He went to the cupboard where he had stored Eddie's remaining possessions. There was, as he had remembered, a pair of jeans, and he took these out and unfolded them. They were distressed, but no more so than new jeans were these days, and they appeared to fit. William examined himself in the mirror; the jeans took off ten years, he thought, possibly more, and they were perfect with the blazer. This was the very essence of casual smart, he thought-that vague concept that allowed you to wear anything as long as you looked as if you had at least made some effort. He could hold up his head in any company in an outfit like this.
In the passage, William reflects on the remnants of Eddie’s belongings he has stored in a cupboard. He finds a pair of distressed jeans that, despite their wear, seem to fit perfectly and give him a youthful appearance. As he examines himself in the mirror, he acknowledges how the jeans, paired with a blazer, embody the ideal of "casual smart." This outfit gives him confidence, suggesting that one can appear polished...
