My Gen X Playlist: My Adidas – Run DMC

I was a little surprised when I was first hired at my last company because a suit was required everyday. Fortunately, work attire gradually relaxed over the years. Business casual, casual Fridays, every day casual. I remember HR emails defining acceptable dress in the office. I give HR professionals a lot of credit. They never receive enough appreciation for the work they have no choice to do. I can’t imagine having to add clothing monitor to my list of daily responsibilities. Bless them.

Work from home entered brand new territory and everything was thrown out the window. My “work from home uniform” consists of shorts and t-shirt most days. A polo shirt once in awhile makes me feel a little more dressed up. I’d throw on a baseball cap when I am truly lazy. Zoom calls require a little planning. A button down or polo shirt within arms reach is always on standby. I admit wearing a coat, tie and shorts a few times. I can openly say this with a smile because I know I’m not the only one to don this ensemble. I made sure never to stand up.

Do I miss dressing up for work? Not really. I’ve become accustomed to being casual. I’ve also saved a lot on my dry cleaning bill along the way, so that’s a good thing. I do have a feeling the pendulum may swing back at some point – work returning to the office, less casual and more professional attire. I think it’s only a matter of time. Hopefully, I’ll be retired by then and it won’t matter because I’ll be relaxing in shorts, t-shirt and a ratty old baseball cap that I sometimes wear. I won’t care too much about brands since I’ll be the old guy who’s sole job is to hang out. If I’m in a really good mood, maybe I’ll throw on an aloha shirt for a little fun and color. Retirement doesn’t sound too bad if you put it that way. Mahalo everyday? That’s something I can lean into. Where do I sign up?

Run DMC released My Adidas back in 1986. Looking back, I remember being a Nike guy in that era. It might have been the whole just do it slogan in the world of Air Jordan that sucked me in. I’m not sure exactly when the crossover occurred, but now I find myself squarely in the Adidas camp. I’m not nearly as cool as Run DMC was back then and unlike them, my Adidas sport shoe laces. But I now understand and appreciate their love for the three stripes. I can’t imagine it ever going out of style and even if it did, I’d gladly wear them anyways. It fits perfectly with my casual lifestyle.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

My Adidas
walked through concert doors
and roamed all over coliseum floors
I stepped on stage, at Live Aid
All the people gave and the poor got paid
And out of speakers I did speak
I wore my sneakers but I'm not a sneak
My Adidas cuts the sand of a foreign land
with mic in hand I cold took command
my Adidas and me, close as can be
we make a mean team, my Adidas and me
we get around together, rhyme forever
and we won't be mad when worn in bad weather
My Adidas..
My Adidas..
My Adidas

standin on 2 Fifth St.
funky fresh and yes cold on my feet
with no shoe string in em, I did not win em
I bought em off the Ave with the black Lee denim
I like to sport em that's why I bought em
a sucker tried to steal em so I caught em and I fought em
and I walk down the street and I bop to the beat
with Lee on my legs and adidas on my feet
and now I just standin here shooting the gif
me and D and my Adidas standing on 2 Fifth
My Adidas..
My Adidas..

Now
me and my Adidas do the illest things
we like to stomp out pimps with diamond rings
we slay all suckers who perpetrate
and lay down law from state to state
we travel on gravel, dirt road or street
I wear my Adidas when I rock the beat
on stage front page every show I go
it's Adidas on my feet high top or low
My Adidas..
My Adidas..

Now the Adidas I possess for one man is rare
myself homeboy got 50 pair
got blue and black cause I like to chill
and yellow and green when it's time to get ill
got a pair that I wear when I'm playin ball
with the heal inside make me 10 feet tall
my Adidas only bring good news
and they are not used as selling shoes
they're black and white, white with black stripe
the ones I like to wear when I rock the mic
on the strength of our famous university
we took the beat from the street and put it on TV
my Adidas are seen on the movie screen
Hollywood knows we're good if you know what I mean
we started in the alley, now we chill in Cali
and I won't trade my Adidas for no beat up Bally's
My Adidas..