I’ve been getting myself a bit confused lately and it’s causing a bit of an internal identity crisis. The background is this: I’m 47 years old, turning 48 in a couple of months, and also due to finish my first university degree and graduate at the end of this year, and will be starting out fresh in a new career in nursing in 2027. I’ve always felt that I was a bit behind the 8 ball for a lot of things, felt like I wasn’t as mature, or as far along in life as my peers and that I wasn’t always kinda missing something. Anyway, throughout my studies I discovered something about myself, and last year was officially diagnosed with the neurodivergence ADHD. As I have been researching the condition, and relating it to my life and my experiences growing up, I have discovered that one of the traits of neurodivergence is that our emotional maturity develops a lot slower than neuro typical people, about one third slower in fact, which at my age puts my emotional age at around the early 30’s. What does that all have to do with style I hear you ask? Well, from the style research I’ve been doing, reading articles and watching yt vids etc, I’ve been trying to dress more my age, like a mature man pushing 50, but when I do I FEEL like I look like I’m dressing older than I am in my head (even though I’m probably not) and there seems to be a bit of a dissonance going on. Ironically, the clothes I’m wearing are probably equally suitable for a guy in his 30’s as well. If I dress a bit younger however, I feel like I LOOK like a try hard, and a bit like a department store mannequin, and it doesn’t always match the salt and pepper in my beard. So I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. It probably doesn’t help that I’ve yet to really land on my signature style anyway, plus I’ve put on a bit of weight recently from hours stagnating in front of the laptop which has given me a bit more of an unusual body shape. So I guess I’m just looking for a bit of advice from anyone who might understand what I’ve got going on, or if anyone has been through a similar situation.

Man, time really flies lately, it is nearly mid August already. My Mondays start early with a VidCon catchup up with friends and mates around the world at 5 am my time (usually only the US guys), and then from there it is into family time with breakfast and lunch prep too he;lap my wife and daughters. This is followed by walking my daughter to school and a location scout for photos for my OOTD stuff. Today though it was raining on the way home so I am back in the kitchen for the shoot 📷☔️ I put my Small Blunt (NEO) umbrella in my daughter’s bag for the walk home and carried my Blount Metro Umbrella with me. The rain only started as I dropped her at school, which was perfect timing, and I used my umbrella on the walk home from the cafe. Todays outfit consists of; Blunt Metro Umbrella in Espresso Oxford Woolrich Roger Overcoat in Camel Brixton Brood Snap Cap in Oatmeal and Charcoal houndstooth M.J. Bale Bonato Suit in Washed Cherry OTAA Pacelli Pink Oxford Shirt OTAA Red Poppy Floral Necktie OTAA Burgundy Clip-On Suspenders Burgundy Pocket Square aure with rolled Blue Edge Dune London Burgundy Socks with Pink Dots Ivassi 1973 Bespoke Semi Brogue Monkstrap In OxBlood SOTD - Dior Fahrenheit Parfum WOTD - Erebus Origin GMT - aka Wade Wilson

I ran across this photo earlier today and realized it was probably the first time I curated a suit outfit for myself. I’m not even sure if it’s a proper suit. Whereas I loathe to think of the shoes I may have been wearing (Huntington Beach High School is very much known for surfing championships and beach community), I couldn’t believe I was wearing a Winchester shirt. The blue shirt with white pinstripes almost goes with the white tie too. Those in the US likely recognize this as a senior photo for the yearbook. And yes, that is not just an earring but a mullet. I tell myself it was a sophisticated mullet! I’ve tried posting this three times now - apologies if they all land later today!