Never Pack In The Dark

A family emergency left only two hours in which to pack for my current trip, and that was before the sun rose. Packing in the dark did not work well. I arrived at my first destination to find that the only suit in my bag was navy rather than charcoal, which might not have been so bad had all of the accessories I packed not been intended to be worn with charcoal. I will grant you that gray socks with a navy suit are not the end of the world, but when you dislike the combination of black and dark blue as much as I do, a selection of neckties with black grounds is discomfiting.

Enough things go wrong when a man packs in the dark that I am resolved to add more lighting to my dressing room. Consider, for example, the cufflinks in the photo. The center pair is actually one link apiece from two entirely different pair, thrown into the jewelry bag unnoticed, Until it was time to wear the black pair anyway. Fortunately I had the dark red ones as orange links are too light hearted for a solemn occasion.

My advice may be obvious to most of you, but to any man who has not thought about it, take it from one who has learned the hard way. Never pack in the dark. When there is something wrong with your clothing every day it becomes impossible to choose it with care and then forget about it. Which of course is how your clothes should be.