see folks that I hadn’t seen in-person for so long. As we were mingling and chatting I happened to look down and noticed some black debris on the floor under me. I didn’t know what it was but it didn’t raise any concerns. Some time later I looked down again and I noticed there was more of this debris. Upon closer inspection I realized that the soles of my shoes were disintegrating with every movement! 😳

I was wearing comfortable and high-quality Ecco shoes. As I looked closer I noticed the entire heal was crumbling into pieces! What an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction. I gingerly made my way a few feet so I could chat with some other people. As I was making my way someone asked if my shoes had mud on them. Ugh!

I got myself to the far side of the patio and decided to stake an area out. I managed to stay put for the rest of the evening, with an ever growing pile of debris under my feet. As the night wound down I shared with some folks my shoe catastrophe. It was the source of great laughs! 😂

The shoes went in the garbage as soon as I got home. At least I got a good story out of it.

Laughing man in pink striped shirt and gray slacks seated at outdoor patio table, raising one leg to show the crumbling sole of his Ecco dress shoe, with black debris scattered on the tile floor

By the time I got home this is what was left of the soles.

Soles of two Ecco dress shoes photographed from below, showing severe rubber deterioration with large chunks missing, deep cracks, and crumbling material across both soles.

Add this to other wardrobe fiascos like Finding Pants in Manhattan.