The frustrating part was that he would often dip into my already limited wardrobe—if you could even call it that—and use my clothes whenever he wanted a change. Being my elder brother and with our parents around, how could I object? In truth, I never felt the urge to object or felt any sibling rivalry. My aspirations and expectations were always modest, especially regarding clothes, which never truly interested me.

If there was ever the faintest feeling that could remotely resemble jealousy, it was when my elder brother was selected to represent his organization at a stall in Expo 67 in Montreal. Looking back, it wasn’t jealousy but more of a self-reflective moment, wondering why I couldn’t reach similar heights. Where did I fall short? My brother’s success wasn’t just luck; he worked tirelessly for over two years, earning the admiration of everyone in his organization. That opportunity changed his life. He moved to the USA and never looked back, now having spent more than 55 years there. Even though he’s nearing 80, he hasn’t lost his flair for fashion and continues to dress neatly and stylishly. And then there’s me—still the same in many ways.

I often feel the need to psychoanalyze myself to understand why I turned out this way, indifferent to clothes and fashion.

It was around the time when my elder brother left for Canada and later the USA that I secured a permanent job at a financial institution. Yet, my sense of dressing remained the same—unremarkable.

And then, about a year later…

Continued in 86. Shopping Hopping - Part 3